QDOS

Turning Point In American History

Turning Point In the history of America

That’s what I feel on this day of 4^th of November, 2008, when people of USA voted Barack Obama for the 44^th US President. They have shown once again why they are a great nation. They voted in the interest of common good of the people of USA and for the cause of humanity, for the ‘hope’, for the ‘change’ they had been seeking for a long long time. They rose up to the occasion to overcome their prejudices, and differences. From here this country will move in a new direction and re-define its future. This is the moment when one feels proud to witness the ‘history in making’. There are not many moments in one’s lifetime when you feel elated by being able to watch development of an important event in history. The first memory of such an event was when I was a kid, in 1979, when Islamic Revolution in Iran took place. People’s might turned the most powerful and tyrannical ruler of the middle-east into a paper tiger. The next important event was the disintegration of Soviet Union, not as a defeat of Communism, but the end of another tyrannical rule. Return of Soviet military from Afghanistan was the turning point in the Soviet history, I felt then, when I first saw the headlines in Indian newspapers of that time, ‘Soviet Union to Withdraw its Troops from Afghanistan’. The next event in history that shortly followed was also in Europe and it was the Fall of Berlin Wall and Re-Unification of Germany. The Wall that divided people since 2nd World War was no more, boundaries separating the east from the west Germany disappeared into air. I had heard about the’ stories’ which were the real stories of people trying to cross into the western territory to meet their aspirations or their dear ones who were divided by fate, of not their own making. The next event to unfold was in the land which is known as of Gandhi's Karmbhoomi, the south of African continent, in South Africa. The event was the release of Nelson Mandela and the end of Apartheid. Nelson Mandela has become a living epitome of Leadership in Modern World History. He is undoubtedly among the most admired, adored and respected of human beings to walk on this Earth, in modern times. And it did not come to him with ease, it came through 27 years of confinement, he created that niche in people’s heart by leading selflessly and bearing hardships that came on his way to liberate his people to freedom and dignity, and make his country a role model for other countries of the world, in terms of multi-racial democracy, in prosperity, in stability, peace and freedom. In all these important landmark events of modern history, there was and will be one thing in common, and that is victory of human freedom and life of dignity and equal opportunity. All of these were People’s Movements. And any movement that is driven by feeling of common good and common freedom is bound to triumph. Today’s event is one such event in the history of modern World. It is the realization of a long cherished dream. May Allah bless all such movements and give all of us the ability to know and recognise those movements. In the end someone may question why did I not count the Independence of India, as an event of historical significance? Well, it was indeed one such event, but I was not born yet to witness it, but, I feel extremely proud and lucky to inherit the gift of freedom from my ancestors and savor every moment of it. Let us not waste this great legacy which we often take for granted.

Ghazal: Tum Gaye Saath Ujaalon ka bhi Jhuta Thera

Khalifatahun Fil Arz

Ya khuda-e-Zul Jalaal

Khaliq-e-maujood-o-na-maujood, zaat-e-La-yizaal

Arsh-o-kursi, salsabeel-o-kausar-o-lauh-o-qalam tera jamaal

Jinn-o-naas, Iblees-o-Jibraeel-o-malaik teri qudrat ka kamaal

Jannat-e-mauood-o-jalwahhai na mash-hood ke pahloo raqs karta khak ka nanha sa zarra yeh zameen

Tu ne is zarre ko dee hai arsh-o-kursi ki bulandi asmaan ki wusa’atein

Tu ne Aadam mein mujassam kar diye apne kamaalaat-o-sifaat

Az karaan ta be-karaan pheli khalaaon mein banaya khaak ke putle ko tasweer-e-hayaat

Dee use takhleeq-o-azaadi pe qudrat ruh ko uski banaya sho’la-e-irfan-e-nafs-o-kaai’naat

Adl-o-sidq-o-haq ka hai ma’yaar yeh mahdood zaat

Ek nanha sa sharara aur us per kul khudaai’ ka hai baar

Ek wajood aur usko halqe main liye hai har taraf se zulmaton ka bahar-e-na-paida kinaar

Nur mub-ham aur zulmat aashkaar

Zindagi majboor aur marg-o-adam ba-ikhtiyaar

Yeh amaanatdaar-e-takhleeq aadmi

Ya adm, zulmaat aur andhee khala

Kaun hai na'ib Tera

Mere Khuda?

Ghair maujoodat per hai mushtamil yeh kaai’naat

Tamtaraaq-e-nuqra-o-zar, la’al-o-gauhar ka sabaat

Tashnagee ka regzaar, aasuda kaamee ki faraat

Khwahishon ke dasht-o-sahraa, aarzoo ki kaai’naat

Hasraton ke sard laashey, justuju ke garm haat

Jism ke masroof din aur rooh ki be-chain raat

Darmiyaan mein waqt ka kuchh faslaa rakh lo to sab na-bood hain

Shama’ bujh jaye to yeh saare manaazir halqahhai dood hain

Hast per na-bood haakim

Waaqa’ee per waham-e-na-maujood hakim

Aadmi ya aadmi ki shakl ke na-bood-o-na-maujood halqahhai dood

Kaun hai naayab tera

Mere Khuda?

Laa-o-lashkar, tabl-o-aurang-o-alam, naqqare hajib choobdaar

Bum, missile, aasmani lab, rocket aur khalaaee shahsawaar

Qahat-o-sailaab-o-waba, ghusse se shaq hoti zameen, aatish ba seenah-e-kohsaar

Khurdani na-khurdani ajnaas ke masrooqah godaam

Zulm-o-istehsaal-o-milkeeyat ke hafiz shara’-o-dastoor-o-qawaneen-e-tashadud aashkar

Qatil aur saariq ke khanazaad hain nazm-o-nasq ke ikhtiyaar

Mazhar-e-shaan-e-khudawandee ki hain majbooriyaan na-deedani, na-guftani

Faaqaah-o-beemaari-o-iflaas ke raunde huey insaan chichaurhi haddiyon ke waastey

Bhaunktey ek doosre per, nochte ek doosre ki botiyaan

Mahnat-o-imaandaari hai sag-e-shahr-e-hawas

Aadmi ya aadmi per hukmraan qanoon ka zaalim hisaar

Kaun na'ib hai Tera

Mere Khudaa?

Har taraf aadmi hain baalishtiyon ki bastiyaan

Baans ki tango pe chalti qadd-e-aadam pastiyaan

Baunepan ki hain talaafi oonchee oonchee kursiyaan

Pahlu’on mein zewaron se soney chaandi ki lade na-mardumee ki daastaan

Masnad-e-kam khwaab-o-deeba per saji kaldaar aankhon ki nachaati putliyaan

Karhkarhaatey kaghzon aur chamchamaatee dhaat ke rangeen khiloney ke liye kilkaariyaan

Shahr main baalishtiyon ke sar ba-zanoo aur kamar se hain khameeda aadmi

Sar utha kar gar khadaa ho jaye pooraa aadmi

Adl ki masnad bichhaa kar, kamtaree ki girha ko meezan banaa kar

Hukm denge qatl ka balishtiye

Aadmi ya aadmi ki shakl ke baalishtiye

Kaun na'ib hai Tera

Merey Khuda?

Ya Khuda-e-zul-jalaal

Jannat-e-mau’ood tere barish-e-anwaar rooyat ka Jamaal

Teri is maujood duniya mein hai na-bood hukm

Zulm-o-istehsaal ka qanoon hakim

Aadmi per aadmi ke shakl ke baalishtiye hain hukmraan

Kya teri mau’ood jannat mein bhi hai na-bood ke andhe qawaneen

Aur insaan shakl baunon ka muqaam?

Kya hamein hoga wahan bhi sirf apne khoon-e-dil per ikhtiyaar?

Kya wahan bhi karna hoga, hamko har lamhah sawaal

Kaun na'ib hai Tera

Mere Khuda?

Waheed Akhtar