For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
آگے قدم آہستہ آہستہ ۔ قتیلؔ شفائی
۱
محبّت ہو رہی ہے تازہ دم آہستہ آہستہ
بڑھائیں آپ بھی آگے قدم آہستہ آہستہ
۲
تھکے پاؤں بھی ہم تیرے شبستاں کے مسافر ہیں
پہنچ ہی جائیں گے منزل پہ ہم، آہستہ آہستہ
۳
تِرا ملنا تو کیا پیغام ہی نے کر دیا ثابت
خوشی آئے تو مِٹ جاتے ہیں غم آہستہ آہستہ
۴
خود اُن کو ہم نے اپنے کعبۂ دل میں بسایا تھا
اب اِس کعبہ سے نکلیں گے صنم، آہستہ آہستہ
۵
ابھی تو وہ ہمارے شہرِ دل کے خاص مہماں ہیں
کُھلے گا حسن والوں کا بھرم، آہستہ آہستہ
۶
بہت کم آس رکھنی چاہئیے سیرابیِ دل کی
برستا ہے یہاں ابرِ کرم، آہستہ آہستہ
۷
قتیلؔ انجام ہوتا کاش اپنا عاشقوں جیسا
کہ دم دیتے کسی زانو پہ ہم، آہستہ آہستہ
आगे क़दम आहस्ता आहस्ता – क़तील शफ़ाई
१
मोहब्बत हो रही है ताज़ा-दम आहस्ता आहस्ता
बढाएं आप भी आगे क़दम आहस्ता आहस्ता
२
थके पाऊं भी हम तेरे शबिस्तां के मुसाफ़र हैं
पहुंच ही जाएंगे मंज़िल पे हम आहस्ता आहस्ता
३
तेरा मिलना तो क्या पैग़ाम ही ने कर दिया साबित
ख़ुशी आए तो मिट जाते हैं ग़म आहस्ता आहस्ता
४
ख़ुद उन को हम ने अपने का’बा-ए दिल में बसाया था
अब इस का’बे से निक्लेंगे सनम आहस्ता आहस्ता
५
अभी तो वो हमारे शहर-ए दिल के ख़ास मेहमां हैं
खुले गा हुस्न वालौं का भरम आहस्ता आहस्ता
६
बहुत कम आस रखनी चाहिये सैराबी-ए दिल की
बरस्ता है यहां अब्र-ए करम आहस्ता आहस्ता
७
क़तील अंजाम होता काश अपना आशिक़ौं जैसा
के दम देते किसी ज़ानू पे हम आहस्ता आहस्ता
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. auraNgzeb KhaaN qateel shifaai (1919-2001), haripur (in current pakistan) joined lahore film industry as a lyricist. His first ustaad yahya shifa Khanpuri is the source of poetic surname. He is unique in having worked for the film industry on both sides of the border well after independence/partition.
1
mohabbat ho rahi hai taaza-dam1 aahista aahista
baRhaayeN aap bhi aage qadam2 aahista aahista 1.fresh lease on life, stronger 2.step
Love is growing stronger gradually. This appears to be the poet/lover telling the beloved that however much she may deny it, try to suppress it, she is gradually getting to love him more and more. He then invites her to move forward and take steps toward him.
2
thake1 paa’uuN bhi hum tere shabistaaN2 ke musaafir3 haiN
pahuNch hi jaayeNge manzil4 pe hum aahista aahista 1.tired 2.chamber, home 3.travel 4.destination
The poet/lover has been trying long and hard, traveling towards the chamber/heart of the beloved. Tired, he continues on his course and expects to reach his destination sooner or later.
3
tera milna to kya paiGhaam1 hi ne kar diya saabit2
Khushi aaye to miT3 jaate haiN Gham aahista aahista 1.message 2.prove 3.erased
The poet/lover has not had the chance to meet the beloved but he has received her message. He says just that message proves that if there is some joy then pain gets erased gradually.
4
Khud un ko hum ne apne k’aaba1-e dil meN basaaya2 tha
ab is k’aabe se nikleNge sanam3 aahista aahista 1.used here to represent a place of worship, temple 2.established 3.idols
I have myself established the beloved in the temple of my heart (as the object of my worship, as an idol). But maybe now he is realizing that she does not reciprocate his love. He says, it will be very difficult to take this idol out of the temple of his heart. If this happens it will happen very gradually.
5
abhi to vo hamaare shahr1-e dil ke Khaas2 mehmaaN haiN
khulega husn vaaloN ka bharam3 aahista aahista 1.city, homeland 2.special 3.deception
The poet/lover is still in an early stage of his love. The beloved is still a very special guest in his heart. But of course she will break her promises and her deception will be revealed only gradually.
6
bahut kam aas1 rakhni chaahiye sairaabi2-e dil ki
barasta hai yahaaN abr-e karam3 aahista aahista 1.hope 2.fulfilment, satiation 3.benevolence, kindness
We should hold very little hope that the desires of our hearts will be fulfilled. Here the cloud of benevolence rains down only gradually/rarely.
7
qateel1 anjaam2 hota kaash3 apna aashiqoN jaisa
keh dam dete kisi zaanu4 pe hum aahista aahista 1.pen-name of the poet 2.end 3.I wish, I hope 4.lap
The poet wishes that his end would like that of a true lover, the he breathes his last as he rests his head in the lap of the beloved.
auraNgzeb KhaaN qateel shifaai (1919-2001), haripur (in current pakistan) joined lahore film industry as a lyricist. His first ustaad yahya shifa Khanpuri is the source of poetic surname. He is unique in having worked for the film industry on both sides of the border well after independence/partition.
1
mohabbat ho rahi hai taaza-dam1 aahista aahista
baRhaayeN aap bhi aage qadam2 aahista aahista
1.fresh lease on life, stronger 2.step
Love is growing stronger gradually. This appears to be the poet/lover telling the beloved that however much she may deny it, try to suppress it, she is gradually getting to love him more and more. He then invites her to move forward and take steps toward him.
2
thake1 paa’uuN bhi hum tere shabistaaN2 ke musaafir3 haiN
pahuNch hi jaayeNge manzil4 pe hum aahista aahista
1.tired 2.chamber, home 3.travel 4.destination
The poet/lover has been trying long and hard, traveling towards the chamber/heart of the beloved. Tired, he continues on his course and expects to reach his destination sooner or later.
3
tera milna to kya paiGhaam1 hi ne kar diya saabit2
Khushi aaye to miT3 jaate haiN Gham aahista aahista
1.message 2.prove 3.erased
The poet/lover has not had the chance to meet the beloved but he has received her message. He says just that message proves that if there is some joy then pain gets erased gradually.
4
Khud un ko hum ne apne k’aaba1-e dil meN basaaya2 tha
ab is k’aabe se nikleNge sanam3 aahista aahista
1.used here to represent a place of worship, temple 2.established 3.idols
I have myself established the beloved in the temple of my heart (as the object of my worship, as an idol). But maybe now he is realizing that she does not reciprocate his love. He says, it will be very difficult to take this idol out of the temple of his heart. If this happens it will happen very gradually.
5
abhi to vo hamaare shahr1-e dil ke Khaas2 mehmaaN haiN
khulega husn vaaloN ka bharam3 aahista aahista
1.city, homeland 2.special 3.deception
The poet/lover is still in an early stage of his love. The beloved is still a very special guest in his heart. But of course she will break her promises and her deception will be revealed only gradually.
6
bahut kam aas1 rakhni chaahiye sairaabi2-e dil ki
barasta hai yahaaN abr-e karam3 aahista aahista
1.hope 2.fulfilment, satiation 3.benevolence, kindness
We should hold very little hope that the desires of our hearts will be fulfilled. Here the cloud of benevolence rains down only gradually/rarely.
7
qateel1 anjaam2 hota kaash3 apna aashiqoN jaisa
keh dam dete kisi zaanu4 pe hum aahista aahista
1.pen-name of the poet 2.end 3.I wish, I hope 4.lap
The poet wishes that his end would like that of a true lover, the he breathes his last as he rests his head in the lap of the beloved.
This is indeed a new “paishkush” for me! Shookria! gulam habeeb