Maktoob

"Kab karni hai shaadi, beta ji? Ab toh aap ka PG bhi ho gaya hai." Zahima Begum ne Aashir se poocha.

"Chalo Allah ka shukr hai, Ammi. Khayaal toh aaya aapko. Mujhe laga mangni kar ke bhool gayi hain." Aashir ne saans kharij karte hue kaha.

"Achha ji." Zahima ne chapat raseed ki. "Battameez! Mazaaq masti ek jagah. Bhai, date ki baat karun tumhare Dadu aur Abba se?" Zahima Begum sanjeeda thi.

Uske labon par tabassum bikhra.

Usne haule se sir ko kham diya.

Zahima ne aage badh kar uska maatha chuma.

Amin aur Arif sahab se baat karne ke baad yeh tay raha ki ab Zahima ki behen se baat karne ki baari thi.

Zahima ki behen Alfiya ki do betiyan aur ek beta tha-Aliyar, Asiya aur Asima.

Aliyar aur Aashir bachpan se ek doosre ke bahut achhe dost the.

Aur Asiya aur Aashir dost toh the, par kab jaane unki dosti mohabbat mein badal gayi.

Aur dono ke ghar walon ne unki mangni kar di.

Aashir apne Neurology Masters mein busy tha aur Asiya apne Hematology Masters mein.

Dono ka Masters ab ho gaya tha.

Aashir job kar raha tha.

Aur Asiya internship.

Ab ghar walon ka khayaal tha ki in dono ki mangni ko shaadi mein tabdeel kar dena chahiye.

Asiya, Aashir ki mohabbat mein qaid 19 saal ki umar mein hui thi.

Aur Aashir toh shayad use yaad bhi nahi tha kab se tha.

Woh dono ne relationship mein na aane ka faisla kiya tha.

Sirf dost ban kar rehna tha.

Phir mangetar.

Aur shaadi.

Par kehte hain,

Jo aasmanon par likha hai,

Woh hokar hi rehta hai.

Ek din internship se aate waqt Asiya ki gaadi ka accident ho gaya.

Aur teen din zindagi aur maut ki kashmakash mein rehne ke baad usne dam tod diya.

Aashir so raha tha.

Tabhi use Aliyar ka phone aaya.

"You better have something important to say. For God's sake, it's 2:00 a.m." Aashir ne gusse se kaha.

Saamne se tawaqqo ke hisaab se koi jawaab nahi tha.

"Aliyar?" Use tashweesh hui.

Phir usne siskiyan suni.

"Aashir... Asiya ka accident ho gaya hai."

Aashir hil nahi saka.

"What?"

Bas ek lafz nikal paaya.

Woh turant utha.

Uske chhote bhai Ammar ne gaadi chalayi.

Woh is haalat mein nahi tha ki drive kar sake.

Hospital pahunchte hi, jaise hi woh ICU ke paas pahucha, use laga woh ek khaufnaak khwaab dekh raha hai jisse woh uth nahi payega.

Asiya saamne bed par machineon ke sahare saans le rahi thi.

Uski aankhen band thin.

Chehre par oxygen mask tha.

Peshani par pattiyan.

Haathon mein cannula, IV aur kai machines lagi hui thin.

Uske pair ladkhada gaye.

Usne deewar ka sahara liya.

Woh doctor tha.

Anjaan nahi tha ki Asiya ki haalat ki nazakat ko samajh na sake.

Aashir ne Asiya ki reports padhi.

Operation ke baad bhi sirf 2 percent survival ke chances the.

Woh sajde mein gira.

"**Ya Allah...

Aap Rahmaan-ur-Raheem hain.

Main beshak khata ka putla hoon,

par aapka ghulaam.

Ya Rabb, Asiya ko zindagi de dein.

Uske sirf na hone ke tasawwur se hi

main saans nahi le paa raha.

Woh nahi hogi toh

main jee nahi sakunga.**"

Usne dua mukammal ki.

Do din beet gaye.

Use hosh nahi aaya.

Phir kehte hain, ek lamha aata hai.

Us lamhe mein har lamhe ki tabeer ho jaati hai.

"I am sorry, Dr. Asiya couldn't survive."

Doctor ke woh lafz the ya pighalte lohe.

Usne apni Khala ko behosh hote dekha.

Aliyar ko Khala ko pakadte dekha.

Asima ki cheekhein.

Uski Ammi ki beyaqeeni.

Aur woh...

Sirf khada raha.

Aansu ravani se beh rahe the.

Bas cheekh uska gala ghut gayi thi.

Uski dua qubool nahi hui thi.

Shayad mehfooz kar li gayi thi.

Hota hai na...

Hum kitna bhi pair ragdein, ya zid karein, ya royein.

Kuch duayein qubool nahi hotin.

Kyunki maktoob.

Kuch duayein badal nahi sakti.

Asiya ke janaze par mitti daalte waqt woh kya mehsoos kar raha tha,

isse woh khud bhi qaasir tha.

Jab sab chale gaye,

woh wahi baitha raha.

Qabr par phool the.

Par yeh phool toh unki vidaai ki gaadi mein hone chahiye the.

Bahut log the janaze mein.

Par kya yeh log unki baraat mein nahi hone chahiye the?

Woh safar par nikli thi.

Par kya use uska humsafar nahi banna tha?

Woh safed kafan mein malboos thi.

Par kya use laal jode mein malboos nahi hona tha?

Woh us qabr ko dekhta raha.

Phir chal diya.

Us din Asiya Khan dafan hui thi.

Aur kisi ka dil bhi.

Woh badal sa gaya tha.

Zyada toh woh pehle bhi nahi bolta tha.

Par ab khamoshi ki chaadar uski dost thi.

Woh apni specialization karne mein lag gaya.

Shayad ab yahi ek bahaana tha.

Asiya ko gaye 6 saal ho chuke the.

Woh aaj 31 saal ka tha.

Uske saamne aaj usse 7 saal chhoti ladki, jisse uski cousin ke taur par bhi befikallufi nahi thi, uske rishte ki baat ho rahi thi.

Usne nafi mein sar hila diya.

"**Aap logon ko andaaza hai ye kya baat kar rahe hain aap log?

Main sirf Asiya ka hoon.

Aur marte dam tak usi ka rahunga.

Yeh mera bakht hai.

Noor-ul-Ain aur mera koi jod nahi.

Na kal tha,

na aaj hai,

na kabhi hoga.

Apne dimaag se yeh baat nikaal dein.

Aur apni laadli ke bhi,

agar daal di ho toh.**"

Par bakht kya hai, yeh kisi ko pata nahi.

Aur Aashir is baat se bhi anjaan tha.

Noor-ul-Ain, jo corridor se guzar rahi thi, usne har lafz suna.

Uske dil par jaise kisi ne waar kiya tha.

Aisa hota hai thukraya jaana.

Apni zaat ki nafi hote sunna.

Uske walidain nahi the.

Toh sab ne uski zindagi apne haath mein le li thi.

Use bahut gussa aaya.

Usne is ghar se jaane ka iraada kar liya.

Agle din sab dining table par the.

"Nanu aur Mamu, aaj Ibrahim bhai mujhe lene aa rahe hain, aur main unke saath ja rahi hoon. Mujhe Abba ka firm bhi toh sambhalna hai."

Lehja faislakun tha.

Aashir ne uski taraf dekha.

Kya use Dadu ki haalat yaad nahi?

Woh itni khudgarz hai.

Uske mann ne kaha.

Usne Dadu ki taraf dekha.

Jinka chehra sapaat tha.

Dadu ne sar hila diya.

Phir Ibrahim ki aamad hui.

Aur Noor-ul-Ain is ghar se chali gayi.

Dadu ki tabiyat thodi kharaab hui.

Jis par Noor par use gussa bhi aaya.

Uske dimaag mein yeh baat kahin ghar kar chuki thi ki woh bahut khudgarz hai.

Noor aur woh umar ke faasle ki wajah se bhi, shayad Aashir ke gham ki wajah se bhi, bahut ghair-aashna the.

Bas rasmi haal-e-ahwaal pooch lete the.

Woh apni Phupho se us tarah close bhi nahi tha jitna apne baaki bhai-behen se.

So unki beti se bhi kuch aisa hi tha.

Noor-ul-Ain baad mein apne Abba ka law firm chala rahi thi.

Woh ek lawyer thi.

Zindagi pehle jaisi toh nahi thi, par sukoon tha.

Woh kitaab padh rahi thi jab uske Chacha ki aamad hui.

Unhe dekh kar usne kitaab side mein rakh di.

"Bitiya, tumhe pata hai na tum mujhe kitni azeez ho."

Woh haule hue.

Noor ne sir hila diya.

Woh jaanti thi Chacha-Chachi uspe jaan chhidakte the.

"Gudiya, koi zor-zabardasti nahi hai. Meri nazar mein ek ladka hai. Woh doctor hai. Mujhe tumhare liye achha laga."

Woh ruke.

Unhone Noor ka chehra dekhna chaha.

Woh be-taassur unhe dekhe ja rahi thi.

"Kya tum usse milna pasand karogi? Woh mere dost ka beta hai."

Unhone Noor ka kandha thapthapaya.

Aur uth kar chale gaye.

Noor ne aasmaan ki or dekha.

Jahan chaandni chhaayi thi.

Hawa chal rahi thi.

Hawa ke jhonke ne uske baalon ko uske chehre par la diya.

Usne baal nahi hataye.

Woh bas aankhen band kiye hawa ki taazgi ko mehsoos karti rahi.

Aur kuch aur bhi.

Agli subah usne khane ke table par kaha,

"Chachi, main taiyaar hoon milne ke liye."

Usne muskurate hue kaha.

Uske Chachu ka chehra khil utha.

Agle hafte uski mulaaqaat tay kar di gayi.

Noor ek aalishaan restaurant ki pehli manzil par sheeshe ke qareeb table par baithi thi.

Uske saath Sumaira bhi aayi thi.

Uski bachpan ki dost aur cousin.

Woh uski behen se kam na thi.

Woh doosre table par baithi thi.

Tabhi ek daraaz-qad naujawan, jiski rangat saanwli thi, par naqsh-o-nigaar aala the.

Use keh sakte the, tall, dark and handsome.

Usne aane wale naujawan ko dekha, jo use hi dekh raha tha.

Uske chehre par muskaan thi.

Woh uske saamne aa khada hua.

"Assalamualaikum," usne aahista se salaam kiya.

"Wa Alaikum Assalam," Noor ne bhi shaistagi se kaha.

"Aap Noor-ul-Ain Siddiqui hain?"

Noor ne sar ko kham diya.

"Main Saad Khan."

Woh muskuraya.

Khamoshi taari thi.

"Aap mujhse shaadi kyun karna chahte hain?" Noor ne sawaal kiya.

Woh muskuraya.

"Aap mujhe achhi lagi, isliye."

Usne kandhe uchkaaye.

Noor ki bhawein sikud gayin.

"Huh!"

"Noor-ul-Ain, main ghuma-phira kar baat nahi karunga. Maine aapko pehli dafa Ibrahim ke ghar dekha tha. Aur phir aapki har harqat mujhe hifz ho gayi.

Aapka hasna.

Ibrahim ki taang khinchna.

Sumaira ke saath mehmaanon ka khayaal rakhna.

Aur sabse zaroori, aapka ikhlaaq.

Jo badon se unsiyat aur bachon se mohabbat.

Aur phir aapka Siddiqui Law Firm ko akele chalana.

Main aapka qaayil ho gaya.

Main yeh nahi kahunga ki mujhe aapse mohabbat hai, par yeh zaroor kahunga...

I want to be your husband."

Usne baat ke ikhtitaam par Noor ke taassuraat padhne chahe.

Uske taassuraat narm hue the.

"Main firm nahi chhodungi.

Mujhe mere career se ishq hai.

Meri apni zaati rai hoti hai cheezon mein.

Aur mere liye rishte bahut maayne rakhte hain.

Agar rishta juda, toh poori aamaadgi aur izzat se hoga."

Noor ne bahut saafgoi se apni baat kahi.

Saad ne sir hila diya.

"Toh kya?"

Woh goya hua.

"Toh kya?"

Woh hans di.

Uski yeh hansi sirf Sumaira ne nahi, kisi aur ne bhi dekhi thi.

Aashir kisi kaam ke liye Allahabad aaya hua tha.

Woh bhi usi restaurant mein apne colleague ke saath tha.

Jab uski nazar Noor par padi.

Woh use dekh nahi sakti thi.

Par woh use achhe se dekh sakta tha.

Woh gulaabi Anarkali mein malboos thi.

Baal jude ki shakal mein qaid the.

Chehre par halka makeup tha.

Woh hans rahi thi.

"Khoobsurat..."

Aashir ke munh se pehla lafz nikla.

Woh khud hairaan hua.

Par uske saath baitha ladka kaun tha, woh yeh dekh nahi paaya.

Noor aur Saad shaadi ke liye raazamand the.

Unki shaadi ki date padne waali thi.

Usse pehle uske Chacha ne yeh baat Noor ke Nanu ko batayi.

Woh bahut khush hue.

Unhone yeh khabar sabko dining table par suna di.

Aashir ka munh tak jaata hua chamach ruk gaya.

Uske khayaalon mein Noor ka hansta chehra aaya.

Aur woh ladka.

Use sab samajh aa gaya.

Usne apne Dadu ki taraf dekha, jo thode udaas the.

Woh samajh gaya.

Noor ke rishte ki khabar sun kar woh udaas hue.

Phir ek baar Noor use khudgarz lagi.

Kya woh ek baar Dadu se mashwara nahi kar sakti thi?

Usne sar jhatak diya.

Noor apne Chacha ko chai dene aayi thi, jab unhone use...

Unhone use mukhatib kiya.

"Bitiya, tum khush ho na is rishte se?"

Woh thehri aur unke paas baith gayi.

"Ji, Chachu."

Woh muskurayi.

"Tum..."

Woh hichkichaye.

"Tum ab usse mohabbat nahi karti?"

Noor ne unhe beyaqeeni se dekha.

"Kisse?"

Uske lab hile.

"Aashir se."

Unhone aahista se sargoshi ki.

Noor dam saadhe unhe dekhti reh gayi.

"Kaise?"

Woh bamushkil bas itna bol paayi.

"Beti ho tum meri. Maine tumhari aankhon mein uske liye mohabbat dekhi hai."

Woh saans na le saki.

Woh sambhali.

"Chachu, Saad mera mustaqbil hai aur main bewafa nahi."

Woh itna hi bol saki.

Saad aur Noor ki shaadi ka din qareeb aa raha tha.

Khandaan mein poore mithaiyan bat chuki thin.

Saad aaj kal thoda uljha-uljha sa tha.

Noor ne ise shaadi ki uljhan samjha.

Woh is rishte se khush thi.

Use laga aasmanon par Saad ka naam uske saath likha hua hai.

Par kise kya pata.

Woh diary khole baithi thi.

"**Ammi, Abba,

Mujhe pata hai aap mujhe sun nahi sakte.

Aap dono bahut yaad aate hain.

Mera dil toh hai,

bas mere paas nahi.

Chachu-Chachi saare farz nibha rahe hain,

par meri nazrein har jagah aap dono ko khojti hain.

Kyun chale gaye aap dono?

Mere baare mein na socha, main tanha ho jaungi.

Aap mujhe apna sher bachcha kehte the.

Main sher bachcha nahi hoon.

Main khokhli hoon.

Main deh jaungi agar ek aur toofaan aaya toh.**"

Usne apne chehre ke aansu poche.

Phir chehre par haath phera.

Woh bathroom ki taraf badhi.

Usne wuzu kiya.

Phir kamre mein aa kar usne namaaz bichhaayi.

Woh abhi salaam pher rahi thi jab uske mann mein ek khayaal aaya.

"Allah kabhi apne bande ko uski quwwat se zyada nahi aazmata."

Woh muskurayi.

Shayad Allah use aazmaish ke liye tayyar kar rahe the.

Agli subah jab woh uthi, usne Saad ke message ka notification dekha.

"**Dear Noorie,

Tum ek bahut achhi ladki ho.

Par shayad main nahi.

Mujhe maaf kar dena.

Main tumse shaadi nahi kar sakta.

Main kahin ja raha hoon.

Mujhe mat dhoondhna.

Khush rehna.

- Saad**"

Message ke ikhtitaam par woh beyaqeeni se har lafz dobara padh rahi thi.

Shaadi se ek hafte pehle aisa message.

Chachu ko toh jaise sadma hi lag gaya.

Chachi bhi hairaan thi.

Ibrahim bhai bahut gusse mein the.

Agar unhe Saad mil jaata, toh woh use chhodte nahi.

Sumaira Noor ke liye bahut pareshaan thi.

Noor ke nanihaal walon ko bhi is baat ki ittela de di gayi.

Sab hall mein baithe the.

"Ab kya karein, Arif bhai? Kuch samajh nahi aa raha. Saad kahan gaya? Uske maa-baap ko bhi ilm nahi."

Chachu ne bezaari se kaha.

"Log sirf Noor ke baare mein baatein bana rahe hain."

Sumaira ne kaha.

Amin sahab, jo sab sun rahe the, woh uthe.

Unhone ek call milayi.

"Tum kya Allahabad aa sakte ho?"

Hakmi lehja tha.

Saamne se haami mein jawaab aaya.

Woh Noor ke paas gaye.

"Beti, agar aapke Nanu aapke liye koi faisla lein, toh kya aapko qubool hoga?"

Unhone uske sar par haath pherte hue poocha.

Noor unhe dekhti rahi.

Phir sir ko kham diya.

Aashir ki aamad hui.

Mamu, Chachu aur Dadu use lekar ek kamre mein gaye.

"Aashir, tum saare halaat se waqif ho."

Amin sahab ne shuruaat ki.

Woh unhe dekh raha tha.

"**Noor ke kirdaar ki dhajjiyaan udaayi ja rahi hain.

Yeh muashra mard aur aurat ke beech hamesha aurat ko qusoorwar thehrana pasand karta hai.

Woh auraton ke liye kabhi aage nahi sochta.**"

Aashir ne sir ko kham kar diya.

"Kya tum meri Noor se shaadi karoge? Use is zillat se bachaoge?"

Unhone poocha.

Aashir dekhta raha.

Phir kuch der baad usne sir hila diya.

Amin sahab ki aankhon se aansu chalak pade.

Arif sahab muskuraye.

"Aashir, Noor mere liye koi bojh nahi hai. Haami bharna toh poore dil se."

Chachu ka lehja hakmi tha.

"Main apni zimmedariyon se dastbardaar nahi hota."

Uska bhi lehja hakmi tha.

Jab tak Noor tak yeh baat pahunchi, woh apni sochne-samajhne ki salahiyat jaise kho chuki thi.

Woh Nanu ko pehle hi haan bol chuki thi.

Aur phir usne bhi sir hila diya.

Zahima ne uska sar chum liya.

Nikah ka din tha.

Sab taraf khushiyan thin, par Noor ka dil veeraan tha.

Na khushi thi, na gham.

Bas khalipan.

Woh yeh shaadi nahi karna chahti thi.

Par Nanu ko di hui zubaan aur Chachu ki tabiyat ne use majboor kar d

iya.

Log aksar mohabbaton ke haathon majboor hote hain.

Par usne soch liya tha ki woh is shaadi mein apni izzat-e-nafs se koi samjhauta nahi karegi.

Woh surkh lehange mein malboos thi.

Surkh lipstick uske hothon ki shaan bani thi.

Smokey aankhen aur naak par nath uske chehre ko aur purkashish bana rahe the.

Aashir beige sherwani mein bahut pyara lag raha tha.

Dono ne apne haathon ko dekha.

Ek haath par Aashir aur ek haath par Noor likha tha.

Kya yeh aasmanon par likha tha?

Yeh tay tha.

Nikah-khwaan pehle Noor ke paas aaye...

Noor ne "Qubool hai" keh kar nikah-naama sign kar diya.

Aashir ne bhi razamandi de di.

Is tarah Noor aur Aashir naye safar ke humsafar ban gaye.

Magar humnava banenge,

iska pata nahi.