Sher of Fahmi Badayuni

pūchh lete vo bas mizāj mirā
kitnā āsān thā ilaaj mirā

zarā īmān-dārī se batāo
hameñ tum se mohabbat ho ga.ī kyā

vo jo tumhārī majbūrī hai
vahī to saarī majbūrī hai

tasvīroñ se bāteñ karnā
kitnī pyārī majbūrī hai

halkī bāteñ kartā hai vo
koī bhārī majbūrī hai

un ko bhūlne kī koshish meñ
jaane kyā kyā bhuul ga.e haiñ

tum se bāteñ karne vaale
bāteñ karnā bhuul ga.e haiñ

aaj usī kī sair kareñge
vo jo duniyā bhuul ga.e haiñ

ham apnā ajnabī-pan bhuul jaa.eñ
agar pahchān le ik baar koī

maiñ ne nārāz kar diyā us ko
jhūTh bole baġhair bāteñ kiiñ

bahut kuchh kahnā paḌtā ho jahāñ
vahāñ par kuchh nahīñ kahtā huuñ maiñ

manā legī use mā'lūm hai
abhī sach-much nahīñ rūThā huuñ maiñ

chhoḌ kar jā rahā huuñ ghar lekin
mujh ko samjhā nahīñ rahā koī

ham natīje kā intizār kareñ
yā abhī imtihān baaqī hai

paḌ ga.ī hai zabān uljhan meñ
jo chhupānā hai vo batānā hai

maiñ ne patthar to kar liyā ḳhud ko
ab tirī raah se haTānā hai

nahīñ milnā hai kuchh nazreñ uThā kar
hameñ to sirf rasta dekhnā hai

jis ko har vaqt dekhtā huuñ maiñ
us ko bas ek baar dekhā hai

dostoñ ne hañsā diyā aa kar
achchhe-ḳhāse udaas baiThe the

farishtoñ jaisī sūrat kyuuñ banā lī
koī ham se sharārat ho ga.ī kyā

ham to rūThe the āzmāne ko
koī aayā nahīñ manāne ko

tere baare meñ sochne vaalā
apne baare meñ sochtā hī nahīñ

pareshāñ hai vo jhūTā ishq kar ke
vafā karne kī naubat aa ga.ī hai

maiñ ne us kī taraf se ḳhat likkhā
aur apne pate pe bhej diyā

kuchh na kuchh bolte raho ham se
chup rahoge to log sun leñge

Tahalte phir rahe haiñ saare ghar meñ
tirī ḳhālī jagah ko bhar rahe haiñ

kaTī hai umr bas ye sochne meñ
mire baare meñ vo kyā sochtā hai

mar gayā ham ko DāñTne vaalā
ab sharārat meñ jī nahīñ lagtā

phūloñ ko surḳhī dene meñ
patte piile ho jaate haiñ

use le kar jo gaaḌī jā chukī hai
maiñ shāyad us ke nīche aa rahā huuñ

achchhe-ḳhāse qafas meñ rahte the
jaane kyuuñ āsmāñ dikhā.ī diyā

phir usī qabr ke barābar se
zinda rahne kā rāsta niklā

yaar tum ko kahāñ kahāñ DhūñDā
jaao tum se maiñ boltā hī nahīñ

kaash vo rāste meñ mil jaa.e
mujh ko muñh pher kar guzarnā hai

tere jaisā koī milā hī nahīñ
kaise miltā kahīñ pe thā hī nahīñ

yaad hai jo usī ko yaad karo
hijr kī dūsrī davā hī nahīñ

ab un ko yaad kar ke ro rahe haiñ
bichhaḌte vaqt ronā chāhiye thā

hamārā haal tum bhī pūchhte ho
tumheñ ma.alūm honā chāhiye thā

vafā majbūr tum ko kar rahī thī
to phir majbūr honā chāhiye thā

tumheñ bas ye batānā chāhtā huuñ
maiñ tum se kyā chhupānā chāhtā huuñ

suno logoñ ko ye shak ho gayā hai
ki ham jiine kī sāzish kar rahe haiñ

mire sahrā se jo bādal uThe the
kisī dariyā pe bārish kar rahe haiñ

sochnā kuchh nahīñ hameñ filhāl
un se koī bhī baat karnā hai

jis kī ḳhātir charāġh bantā huuñ
ghūrtā hai vahī havā kī tarah

ham tire ġham ke paas baiThe the
dūsre ġham udaas baiThe the

bas vahī imtihāñ meñ paas hue
jo tire ās-pās baiThe the

nahīñ ho tum to aisā lag rahā hai
ki jaise shahr meñ curfew lagā hai

koī barbād ho kar jā chukā hai
koī barbād honā chāhtā hai

jise aatā na ho paanī samajh meñ
use kyā aa.egī machhlī samajh meñ

tumheñ chāñd aur tāroñ kī paḌī hai
hameñ aatī nahīñ miTTī samajh meñ

jo tum se der tak bāteñ karegā
nahīñ aa.egā vo jaldī samajh meñ

kisī kā āḳhirī ḳhat paḌh liyā hai
nahīñ aa.egā ab kuchh bhī samajh meñ

vahī to dāstāñ rahtī hai zinda
ki jo aatī nahīñ puurī samajh meñ

vo jahāñ tak dikhā.ī detā hai
us ke aage maiñ dekhtā hī nahīñ

achchhe-achchhoñ ne rāsta māñgā
maiñ tirī raah se haTā hī nahīñ

āḳhirī baar dekhnā hai use
phir lagātār dekhnā hai use

do hī mausam the dhuup yā bārish
chhatriyoñ kī dukān chaltī rahī

bas tumhārā makāñ dikhā.ī diyā
jis meñ saarā jahāñ dikhā.ī diyā

vo kahīñ thā kahīñ dikhā.ī diyā
maiñ jahāñ thā vahīñ dikhā.ī diyā

ḳhvāb meñ ik hasīñ dikhā.ī diyā
vo bhī parda-nashīñ dikhā.ī diyā

us ko le kar chalī ga.ī gaaḌī
phir hameñ kuchh nahīñ dikhā.ī diyā

koī panchhī koī shikārī hai
zinda rahne kī jañg jaarī hai

ye jo bāhar ḳhudā se Dar rahe haiñ
bahut kuchh dil ke andar kar rahe haiñ

yahāñ par koī dariyā-dil nahīñ hai
sab apne ghar kā paanī bhar rahe haiñ

tirī ḳhushbū se jo vāqif nahīñ haiñ
vo phūloñ se guzāra kar rahe haiñ

buniyādeñ kamzor nahīñ thiiñ
dīvāroñ se aayā paanī

āḳhir kis kis niim kī jaḌ meñ
kab tak Dāleñ mīThā paanī

muñh meñ jab tak zabān baaqī hai
aap kī dāstān baaqī hai

jī nahīñ lag rahā paḌhā.ī meñ
aur abhī imtihān baaqī hai

le to saktā huuñ naam qātil kā
mas.ala ye hai jaan baaqī hai

aur kitnā buland ho jā.ūñ
terī chaukhaT pe sar jhukāne ko

yeh mirā ghar hai vo zamāna hai
ab batāo kidhar ko jaanā hai

aap agar mehrbāñ nahīñ hote
ham jahāñ haiñ vahāñ nahīñ hote

chāhe jitne buland hoñ bādal
ye kabhī āsmāñ nahīñ hote

dhyān rakkheñ pukārne vaale
ham jahāñ haiñ vahāñ nahīñ hote

mirī pahlī nazar lauTā de mujh ko
tirī jānib dubāra dekhnā hai

nahīñ milnā hai kuchh nazreñ uThā kar
hameñ to sirf rasta dekhnā hai

us ne kyā kyā nahīñ diyā mujh ko
chain phir bhī nahīñ milā mujh ko

sochtā huuñ ki ab kahāñ jā.ūñ
tū bhī pāgal na kar sakā mujh ko

maiñ chhupā rahtā zindagī meñ aur
tū kahīñ aur DhūñDtā mujh ko

maiñ vahī shor likhtā rahtā huuñ
jis ne ḳhāmosh kar diyā mujh ko

tumhāre sāmne baiThā huuñ maiñ
yahī to soch kar zinda huuñ maiñ

pareshāñ dhuup kartī hai mujhe
shikāyat chāñd se kartā huuñ maiñ

sirf dil kā mu'āmla hī nahīñ
'ishq hai ek zimme-dārī bhī

aap ḳhāmoshiyāñ bhī sunte haiñ
aah sun lījiye hamārī bhī

un ko manzil DhūñD hī legī
ghar kā rasta bhuul ga.e haiñ

ham ko rasta batā ke lauT ga.e
ham-safar muskurā ke lauT ga.e

vo jo kahte the ghar banā.eñge
sirf naqsha banā ke lauT ga.e

hoñTh to hil rahe the raat un ke
kyā pata kyā batā ke lauT ga.e

ḳhudā ko bhūlnā āsān hai
hamārā mas.ala insān hai

zarūrat hī nahīñ hai naam kī
tirī ḳhushbū mirī pahchān hai

idhar bhī pheñkiye ḳhanjar koī
hamāre jism meñ bhī jaan hai

maiñ ne DhūñDā sharāb ke andar
aur nasha thā naqāb ke andar

apne apne savāl hote haiñ
apne apne javāb ke andar

maiñ ne masjid meñ jaanā chhoḌ diyā
roz mil jaatā thā ḳhudā koī

bahut dushvār hai rasta hamārā
nahīñ kar pāoge pīchhā hamārā

khā rahā hai abhī taras mujh par
'ishq andhā nahīñ huā hai abhī

lafz dil tak abhī nahīñ pahuñche
vo nigāhoñ se sochtā hai abhī

taar aise juḌe haiñ āñkhoñ ke
sochtā vo hai boltā maiñ huuñ

baḌā ulTā zamāna aa gayā hai
mohabbat karne vaale so rahe haiñ

ḳhudā kā shukr hai ġham par hamāre
jo ḳhush hote the vo bhī ro rahe haiñ

use kaise bhulā.e koī jise
yaad karnā paḌe bhulāne ko

tum to sab kuchh batā.e dete ho
kuchh bachā kar rakho chhupāne ko

us ne kuchh der sun liyā varna
kaun suntā mire fasāne ko

terī maujūdgī meñ kam se kam
jī to kartā hai muskurāne ko

kaun is jhoñpḌī meñ aa.egā
vo bhī barsāt kāTne ke liye

tirī āvāz dhīmī ho rahī hai
koī dīvār ūñchī ho rahī hai

us se kuchh bhī nahīñ chhupāte ham
vo hamārā 'ilāj kartā hai

vo safar sirf janāze kā safar hotā hai
jis meñ apnā yā parāyā nahīñ dekhā jaatā

ye jo vīrāne meñ baiThā huā hai
kisī āvāz se bichhḌā huā hai

ek din mere naam ke uupar
dūsrā naam likh diyā us ne

mujh se mā'mūlī she'r likhvā kar
ḳhud ko mash.hūr kar liyā us ne

mire pīchhe-pīchhe jo chaltī rahī
usī bhiiḌ ne maar Daalā mujhe

jiine lagtā hai zindagī ke baġhair
koī martā nahīñ kisī ke baġhair

ham tirī aarzū ke daftar meñ
kaam karte haiñ salary ke baġhair

kitnī bāteñ haiñ jin ko dīvāne
kah nahīñ sakte ḳhāmushī ke baġhair

ham se sīkho ki apnī marzī se
kaise marte haiñ ḳhud-kushī ke baġhair

dikhā sakte haiñ dānāoñ ko rasta
miyāñ ham 'ishq meñ andhe hue haiñ

tirā bāzār kaise chhoḌ jaa.eñ
yahīñ mahñge yahīñ saste hue haiñ

jo bhī chāhe ḳharīd le ham ko
bas gale se lagānā paḌtā hai

aaj us ke dil meñ dekhā dūsrā apnī jagah
phir jo apne dil meñ dekhā kuchh na thā apnī jagah

aaj bhī mahfil meñ us kī jashn puurā ho gayā
rah gayā is baar bhī maiñ DhūñDtā apnī jagah

sāmne ho to bas ishāra kar
vo chalā jaa.e to pukārā kar

ab ye kahānī lambī chalegī
is meñ hamārā qissa kam hai

rāste sab agar hasīñ hote
fāsle paidā hī nahīñ hote

tū hī tū hai tirī kahānī meñ
kaash ham bhī kahīñ kahīñ hote

hañste haiñ yā udaas hote haiñ
paas vāloñ ko duur jā ke dekh

kahīñ se jab koī āvāz aa.ī
maiñ ye samjhā tirī āvāz aa.ī

ham bhī miTTī tum bhī raakh
tez havā kā shikva kyā

#FahmiBadayuni #Ghazal #PhilosophyOfLife #Poems #Poetry #Shayari #SherOfFahmiBadayuni #UrduPoetry

“Is it perfume from a dress / That makes me so digress?”

No, Eliot, it is not the perfume
From a dress or otherwise
That makes me digress.

I digress
Because the mind itself is a digression
Or so I am told.

Sometimes I wonder
If it is not spiritual atyachar
For God to have created
This dilemma, this ridiculousness
That after spending a lifetime
In figuring out the Truth
You are told
What the mind understands
Is still not it.

I would like to ask God,
“Why then God
Give us a mind at all
That cannot fathom it.”

#Advaita #Eliot #God #IndianPhilosophy #Mind #Nonduality #PhilosophyOfLife #Poem #Poetry #Silence #SpiritualQuest #SpiritualSadhana #Spirituality #Surrender #Truth #TSEliot #Upanishads #World

My Latest Writings

“There is only as much distance between God and us as there is between clay and pot.”

“There is only as much difference between God and us as there is between clay and pot.”

“Does the pot exist at all, or only clay exists? Do we exist at all, or only God exists?”

“Are we pot or clay or both?”

“Is the mind pot or clay, or clay appearing as pot?”

“Do we get happiness from the outside, or is happiness within us? Similarly, do we get misery from the outside, or do we make ourselves miserable?”

“Are we unhappy because we lack the desired object, or we become unhappy because of the desire itself?”

“The devil is in the details but God is in the silence.”

“Our enemies are actually our friends in disguise.”

“Is our body ‘in the world’ or ‘in our mind’?”

“All sciences are merely attempts to cure the symptoms and miss the underlying disease.”

“Is desire a blessing or a curse?”

“Can a mind enamored of paisa, prestige, power and pleasure understand philosophy?”

No Loneliness

I am never alone

Never ever alone

I who love words

And bask always

In their company.

“The only bitterness I have is toward myself that I made so many mistakes in life. And yet in the midst of that bitterness, there is an inner peace.”

#ClayAndPot #Desire #Happiness #Life #Loneliness #NameAndForm #PhilosophyOfLife #Poem #Poetry #QuotableQuotes #Quotations #Quote #Quotes #Reality #Sciences #Suffering #Truth

Science shows the way, but the heart chooses the destination! 🗺️❤️
Technology and science are the lights that show us the path in the dark, but where will that path lead us? This decision is not made in a laboratory; it happens inside the human chest.If we leave the choice of our destination to machines, we will arrive somewhere, but our"soul" might not be there to meet us.
Beyond The Algorithm 🖋️coming soon
#RealityIsPure #BeyondTheAlgorithm #HumanDestination #ScienceAndSoul #PhilosophyOfLife

Epicureanism Was Never About Excess. It Was About Peace.

Epicureanism Has a Branding Problem.

Say the word “Epicurean,” and most people picture indulgence, or they have never heard it. Rich food. Too much wine. A life built around pleasure at any cost. That image could not be more off the mark.

Epicurus was not interested in excess. He was interested in peace.

The philosophy he founded was not about chasing pleasure but about removing the things that make life miserable. Fear. Pain. Anxiety. Social pressure. Empty desire. Once you understand that, Epicureanism starts to feel surprisingly modern.

Pleasure Was the Goal, But Not the Way You Think

Epicurus believed pleasure was the highest good. That sentence alone gets him misunderstood. For him, pleasure did not mean stimulation. It meant relief. Relief from fear. Relief from physical pain. Relief from mental noise. He used two key ideas to explain this. Ataraxia, which is mental calm. Aponia, which is the absence of bodily pain.

When both are present, life feels good without effort.

That is a very different definition of pleasure than the one most people live by now. Simple Living Was Not a Sacrifice. Epicurus lived simply by choice, not by limitation. He believed that the more you train yourself to need, the more vulnerable you become. If your happiness depends on luxury, status, or constant stimulation, then peace is always out of reach.

He famously said that bread and water could feel like a feast if you were no longer chasing more. This was not about deprivation. It was about independence. When your needs are simple, life becomes manageable. When your needs are endless, anxiety becomes permanent. That idea alone makes Epicureanism uncomfortable for modern life.

Friendship was central. Essential. Non-negotiable.

Epicurus believed that strong friendships created safety, joy, and emotional stability. Not networking. Not transactional relationships. Actual companionship. In a world full of status games and shallow connections, Epicurean friendship was about trust and presence. You were not meant to climb alone. You were meant to eat, talk, and think together.

Freedom From Fear Was the Real Victory

Epicurus believed most human suffering came from fear. Fear of death. Fear of gods. Fear of punishment. Fear of not having enough. He rejected superstition and divine interference. Not to be rebellious, but to calm people down. If death is simply the absence of sensation, there is nothing to fear. If the universe operates by natural laws, there is no reason to live in constant anxiety. Understanding nature was not about science for its own sake. It was about peace of mind. Less fear meant more freedom.

Why Epicureanism Is Still Relevant

Epicureanism fits uncomfortably well into modern life. Minimalism. Slow living. Mindful eating. Valuing time over things. Choosing quality over quantity. These are not trends. They are old ideas resurfacing because excess is exhausting. Epicurus was not anti-pleasure. He was anti-chaos. He believed the best life was calm, connected, and unburdened by unnecessary desire. That is not indulgence. That is discipline with a softer edge.

The Part People Get Wrong

Epicureanism is not about doing nothing. It is not about avoiding effort. It is about choosing effort wisely. Chasing status that never satisfies creates pain. Maintaining friendships creates stability. Overindulgence creates discomfort. Moderation creates ease. Epicurus was not selling escape. He was offering clarity.

The Quiet Takeaway

Epicureanism asks a simple question.

What do you actually need to live well?

Not what you want. Not what you are told to want. Not what looks good from the outside.

What genuinely reduces fear and pain in your life?

The answer is usually simpler than people expect.

And that simplicity is not boring.

It is freeing.

https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Willow-Daddy-love-you-ebook/dp/B09CM83B71?ref_=ast_author_dp_rw&th=1&psc=1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HlhVKaMC2InYON9Gh1rTg11vxTa4PAwkZJveXV9wrW3aBQmQb8NDlnayYcbm5_oJE5idJDvsaOxmFUZcDcKSvJBgHRtmz3BxtWVpuYNngMy3-_s8cRTnOR2FmM32WcjCZ6L2bYGkplxw9uUx0J9YsC782Sj0sh93ygrNupGtivkz0KDrhfdnkS7ZdwDAPS3lcKZ7ZzLExuqx1Cbq1Rcd1g.qZbokKuYdG-EKj4SqMyjMG-9jsWzkX5ZmrJNuCi428c&dib_tag=AUTHOR

Keywords

Epicurean philosophy, simple pleasure philosophy, Epicurus teachings, pleasure and tranquility, ancient Greek philosophy, living simply, freedom from fear

Hashtags

#Epicureanism #Epicurus #philosophyoflife #simpleliving #ancientwisdom #mentalclarity #friendship

#ancientwisdom #Epicureanism #Epicurus #friendship #mentalclarity #philosophyoflife #SimpleLiving #stoic #ZsoltZsemba