For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
کافر نہیں ہوں میں ۔ راجیش ریڈّی
۱
رہ کے بھی سب کے سامنے حاضر نہیں ہوں میں
در اصل میں وہ ہوں جو بظاہر نہیں ہوں میں
۲
مجھ سے یہ کہہ چُکی ہے کئی بار زِندگی
میرے لئے ہے تُو تری خاطر نہیں ہوں میں
۳
یہ اور بات ہے کہ جُدا ہے مری نماز
اللہ جانتا ہے کہ کافر نہیں ہوں میں
۴
ہونٹوں پہ آ ہی جاتی ہے ہر بار کیا کہوں
سچّائی کو چھپانے میں ماہر نہیں ہوں میں
۵
منزل مری الگ ہے مرا راستہ الگ
اِک عام سے سفر کا مسافر نہیں ہوں میں
काफ़र नहीं हुं मैं – राजेश रेड्डी
१
रह के भी सब के सामने हाज़र नहीं हुं मैं
दर अस्ल में वो हूं, जो ब-ज़ाहर नहीं हुं मैं
२
मुझ से ये कह चुकी है कई बार ज़िंदगी
मेरे लिये है तू, तेरी ख़ातर नहीं हूं मैं
३
ये और बात है के जुदा है मेरी नमाज़
अल्लाह जांता हैं के काफ़र नहीं हूं मैं
४
होंटौं पे आ हि जाती है हर बार क्या कहूं
सच्चाई को छुपाने में माहर नहीं हूं मैं
५
मंज़ील मेरी अलग है मेरा रास्ता अलग
एक आ’म से सफ़र का मुसाफ़र नहीं हूं मैं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. rajesh reDDii (1952-living), was born in nagpur and lives in mumbai. All I could get from a radio interview recording that he fell in love with urdu and particularly Ghazal during his college days. He worked for All India Radio and retired from there. He has published three collections of his verse.
1
rah ke bhi sub ke saamne haazir1 nahiN huN maiN
dar-asl2 meN vo huN, jo ba-zaahir3 nahiN huN maiN 1.present 2.in reality 3.apparently, superficially
I may in front of everyone, but the real me is not here, I am hidden. In reality, I am that which is not apparent/visible. This could either mean that the the spirit of the poet remains in solitude even if he is in crowded company. This may also be an allusion to god, who may be present everywhere, but not seen.
2
mujh se ye kah chuki hai kaii baar zindagi
mere liye hai tuu, teri Khaatir1 nahiN huN maiN 1.for the sake of, in the service of
Life has told me many times, you are here to serve me, I am not here to serve you i.e. do not expect things to be handed to you. Earn them and contribute as you take.
3
ye aur baat hai keh juda1 hai meri namaaz
allaah jaanta hai keh kaafir2 nahiN huN maiN 1.separate 2.non-believer, different faith
It is one thing that my mode of prayer is different, but god knows that I am not a non-believer i.e. fundamentally all faiths are the same and pray to the same god.
4
hoNToN pe aa hi jaati hai har baar1 kya kahuN
sachchaaii ko chhupaane meN maahir2 nahiN huN maiN 1.every time 2.expert
I blurt it out every time, what can I say. I am not an expert at hiding the truth.
5
manzil1 meri alag hai, mera raasta alag
ek aa’m2 se safar3 ka musafir4 nahiN huN maiN 1.destination 2.ordinary, common 3.journey 4.traveler
My destination is different (from that of the multitude), my path is different. I am not a traveler on an ordinary journey. This is not meant as an elitist statement, but as a willingness to follow the truth, not the crowd, no matter what the conseqence.
rajesh reDDii (1952-living), was born in nagpur and lives in mumbai. All I could get from a radio interview recording that he fell in love with urdu and particularly Ghazal during his college days. He worked for All India Radio and retired from there. He has published three collections of his verse.
1
rah ke bhi sub ke saamne haazir1 nahiN huN maiN
dar-asl2 meN vo huN, jo ba-zaahir3 nahiN huN maiN
1.present 2.in reality 3.apparently, superficially
I may in front of everyone, but the real me is not here, I am hidden. In reality, I am that which is not apparent/visible. This could either mean that the the spirit of the poet remains in solitude even if he is in crowded company. This may also be an allusion to god, who may be present everywhere, but not seen.
2
mujh se ye kah chuki hai kaii baar zindagi
mere liye hai tuu, teri Khaatir1 nahiN huN maiN
1.for the sake of, in the service of
Life has told me many times, you are here to serve me, I am not here to serve you i.e. do not expect things to be handed to you. Earn them and contribute as you take.
3
ye aur baat hai keh juda1 hai meri namaaz
allaah jaanta hai keh kaafir2 nahiN huN maiN
1.separate 2.non-believer, different faith
It is one thing that my mode of prayer is different, but god knows that I am not a non-believer i.e. fundamentally all faiths are the same and pray to the same god.
4
hoNToN pe aa hi jaati hai har baar1 kya kahuN
sachchaaii ko chhupaane meN maahir2 nahiN huN maiN
1.every time 2.expert
I blurt it out every time, what can I say. I am not an expert at hiding the truth.
5
manzil1 meri alag hai, mera raasta alag
ek aa’m2 se safar3 ka musafir4 nahiN huN maiN
1.destination 2.ordinary, common 3.journey 4.traveler
My destination is different (from that of the multitude), my path is different. I am not a traveler on an ordinary journey. This is not meant as an elitist statement, but as a willingness to follow the truth, not the crowd, no matter what the conseqence.
