Published by Hachette, on Amazon.in and in bookstores across India.

This is such an amazing initiative! This is a great collection of Urdu poetry which has been made accessible to everybody.

— Aditi Rao Hydari, Actor

3 Urdu couplets and shers with ahbaab

ahbaab(m): dear ones, darling

Description of ahbaab: Ahbaab is a plural Arabic noun in Urdu, meaning friends, dear ones, or beloved companions. Unlike singular terms like dost , it conveys a collective intimacy among close associates. Differs from ham-ahbab , emphasizing profound emotional bonds rather than casual ties. In Urdu poetry, it evokes camaraderie, as in couplets lamenting friends sharing pulao at funerals.

1 / 3: ahbaab

bataaun aap ko marne ke baad kya hoga

pulao khaayenge ahbaab

faateha hoga

shall i tell you

what happens after death?

your dear ones will eat pulao

and recite a funeral prayer

Akbar Allahabadi (13)

aap (13)

respectful 'you'

baad (13)

breeze / after

ahbaab (m) (3)

dear ones, darling

faateha (1)

funeral prayer

Theme: Time, Life & Learning (140)

2 / 3: ahbaab

jab kaha maine ki tum bedaadgar na-aashnaa

be-mohabbat bewafaa

begaana-e-ahbaab ho

when i told her…

you are unfair, act unfamiliar,

with no love, unfaithful,

a strange friend indeed

Momin Khan Momin (6)

aashnaa (m) (2)

familiar, acquaintance

mohabbat (f) (44)

love

bewafaa (6)

unfaithful, disloyal

begaana (m) (4)

indifferent, stranger

ahbaab (m) (3)

dear ones, darling

2.5K

3 / 3: ahbaab

ahbaab ka shikwa kya kijiye khud zaahir-o-baatin ek nahin

lub oopar oopar hanste hain

dil andar andar rota hai

what use complaining of friends, when

what’s visible and hidden are different

their lips seem to smile

while they are weeping inside

Hafeez Jalandhari (1)

shikwa (m) (4)

complaint

ahbaab (m) (3)

dear ones, darling

zaahir (m) (2)

evident, visible

baatin (m) (1)

hidden, concealed

lub (m) (1)

lip

hanste (1)

smile

Theme: Friends, Family, & Community (151)

2.6K

Featured Themes

Love, Passion, and Longing (132)

Voice, Expression, & Language (84)

Pain, Distress, Suffering (1)

Home, Country, & Belonging (32)

Hopes, Aspirations, & Dreams (41)

Friends, Family, & Community (151)

Grit, Resilience, & Courage (62)

Time, Life & Learning (140)

Creativity, Philosophy, & Enlightenment (41)

Beauty, Charm, & Union (115)

Miscellany (44)

Religion, Reason, & Tradition (78)

Oppression, Rebellion, & Freedom (70)

Nature, World & Universe (53)

Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (126)

Heart, Mind, & Memory (68)

Quest, Journey, & Destination (57)

Alfaaz Ki Mehfil is a curated space for timeless poetry celebrating words, emotions, and the enduring beauty of expression. From classic Urdu couplets to modern reflections, it brings together generations of poetic voices that speak of love, longing, hope, and the human soul.

Quick Links

ahbaab(m): dear ones, darling

Featured Shaayars

See All Shaayars

Featured Themes