Mirza Ghalib

Iqbal said "Many a poet is born after his death". Ghalib (1797-1860) was no exception to that and often dubbed 'Godless' by the Islamic establishment of his time.

ghalib bura na maan jo waaiz bura kahe,
koi aisa bhi hai ki sab achcha kahe jise !!

Yet his verse shows a constant preoccupation with God and his creation,

na tha kuchh to khuda tha, kuchh na hota to khuda hota,
duboya mujhako hone ne, na hota mein to kya hota !!

oscillating between joyful ecstasy

'Asad' khushi se mere haath paanv fool gaye,
kaha jo usane zara mere paanv dabaa to de

and hopeless despair.

kisi ko deke dil koi, nawaa-sanj-e-fugaan kyon ho,
na ho jab dil hi seene me, to fir muh me zubaan kyon ho.

Biblical and Koranic figures appear frequently in his writings

Kya vah namruud ki khudaai thi,
bandagi me bhi mera bhala na hua.

and in typical mystical love poetry tradition,

Muhabbat me nahi hai fark jeene aur marne ka,
usi ko dekh kar jeete hai jis kaafir pe dam nikale.

his themes cover every minute nuance of the lover's aching heart,

Neend uski hai dimaag uska hai raate uski hai,
teri zulfe jisake baazu par pareshaan ho gayi.

the agonies of unity and separation from the Beloved,

khush hote hai par wasl me yoo mar nahi jaate,
aaii shab-e-hizra ki tamanna mere aage.

the futility of human glory

na sataaish ki tamanna na sile ki parwah,
gar nahi hai mere aashaar me mani to na sahi.

and the hopeless predicament of a loving soul trapped within the limitations of a human body.

Kab se hu kya bataau jahan-e-kharaab me,
shab haaye hizr ko bhi gar rakhu hisaab me.

Ghalib was known as Philosopher. If it is philosophy than it is reflection of humuan experiences, which can not be processed as thopughts in an intelectual mind, instead can only be experienced in soul.

ranj se khoogar hua insaa to mit jaata hai ranj,
mushkile itani padi mujhpe ki aasaa ho gayi.

How true as Said by 'Shaili', ...
"Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought".

kahte hai jiite hai ummiid pah log,
ham ko jiine kii bhii ummiid nahii.