Amir Minai's famous ghazal: Sarakti jaaye hai ruKh se naqaab ahista ahista...

Amir Minai [pronunciation Ameer Meenai], who was born in 1828, is among the classical master poets of the Lucknow school of Urdu poetry.

His name was Amir Ahmad and came to be known as Amir Minai in literary world. Amir was a contemporary of Dagh Dehlvi. He is known for his perfection on the ghazal genre. Amir Minai passed away in 1900.

This particular ghazal shows his command over the language and idiom. Several of the couplets of this ghazal are oft-quoted. Read his ghazal in Urdu, Roman & Hindi scripts:

सरकती जाए है रुख़ से नक़ाब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
निकलता आ रहा है आफताब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता

जवाँ होने लगे जब वोह तो हम से कर लिया पर्दा
हया यक-लख़्त आई और शबाब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता

शब-ए-फ़ुरक़त* का जागा हूँ फरिश्तो अब तो सोने दो 
कहीं फुर्सत में कर लेना हिसाब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता 

सवाल-ए-वस्ल पर उनको उदू* का खौफ है इतना
दबे होंटों से देते हैं जवाब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता

वोह बेदर्दी से सर काटें अमीर और मैं कहूँ उनसे 
हुज़ूर आहिस्ता आहिस्ता, जनाब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता 

अमीर मीनाई 


Now read the ghazal in Roman English script:

saraktii jaaye hai ruKh se naqaab aahista aahista
nikalta aa raha hai aaftaab aahista aahista

javaaN hone lage jab voh to ham se kar liya pardaa
hayaa yak-laKht aaii aur shabaab aahista aahista

shab-e-furqat ka jaagaa huuN farishto ab to sone do
kahiiN fursat meN kar lenaa hisaab aahista aahista

sawaal-e-wasl par unko udoo kaa khauf hai itna
dabe hoNtoN se dete haiN jawaab aahista aahista

voh bedardi se sar kaaTeN Amir aur maiN kahuuN unse
huzoor aahista aahista, janaab aahista aahista

Ameer Meenaai

Mini-dictionary
Udoo=enemy, दुश्मन، دشمن
Shab=night
Shab-e-furqat=Night of separation

امیر مینائ داغ دہلوی کے ہم  عصر تھے- 
یہ غزل لکھنوی شاعری کے اس دور کے عروج کی نادر مثال ہے

Legendary poet Fani Badauni's ghazal: Dard duniya mein jab aaya to dawaa bhi aayi....

Fani Badayuni is among the masters of Urdu poetry. He was born in 1879 in Badaun.

Fani [*pronunciation Faani Badayooni] had a tough life and faced financial difficulties as well as problems at the domestic front.

This turned the lawyer into a poet whose name became synonymous with melancholic poetry. He died in 1941. Read his famous Ghazal:

इश्क़ ने दिल में जगह की तो क़ज़ा* भी आई
दर्द दुनिया में जब आया तो दवा भी आई

दिल की हस्ती से किया इश्क़ ने आगाह मुझे
दिल जब आया तो धड़कने की सदा भी आई

सदक़े उतरेंगे असीरान-ए-क़फ़स, छूटे हैं
बिजलियाँ ले के नशेमन पे घटा भी आई

हां न था बाब-ए-असर बंद मगर क्या कहिये
आह पोंह्ची थी कि दुश्मन की दुआ भी आई

देख ये जादा-ए-हस्ती है, संभल कर फानी
पीछे पीछे वोह दबे पाँव क़ज़ा भी आई

फ़ानी बदायूनी 

Now read the ghazal in Roman transliteration

ishq ne dil me.n jagah kii to qazaa bhii aaii
dard duniaa me.n jab aaya to davaa bhii aaii

dil kii hastii se kiya ishq ne aagaah mujhe
dil jab aaya to dhaDakne kii sadaa bhii aaii

sadqe utrenge aseeraan-e-qafas, chhooTe hai.n
bijliyaa.n le ke nasheman pe ghaTaa bhii aaii

haa.n na thaa bab-e-asar band magar kya kahiye
aab poNhchi thii ki dushman kii duaa bhii aaii

dekh ye jaada-e-hastii hai sambhal kar Faani
piichhe piichhe voh dabe paao.n qazaa bhii aaii

Fani Badauni


Mini English-Urdu Dictionary

*Qazaa=death
**Aseeraan-e-qafas=prisoners
*Jaada=path, way, style

Eminent poet Bashir Badr's ghazal: Jo chhoR diya phir use muR kar nahiiN dekha...

Bashir Badr is among the generation of Urdu poets who made their mark on the literary scene in the decade of 1960s.

Badr was born in 1935. He studied at AMU, Aligarh. He lived in Meerut and later shifted to Bhopal, where he now resides. Bashir Badr has a long list of publications in his name.

Several of his poetry collections were printed in the devanagari script and this is a reason for his popularity among Hindi-knowing masses too.

Read his ghazal:

आँखों में रहा, दिल में उतर कर नहीं देखा 
कश्ती के मुसाफिर ने समंदर नहीं देखा 

बे-वक़्त अगर जाऊँगा सब चौंक पड़ेंगे 
एक उम्र हुई दिन में कभी घर नहीं देखा 

जिस दिन से चला हूँ मेरी पे नज़र है
आँखों ने कभी मील का पत्थर नहीं देखा

महबूब का घर हो कि बुज़ुर्गों की ज़मीनेँ 
जो छोड़ दिया फिर उसे मुड़ कर नहीं देखा 

पत्थर मुझे कहता है मेरा चाहने वाला 
मैं मोम हूँ उसने मुझे छू कर नहीं देखा 

बशीर बद्र 



Now read the ghazal in Roman transliteration:

aa.nkhoN me.n rahaa, dil me.n utar kar nahiiN dekha
kashti ke musaafir ne samandar nahiiN dekhaa

be-waqt agar jaaungaa, sab chaunk paDenge
ek umr huii din me.n kabhii ghar nahiiN dekhaa

jis din se chalaa huuN meri manzil pe nazar hai
aaNkhoN ne kabhii meel ka patthar nahiiN dekhaa

mahbuub ka ghar ho ki buzurgo.n kii zamiineN
jo chhoR diyaa phir use muR kar nahiiN dekhaa

patthar mujhe kahtaa hai meraa chaahne waala
maiN mom huuN usne mujhe chhuu kar nahiiN dekhaa

Bashir Badar

Ada Jafri's ghazal: Do char qadam ham bhi tere saath chale hain...

Ada Jafri, 90, [she spelt it Jafarey] was born in Badaun in Uttar Pradesh (UP) in undivided India on August 22, 1926. She began penning poetry at an early age.

In fact, she was just nine when she wrote her first verse. Previously she wrote under the name, Ada Badayuni'. After partition, she migrated to Pakistan.

She is considered the foremost among women poets in Urdu. She won many prestigious literary awards and has four poetry collections to her credit. She passed away in Karachi [Pakistan] on March 16, 2015.

ये फख्र तो हासिल है, बुरे हैं कि भले हैं
दो चार क़दम हम भी तेरे साथ चले हैं

जलना तो चिराग़ों का मुक़द्दर है अज़ल से
ये दिल के कँवल हैं कि बुझे हैं न जले हैं

थे कितने सितारे कि सर-ए-शाम ही डूबे
हंगाम-ए-सहर कितने ही खुर्शीद ढले हैं

जो झेल गए हंस के कड़ी धूप के तेवर
तारों की खुन्क छाँव में वोह लोग जले हैं

एक शमा बुझाई तो कई और जला लीं
हम गर्दिश-ए-दौराँ से बड़ी चाल चले हैं

अदा जाफरी


Now read her ghazal in Roman English script:

Ye fakhr to haasil hai, bure hain ki bhale haiN
do chaar qadam ham bhii tere saath chale haiN

jalnaa to chiraaGho.n ka muqaddar hai azl se
ye dil ke kanwal haiN ki bujhe haiN na jale haiN

the kitne sitaare ki sar-e-shaam hii Duube
hangaam-e-sahar kitne hii Khurshiid Dhale haiN

jo jhel gaye ha.ns ke kaDii dhuup ke tevar
taaro.n kii Khunk chhao.n meiN voh log jale haiN

ek shamaa bujhaai to kau aur jalaa lein
ham gardish-e-duaraaN se baRii chaal chale haiN

Adaa Jafri

Mini Urdu-English dictionary

[Sahar: Dawn, Khursheed: Sun, Khunk: Cold]

Famous Urdu poet Kalim Ajiz' ghazal: Tum qatl karo ho ki karamaat karo ho...

Kalim Ajiz [proununciation: Kaleem Aajiz] who was born in Telhara [Nalanda] in Bihar, was a renowned Urdu poet.

He passed away in Hazaribagh [Jharkhand] in February 2015. Ajiz was 90. A poet in classical mould, he inspired generations of Urdu poets and readers.

A retired professor, he enriched Urdu literary world for almost seven decades. Ajiz' first collection of poetry was released by former president of India, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad in 1976. Read this unique ghazal:

दिन एक सितम, एक सितम रात करो हो
वोह दोस्त हो, दुश्मन को भी मात करो हो

हम ख़ाक-नशीं, तुम सुख़न-आराए-सर-ए-बाम 
पास आके मिलो, दूर से क्या बात करो हो 

हम को जो मिला है वोह तुम्हीं से तो मिला है
हम और भुला दें तुम्हें? क्या बात करो हो

दामन पे कोई छींट न खंजर पे कोई दाग़ 
तुम क़त्ल करो हो कि कोई करामात करो हो 

बकने भी दो 'आजिज़' को जो बोले है बके है
दीवाना है, दीवाने से क्या बात करो हो

कलीम आजिज़ 

Now read the same ghazal in Roman English script:

din ek sitam, ek sitam raat karo ho
voh dost ho, dushman ko bhi maat karo ho

ham khaak-nashee.n, tum sukhan-aaraa-e-sar-e-baam
paas aa ke milo, door se kyaa baat karo ho

ham ko jo milaa hai voh tumhiiN se to mila hai
ham aur bhilaa dein tumhein! kyaa baat karo ho

daaman pe koii chhiinT na Khanjar pe koii daaGh
tum qatl karo ho ki koii karaamaat karo ho

bakne bhii do 'aajiz' ko jo bole hai bake hai
diivaana hai, diivaane se kyaa baat karo ho

Kalim Aajiz

Legendary Urdu poet Chakbast's ghazal: Agar dard-e-mohabbat se na insan aashna hota....

Renowned poet late Brij Narain Chakbast is considered among the giants of Urdu poetry.

Chakbast was born in Faizabad in 1882. He was a near contemporary of the legendary Urdu poet Muhammad Iqbal.

A Kashmiri Brahmin, Chakbast's poetry is philosophical and moralistic. Read his ghazal:

अगर दर्द-ए-मोहब्बत से न इंसां आशना होता 
न कुछ मरने का ग़म होता, न जीने का मज़ा होता 

मए-गुलरंग लुटती, यूं दर-ए-मयख़ाना वा होता
न पीने में कमी होती, न साक़ी से गीला होता

हज़ारों जान देते हैं बुतों की बेवफाई पर 
अगर इन में से कोई बा-वफ़ा तो क्या होता? 

अगर दम भर भी मिट जाती खलिश खार-ए-तमन्ना की
दिल-ए-हसरत-तलब को अपनी हस्ती से गिला होता

ये माना बे-हिजाबाना निगाहें कहर करती हैं
मगर हुस्न-ए-हया-परवर का आलम दूसरा होता

बृज नारायन चकबस्त 

Now read the same ghazal in Roman English script:

agar dard-e-mohabbat se na insaa.n aashnaa hota
na kuchh marne ka Gham hota, na jiine ka mazaa hota

mai gul-rang luT-tee, yuuN dar-e-maikhaana vaa hotaa
na peene meN kamii hotii, na saaqi se gilaa hotaa

hazaaro.n jaan dete haiN buto.n kii be-wafaai par
agar in meN se koii baa-wafaa hotaa to kyaa hotaa

agar dam bhar bhii miT jaati khalish khaar-e-tamanna kii
dil-e-hasrat-talab ko apnii hasti se gilaa hotaa

ye maana be-hijaabaana nigaahe.n qahar kartii haiN
magar husn-e-hayaa-parvar kaa aalam doosraa hotaa

Brij Narayan Chakbast

Poetry and famous couplets remembering Imam Hussain, his martyrdrom at Karbala

The martyrdom of Imam Husain and his supreme sacrifice have inspired people for centuries. Innumerable elegiac verses have been written by poets in Urdu, Persian, Arabic and other languages, recalling the events at the battle of Karbala.

On this website, Iqbal's famous nazm [verse] on Imam Husain, has been posted in the past. You can READ IT HERE. Some of the most famous verses and oft-quoted couplets about the real message of Imam's Shahadat [sacrificing his and his companion's lives].

Read the immortal couplets. First in simple Persian, later two in Urdu.

शाह अस्त* हुसैन, बादशाह अस्त हुसैन
दीं अस्त हुसैन, दीं पनाह अस्त हुसैन
सर दाद, न दाद दस्त दर दस्त-ए-यज़ीद**
हक़्क़ा कि बिना-ए-ला-इलाहा अस्त हुसैन

ख्वाजा मोईनुद्दीन चिश्ती 

Translation
Ruler is Hussain, Emperor is Hussain,
Faith is Hussain , guardian of faith is Hussain
Offered his head and not the hand to Yazid
Truly, the mirror of faith is Hussain 

क़त्ल-ए-हुसैन असल में मर्ग-ए-यज़ीद है
इस्लाम ज़िंदा होता है हर कर्बला के बाद

मोहम्मद अली 'जौहर' 

इंसान को बेदार तो हो लेने दो
हर क़ौम पुकारेगी हमारे हैं हुसैन

जोश मलीहाबादी 

Now read the couplets in Roman English script:

Shah ast* Husain, baadshah ast Husain
Dee.n ast Husain, Dee.n panaah ast Husain
sar daad, na daad dast dar dast-e-yazeed**
haqqa, ki binaa-e-la-ilaaha ast Husain

Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti

Qatl-e-Husain asl mein marg-e-yazeed hai
Islaam zinda hota hai har Karbala ke baad

Maulana Mohammed Ali 'Jauhar'

insaan ko bedaar to ho lene do
har qaum pukaaregi hamaare hain Husain

Josh Malihabadi

-------------------------------------------------

Mini-dictionary

[*Ast=is, है][dee.n=faith, religion, दीं/दीन]
[**Hussain gave his head, but didn't give his hand i.e. allegiance to the evil Yezid][bina=basis, बुनियाद]

-------------------------------------------------

Hazrat Imam Husain [alternative spellings: Hussain, Hussein], the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, had attained martyrdom at the battle of Karbala in today's Iraq, nearly 1380 years ago. His family and companions were called treacherously, denied water and later they were mercilessly killed by Yezid's army.

Muslims across the world see Husain's act as supreme sacrifice by standing up to the tyrant who wanted to usurp power and also to get legitimacy from the Prophet's grandson. The event had occurred in the Islamic month of Muharram, and hence, the observances are often termed as Muharram.