Sargoshi-e-Dil

Yeh teri yaad jo hai dil ke nihaN KHanoN maiN roshan ub tuk,
Jis tarah raat ke sunnatay maiN ho deep jala.
Sochta hooN maiN tujhay ub bhee usee tarah aey dost,
Kia tuJHay bhee mera hota hai gumaN? Yeh to bata.

Kia teri rooh bhee hai aik biyabaN sehra,
Kia tera dil bhee taRapta hai subho shaam? Bata.
MehfilaiN kaisee hee hoN, dost hoN her dum humrah,
Kia teri aanKH muJHay DHoonday hai her soo? Yeh bata.

Chilchilatee huee garmi maiN, jo JHulsa day badan,
Kia mera KHeyal lagay bad-e-saba tujh ko? bata.
Aur jub barf kee chader maiN lipat jaey yeh dil,
Garmi-e-yaad se ho jaey lahoo kia? Yeh bata.

Koi bhee rah chalooN, teree taraf lay jaey,
Rehguzar aur bhee hai koi zamanay maiN? Bata.
Abr-e-rehmat kee tarah piyar tera DHampay muJH ko,
TuJH ko bhee meree muhabbat ka hai ehsaas? Bata.

Jis tarah seep maiN motee, jis tarah jism maiN rooh,
Kia isi tarah tuJHay meree muhabbat bhee lagay? Yeh to bata.
Jis tarah piyasee zameeN per giray baarish kee PHuvar,
MuJH se mil ker teree be chainee ko mil jaey sukooN? Yeh to bata.

Koi dum mera teree yaad se KHalee nahee aey dost,
Koi dum tuJH ko meree yaad sataey kia? Bata.
Kis tarah merey shub-o-roz guzartey haiN BHala kaisay kahooN?
Kis tarah tu ne bitaey haiN yeh din raat? Bata.

My Father's Favourite Ash'ar

1. Ber mazar-e-ma GHareebaN, nai chiraGHay nai gulay,
Nai per-e-pervane soozad, nai sada-e-bulbulay.

2. Adab gah-e-zeest zair-e-aasmaN ez arSH nazuk ter,
    Nafas gum kerde mae ayed Junaid o BaYazid eenjaw.

3. Too GHanee ez her do aalum mun faqeer,
    Roz-e-MehSHer uzr haie mun pazeer.
    Gar too mee beenee hisabum naguzeer,
    Ez nigahe Mustafa pinhaN bigeer.

4. Naseemay ez Hijawz ayed ke nayed,
    Sarood-e raftaw baz ayed ke nayed.
    Ser amad roozgar-e eeN faqeery
    Digar dana-e rawz ayed ke nayed.

5. Avval-o aaKHir fana, batan-o zahir fana.
    NaqSH-e kuhon ho ke nau, manzil-e aaKHir fana.

Love is Beautiful!!!

All relationships are beautiful...until one mutilates them with with the ugliness of one's inner  soul. A beautiful soul is magnanimous, forgiving, loving and understanding. When the beauty of these elements is lended to a relationship, everybody becomes beautiful. Loving fellow human beings becomes the most natural thing to do.
Creating space in one's heart for others is a sign of spiritual evolution without which a human being is unworthy of his title. To create space in one's heart to accomodate everyone is not the easiest thing to do; unless one keeps one's focus on one's own imperfections and make allowances for the same in others.
Human beings are born with an amalgamation of qualities; some divine, others base. Whichever set of traits surfaces determines whether we are closer to God or to the devil. Often we see that it is the base qualities that ride high on our minds, which results in our base behaviour. We hate, we are envious, we are selfish, we are cruel, conniving. We undermine the rights of others for our own gains. We lose sight of what is right or wrong. We forget that there is another life which is eternal. Why does it not matter to us where we will be in that life? Heaven? Hell?
We have to work very hard in order to allow our divine qualities to become more superior to our darker self. It is easier to hate and take revenge than it is to forget and forgive as that is an animal instinct. On the other hand, it is Divine to forgive and overlook. If we love God, we must try to be like Him; just like we endeavour to copy our parents and be like them.
 When He decided to send man to the earth as His deputy, He wished man to execute the affairs of life here according to the laws He made. How could He allow us to be His disciples and follow the devil? He wants us to behave in a manner befitting a human being which He calls 'the best of His creations'. Man is placed even above the angels; but only if he chooses right over wrong and gives preference to others over self.
The mind is a very powerful instrument in the hands of a human. And a part of the mind is also that which is called the 'heart'. Because it is the job of only the brain to think. So when we say our heart says this and our mind says that, we are actually talking about two separate portions of the same organ. A conflict between the two is what we experience at every step in life. The 'heart' of the brain urges us to follow the animalistic instincts and satisfy the 'self'. But the mind tells us to remember God's expectations from us. It teaches us to be magnanimous and when we listen to our mind we stay on track and move closer to God with every test.

'Taptay Sehra'

Kabhee nazar jo palat jaeay zindaganee per,
To door tuk na dikhaee day kuchh bhee;
Sivaey taptee huee raig kee chatanon ke,
Khizan ke lootay huay pattay, udaas shamon ke.

Voh chupke chupke se rona undhairee raaton main,
Chupa ke dard-e-jigar muskurana but bun ke,

Sitarey aankhon ke tootay, jigar ke tukray huay,
Sajay huay thay jo dil main, sabhee arman lutay.

Qadam qadam pe lagay zakhm, rooh majrooh huee,
Her aik hasrat-e-dil yaas main muntaqil yoon huee.

Dil-e-betab ko jub bhee kabhee sambhala dia,
Umad ke aa gaee jor-o-sitam kee kali ghata.

Gila karain bhee to kia, kis se hum shikaet karain,
Koee jo samjhay to keunker, hum kaisay samjhaain.

Hansee main doobee huee siskiyan sunaee na dain,
Ke dil kee tooti huee hasratain dikhaee na dain.

Bhulana chahain to phir bhee bhula na paaen voh gham,
Ke jin se choor huee rooh, hain yeh aisay zakham.

Tamam umr ke ghaaon ko ghol ker is main,
Ghamon kee mae ko khushee se pee lia hum ne.

Khuda se mangain gay ik din hisab is dil ka,
Abhee to honton ko hasrat se see lia hum ne.

Shajar-e-saya Dar

Main jub bhe aankhain moond laitee hoon,
Samay kee kai dihayaan beet jatee hain.
Achanak yoon lagta hai mujh ko,
Ke jaisay phir se main nannhee see bachee hoon.
Aur merey aagay peechay, her taraf merey,
Bohot se haseen rishtay hain.
Voh merey chahnay valey baray boorhay,
Ke jin kee aankhon kee neeli dhundlahat,
Aur kamzor haathon kee ubhree huee ragain,
Apnay under hazar dastanain chupaey baithee hain.
Un kee aankhon main voh be panah muhabbat,
Aur un ke haathon ke lams main kitnee chahut.
Voh zair- e- lub her gharee un ka,
Chupke chupke mujhay dua daina.
Un kee bay laus muhabbat thee yoon jaisay,
Tuptay sehra main baad-e-naseem chalay jaisay,
Aur sard berfeely chotion pe,
Goad kee narm garmee ho jaisay.
Voh saya dar shajar kee tarah rehay jub tuk,
Na koi gham tha mujhay, aur na koi khauf.
Voh jin ke dum se thee meree tamam be fikree,
Voh jin kee ulfat se tha aik alam-e-bekhudee;
Unhay jo khoya to yoon laga jaisay,
Ser se chadar sirak gaee jaisay.
Na koee dhaal rahee aur na koee saya,
Mahaz-e-jung main hoon tun tunha jaisay,
Dushmanon ke her vaar kee zud main hoon jaisay.
Bahay jaengay jis oar bhee lay jaegee qismet,
Ke zamana laut ker kabhee palat-ta naheen,
Un kee yadain rahaingee saath her dum,
Ke jaisay khoya naheen unko,
Voh paas hon jaisay.

I Am Alive

As day dawns and the chirping birds,
Wake me from my slumber deep;
As my soul silently drifts back into my dead body,
After a night-long journey in the land of dreams;
Its wings as delicate, weightless and silent,
As a butterfly's.
I open my eyes and wait for my life to return.
Quietly then I look for a reason,
To be happy, to be content,
A reason to wake up, and come back to life.

And what better reason,
Than the thought of your love, my Love,
An imaginary hug and a kiss,
The strength of your embrace;
All the reasons for my smile, my life,
The confidence behind my grace.
I think of you and my soul rejoices,
My life returns and I am dead no more.
I welcome life, and the new day.
I am alive, I want to live!

Memories flow in and out of my mind,
Of the countless times you've held me close,
And wiped my tears with your loving hands.
The warmth of your fingers as they brushed my cheek,
Gave me strength to fight my sorrow.
I am warmed by your presence, your essence,
Your gift, your love.
And I pray that I exist another day,
In your world, your heart,
Within your loving soul.

Ghalib

Ah ko chaheay ik umr asar honay tuk,
Kaun jeeta hai tiri zulf ke ser honay tuk.

Aashiqi sabr talab aur tamanna betab,
Dil ka kia rung karoon khoon e jigar honay tuk.

Hum nay mana ke taghaful na karo gay laikin,
Khaak ho jaen gay hum tum ko khabar honay tuk.

Gham e hastee ka Asad kis say ho juz marg ailaj,
Shama her rung main jaltee hai sehar honay tuk.