For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
سامنا نہ ہوا ۔ آلِ احمد سرورؔ
۱
کب اُن کا جلوۂ رنگیں نقاب سا نہ ہوا
ہزار بار گئے اور سامنا نہ ہوا
۲
ترے بغیر وہ راتیں بھی کاٹ دیں ہم نے
کہ جن میں تیرا تصوّر بھی رہنما نہ ہوا
۳
جہاں بھی پھیل گئی ہے تمہارے حسن کی بات
ہمارے عشق کا چرچہ ہوا ہوا نہ ہوا
۴
مرے صنم میں وہی شانِ بے نیازی ہے
اگر چہ کہنے کو وہ بت ہوا، خدا نہ ہوا
۵
پہنائیں گردشِ دوراں نے لاکھ زنجیریں
تری نظر کے اسیروں کا دل برا نہ ہوا
۶
لطافت اُس کی کہاں بارِ غم اُٹھا پائی
مری خلش سے وہ اچھا ہے آشنا نہ ہوا
۷
کہاں کے خضرِ طریقت، کہاں کے رہبرِ قوم
گر اپنا جذبۂ صادق ہی رہ نما نہ ہوا
۸
نہ پاسِ اہلِ وفا ہے نہ دوست داری ہے
وہ زندہ دل ہوں کہ جینے سے میں خفا نہ ہوا
۹
کوئی سُنے نہ سُنے ہم کہیں گے اپنی بات
زمانہ ساز کبھی رندِ باصفا نہ ہوا
۱۰
ہزار شیوۂ بُت اور ایک قلبِ حُسن شناس
سرورؔ ہم سے پرستش کا حق ادا نہ ہوا
सामना न हुआ – आल-ए अहमद सुरूर
१
कब उन का जल्वा-ए रंगीं नक़ाब सा न हुआ
हज़ार बार गए और सामना न हुआ
२
तेरे बग़ैर वो रातें भि काट दीं हम ने
के जिन में तेरा तसव्वुर भी रहनुमा न हुआ
३
जहां भी फैल गई है तुम्हारे हुस्न कि बात
हमारे इश्क़ का चर्चा हुआ हुआ न हुआ
४
मेरे सनम में वही शान-ए बे-नियाज़ी है
अगरचे कहने को वो बुत हुआ, ख़ुदा न हुआ
५
पहनाईं गर्दिश-ए दौरां ने लाख ज़ंजीरें
तेरी नज़र के असीरौं का दिल बुरा न हुआ
६
लताफ़त उस कि कहां बार-ए ग़म उठा पाई
मेरी ख़लिश से वो अच्छा है आश्ना न हुआ
७
कहां के क़िज़्र-ए तरीक़त कहां के रहबर-ए क़ौम
गर अपना जज़्बा-ए सादेक़ हि रहनुमा न हुआ
८
न पास-ए अहल-ए वफ़ा है न दोस्त-दारी है
वो ज़िन्दा-दिल हुं के जीने से मैं ख़फ़ा न हुआ
९
काई सुने न सुने हम कहेंगे अपनी बात
ज़माना-साज़ कभी रिन्द-ए बा-सफ़ा न हुआ
१०
हज़ार शेवा-ए बुत और एक क़ल्ब-ए हुस्न-शिनास
सुरूर हम से परस्तिश का हक़ अदा न हुआ
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. aal-e ahmad suroor (1911-2002) academic, critic, writer, editor and poet. MA in English and urdu literature. He taught at aligaRh and lakhnau universities, serving as head of the department of urdu at aligaRh. He was associated with, if not an active member of the Progressive Writers’ Association. His poetic compositions tend to be thoughtful and philosophical. This Ghazal (composed in late 1952) has the same radeef qaafiya as Ghalib’s ‘aaj Ghalib Ghazal saraa na hua’ and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam on the Theme page.
1
kab un ka jalva-e-raNgiiN1 naqaab-sa2 na hua
hazaar baar gaye aur saamna na hua 1.colourful visage/face 2.like a veil
When was her colourful/beautiful face not like a veil i.e., it always is. I went a thousand times but never did I get to see her.
2
tere baGhair1 vo raateN bhi kaaT2 diiN ham ne
ke jin meN tera tasavvur3 bhi rahnuma4 na hua 1.without 2.spent 3.imagination 4.guide, showing the way
Normally the poet/lover spends the nights of separation in company of the thoughts of the beloved. They guide/shepherd him through the dark night. But now for some reason even his imagination has failed him. Thus, without you I have also spent those nights when your thoughts did not help me get through.
3
jahaaN bhi phail1 gaii hai tumhaare husn2 ki baat
hamaare ishq ka charcha3 hua, hua na hua 1.spread 2.beauty 3.conversation, talk about
Wherever the stories of your beauty have spread, there conversation about my love may happen or it may not i.e., no one cares about it. Said qateel shifaaii …
jab bhii aata hai mera naam tere naam ke saath
jaane kyuN log mere naam se jal jaate haiN
and fitrat ansari …
zikr aata hai mera ahl-e-mohabbat meN agar
mere ahbaab mere naam se jal jaate haiN
4
mere sanam1 meN vahii shaan2-e be-niyaazi3 hai
agarche4 kahne ko vo but5 hua, Khuda na hua 1.beloved 2.glory, dignity 3.independence, aloofness 4.even though 5.idol
My beloved has the same dignified aloofness (as the divine), even though in a manner of speaking she is an idol, not god.
5
pahnaaiiN1 gardish-e-dauraaN2 ne laakh zanjiireN
teri nazar3 ke asiiroN4 ki dil bura na hua 1.put on me, made me wear 2.vicissitudes of time 3.sight 4.captive
The vicissitudes of time put a thousand chains on them but those captivated by your sight never felt bitter i.e., they did not care about all the other bounds/burdens of life, they were focussed on your thought.
6
lataafat1 us ki kahaaN baar2-e Gham uThaa paaii
meri Khalish3 se vo achchha hai aashna4 na hua 1.delicacy, refined nature 2.burden 3.burning, pain, irritation 4.familiar, aware
How could her delicacy have borne the burden of my sorrow. It is good that she did not become aware of my pain.
7
kahaaN ke Khizr1-e tariiqat2, kahaaN ke rahbar3-e qaum4
gar5 apna jazba6-e saadiq7 hi rahnuma8 na hua 1.legendary guide 2.ways, traditions 3.guide, leader 4.community, nation 5.if 6.emotions, feelings 7.sincere, true 8.guide
Khizr is a legendary Biblical/qur’aanic figure who know all the ways of the world and is a guide to those who are lost. Thus, what can Khizr do, what can leaders of the nation do, if your own true feelings fail to guide you.
8
na paas1-e ahl-e-vafa2 hai na dost-daari3 hai
vo zinda-dil4 huN ke jiine se maiN Khafa5 na hua 1.consideration, respect 2.people of faith/truthfulness 3.helping friends 4.brave, courageous 5.annoyed, disppointed, disillusioned
There is no respect for truthful people (like me) nor is there anyone who will ready to lend a helping/friendly hand, but I am that courageouos one who never was never disillusioned with life.
9
koi sune na sune ham kaheNge apni baat
zamaana-saaz1 kabhi rind2-e baa-safa3 na hua 1.unpincipled, hypocrite 2.wine lover-used to mean liberal/open-minded 3.truthful
Whether anyone listens/agrees or not, I will speak what I think. A hypocrite never can be truthful.
10
hazaar sheva1-e but2 aur ek qalb3-e husn-shinaas4
suroor5 ham se parastish6 ka haq7 ada8 na hua 1.ways, habits, whims 2.idol, beloved 3.heart 4.knoledgable about (the ways of) beauty 5.pen-name of the poet 6.devotion, worship 7.rights, demands 8.pay, fulfil
A thousand whims/coquetries of the beloved and just this one heart that knows the ways of the beautiful. O suroor, I could not fulfil the demands of complete devotion.
aal-e ahmad suroor (1911-2002) academic, critic, writer, editor and poet. MA in English and urdu literature. He taught at aligaRh and lakhnau universities, serving as head of the department of urdu at aligaRh. He was associated with, if not an active member of the Progressive Writers’ Association. His poetic compositions tend to be thoughtful and philosophical. This Ghazal (composed in late 1952) has the same radeef qaafiya as Ghalib’s ‘aaj Ghalib Ghazal saraa na hua’ and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam on the Theme page.
1
kab un ka jalva-e-raNgiiN1 naqaab-sa2 na hua
hazaar baar gaye aur saamna na hua
1.colourful visage/face 2.like a veil
When was her colourful/beautiful face not like a veil i.e., it always is. I went a thousand times but never did I get to see her.
2
tere baGhair1 vo raateN bhi kaaT2 diiN ham ne
ke jin meN tera tasavvur3 bhi rahnuma4 na hua
1.without 2.spent 3.imagination 4.guide, showing the way
Normally the poet/lover spends the nights of separation in company of the thoughts of the beloved. They guide/shepherd him through the dark night. But now for some reason even his imagination has failed him. Thus, without you I have also spent those nights when your thoughts did not help me get through.
3
jahaaN bhi phail1 gaii hai tumhaare husn2 ki baat
hamaare ishq ka charcha3 hua, hua na hua
1.spread 2.beauty 3.conversation, talk about
Wherever the stories of your beauty have spread, there conversation about my love may happen or it may not i.e., no one cares about it. Said qateel shifaaii …
jab bhii aata hai mera naam tere naam ke saath
jaane kyuN log mere naam se jal jaate haiN
and fitrat ansari …
zikr aata hai mera ahl-e-mohabbat meN agar
mere ahbaab mere naam se jal jaate haiN
4
mere sanam1 meN vahii shaan2-e be-niyaazi3 hai
agarche4 kahne ko vo but5 hua, Khuda na hua
1.beloved 2.glory, dignity 3.independence, aloofness 4.even though 5.idol
My beloved has the same dignified aloofness (as the divine), even though in a manner of speaking she is an idol, not god.
5
pahnaaiiN1 gardish-e-dauraaN2 ne laakh zanjiireN
teri nazar3 ke asiiroN4 ki dil bura na hua
1.put on me, made me wear 2.vicissitudes of time 3.sight 4.captive
The vicissitudes of time put a thousand chains on them but those captivated by your sight never felt bitter i.e., they did not care about all the other bounds/burdens of life, they were focussed on your thought.
6
lataafat1 us ki kahaaN baar2-e Gham uThaa paaii
meri Khalish3 se vo achchha hai aashna4 na hua
1.delicacy, refined nature 2.burden 3.burning, pain, irritation 4.familiar, aware
How could her delicacy have borne the burden of my sorrow. It is good that she did not become aware of my pain.
7
kahaaN ke Khizr1-e tariiqat2, kahaaN ke rahbar3-e qaum4
gar5 apna jazba6-e saadiq7 hi rahnuma8 na hua
1.legendary guide 2.ways, traditions 3.guide, leader 4.community, nation 5.if 6.emotions, feelings 7.sincere, true 8.guide
Khizr is a legendary Biblical/qur’aanic figure who know all the ways of the world and is a guide to those who are lost. Thus, what can Khizr do, what can leaders of the nation do, if your own true feelings fail to guide you.
8
na paas1-e ahl-e-vafa2 hai na dost-daari3 hai
vo zinda-dil4 huN ke jiine se maiN Khafa5 na hua
1.consideration, respect 2.people of faith/truthfulness 3.helping friends 4.brave, courageous 5.annoyed, disppointed, disillusioned
There is no respect for truthful people (like me) nor is there anyone who will ready to lend a helping/friendly hand, but I am that courageouos one who never was never disillusioned with life.
9
koi sune na sune ham kaheNge apni baat
zamaana-saaz1 kabhi rind2-e baa-safa3 na hua
1.unpincipled, hypocrite 2.wine lover-used to mean liberal/open-minded 3.truthful
Whether anyone listens/agrees or not, I will speak what I think. A hypocrite never can be truthful.
10
hazaar sheva1-e but2 aur ek qalb3-e husn-shinaas4
suroor5 ham se parastish6 ka haq7 ada8 na hua
1.ways, habits, whims 2.idol, beloved 3.heart 4.knoledgable about (the ways of) beauty 5.pen-name of the poet 6.devotion, worship 7.rights, demands 8.pay, fulfil
A thousand whims/coquetries of the beloved and just this one heart that knows the ways of the beautiful. O suroor, I could not fulfil the demands of complete devotion.
