ghaalib ko bura kyun kaho

kal ek nāqid-e-'ġhālib' ne mujh se ye pūchhā

ki qadr-e-'ġhālib'-e-marhūm kā sabab kyā hai

mujhe batāo ki dīvān-e-hazrat-e-'ġhālib'

kalām-e-pāk hai injīl hai ki giitā hai

sunā hai shahr-e-karachi meñ ek sāhab haiñ

kalām un kā bhī 'ġhālib' se miltā jultā hai

hamārā dost tufailī bhī hai baḌā shā.er

agarche ek baḌe aadmī kā chamcha hai

to phir ye ġhālib-e-marhūm kī hī barsī kyuuñ

mujhe batāo ki un meñ ḳhusūsiyat kyā hai

na 'zauq' kā hai kahīñ tazkira na 'momin' kā

na zikr-e-'mīr' kahīñ hai na yaum-e-'saudā' hai

ye 'faiz' o 'māhir' o 'josh' o 'firāq' kuchh bhī kaheñ

mirī nazar meñ to 'ġhālib' se zauq ūñchā hai

mujhe to 'mīr-taqī-mīr' se hai ek lagāv

ki 'mīr' kuchh bhī sahī shā.erī to kartā hai

ye rañg laa.ī hai 'ġhālib' kī party-bandī

ki aaj saare jahāñ meñ usī kā charchā hai

ye ruus vaale jo 'ġhālib' pe jaan dete haiñ

mire ḳhayāl meñ is meñ bhī koī ghaplā hai

kahāñ ke aise baḌe artist the 'ġhālib'

ye chand ahl-e-adab kā propaganda hai

anā ne maar diyā varna shā.er achchhā thā

natīja ye ki jo honā thā us kā aadhā hai

likhī hai ek ġhazal kī radīf ''hone tak''

koī batā.e ki kyā ye bhī sahv-e-imlā hai

kabhī hai mahv hasīnoñ se dhaul-dhappā meñ

kabhī kisī kā vo sote meñ bosa letā hai

jo kah rahe haiñ ki 'ġhālib' hai falsafī shā.er

mujhe batā.eñ ki bose meñ falsafa kyā hai

jahāñ raqam kī tavaqqo huī qasīda kahā

tumhīñ kaho ki ye me.ār-e-shā.erī kyā hai

sharāb jaam meñ hai aur jaam hāthoñ meñ

magar ye rind-e-balā-nosh phir bhī pyāsā hai

jo shā.erī ho tajammul-husain-ḳhāñ ke liye

vo ik tarah kī ḳhushāmad hai shā.erī kyā hai

ḳhitāb o ḳhil.at o darbār ke liye us ne

na jaane kitne amīroñ pe jaal Daalā hai

sunā ye hai ki vo suufī bhī thā valī bhī thā

ab is ke ba.ad to paiġhambarī kā darja hai

kahā jo maiñ ne ki paḌhiye to pahle 'ġhālib' ko

to bole ḳhaak paḌhūñ mudda.ā to anqā hai

mujhe ḳhabar hai ki 'ġhālib' kī zindagī kyā thī

ki maiñ ne hazrat-e-ġhālib kā film dekhā hai

sunī jo maiñ ne ye tanqīd to samajh na sakā

ki is ġharīb ko 'ġhālib' se dushmanī kyā hai

samajh gayā ki ye bakvās be-sabab to nahīñ

dimāġh kā koī purza zarūr Dhīlā hai

baḌhī jo baat to phir maiñ ne us ko samjhāyā

adab meñ hazrat-e-ġhālib kā martaba kyā hai

batāyā us ko ki vo zindagī kā hai shā.er

bahut qarīb se duniyā ko us ne dekhā hai

ajab tazād kī hāmil hai us kī shaḳhsiyyat

ajiib shaḳhs hai barbād ho ke hañstā hai

charāġh-e-sub.h kī mānind zindagī us kī

ik aasrā hai ik armāñ hai ik tamannā hai

jo us ko roknā chāho to aur tez bahe

ajiib mauj-e-ravāñ hai ajiib dariyā hai

chipak rahā hai badan par lahū se pairāhan

rafū kī us ko zarūrat hai aur na parvā hai

vo likh rahā hai hikāyāt-e-ḳhūñ-chakān-e-junūn

jabhī to us ke qalam se lahū Tapaktā hai

bas ek lafz ke parde meñ dāstāñ kahnā

ye fikr-o-fan kī bulandī usī kā hissa hai

na kyuuñ hoñ aaj vo mash.hūr puurī duniyā meñ

ki us kī fikr kā mauzūa puurī duniyā hai

pahuñch gayā hai vo us manzil-e-tafakkur par

jahāñ dimāġh bhī dil kī tarah dhaḌaktā hai

kabhī to us kā koī sher-e-sāda-o-rañgīñ

ruḳh-e-bashar kī tarah kaifiyat badaltā hai

ye ham ne maanā ki kuchh ḳhāmiyāñ bhī thiiñ us meñ

vo ḳhāmiyāñ nahīñ rakhtā ye kis kā da.avā hai

vo aadmī thā ḳhatā aadmī kī hai fitrat

ye kyuuñ kaheñ ki vo insāñ nahīñ farishta hai

jo chāhte haiñ ki fauq-ul-bashar banā deñ use

hameñ to us ke un ahbāb se bhī shikva hai

hazār logoñ ne chāhā ki us ke saath chaleñ

magar vo pahle bhī tanhā thā ab bhī tanhā hai

kabhī valī kabhī vaa.iz kabhī ḳharābātī

samajh sako to samajh lo vo ik mo.ammā hai

agar ye sach hai ki alfāz ruuh rakhte haiñ

to ye bhī sach hai vo alfāz kā masīhā hai

kal ek naqid-e-'ghaalib' ne mujh se ye puchha

ki qadr-e-'ghaalib'-e-marhum ka sabab kya hai

mujhe batao ki diwan-e-hazrat-e-'ghaalib'

kalam-e-pak hai injil hai ki gita hai

suna hai shahr-e-karachi mein ek sahab hain

kalam un ka bhi 'ghaalib' se milta julta hai

hamara dost tufaili bhi hai baDa shaer

agarche ek baDe aadmi ka chamcha hai

to phir ye ghaalib-e-marhum ki hi barsi kyun

mujhe batao ki un mein KHususiyat kya hai

na 'zauq' ka hai kahin tazkira na 'momin' ka

na zikr-e-'mir' kahin hai na yaum-e-'sauda' hai

ye 'faiz' o 'mahir' o 'josh' o 'firaq' kuchh bhi kahen

meri nazar mein to 'ghaalib' se zauq uncha hai

mujhe to 'mir-taqi-mir' se hai ek lagaw

ki 'mir' kuchh bhi sahi shaeri to karta hai

ye rang lai hai 'ghaalib' ki party-bandi

ki aaj sare jahan mein usi ka charcha hai

ye rus wale jo 'ghaalib' pe jaan dete hain

mere KHayal mein is mein bhi koi ghapla hai

kahan ke aise baDe artist the 'ghaalib'

ye chand ahl-e-adab ka propaganda hai

ana ne mar diya warna shaer achchha tha

natija ye ki jo hona tha us ka aadha hai

likhi hai ek ghazal ki radif hone tak

koi batae ki kya ye bhi sahw-e-imla hai

kabhi hai mahw hasinon se dhaul-dhappa mein

kabhi kisi ka wo sote mein bosa leta hai

jo kah rahe hain ki 'ghaalib' hai falsafi shaer

mujhe bataen ki bose mein falsafa kya hai

jahan raqam ki tawaqqo hui qasida kaha

tumhin kaho ki ye mear-e-shaeri kya hai

sharab jam mein hai aur jam hathon mein

magar ye rind-e-bala-nosh phir bhi pyasa hai

jo shaeri ho tajammul-husain-KHan ke liye

wo ek tarah ki KHushamad hai shaeri kya hai

KHitab o KHilat o darbar ke liye us ne

na jaane kitne amiron pe jal Dala hai

suna ye hai ki wo sufi bhi tha wali bhi tha

ab is ke baad to paighambari ka darja hai

kaha jo main ne ki paDhiye to pahle 'ghaalib' ko

to bole KHak paDhun muddaa to anqa hai

mujhe KHabar hai ki 'ghaalib' ki zindagi kya thi

ki main ne hazrat-e-ghaalib ka film dekha hai

suni jo main ne ye tanqid to samajh na saka

ki is gharib ko 'ghaalib' se dushmani kya hai

samajh gaya ki ye bakwas be-sabab to nahin

dimagh ka koi purza zarur Dhila hai

baDhi jo baat to phir main ne us ko samjhaya

adab mein hazrat-e-ghaalib ka martaba kya hai

bataya us ko ki wo zindagi ka hai shaer

bahut qarib se duniya ko us ne dekha hai

ajab tazad ki hamil hai us ki shaKHsiyyat

ajib shaKHs hai barbaad ho ke hansta hai

charagh-e-subh ki manind zindagi us ki

ek aasra hai ek arman hai ek tamanna hai

jo us ko rokna chaho to aur tez bahe

ajib mauj-e-rawan hai ajib dariya hai

chipak raha hai badan par lahu se pairahan

rafu ki us ko zarurat hai aur na parwa hai

wo likh raha hai hikayat-e-KHun-chakan-e-junun

jabhi to us ke qalam se lahu Tapakta hai

bas ek lafz ke parde mein dastan kahna

ye fikr-o-fan ki bulandi usi ka hissa hai

na kyun hon aaj wo mashhur puri duniya mein

ki us ki fikr ka mauzua puri duniya hai

pahunch gaya hai wo us manzil-e-tafakkur par

jahan dimagh bhi dil ki tarah dhaDakta hai

kabhi to us ka koi sher-e-sada-o-rangin

ruKH-e-bashar ki tarah kaifiyat badalta hai

ye hum ne mana ki kuchh KHamiyan bhi thin us mein

wo KHamiyan nahin rakhta ye kis ka dawa hai

wo aadmi tha KHata aadmi ki hai fitrat

ye kyun kahen ki wo insan nahin farishta hai

jo chahte hain ki fauq-ul-bashar bana den use

hamein to us ke un ahbab se bhi shikwa hai

hazar logon ne chaha ki us ke sath chalen

magar wo pahle bhi tanha tha ab bhi tanha hai

kabhi wali kabhi waiz kabhi KHarabaati

samajh sako to samajh lo wo ek moamma hai

agar ye sach hai ki alfaz ruh rakhte hain

to ye bhi sach hai wo alfaz ka masiha hai