This is a qaseeda – a panegyric verse in praise of something.  This is a praise of the pen, versification and of declaring independence from orthodoxy.  I could not find a print version anywhere in faraz’s books.  It is posted on youtube as a recitation by faraz at a private gathering.  I transcribed it painfully and cross-checked it to the best of my capability.  It is long.

In order to make it convenient to read, listen and ponder, I have divided it into 5 segments.

Khuda se Khitaab – ash’aar 01-12:  The poet addresses in terms of familiarity and equality, inviting him to come down to earth.  Implied in this a look at the variety, beauty, ugliness, injustice and oppression on earth and bland contentment in heaven.
aap apna hi hal – ash’aar 13-22:  The poet describes the human condition in which he/she has to struggle to make his/her own place on earth.  There is no room for prayer, there is a mixture of good and bad – take it as it comes.
mad’h-e qalam – ash’aar 23-31:  The poet praises the pen, and by implication poetic verse, in the most effusive terms.  The pen can see what angels cannot see.  The pen has granted the poet the ability to write.
dars-e qalam – ash’aar 32-40:  Lessons that the pen has taught the poet – lessons in humility, love, sense of justice and much more.  Very eloquent.
bai’at-e yaziid na kar – ash’aar 41-49:  The poet concludes with a high note – lessons learnt about taking a steadfast, principled stand.  He even declares a sort of equality of positions vis-à-vis god.

The audio, both ahmad faraz and my recitation is also posted in corresponding segments for easy listening.

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ahmad faraz (1931-2008) popular love and romance poet as well as a substantial contributor to progressive themes. This is a qaseeda, composed in Ghazal structure but not considered a Ghazal. It is a continuous theme in praise of something or someone. Please click on the Overview tab to see the full description.
1
mu’aaf¹ kar meri masti² Khuda-e azz-o-jal³
keh mere haath meN saaGhar⁴ hai mere lab⁵ pe Ghazal    1.pardon 2.intoxication 3.respected 4.cup, goblet 5.lips
O great respected god, pardon my intoxication because I have a goblet in my hand and a Ghazal on my lips.
2
kariim¹ hai to meri laGhzishoN² ko pyaar se dekh
rahiim³ hai to saza⁴ o jaza⁵ ki had⁶ se nikal     1.benevolent 2.stumbles 3.kind 4.punishment 5.reward 6.limits
If you are benevolent look with love at my stumbling. If you are kind then get beyond the limits of reward and punishment.
3
hai dosti to mujhe izz¹-e mezbaani² de
tu aasmaaN se utar aur meri zamiin pe chal   1.honour 2.hosting
If you feel friendly towards me, then give me the honour to host you. Get down from you sky and walk on my earth. Is this a way of saying ‘get off your high horse’.
4
maiN paa-ba-gil¹ huN magar chhuu chuka minaara-e arsh²
so tu bhi dekh ye Khaak³ o Khashaar’⁴ o jaNgal    1.stuck in clay 2.sky, heaven 3.dust 4.(faarsi-Khashaar) dried leaves, twigs
Even though I am stuck in clay, I have managed to climb up the minaret to heaven. So you too, come down and see this dust and twigs and jungle. He appears to be playing a tit for tat challenge with god.
5
bahut aziz¹ hai mujh ko ye KhaakdaaN² mera
ye kohsaar³, ye qulzum⁴, ye dasht⁵, ye dal-dal⁶    1.dear, loved 2.bowl of dust, earth 3.hills 4.ocean 5.wilderness 6.swamp
I dearly love this earth of mine; its hills, oceans, desert and swamps. An unstated assertion seems to be … keep your heaven to yourself, I like the earth – made more explicit in the following ash’aar.
6
mere jahaaN¹ meN zamaan² o makaan³ o lail⁴ o nehaar⁵
tere jahaaN¹ meN azal⁶ hai, abad⁷, na aaj na kal    1.world 2.time 3.place 4.night 5.day 6.beginning 7.end
In my world there is time, place, day and night. In your world there is no beginning, end, today or tomorrow – implying that god’s world is bland. Said hari chand aKhtar …
sukoon-e mustaqil, dil be-tamanna, shaiKh ki sohbat
agar jannat yahi hai to phir is jannat se dozaKh kya bura hoga
7
mere lahu¹ meN hai barq²-e tapaaN³ ka jazb⁴ o gurez⁵
tere suboo⁶ meN mai⁷-e zindagi na zahr⁸-e ajal⁹     1.blood, nature, character 2.lightning 3.flash 4.absorption, attraction 5.running away, repulsion 6.flask 7.wine 8.poison 9.death
In my blood/nature I have the restlessness of a lightning flash, attraction and repulsion i.e., a variety of emotions. In your flask (of heaven) there is no wine of life or poison of death … only listless monotony.
8
teri behisht¹ hai dasht²-e jumood³ o bahr⁴-e sukoot⁵
meri sarisht⁶ hai aashob⁷-e zaat⁸ se bekal⁹     1.heaven 2.wilderness 3.stillness, frozen 4.ocean 5.silence 6.habit, nature, character 7.uproar, tumult, restlessness 8.existence, being 9.restless
Your heaven is a frozen wilderness, an ocean of silence and my nature is restlessness created by the tumult of being/living.
9
tu apne arsh¹ pe shaadaaN² hai so Khushi teri
maiN apne farsh³ pe naazaaN⁴ huN aye nigaar⁵-e azal⁶    1.sky, heaven 2.happy 3.floor, earth 4.proud 5.adornment, beauty 6.eternal
You are happy with your heaven, that is your pleasure. I am proud of my earth O eternal beauty.
10
mujhe na jannat¹-e gum-gashta² ki bashaarat³ de
jo mujh ko yaad abhi tak hai hijrat⁴-e avval⁵     1.paradise 2.long-lost 3.good tidings, revelation 4.migration 5.first
This has reference to the story of how Adam and Eve disobeyed god in heaven and were banished to earth. The poet refers to being kicked out of heaven politely/sarcastically as the ‘first migration’. Thus, do not give me good tidings/hope of the long lost paradise, for I still remember being kicked out. This may be yet another polite/subtle way of saying – I like the freedom to transgress. I still remember what you did when I transgressed. Keep your heaven to yourself, don’t tempt me with it.
11
tere karam¹ se yahaaN bhi mujhe mayassar² hai
jo zaahidoN³ ki ibaadat⁴ meN Daalta hai Khalal⁵    1.benevolence 2.available 3.pious, observant 4.ritual prayer, obedience 5.obstacles
With your benevolence, it is available to me here, that which puts obstacles in the path of the pious and observant. This of course has a reference to wine and to the story that wine will be plentiful in heaven. Why bother, says the poet.
12
vo saer-chashm¹ huN mere liye hai be-vaq’at²
jamaal³-e hoor o sharaab-e tahoor⁴ o shiir⁵ o asal⁶     1.satiated eye 2.worthless, without value 3.beauty 4.pure, sanctified 5.milk 6.honey
I am so satisfied with what I see here that to me is worthless (the promise of) beautiful angels, sanctified (non-intoxicating) wine, rivers of milk and honey.