1/18: raah

zauq-e-takallum par urdu ne

raah anokhi kholi hai

rang ki gehraayi naapi hai

phool ki khushbu toli hai

for the joy of expression

urdu has crafted a novel path

it gauged the depth of hues

it weighed the fragrance of flowers

Theme:Creativity, Philosophy & Enlightenment (30)

2/18: raah

jahaan par sarhaden

dair-o-haram ki khatm hoti hain

wahin par noor-e-imaan hai

wahin raah-e-yaqeen nikli

where the borders of

temples and mosques end

radiance of belief shines forth

the road to conviction begins

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

3/18: raah

gumshudgi hi asl mein yaaron

raah-numaayi karti hai

raah dikhaane wale pehle

barson raah bhaTakte hain

it is the state of being lost

friends, that guides the way

those who show the path

themselves wandered for years

Theme:Quest, Journey & Destination (44)

4/18: raah

main aisi raah pe nikla ki

meri khush-bakhti

tamaam umr meri khoj mein

bhaTakti rahi

i set out on such a path

that my good fortune

kept wandering in search

of me...all my life

Theme:Quest, Journey & Destination (44)

5/18: raah

yaar bhi raah ki deewaar

samajhte hain mujhe

main samajhta tha

mere yaar samajhte hain mujhe

even my friends consider me

an obstruction in their path

i used to believe

my friends understood me

Theme:Friends, Family & Community (108)

6/18: raah

hum teri yaad se katra-ke

nikal jaate magar

raah mein phoolon ke lab

sayoon ke gesu aaye

i'd have avoided

your memory and moved on

along the way i came across

lips of flowers, tresses of breezes

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

7/18: raah

maqaam, faiz, koyi raah mein

jacha hi naheen

jo koo-e-yaar se nikle

to soo-e-dar chale

no station, faiz, seemed

appealing along the way

those who left the beloved's lane

walked straight to the gallows

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

8/18: raah

tum raah mein chup-chaap

khaDe ho to gaye ho

kis kis ko bataaoge ki

ghar kyun nahi jaate

you stand there, silently

in the path

to how many will you explain

why you are not going home?

Theme:Home, Country & Belonging (23)

9/18: raah

tere siwa bhi kaheen thi panaah

bhool gaye

nikal ke hum teri mehfil se

raah bhool gaye

there was a refuge besides you

but i forgot

coming out of your gathering

i lost my way

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

10/18: raah

guzar ja aqal se aage

ki ye noor

charaagh-e-raah hai

manzil nahin

go past the intellect

for this light

is but an illumination of the path

not the destination

Theme:Creativity, Philosophy & Enlightenment (30)

11/18: raah

mehboob ki yaadon mein

ham raah nihaare baithe hain

ab toh akele hi

mehfil sajaaye baithe hain

with memories of my beloved

i wait, watching the street

all alone,

i wait, with my home decorated

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

12/18: raah

ek haseen aankh

ke ishaare par

qaafile raah

bhool jaate hain

with just a sign from

those pretty eyes

caravans

can lose their way

Theme:Beauty, Charm & Union (84)

13/18: raah

talaash-e-talab mein woh lazzat mili hai

dua kar raha hoon ke manzil na aaye

raah-e-aashiqi ka taqaaza yehi hai ke

kashti chale par saahil na aaye

i found so much joy in the seeking of my desire

i am praying the destination never arrives

the demand of the path of love is just this:

boat keeps sailing, but shore is never reached

Theme:Quest, Journey & Destination (44)

14/18: raah

qaasid naheen ye kaam tera

apni raah le

us ka payaam dil ke siva

kaun laa sake

oh messenger, this is not your job

please be on your way

the message for her

who can deliver but my heart

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

15/18: raah

mere talvon ke lahu se

hogi raushan har jihat

rah-ravaan-e-raah-e-manzil

honge shashdar dekhna

the blood of the soles of my feet,

spreads light in all directions

that followers to the destination,

watch them be amazed

Theme:Miscellany (44)

16/18: raah

maani na aayen dark mein

ghair-az-wajuud-e-lafz

aare daleel-e-raah-e-haqeeqat

majaaz hai

without word, meaning is not

within mind’s reach

certainly, abstraction is the

beacon in the path of truth

Theme:Voice, Expression & Language (61)

17/18: raah

tum zamaane ki

raah se aaye

warna seedha tha

raasta dil ka

you came by

the way of the world

else, the path of the heart

is pretty straightforward

Theme:Heart, Mind & Memory (58)

18/18: raah

zamaana aql ko samjha hua hai

mishal-e-raah

kise khabar ki junoon bhi hai

saahib-e-idraak

the world always considered

intellect to be the guiding light

who knew that passion

can also inform and enlighten

Theme:Creativity, Philosophy & Enlightenment (30)