ik khauf-e-be-panaah hai aankhon ke aar-paar — Sultan Akhtar

safar safar mire qadmon se jagmagaayaa huaa
taraf taraf hai miri khaak-e-justuju raushan

main vo sahraa jise paani ki havas le Duubi
tu vo baadal jo kabhi TuuT ke barsaa hi nahin

fursat mein rahaa karte hain fursat se zyaada
masruf hain ham log zarurat se zyaada

hamaari saada-mizaaji pe rashk karte hain
vo saada-posh jo be-intihaa rangile hain

saamne aankhon ke phir yakh-basta manzar aaegaa
dhuup jam jaaegi aangan mein december aaegaa

sab ke honTon pe munavvar hain hamaare qisse
aur ham apni kahaani bhi nahin jaante hain

vo na aaegaa hamein maalum thaa is shaam bhi
intizaar us kaa magar kuchh soch kar karte rahe

maarka garm to ho lene do khun-rezi kaa
pahle shamshir ke niche hamin jaa baiTheinge

ghazal mein jab talak ehsaas ki shiddat na ho shaamil
faqat alfaaz ki kaarigari mahsus hoti hai

gul kiyaa jis ne vo thaa aur magar
shama ne shikva havaaon se kiyaa

shama ik mom ke paikar ke sivaa kuchh bhi na thi
aag jab tan mein lagaai hai to jaan aai hai

vaqt hai ab namaaz-e-maghrib kaa
chaand rukh lab shafaq hai gesu shaam