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ghar /  anam / 1999 / january

From the book bahishti zewar by Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi  ( This nazm was first published in the magazine nooran ala noor , poet unkown)

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi ( rahmatullah-aalaih) is well known for his translation of Qur'an. He has written several books, Bahishti Zewar  is among them, it was written to educate Muslim girls about Islam.

aik laRhki ne yeH puchha apni ammi jaan se
aap zewar ki kareiN taareef mujh anjaan se
[ taareef= describe]

kaun se zewar haiN achhe yeH jata dijiye mujhe
aur jo bad- zeb haiN woH bhi bata dijiye mujhe
[ zeb= beauty]

taakeH achhe aur bure meiN mujh ko bhi ho imtiyaaz
aur mujh par aap ki barkat se khul jaaye yeH raaz
[ imtiyaaz= distinction,  barkat= blessing]

yuN kaha maaN ne muhabbat se keH ai beTi meri
gosh-e-dil se baat sun lo zewaroN ki tum zari
[ gosh= ear, dil= heart ]

seem-o-zar ke zewaroN ko log kahte haiN bhala
par naH meri jaan hona tum kabhi in par fida
[ seem= silver, zar= gold, fida= devoted]

sone chaaNdi ki chamak bas dekhne ki baat hai
chaar din ki chaNdni aur phir andheri raat hai

tum ko laazim hai karo margHub aise zewaraat
deen o duniya ki bhalai jis se ai jaaN aaye haath
[ margHub= favourite/ desirable]

sar peH jhumar aqal ka rakhana tum ai beTi mudaam
chalte haiN jis ke zariye se hi sab al-insaan ke kaam
[ mudaam= eternal]

baaliyaaN hoN kaan meiN ai jaan gosh hosh ki
aur nasihat lakh tere jhumkoN meiN ho bhari
[ hosh= sense, nasihat=  advice]

aur aawaize naasaih hoN ke dil aawez hoN
gar kare in par amal tere naseebe taiz hoN
[ aawaiz= ear-ring, naasaih= advices, amal= practice, naseeb= luck]

kaan ke patte diya karte haiN kaanoN ko azaab
kaan meiN rakho naseehat deiN jo auraaq-e-kitab
[ azaab= anguish,  deiN= to give, auraaq= pages (plural of waraq)]

aur zewar gar gale ke kuchh tujhe darkaar hoN
naikiyaaN pyari meri tere gale ka haar hoN
[ darkaar= need, naikiyaaN=  good deeds]

quwwat-e-baazu ka haasil tujh ko baazu-band ho
kaamyaabi se sada tu kHurram-o-kHursand ho
[ quwwat-e-baazu= stength of hand, baazu-band= arm-let
kHurran= happy/cheerful, kHursand= satisfied]

haiN jo sab baazu ke zewar sab ke sab bekaar haiN
himmateiN baazu ki ai beTi teri darkaar haiN

haath ke zewar se pyaari dastkaari kHoob hai
dastkaari woH hunar hai sab ko jo margHoob hai
[ dastkaari= handwork, handicraft;  hunar= skill, margHoob= favourite]

kya karogi ai meri jaaN zewar-e-kHalkHaal ko
pheNk dena chahiye beTi bas is janjaal ko
[ kHalkHaal= ornament for feet ( payal, pazeb) ; janjaal= trouble]

sab se achha paaoN ka zewar yeH hai noor-e-basar
tum raho saabit qadam har waqt raah-e-naik par
[ noor-e-basar= light of knowledge/vision ( ==dear child);
 saabit qadam= steady]

seem-o-zar ka paaoN meiN zewar na ho to Dar nahiN
raasti se paaoN phisle gar na meri jaaN kahiN
[ raasti= truth]