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Recitation
تو غزل ہوتی ہے ۔ شیر افضلؔ جعفری
۱
نُطق پلکوں پہ شرر ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے
آستیں آگ سے تر ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۲
ہجر میں جھوم کے وِجدان پہ آتا ہے نکھار
رات سولی پہ بسر ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۳
کوئی دریا میں اگر کچے گھڑے پر تیرے
ساتھ ساتھ اس کے بھنور ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۴
مُدّتِ عمر ہے مطلوب ریاضت کے لیے
زندگی بارِ دگر ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۵
لازمی ہے کہ رہیں زیر نظر غیب و حضور
دونوں عالم کی خبر ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۶
قابِ قوسین کی ارمانِ پیمبر کی قسم
حسن چلمن کے ادھر ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۷
ہاتھ لگتے ہیں فلک ہی سے مضامیں افضلؔ
دل میں جبریل کا پر ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے
तो ग़ज़ल होती है – शेर अफ़्ज़ल जाफ़री
१
नुत्क़ पलकों पे शरर हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है
आस्तीं आग से तर हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है
२
हिज्र में झूम के विज्दान पे आता है निखार
रात सूली पे बसर हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है
३
कोई दरिया में अगर कच्चे घड़े पर तैरे
साथ साथ इस के भँवर हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है
४
मुद्दत-ए-उम्र है मतलूब रियाज़त के लिए
ज़िंदगी बार-ए-दिगर हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है
५
लाज़मी है कि रहें ज़ेर-ए-नज़र ग़ैब ओ हुज़ूर
दोनों आलम की ख़बर हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है
६
क़ाब क़ौसैन की अरमान-ए-पयम्बर की क़सम
हुस्न चिलमन के उधर हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है
७
हाथ लगते हैं फ़लक ही से मज़ामीं अफ़्ज़ल
दिल में जिब्रील का पर हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sher afzal jafri (1909-1989), from jhaNg, in present day pakistan. There are eight Ghazal of the same theme, radif and qaafiya. Enter “Ghazal hoti hai” in the search box to access all eight.
1
nutq1 palkoN pe sharar2 ho to Ghazal hoti hai
aastiN3 aag se tar4 ho to Ghazal hoti hai 1.sound, voice 2.spark, shining/twinkling 3.sleeve 4.wet
Sound/voice is the desire for expression of feelings. These feelings should appear as sparks/twinkling tear drops on eyelashes. Tears are wiped off with the sleeve and it gets wet. But it gets wet with fire because tear drops are sparks! All this extreme emotion/pain is what results in a Ghazal.
2
hijr1 meN jhuum ke vijdaan2 pe aataa hai nikhaar3
raat suuli4 pe basar5 ho to Ghazal hoti hai 1.separation (from the beloved) 2.trance 3.freshness 4.cross, gallows 5.spend, pass
The poet/lover is separated from the beloved/god. He chants the name of god/beloved and goes into a trance. When freshness/beauty descends on this trance, then a Ghazal results. When the night is spent on the cross (in pain of separation) then a Ghazal materializes.
3
koi dariyaa meN agar kachche ghaRe par taire
saath saath is ke bhaNvar ho to Ghazal hoti hai This has reference to the story of sohini-mahivaal. sohini had to cross the river to meet him. But all she had available was an unfired (raw, kachcha) clay pot which she knew could dissolve in water and she would drown. Never the less she took that risk in her eagerness to meet her lover. When love is so intense that it crosses the river for visaal/union, gets caught up in whirlpool, that is when a Ghazal is born.
4
muddat1-e umr hai matloob2 riyaazat3 ke liye
zindagi baar-e digar3 ho to Ghazal hoti hai 1.period, duration 2.for the purpose of 3.abstinence
The purpose/prescription of life is abstinence for the whole duration. If life were something else (for pleasure) then there can be Ghazal.
5
laazimi1 hai ke raheN zer-e-nazar2 Ghaib-o-huzoor3
donoN aalam4 ki Khabar5 ho to Ghazal hoti hai 1.necessary, required 2.under/within sight 3.seen and unseen, here and hereafter 4.worlds 5.awareness
It is necessary that both the here and hereafter be kept within sight. If the awareness of both worlds is maintained then there is Ghazal.
6
qaab-e-qausain1 ki armaan-e-payambar2 ki qasam
husn3 chilman ke udhar ho to Ghazal hoti hai 1.distance between two arches 2.desire of the messenger 3.beauty/beloved/god
This has reference to the story of “me’raaj”/ascension, when it is believed that mohammed went to the seventh heaven to see god. When the distance between two arches is brought to zero, then they appear as one continuous curve. That expression is used to allegorically suggest that mohammed was close to/became one with god. Thus, I swear by the desire of the messenger to become close to god and experience that beauty behind the veil that, that is when a Ghazal is written i.e. the poet feels the same intense closeness to the beloved when writing.
7
haath lagte haiN falak1 hi se mazaamiN2 afzal
dil meN jibril3 ka par ho to Ghazal hoti hai 1.skies, heavens 2.subjects, themes 3.archangel gabriel
Themes (for Ghazal/ash’aar) come from (inspired by) heaven. When the wings jibril flutter in the heart, then a Ghazal is written. Said Ghalib …
aate haiN Ghaib se ye mazaamiN Khayaal meN
Ghalib sareer-e Khaama navaa-e sarosh hai
Themes descent from the unknown/beyond, O, Ghalib
Pen scraping on paper is but the flutter of an angel’s wings
sher afzal jafri (1909-1989), from jhaNg, in present day pakistan. There are eight Ghazal of the same theme, radif and qaafiya. Enter “Ghazal hoti hai” in the search box to access all eight.
1
nutq1 palkoN pe sharar2 ho to Ghazal hoti hai
aastiN3 aag se tar4 ho to Ghazal hoti hai
1.sound, voice 2.spark, shining/twinkling 3.sleeve 4.wet
Sound/voice is the desire for expression of feelings. These feelings should appear as sparks/twinkling tear drops on eyelashes. Tears are wiped off with the sleeve and it gets wet. But it gets wet with fire because tear drops are sparks! All this extreme emotion/pain is what results in a Ghazal.
2
hijr1 meN jhuum ke vijdaan2 pe aataa hai nikhaar3
raat suuli4 pe basar5 ho to Ghazal hoti hai
1.separation (from the beloved) 2.trance 3.freshness 4.cross, gallows 5.spend, pass
The poet/lover is separated from the beloved/god. He chants the name of god/beloved and goes into a trance. When freshness/beauty descends on this trance, then a Ghazal results. When the night is spent on the cross (in pain of separation) then a Ghazal materializes.
3
koi dariyaa meN agar kachche ghaRe par taire
saath saath is ke bhaNvar ho to Ghazal hoti hai
This has reference to the story of sohini-mahivaal. sohini had to cross the river to meet him. But all she had available was an unfired (raw, kachcha) clay pot which she knew could dissolve in water and she would drown. Never the less she took that risk in her eagerness to meet her lover. When love is so intense that it crosses the river for visaal/union, gets caught up in whirlpool, that is when a Ghazal is born.
4
muddat1-e umr hai matloob2 riyaazat3 ke liye
zindagi baar-e digar3 ho to Ghazal hoti hai
1.period, duration 2.for the purpose of 3.abstinence
The purpose/prescription of life is abstinence for the whole duration. If life were something else (for pleasure) then there can be Ghazal.
5
laazimi1 hai ke raheN zer-e-nazar2 Ghaib-o-huzoor3
donoN aalam4 ki Khabar5 ho to Ghazal hoti hai
1.necessary, required 2.under/within sight 3.seen and unseen, here and hereafter 4.worlds 5.awareness
It is necessary that both the here and hereafter be kept within sight. If the awareness of both worlds is maintained then there is Ghazal.
6
qaab-e-qausain1 ki armaan-e-payambar2 ki qasam
husn3 chilman ke udhar ho to Ghazal hoti hai
1.distance between two arches 2.desire of the messenger 3.beauty/beloved/god
This has reference to the story of “me’raaj”/ascension, when it is believed that mohammed went to the seventh heaven to see god. When the distance between two arches is brought to zero, then they appear as one continuous curve. That expression is used to allegorically suggest that mohammed was close to/became one with god. Thus, I swear by the desire of the messenger to become close to god and experience that beauty behind the veil that, that is when a Ghazal is written i.e. the poet feels the same intense closeness to the beloved when writing.
7
haath lagte haiN falak1 hi se mazaamiN2 afzal
dil meN jibril3 ka par ho to Ghazal hoti hai
1.skies, heavens 2.subjects, themes 3.archangel gabriel
Themes (for Ghazal/ash’aar) come from (inspired by) heaven. When the wings jibril flutter in the heart, then a Ghazal is written. Said Ghalib …
aate haiN Ghaib se ye mazaamiN Khayaal meN
Ghalib sareer-e Khaama navaa-e sarosh hai
Themes descent from the unknown/beyond, O, Ghalib
Pen scraping on paper is but the flutter of an angel’s wings
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