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Recitation
قتلِ سحر – فہمیدہ ریاض
۱
پِھر آئی ساعتِ قتلِ سحر
۲
تاریک اُفق كے مقتل میں
پِھر داغ لہو كے پھیل گئے
پِھر ایک بلند منارے سے طولِ شب کا اعلان ہوا
فرمان ہوا
۳
دم بستہ رہے شاخوں میں صبا
سکتے میں شجر
شاخوں پہ سجے مردہ طائر
آ نکھوں كے اندھیرے پردے پر
پِھر ایک ہی منظر کھُلنے لگا
اۓ جانِ ز بوں
ائے دیدۂ تر
یہ قتلِ سحر
۴
کب ٹھہری بات اچنبھے کی
اک بار یہ منظر اور سہی
جب جی ٹھہرے ، جب جاں سنبھلے
ہم پِھر یہ نعش اُٹھائیں گے
پِھر مردہ سُورج کا لاشہ ہم اشکوں سے نہلائیں گے
اُس كے نیلے لب چومیں گے، یخ بستہ بدن گرمائیں گے
پِھر عرصۂ جاں میں
طفلکِ نوزائیدہ کو دفنائیں گے
۵
دیوانوں كے خالی کف میں کچھ لال و جواہر روشن ہیں
کب کوئی لٹیرا چھین سکا، اشکوں كا خز ینہ خلقت سے
تم اتنا ارزاں مت جانو، یہ آنکھوں كا بہتا پانی
ہر اشک مُصِر، ہر آہ بضد، یہ رات ہمیں منظور نہیں
جب تک قائم ہے اپنا الم، جب تک چھلنی ہے اپنا جگر
کتنی بھی بڑھے معیادِ ستم، تابندہ ہے اُمیدِ سحر
क़त्ल-ए सहर – फ़हमीदा रियाज़
१
फिर आई सा’अत-ए क़त्ल-ए सहर
२
तारीक उफ़क़ के मक़तल में
फिर दाग़ लहू के फैल गए
फिर एक बलन्द मीनारे से तूल-ए शब का ए’लान हुआ
फ़रमान हुआ
३
दम बस्ता रहे शाख़ों में सबा
सक्ते में शजर
शाख़ों पे सजे मुर्दा ता’एर
आंखों के अंधेरे परदों पर
फिर एक ही मंज़र खुलने लगा
अए जान-ए ज़ूबूं
अए दीदा-ए तर
ये क़त्ल-ए सहर
४
कब ठहरी बात अचंभे की
एक बार ये मंज़र और सही
जब जी ठहरे, जब जां संभले
हम फिर ये ना’अश उठाएंगे
फिर मुर्दा सूरज का लाशा हम अश्कों से नहलाऐंगे
उस के नीले लब चूमेंगे, यख़ बस्ता बदन गरमाएंगे
फिर अरसा-ए जां में
तिफ़्लक-ए नौ ज़ाएदा को दफ़्नाएंगे
५
दीवानों के ख़ाली कफ़ में कुछ लाल ओ जवाहर रौशन हैं
कब कोइ लुटेरा छीन सका, अश्कों के ख़ज़ीने ख़िल्क़त से
तुम इतना अरज़ां मत जानो, ये आंखों का बहता पानी
हर अश्क मुसीर, हर आह बज़िद, ये रात हमें मंज़ूर नहीं
जब तक क़ा’एम है अपना अलम, जब तक छलनी है अपना जिगर
कितनी भी बढे मे’आद-ए सितम, ताबिन्दा है उम्मीद-ए सहर!
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. I think that this was written during one of the many times when military rule was declared and civilian government overthrown in pakistan. There was always a promise of “Dawn” – a new just order, but the promise was never kept … thus, “qatl-e sahr” – the murder of Dawn.
1
phir aaii saa’at1-e qatl2-e sahr3 1.time of 2.murder/kill/execute 3.dawn
Once again the time has come to kill Dawn/Hope!
2
tareek1 ufaq2 ke maqtal3 meN
phir daaGh lahu4 ke phail gaye
phir ek baland minaare5 se tuul-e shab6 ka e’laan7 hua
farmaan8 hua 1.dark 2.horizon (future) 3.slaughter house 4.stains of blood 5.tall minaret 6.lengthening of the night 7.announcement 8.decree
On the dark horizon (dark future) spread stains of blood of the slaughter house. From a tall minaret an announcement was made.
3
dam basta9 rahe shaaKhauN meN saba10
sakte11 meN shajar12
shaaKhauN pe saje murda taa’er13
aaNkhauN ke andhere pardauN par
phir ek hi manzar14 khulne laga
aye jaan-e zubooN15
aye deeda-e tar16
ye qatl-e sahr
9.holding breath 10.morning breeze 11.trance, stupor 12.trees 13.birds 14.scene 15.useless, ineffective 16.O weeping eye
It was commanded, that the morning breeze stay still, that trees remain in a stupor with just dead birds put up for show. Once again before the eyes, the same old scene – O my wasted life, O my tearful eye!
4
kab Thahri baat achanbhe1 ki
ek baar ye manzar aur sahi
jab ji Thahre, jab jaaN sanbhle
hum phir ye na’ash2 uThaaeNge
phir murda suraj ka laasha hum ashkauN se nahlaaeN ge
us ke neele lab choomeNge, yaKh basta3 badan garmaaeN ge
phir arsa4-e jaaN5 meN
tiflak6-e nau zaa’eda7 ko dafnaaeN8 ge 1.surprise 2.corpse 3.closed in ice, frozen 4.period, time 5.life 6.infant 7.newly redundant 8.bury
This murder of Hope – it is not surprising. Let it happen once again. When we regain our composure, when we are able to breath, we will pick up this corpse. We will wash this bright body with our tears. We will warm this frozen carcass with our kisses. And while we still live we will bury this newly redundant infant.
5
deevanauN ke Khaali kaf1 meN kuchh laal o javahar raushan haiN
kab koii luTera chheen saka, ashkauN ka Khazeena2 Khilqat3 se
tum itna arzaaN4 mat jaano, ye aaNkhauN ka bahta paani
har ashk5 musir6, har aah7 bazid8, ye raat hameN manzur9 nahiN
jab tak qaa’em10 hai apna alam11, jab tak chhalni hai apna jigar
kitni bhi baRhe me’ad12-e sitam13, taabinda14 hai ummeed15-e sahr 1.fist, palm 2.treasure 3.creation, people 4.cheap 5.tear drop 6.insistent 7.sigh 8.persistent, stubborn 9.acceptable 10.in place, in force 11.sorrow 12.duration 13.oppression 14.brilliant, shining 15.hope
In the palms of fools, there still shine a few rubies and pearls. No robber has been able to snatch this treasure from the people. Do not under estimate the value of these flowing tears. Every drop insists, every sigh asserts that this night is not acceptable. As long as this sorrow remains in place, as long as our hearts are rent assunder however long the duration of oppression, the hope of Dawn will continue to shine bright.
I think that this was written during one of the many times when military rule was declared and civilian government overthrown in pakistan. There was always a promise of “Dawn” – a new just order, but the promise was never kept … thus, “qatl-e sahr” – the murder of Dawn.
1
phir aaii saa’at1-e qatl2-e sahr3
1.time of 2.murder/kill/execute 3.dawn
Once again the time has come to kill Dawn/Hope!
2
tareek1 ufaq2 ke maqtal3 meN
phir daaGh lahu4 ke phail gaye
phir ek baland minaare5 se tuul-e shab6 ka e’laan7 hua
farmaan8 hua
1.dark 2.horizon (future) 3.slaughter house 4.stains of blood 5.tall minaret 6.lengthening of the night 7.announcement 8.decree
On the dark horizon (dark future) spread stains of blood of the slaughter house. From a tall minaret an announcement was made.
3
dam basta9 rahe shaaKhauN meN saba10
sakte11 meN shajar12
shaaKhauN pe saje murda taa’er13
aaNkhauN ke andhere pardauN par
phir ek hi manzar14 khulne laga
aye jaan-e zubooN15
aye deeda-e tar16
ye qatl-e sahr
9.holding breath 10.morning breeze 11.trance, stupor 12.trees 13.birds 14.scene 15.useless, ineffective 16.O weeping eye
It was commanded, that the morning breeze stay still, that trees remain in a stupor with just dead birds put up for show. Once again before the eyes, the same old scene – O my wasted life, O my tearful eye!
4
kab Thahri baat achanbhe1 ki
ek baar ye manzar aur sahi
jab ji Thahre, jab jaaN sanbhle
hum phir ye na’ash2 uThaaeNge
phir murda suraj ka laasha hum ashkauN se nahlaaeN ge
us ke neele lab choomeNge, yaKh basta3 badan garmaaeN ge
phir arsa4-e jaaN5 meN
tiflak6-e nau zaa’eda7 ko dafnaaeN8 ge
1.surprise 2.corpse 3.closed in ice, frozen 4.period, time 5.life 6.infant 7.newly redundant 8.bury
This murder of Hope – it is not surprising. Let it happen once again. When we regain our composure, when we are able to breath, we will pick up this corpse. We will wash this bright body with our tears. We will warm this frozen carcass with our kisses. And while we still live we will bury this newly redundant infant.
5
deevanauN ke Khaali kaf1 meN kuchh laal o javahar raushan haiN
kab koii luTera chheen saka, ashkauN ka Khazeena2 Khilqat3 se
tum itna arzaaN4 mat jaano, ye aaNkhauN ka bahta paani
har ashk5 musir6, har aah7 bazid8, ye raat hameN manzur9 nahiN
jab tak qaa’em10 hai apna alam11, jab tak chhalni hai apna jigar
kitni bhi baRhe me’ad12-e sitam13, taabinda14 hai ummeed15-e sahr
1.fist, palm 2.treasure 3.creation, people 4.cheap 5.tear drop 6.insistent 7.sigh 8.persistent, stubborn 9.acceptable 10.in place, in force 11.sorrow 12.duration 13.oppression 14.brilliant, shining 15.hope
In the palms of fools, there still shine a few rubies and pearls. No robber has been able to snatch this treasure from the people. Do not under estimate the value of these flowing tears. Every drop insists, every sigh asserts that this night is not acceptable. As long as this sorrow remains in place, as long as our hearts are rent assunder however long the duration of oppression, the hope of Dawn will continue to shine bright.
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