This Urdu ghazal was penned by the Pakistani poet Fana Buland Shehri and performed as a qawwali by the great Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (1948-1997). I could not find much online about the poet’s life, but quite a few famous qawwalis are attributed to him. Although “Mere Rashk-e-Qamar” is not as famous as other qawwalis performed by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, in my opinion it is one of the most poetic and powerful ones.
میرے رشکِ قمر تو نے پہلی نظر، جب نظر سے ملائی مزہ آ گیا
mere rashk-e-qamar tu ne pehli nazar, jab nazar se milaaii maza aa gaya
O my envy of the moon, when your eyes first met mine, I was overjoyed
برق سی گر گئی، کام ہی کر گئی، آگ ایسی لگائی مزہ آ گیا
barq si gir gaii kaam hi kar gaii, aag aisi lagaaii maza aa gaya
Lightning struck and destroyed me; you ignited such a fire that it made me ecstatic
جام میں گھول کر حسن کی مستیاں، چاندنی مسکرائی مزہ آ گیا
jaam mein ghol kar husn ki mastiyaan, chaandni muskuraaii maza aa gaya
Mixing beauty’s mischief into my drink, the moonlight smiled – how enjoyable!
چاند کے سائے میں اے میرے ساقیا، تو نے ایسی پلائی مزہ آ گیا
chaand ke saaey mein ae mere saaqiya, tu ne aisi pilaaii maza aa gaya
In the moon’s shadow, O my cup-bearer, you made me drink such a wine that I was ecstatic
نشہ شیشے میں انگڑائی لینے لگا، بزمِ رنداں میں ساغر کھنکنے لگے
nasha sheeshe mein angraaii lene laga, bazm-e-rindaan mein saaghar khanakne lage
Intoxication spread through the bottle, and goblets clinked in the party of debauchees
میکدے پہ برسنے لگیں مستیاں، جب گھٹا گھر کے چھائی مزہ آ گیا
maikade pe barasne lagiin mastiyaan, jab ghata ghir ke chaaii maza aa gaya
Mischief descended upon the tavern, and when storm clouds poured down, I was overjoyed
بےحجبانہ وہ سامنے آ گئے، اور جوانی جوانی سے ٹکرا گئی
behijaabana woh saamne aa gae, aur jawaani jawaani se takra gaii
Unveiled, she came before me, and her youthful splendor collided with mine
آنکھ اُن کی لڑی یوں میری آنکھ سے، دیکھ کر یہ لڑائی مزہ آ گیا
aankh un ki lari yuun meri aankh se, dekh kar yeh laraaii maza aa gaya
Her eyes clashed with mine in such a way that seeing this fight made me joyful
آنکھ میں تھی حیاہ ہر ملاقات پر، سرخ عارض ہوئے وصل کی بات پر
aankh mein thi hayaa har mulaaqaat par, surkh aariz hue wasl ki baat par
Modesty was in her eyes every time we met; her cheeks blushed red when I spoke of our union
اُس نے شرما کے میرے سوالات پہ، ایسے گردن جھکائی مزہ آ گیا
us ne sharma ke mere sawaalaat pe, aise gardan jhukaaii maza aa gaya
Blushing at my questions, she lowered her head in such a way that I was delighted
شیخ صاحب کا ایمان مٹ ہی گیا، دیکھ کر حسنِ ساقی پگھل ہی گیا
shaikh saahib ka eemaan mit hi gaya, dekh kar husn-e-saaqi pighal hi gaya
The shaikh’s faith was obliterated; upon seeing the cup-bearer’s beauty, it melted away
آج سے پہلے یہ کتنے مغرور تھے، لٹ گئی پارسائی مزہ آ گیا
aaj se pehle ye kitne maghroor the, lut gaii paarsaaii maza aa gaya
Before today, how proud he was; now his piety has been lost – how enjoyable!
اے فناؔ شکر ہے آج بعدِ فنا، اُس نے رکھلی میرے پیار کی آبرو
ae Fana shukar hai aaj baad-e-fana, us ne rakhli mere pyaar ki aabroo
O Fana, today I am grateful that after my demise, she has maintained the honor of my love
اپنے ہاتھوں سے اُس نے میری قبر پر، چادرِ گل چڑھائی مزہ آ گیا
apne haathon se us ne meri qabar par, chaadar-e-gul charhaaii maza aa gaya
With her own hands, she spread a sheet of flowers on my grave – how delightful!
* Note on the takhallus: The takhallus (Urdu: تخلص) is the pen name adopted by a poet in Urdu, and is usually incorporated into his/her poems near the end. It often has a double meaning as both a name and as a word. Fana Buland Shehri included his takhallus in this qawwali when he says, “ae Fana shukar hai aaj baad-e-fana, us ne rakhli mere pyaar ki aabroo”. Fana is the author’s name, but it also means “annihilation”. This adds another meaning to that line: “O annihilation (death), today I am grateful that after my demise, she has maintained the honor of my love”.
Thank you 🙏