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Zafar Iqbal

1932 (Bahawalnagar) – Present • Linguistic Innovator

"A highly prolific and endlessly experimental poet, Zafar Iqbal intentionally broke away from the polished, Persianized vocabulary of traditional Urdu. He revolutionized the ghazal format by boldly infusing it with indigenous Punjabi and Seraiki words, creating a completely fresh, earthy, and modern linguistic style that fundamentally changed the landscape of modern Pakistani poetry."

Mashhoor Ash'aar

jhuuT bola hai to qaa.em bhi raho us par 'zafar' aadmi ko sahab-e-kirdar hona chahiye...
tujh ko meri na mujhe teri khabar jaegi eid ab ke bhi dabe paanv guzar jaegi...
yahan kisi ko bhi kuchh hasb-e-aarzu na mila kisi ko ham na mile aur ham ko tu na mila...
thakna bhi lazmi tha kuchh kaam karte karte kuchh aur thak gaya hun aaram karte karte...
khamushi achchhi nahin inkar hona chahiye ye tamasha ab sar-e-bazar hona chahiye...
muskurate hue milta hun kisi se jo 'zafar' saaf pahchan liya jaata hun roya hua main...
ab vahi karne lage didar se aage ki baat jo kabhi kahte the bas didar hona chahiye...
us ko bhi yaad karne ki fursat na thi mujhe masruf tha main kuchh bhi na karne ke bavajud...
ab ke is bazm mein kuchh apna pata bhi dena paanv par paanv jo rakhna to daba bhi dena...
TakTaki baandh ke main dekh raha hun jis ko ye bhi ho sakta hai vo samne baiTha hi na ho...
safar pichhe ki jaanib hai qadam aage hai mera main buDha hota jaata hun javan hone ki khatir...
raaste hain khule hue saare phir bhi ye zindagi ruki hui hai...
yun mohabbat se na de meri mohabbat ka javab ye saza sakht hai thoDi si riayat kar de...
khuda ko maan ki tujh lab ke chumne ke siva koi ilaaj nahin aaj ki udasi ka...
jaisi ab hai aisi haalat mein nahin rah sakta main hamesha to mohabbat mein nahin rah sakta...
khushi mili to ye aalam tha bad-havasi ka ki dhyan hi na raha gham ki be-libasi ka...
mujh se chhuDvae mire saare usuul us ne 'zafar' kitna chaalaak tha maara mujhe tanha kar ke...
bas ek baar kisi ne gale lagaya tha phir us ke baad na main tha na mera saaya tha...
badan ka saara lahu khinch ke aa gaya rukh par vo ek bosa hamein de ke surkh-ru hai bahut...
us ko aana tha ki vo mujh ko bulata tha kahin raat bhar barish thi us ka raat bhar paigham tha...
ghar naya bartan na.e kapDe na.e in purane kaghazon ka kya karen...
vahan maqam to rone ka tha magar ai dost tire firaq mein ham ko hansi bahut aai...
main kisi aur zamane ke liye hun shayad is zamane mein hai mushkil mira zahir hona...
kharabi ho rahi hai to faqat mujh mein hi saari mire chaaron taraf to khuub achchha ho raha hai...
yun bhi hota hai ki yak dam koi achchha lag jaae baat kuchh bhi na ho aur dil mein tamasha lag jaae...
chehre se jhaaD pichhle baras ki kuduraten divar se purana calender utaar de...
tum hi batlao ki us ki qadr kya hogi tumhein jo mohabbat muft mein mil jaae aasani ke saath...
mujh mein hain gahri udasi ke jarasim is qadar main tujhe bhi is maraz mein mubtala kar jaunga...
main bikhar jaunga zanjir ki kaDiyon ki tarah aur rah jaegi is dasht mein jhankar miri...
mira meyar meri bhi samajh mein kuchh nahin aata nae lamhon mein tasviren purani maang leta hun...
ishq udasi ke paigham to laata rahta hai din raat lekin ham ko khush rahne ki aadat bahut ziyada hai...
maut ke saath hui hai miri shaadi so 'zafar' umr ke aakhiri lamhat mein dulha hua main...
bhari rahe abhi aankhon mein us ke naam ki niind vo khvab hai to yunhi dekhne se guzrega...
jab nazare the to aankhon ko nahin thi parva ab inhi aankhon ne chaaha to nazare nahin the...
vo bahut chaalaak hai lekin agar himmat karein pahla pahla jhuuT hai us ko yaqin aa jaega...
vo surat dekh li ham ne to phir kuchh bhi na dekha abhi varna paDi thi ek duniya dekhne ko...
baahar se chaTTan ki tarah hun andar ki faza mein tharthari hai...
jis ka inkar hatheli pe liye phirta hun jaanta hi nahin inkar ka matlab kya hai...
abhi meri apni samajh mein bhi nahin aa rahi main jabhi to baat ko mukhtasar nahin kar raha...
kya khabar jis ka yahan itna uDate hain mazaq khud hamein bhi kabhi is rang mein Dhalna paD jaae...
vo chehra haath mein le kar kitab ki surat har ek lafz har ik naqsh ki ada dekhun...
puuri aavaz se ik roz pukarun tujh ko aur phir meri zaban par tira taala lag jaae...
ru-ba-ru kar ke kabhi apne mahakte surkh honT ek do pal ke liye gul-dan kar dega mujhe...
apne hi samne divar bana baiTha hun hai ye anjam use raste se haTa dene ka...
husn us ka usi maqam pe hai ye musafir safar nahin karta...
suna hai vo mire baare mein sochta hai bahut khabar to hai hi magar mo'tabar zyada nahin...
ab us ki diid mohabbat nahin zarurat hai ki us se mil ke bichhaDne ki aarzu hai bahut...
karta hun niind mein hi safar saare shahr ka farigh to baiThta nahin sone ke bavajud...
kab vo zahir hoga aur hairan kar dega mujhe jitni bhi mushkil mein hun aasan kar dega mujhe...
mujhe kharab kiya us ne haan kiya hoga usi se puchhiye mujh ko khabar ziyada nahin...
saaf-o-shaffaf thi paani ki tarah niyyat-e-dil dekhne valon ne dekha ise gadla kar ke...
vidaa karti hai rozana zindagi mujh ko main roz maut ke manjhdhar se nikalta hun...
vaqt zaae na karo ham nahin aise vaise ye ishaara to mujhe us ne kai baar diya...
apni marzi se bhi ham ne kaam kar Daale hain kuchh lafz ko laDva diya hai beshtar maani ke saath...
lagata phir raha hun aashiqon par kufr ke fatve 'zafar' vaaiz hun main aur khidmat-e-islam karta hun...
yahin tak laai hai ye zindagi bhar ki masafat lab-e-dariya hun main aur vo pas-e-dariya khila hai...
uTha sakte nahin jab chuum kar hi chhoDna achchha mohabbat ka ye patthar is dafa bhaari ziyada hai...
us ke aate hi nigahon ko jhuka lo varna dekh loge to lipaTne ko bhi ji chahega...
aankh ke ek ishaare se kiya gul us ne jal raha tha jo diya itni hava hote hue...
dil se baahar nikal aana miri majburi hai main to is shor-e-qayamat mein nahin rah sakta...
vo mujh se apna pata puchhne ko aa nikle ki jin se main ne khud apna suragh paaya tha...
tira chaDha hua dariya samajh mein aata hai tire khamosh kinare nahin samajhta hun...
is baar mili hai jo natije mein burai kaam aai hai apni koi achchhai hamare...
jise ab tak talash karta hun gum-shuda ek yaad hai mujh mein...
ye ham jo peT se hi sochte hain shaam o sahar kabhi to jaaenge is daal-bhaat se aage...
zafar zamin-zad the zamin se hi kaam rakkha jo aasmani the aasmanon mein rah gae hain...
aag jangal mein lagi hai duur dariyaon ke paar aur koi shahr mein phirta hai ghabraya hua...
sach hai ki ham se baat bhi karna namaz hai gar ho sake to is ko qaza mat kiya karo...
lagi thi jaan ki baazi bisat ulaT Daali ye khel bhi hamein yaaron ne haarne na diya...
phir ja rukegi bujhte kharabon ke des mein suuni sulagti sochti sunsan si saDak...
ye zindagi ki aakhiri shab hi na ho kahin jo so gae hain un ko jaga lena chahiye...
main ziyada hun bahut us ke liye ab tak bhi aur mere liye vo saare ka saara kam hai...
khairat ka mujhe koi lalach nahin zafar main is gali mein sirf sada karne aaya hun...
rahta nahin hun bojh kisi par ziyada der kuchh qarz tha agar to ada bhi hua hun main...
aaj kal us ki tarah ham bhi hain khaali khaali ek do din use kahiyo ki yahan rah jaae...
lagta hai itna vaqt mire Duubne mein kyun andaza mujh ko khvab ki gahrai se hua...
tiri yaad mein jalsa-e-taaziyat tujhe bhuul jaane ka aaghaz tha...
apni ye shan-e-baghavat koi dekhe aa kar munh se inkar bhi hai aur sar bhi jhukae hue hain...
itna manus bhi hone ki zarurat kya thi kabhi is khvab se mumkin hai nikalna paD jaae...
rok rakhna tha abhi aur ye aavaz ka ras bech lena tha ye sauda zara mahnga kar ke...
tanha rahne mein bhi koi uzr nahin hai lekin us ke saath hi tanha rah sakta hun...
barish ki bahut tez hava mein kahin mujh ko darpesh tha ik marhala jalne ki tarah ka...
rakhta hun apna aap bahut khinch-taan kar chhoTa hun aur khud ko baDa karne aaya hun...
jise darvaza kahte the vahi divar nikli jise ham dil samajhte the vo duniya ho raha hai...
pariyon aisa ruup hai jis ka laDkon aisa naanv saare dhande chhoD-chhaaD ke chaliye us ke gaanv...
haath pair aap hi main maar raha hun filhaal Duubte ko abhi tinke ka sahaara kam hai...
bujha nahin mire andar ka aaftab abhi jala ke khaak karega yahi sharara mujhe...
har baar madad ke liye auron ko pukara ya kaam liya nara-e-takbir se ham ne...
aakhir zafar hua hun manzar se khud hi ghaeb uslub-e-khas apna main aam karte karte...
is tarah bhi chala hai kabhi karobar-e-shauq ruThe koi to us ko mana lena chahiye...
ik dhuup si tani hui baadal ke aar-paar ik pyaas hai ruki hui jharne ke bavajud...
jo yahan khud hi laga rakkhi hai chaaron jaanib ek din ham ne isi aag mein jal jaana hai...
ek din subh jo uTThen to ye duniya hi na ho hai madar ab kisi aisi hi khush-imkani par...
ise bhi zafar meri himmat hi samjho kahin ho na paaya kahin ho gaya hun...
ham itni raushni mein dekh bhi sakte nahin us ko so apne aap hi is chaand ko gahnae rakhte hain...
ek na-maujudgi rah jaegi chaaron taraf rafta rafta is qadar sunsan kar dega mujhe...
lambi taan ke so ja aur siski ko kharraTa kar...
zinda rakhta tha mujhe shakl dikha kar apni kahin ruposh hua aur mujhe maar diya...
main Duubta jazira tha maujon ki maar par chaaron taraf hava ka samundar siyah tha...
ye shahr zinda hai lekin har ek lafz ki laash jahan kahin se uThi shor mere ghar mein raha...
raushni ab raah se bhaTka bhi deti hai miyan us ki aankhon ki chamak ne mujh ko be-ghar kar diya...
saal-ha-saal se khamosh the gahre paani ab nazar aae hain aavaz ke aasar mujhe...
meri suraj se mulaqat bhi ho sakti hai sukhne Daal diya jaun jo dhoya hua main...
jahan se kuchh na mile husn-e-mazarat ke siva ye aarzu usi chaukhaT pe shab guzarti hai...
buDhape se agli ye manzil hai koi javan ho gaya hun hasin ho gaya hun...
na jaane kyun miri niyyat badal gai yak-dam vagarna us pe tabiat miri bahut aai...
khul ke ro bhi sakun aur hans bhi sakun ji bhar ke abhi itni bhi faraghat mein nahin rah sakta...
mujhe kuchh bhi nahin malum aur andar hi andar lahu mein ek dast-e-raegan phaila hua hai...
ye saaf lagta hai jaisi ki us ki aankhen thiin vo asl mein mujhe bimar karne aaya tha...
ik lahar hai ki mujh mein uchhalne ko hai zafar ik lafz hai ki mujh se ada hone vaala hai...
main andar se kahin tabdil hona chahta tha purani kenchuli mein hi naya hona tha mujh ko...
ham pe duniya hui savar zafar aur ham hain savar duniya par...
khinch laai hai yahan lazzat-e-aazar mujhe jahan paani na mile aaj vahan maar mujhe...
aage baDhun to zard ghaTa mere ru-ba-ru pichhe muDun to gard-e-safar mere samne...
chalo itni to aasani rahegi milenge aur pareshani rahegi...
ruuh phunkega mohabbat ki mire paikar mein vo phir vo apne samne be-jaan kar dega mujhe...
har naya zaiqa chhoDa hai jo auron ke liye pahle apne liye ijad bhi khud main ne kiya...
vo maqamat-e-muqaddas vo tire gumbad o qaus aur mira aise nishanat ka zair hona...
hamara ishq ravan hai rukavaton mein zafar ye khvab hai kisi divar se nahin rukta...
mila to manzil-e-jaan mein utarne na diya vo kho gaya to kisi ne pukarne na diya...
jidhar से khol ke baiThe the dar andhere ka usi taraf se hamein raushni bahut aai...
chapatiyan thiin bandhi peT par magar shab-bhar ubharta Duubta main bhuuk ke bhanvar mein raha...
inkisari mein mira hukm bhi jaari tha zafar arz karte hue irshad bhi khud main ne kiya...
kirdar us ko dhunDte phirte hain ja-ba-ja gum aa ke ho gai hai kahani miri taraf...
main bhi kuchh der se baiTha hun nishane pe zafar aur vo khencha hua tiir bhi chal jaana hai...
baat mujh mein bhi kuchh is tarah ki hogi jo yahan kabhi vapas hi na hota tha vasula hua main...
chumne ke liye thaam rakkhun koi dam vo haath aur vo paanv rang-e-hina ke liye chhoD dun...
shab-e-visal tire dil ke saath lag kar bhi miri luTi hui duniya tujhe pukarti hai...
tum apni masti mein aan Takrae mujh se yak-dam idhar se main bhi to be-dhyani mein ja raha tha...
kaifiyat hi koi paani ne badal li ho kahin ham jise dasht samajhte hain vo dariya hi na ho...
kahan tak ho saka kar-e-mohabbat kya bataen tumhaare samne hai kaam jitna ho raha hai...
patang uDane se kya mana kar sake zahid ki us ki apni aba mein patang uDti hai...
baahar gali mein chalte hue log thak gae tanhaiyon ka shor tha khaali makan mein...
ik duur ke safar pe ravana bhi hun zafar sust-ul-vajud ghar mein paDa bhi hua hun main...
palaT paDa jo main sar phoD kar mohabbat mein to rasta isi divar se nikal aaya...
koi is baat ko taslim kare ya na kare subh ki sair ne mujh ko dil bimar diya...
ye bhi mumkin hai ki is kar-gah-e-dil mein zafar kaam koi kare aur naam kisi ka lag jaae...
vo qahr tha ki raat ka patthar pighal paDa kya aatishin gulab khila aasman par...
mushkil-pasand hi sahi main vasl mein magar ab ke ye marhala mujhe aasan bhi chahiye...
aaba to zafar nahin the aise phir sher shiar kyun hua hai...
hava ke saath jo ik bosa bhejta hun kabhi to shola us badan-paak se nikalta hai...
bazar-e-bosa tez se hai tez-tar zafar ummid to nahin ki ye mahngai khatm ho...
din chaDhe hona na hona ek sa rah jaega ye bhi kya kam hai ki ab se raat bhar baaqi hun main...
andar ka zahr-nak andhera hi tha bahut sar par tuli khaDi hai shab-e-taar kis liye...
kaisa hai kaun ye to nazar aa sake kahin parda ye darmiyan se haTa lena chahiye...
dar-e-umid se ho kar nikalne lagta hun to yaas rauzan-e-zindan se aankh maarti hai...
apne soe hue suraj ki khabar le ja kar is kamin-gah mein kirnon ko pakaDta kya hai...
aankhon mein raakh Daal ke nikla hun sair ko shakhon pe nachte hain sharar mere samne...
kufr se ye jo munavvar miri peshani hai zahir is se bhi mira jazba-e-iimani hai...
aasman par koi tasvir banata hun zafar ki rahe ek taraf aur lage chaaron taraf...
ye kya fusun hai ki subh-e-gurez ka pahlu shab-e-visal tiri baat baat se nikla...
rau mein aae to vo khud garmi-e-bazar hue ham jinhein haath laga kar bhi gunahgar hue...
hava shakhon mein rukne aur ulajhne ko hai is lamhe guzarte baadalon mein chaand hail hone vaala hai...
sunoge lafz mein bhi phaDphaDahat lahu mein bhi par-afshani rahegi...
miri faza mein hai tartib-e-kaenat kuchh aur ajab nahin jo tira chaand hai sitara mujhe...
ye haal hai to badan ko bachaiye kab tak sada mein dhuup bahut hai lahu mein lu hai bahut...
yun saja rakkha tha qurbani ka bakra shokh ne dil hamara dekhte hi dekhte bakri hua...
manDi maveshiyat mein saari utar gai bakre se pahle khaal hamari utar gai...
jahan se tohfatan bheji gai thi iid ke din se vahin phirti-phirati aa gai hai raan bakre ki...
phir sar-e-subh kisi dard ke dar va karne dhaan ke khet se ik mauj-e-hava aai hai...
aisa hai jaise aankh ki putli ke vast mein naqsha bana hua hai kisi khvab-zar ka...
taala laga ke baandh rakha tha raqib ne bakra khaDa hai chor magar khaal le gae...
kis taaza maarke pe gaya aaj phir zafar talvar taaq mein hai na ghoDa hai thaan par...
kahan chali gaiin kar ke ye toD-phoD zafar vo bijliyan mire aasab se guzarte hue...
main khvab-e-sabz tha donon ke darmiyan zafar ki aasman tha sunahra zamin bhuri thi...
sab se pahle suni us ne miri baat bazm se mujh ko uThane ke liye...
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