mohabbaton mein dikhawe ki dosti na mila
mohabbaton men dikhave ki dosti na mila
agar gale nahin milta to haath bhi na mila
gharon pe naam the namon ke saath ohde the
bahut talash kiya koi aadmi na mila
tamam rishton ko main ghar pe chhod aaya tha
phir us ke baa'd mujhe koi ajnabi na mila
khuda ki itni badi kaenat men main ne
bas ek shakhs ko manga mujhe vahi na mila
bahut ajiib hai ye qurbaton ki duuri bhi
vo mere saath raha aur mujhe kabhi na mila
mohabbaton mein dikhawe ki dosti na mila
agar gale nahin milta to hath bhi na mila
gharon pe nam the namon ke sath ohde the
bahut talash kiya koi aadmi na mila
tamam rishton ko main ghar pe chhod aaya tha
phir us ke ba'd mujhe koi ajnabi na mila
khuda ki itni badi kaenat mein main ne
bas ek shakhs ko manga mujhe wahi na mila
bahut ajib hai ye qurbaton ki duri bhi
wo mere sath raha aur mujhe kabhi na mila
ye kahan ki dosti hai ki bane hain dost naseh
koi charasaz hota koi ghham-gusar hota
ghalib questions a hollow “friendship” where companions only preach instead of caring. the word “naseh” suggests judgment and sermonizing, not warmth. in contrast, he longs for a healer of troubles and a comforter in grief—someone who helps or at least sits with pain. the emotional core is disappointment: advice without empathy feels like abandonment.
kya karoge bachaw suraj ka
kya karoge bachav suraj ka
jante ho subhav suraj ka
garm hai vo to kam nahin ham bhi
kaun sahta hai taao suraj ka
mere ghar ka charaghh bujhte hi
chadh gaya kitna bhaav suraj ka
surmai shaam aae kamre men
ab to parda hatao suraj ka
raat se jang kar ke aaya hai
taaza taaza hai ghaav suraj ka
milne jaata hai raat se chhup kar
ik fasana banao suraj ka
asmanon se dosti kar ke
badh gaya hai tanav suraj ka
ho gai shaam sochte kya ho
ab janaza uthao suraj ka
raat bhar munh chhupae phirta raha
kam nahin phir bhi taao suraj ka
roz dariya kinare baith ke ham
jodte hain ghatao suraj ka
jugnuon se muqabla tha 'fahim'
kaun karta bachao suraj ka
kya karoge bachaw suraj ka
jaante ho subhaw suraj ka
garm hai wo to kam nahin hum bhi
kaun sahta hai tao suraj ka
mere ghar ka charagh bujhte hi
chadh gaya kitna bhaw suraj ka
surmai sham aae kamre mein
ab to parda hatao suraj ka
raat se jang kar ke aaya hai
taza taza hai ghaw suraj ka
milne jata hai raat se chhup kar
ek fasana banao suraj ka
aasmanon se dosti kar ke
badh gaya hai tanaw suraj ka
ho gai sham sochte kya ho
ab janaza uthao suraj ka
raat bhar munh chhupae phirta raha
kam nahin phir bhi tao suraj ka
roz dariya kinare baith ke hum
jodte hain ghatao suraj ka
jugnuon se muqabla tha 'fahim'
kaun karta bachao suraj ka
mohabbaton men dikhave ki dosti na mila
agar gale nahin milta to haath bhi na mila
dosti jab kisi se ki jaae
dushmanon ki bhi raae li jaae
translation
while befriending someone,
opinion of the foes may also be sought.
sagar akbarabadi
darakhton se nadi se panchhiyon se dosti hai
darakhton se nadi se panchhiyon se dosti hai
miri ik 'umr se in jangalon se dosti hai
kahin jaun mujhe le jaenge teri taraf hi
so tere shahr ke sab raston se dosti hai
tire ghham ka asar aisa hua dil par hamare
hamari ab jahan bhar ke ghhamon se dosti hai
bharosa kya karen un doston ki dosti ka
bhali jin ki hamare dushmanon se dosti hai
hamari dosti ke darmiyan kuchh bhi na aaya
hamari dosti bas muddaton se dosti hai
agar asaniyan hain to zara mushkil rahegi
nahin dar mushkilon ka mushkilon se dosti hai
zamane ki zarurat hi kahan hai 'bhaskar' ko
vo 'ashiq hai aur us ki 'ashiqon se dosti hai
darakhton se nadi se panchhiyon se dosti hai
meri ek 'umr se in jangalon se dosti hai
kahin jaun mujhe le jaenge teri taraf hi
so tere shahr ke sab raston se dosti hai
tere gham ka asar aisa hua dil par hamare
hamari ab jahan bhar ke ghamon se dosti hai
bharosa kya karen un doston ki dosti ka
bhali jin ki hamare dushmanon se dosti hai
hamari dosti ke darmiyan kuchh bhi na aaya
hamari dosti bas muddaton se dosti hai
agar aasaniyan hain to zara mushkil rahegi
nahin dar mushkilon ka mushkilon se dosti hai
zamane ki zarurat hi kahan hai 'bhaskar' ko
wo 'ashiq hai aur us ki 'ashiqon se dosti hai
yaron ne apne apne gharon ko basa liya
yaron ne apne apne gharon ko basa liya
ik tum ki apni zaat ko zindan bana liya
gumrah to hue the magar khud ko pa liya
apne hi aaine se tumhara pata liya
in na-tavaniyon pe bhi the itne khud-nigar
ye zindagi ka koh-e-giran bhi utha liya
ankhon se motiyon ka hai tanta bandha hua
duube hain is tarah ki samundar chura liya
bas ik shu'ur-e-rah-navardi tha as-pas
kya kya na raston men luteron ne aa liya
duube hain ham to biich bhanvar men magar bata
sahil pe ja ke tu ne bhi kya na-khuda liya
khud bhi to imtihan-e-vafa se guzar ke dekh
tu ne to laakh baar hamen aazma liya
is daur-e-be-hunar men hain donon girafta-dil
kya de sake hain ham bhi tumhen aur kya liya
ham ne to chahaton ke khazane luta diye
duniya ne pattharon ko gale se laga liya
me’yar-e-dosti hai ki bazar-e-dosti
sauda mohabbaton ka kiya rasta liya
aage nikal gae the bahut ham-safar 'jamil'
ham ne bhi manzilon pe magar un ko ja liya
yaron ne apne apne gharon ko basa liya
ek tum ki apni zat ko zindan bana liya
gumrah to hue the magar khud ko pa liya
apne hi aaine se tumhaara pata liya
in na-tawaniyon pe bhi the itne khud-nigar
ye zindagi ka koh-e-giran bhi utha liya
aankhon se motiyon ka hai tanta bandha hua
dube hain is tarah ki samundar chura liya
bas ek shu'ur-e-rah-nawardi tha aas-pas
kya kya na raston mein luteron ne aa liya
dube hain hum to bich bhanwar mein magar bata
sahil pe ja ke tu ne bhi kya na-khuda liya
khud bhi to imtihan-e-wafa se guzar ke dekh
tu ne to lakh bar hamein aazma liya
is daur-e-be-hunar mein hain donon girafta-dil
kya de sake hain hum bhi tumhein aur kya liya
hum ne to chahaton ke khazane luta diye
duniya ne pattharon ko gale se laga liya
me’yar-e-dosti hai ki bazar-e-dosti
sauda mohabbaton ka kiya rasta liya
aage nikal gae the bahut ham-safar 'jamil'
hum ne bhi manzilon pe magar un ko ja liya
dushmanon se pyaar hota jaega
doston ko azmate jaiye
dosti aam hai lekin ai dost
dost milta hai badi mushkil se
friendship is commonplace my dear
but friends are hard to find i fear
tujhe kaun janta tha miri dosti se pahle
tira husn kuchh nahin tha miri shairi se pahle
mujhe dost kahne vaale zara dosti nibha de
ye mutalba hai haq ka koi iltija nahin hai
dushmanon ne jo dushmani ki hai
doston ne bhi kya kami ki hai
log darte hain dushmani se tiri
ham tiri dosti se darte hain
main ab har shakhs se ukta chuka huun
faqat kuchh dost hain aur dost bhi kya
dosti khvab hai aur khvab ki taabir bhi hai
rishta-e-ishq bhi hai yaad ki zanjir bhi hai
hatae the jo raah se doston ki
vo patthar mire ghar men aane lage hain
jo dost hain vo mangte hain sulh ki dua
dushman ye chahte hain ki aapas men jang ho
ai dost tujh ko rahm na aae to kya karun
dushman bhi mere haal pe ab ab-dida hai
dosti aur kisi ghharaz ke liye
vo tijarat hai dosti hi nahin
suna hai aise bhi hote hain log duniya men
ki jin se miliye to tanhai khatm hoti hai
~ Mohammad Iftikhar Shafi