Maktoob

Noor ki aankh raat ke aakhri pahar khuli.

Usne apne mobile mein waqt dekha. Fajr ka waqt tha.

Woh namaz ke liye uthne lagi. Tabhi uski nazar bed ke doosre sire par padi.

Woh khaali tha.

Aashir bhi Fajr padhta tha, par yun itni jaldi nahi uthta tha. Phir aaj kaise?

Ho sakta hai jaldi aankh khul gayi ho, usne socha.

Namaz mukammal karne ke baad woh usi jagah baith kar tasbeeh padhne lagi.

Tabhi darwaza khulne ki awaaz se usne us simt dekha.

Aashir andar aa raha tha.

Aashir ne ek nazar Noor par daali.

Dono ki nazrein mili.

Kamre mein ek bulb jal raha tha, par Aashir ki aankhon ki laali usse chhup nahi saki.

Noor ke maathe par shikan ki lakeerein ubhar aayin.

Kuch hua hai kya? Usne socha.

Aashir use hi dekh raha tha - kuch dukh, kuch malaal, kuch pachtave ki zad mein.

Kitni zyadti kar chuka tha woh iske saath.

Usne khud ko Noor ki nazron mein dekha.

Aashir ne fauran nazrein pher li.

Kahin woh aankhon ki ankahi daastaan na padh le.

---

Subah ke nau baj rahe the. Noor, Zahima aur Sumaira shaadi ki tayyariyon mein magan thein.

Tabhi Ammar ki aamad hui.

"Aap log jaan lijiye, meri biwi aayegi toh woh naashta nahi banayegi." Usne seb uthate hue kaha.

"Toh kisne kaha woh banayegi?" Noor ne ulta sawaal kiya.

"Arey Noorie, itni aajizi?" Ammar ne hairani se dekha.

"Haan, woh kyun banayengi? Aap hain na, aap bana lenge." Noor ne paranthe palatte hue kaha.

Ammar ke gale mein seb atak gaya.

Usne Noor ko ghur kar dekha.

"Aap apne miyaan se kyun nahi pakwa leti?" Ammar ne Aashir par nishana saadha.

Noor ki muskaan gayab ho gayi.

Abhi woh kuch bolti, tab tak

"Woh toh bilkul paka le. Aap bataiye, aap paka lenge, bhaisahab?" Aashir ne peeche se aate hue kaha.

Ammar par ek nazar daali, phir Zahima par.

"Dekh rahi hain, Ammi? Beta ji haath se nikal gaya hai aapka. Har waqt biwi ki tarafdaari!"

Usne masnui afsos jataya.

"Toh kya, beta ji, aapki karun?" Aashir ka bhi do-took jawab aaya.

Noor ke chehre par surkhi chha gayi.

Sab ka kehkaaha chhoot gaya.

"Meri Heera hi mera saath degi." Ammar ne ehtijaaj kiya.

Sab hans rahe the, muskura rahe the.

Zahima Begum ne Aashir ka gaal thapthapaya aur Ammar ko ek chapat laga di.

Noor ki nazron ke saamne uski Ammi ka aks lehraya.

Uske ghar mein bhi toh kabhi aise hi mehfil sajti thi.

Abba ka chhedna.

Amma ka roothna.

Noor ka maze lena.

Na chahte hue bhi uski aankhon mein nami aa gayi.

Usne dono haath peeche ki taraf zor se baandh liye aur hoth neeche kar liye.

Woh rona nahi chahti thi.

Par yeh dil...

Seekh toh jaata hai rehna apnon ke bina,

Bas til-til tadapta hai.

Nashtay ke baad sab apne-apne kaam par lag gaye.

Noor bhi case study mein busy thi.

Tabhi uska phone bajne laga.

Usne nazar daali.

Call Aashir ka tha.

Woh toh kabhi yun call nahi karta tha. Use hairani hui.

Usne phone kaan par lagaya.

Saamne sirf khamoshi thi.

"Hello." Noor ne mukhatib kiya.

"Noor-ul-Ain." Aashir ne faqat uska naam liya.

"Ji."

"Main shayad ek file bhool aaya hoon. Daraaz ke paas neele rang ki. Aap dekh lengi?"

"Okay, rukiye." Noor ne mukhtasar jawab diya.

Noor uthi aur daraaz ke paas pahunchi.

Usne dhyaan se dekha. Kahin neeli file nahi thi.

"Koi file toh nahi hai." Usne ittila di.

"Achha." Aashir ne jawaaban kaha.

"Koi nahi, main aakar dhoondh lunga." Aashir ne apni baat rakhi.

"Okay, toh main phone rakhti hoon."

Aur phone kat gaya.

Ajeeb hai.

Jab khud hi dhoondhna tha toh mujhe kyun uthaya?

Noor badbadayi.

Cabin mein Aashir phone ko hi tak raha tha.

Jhooth bolna bhi kitna mushkil hota hai.

Usne saamne rakhi neeli file ko dekhte hue socha.

Kitchen mein Noor ke aansu usse chhupe nahi the.

Woh bas uski khairiyat chahta tha.

---

Ek bahut chhote, na bahut bade kamre mein do log aamne-saamne baithe hue the.

Beech mein ek table thi.

Table par nameplate, papers aur zaroori samaan rakha tha.

Deewaron par aesthetic paintings lagi hui thin.

Kamre ka rang sky blue tha aur ek deewar royal blue rang mein rangi hui thi.

"Aaj bahut din baad aaye hain aap?" Saamne baithe naujawan ne poocha.

"Aaj sabse zyada zarurat thi." Aashir ne jawaaban kaha.

Aashir ne apne dono haathon se kursi ko thaam rakha tha.

"Aajkal Asiya khayalon mein kam ho gayi hai," usne sargoshi ki.

"Phir kaun hai zehan mein?" Saamne se jawaab aaya.

Aashir ne ek nazar use dekha, phir deewar par lagi painting par nazar tika di.

"Noor-ul-Ain... ek waqfa aaya hai meri zindagi mein."

Lehja bahut dheema tha.

"Masla kya hai?"

"Wahi toh nahi pata." Woh jhallaya.

"Main samajh chuka hoon. Asiya ab nahi hai.

Woh maazi thi.

Ek khoobsurat maazi.

Aur Noor-ul-Ain haal aur mustaqbil hai."

Usne shikastagi se kaha.

"Par?"

"Main thak chuka hoon zindagi se bair baandhte-baandhte.

Haalaton se ladte-ladte.

Mujhe sukoon chahiye."

"Toh paa lo sukoon." Dr. Asif ne Aashir ko gaur se dekha.

"Wahi toh nahi pata, kahan milega?"

"Yeh batao, Noor-ul-Ain khayalon mein kyun rehti hai?" Dr. Asif ne poocha.

Aashir ruka.

Jaise lafzon ko tarteeb de raha ho.

"Pata nahi. Bas woh mujhe intrigue karti hai.

Uska lehja, uski baatein, uska rawaiya."

"Rawaiya?"

"Haan. Mere poore ghar se bahut milta hai, sirf mujhse chhodkar.

Ammar bhi uska cousin hai, par usse beparwah hai woh.

Mere saath ek lafz ka jawaab aur ya phir khamoshi."

Usne apne mann ki baat kahi.

Dr. Asif ne do ungliyan hothon par rakh kar apni muskaan chhupayi.

"Achha..."

"Masla kya hai?"

"Woh talaaq chahti hai."

"Tumhara dil raazi nahi?"

Aashir ne jooton ki taraf dekhte hue kaha, "Nahi."

"Kyun?"

"Main shayad thak gaya hoon tanha ji-ji kar.

Ab ek dost ki zarurat hai.

Aur shayad... ek waqfa, ek humnawa ki bhi."

"Mohabbat chahiye?" Dr. Asif ne poocha.

Aashir ne fauran unhe dekha.

Uski aankhein phail gayin.

"Noor-ul-Ain ka mujhe saath chahiye.

Mohabbat safar mein shayad aa jayegi."

"Phir?"

"Mujhe uske saath sukoon milta hai.

Uski aankhein mujhe sab bhoolne par majboor karti hain.

Chhe mahine mein hum dono laparwah the, par ab laparwahi mujhe na-mumkin lagti hai."

"Toh kya karna chahte ho?"

"Use samajhna.

Woh kabhi khuli kitaab lagti hai, par uski zubaan mein jo hai, woh mujhe nahi aata."

Dr. Asif aage hue.

"Tum use lekar tajassus ki kaifiyat mein ho."

"Haan... ya nahi.

Mujhe usse duniya ki har takleef se bachane ka bhi ehsaas rehta hai.

Par shayad is waqt uski takleef ka sabse bada baais main hoon.

Yeh baat mujhe chubhti hai."

Woh goya hua.

Woh ruka.

"Tumhe pata hai, use mujhse shayad mohabbat hai.

Par use mere saath nahi rehna."

"Tumhe kaise pata?"

"Maine suna tha.

Aur doosri baat, usne mujhse khud kahi."

Dr. Asif ne gaur se uski taraf dekha.

"Aashir, meri baaton par gaur karna.

Noor-ul-Ain ek insaan hai, tumhara healing bag nahi.

Tum sirf tajassus ki bina par usse nazdeek nahi ho sakte.

Aur na sirf tanhaai ke darr se.

Uske ehsaasaat maayne rakhte hain."

Aashir ne sir hilaya.

"Par main sirf in do binaon par uske saath nahi rehna chahta." Usne ehtijaaj kiya.

"Ho sakta hai.

Par abhi tum khud shayad jawaab ke aarzi ho.

Par itna hai-woh shayad tumhe achhi lagne lagi hai."

Aashir dam-saadh kar use sun raha tha.

Achhi?

Woh toh bahut achhi hai.

Achhi beti.

Achhi bahu.

Achhi bhabhi.

Achhi lawyer.

Achhi insaan.

Par woh thehra.

Woh shayad use ab alag tarah se achhi lagne lagi thi.

Jismein huzn hai, tadap hai, ehsaasaat hain aur samajhne ki chahat.

Mohabbat toh nahi hui thi use abhi.

Woh yeh jaanta tha.

Par woh use sach mein achhi lagne lagi thi.

Sawaal tha.

Jawaab saamne tha.

Par shayad woh abhi use samajh nahi paaya tha.

"Aashir, is rishte mein ruju tab karna jab tum Noor ke liye aur khud ke liye aage badhna chahte ho."

Aashir ne sir hilaya.

---

Do din baad woh subah-subah kahin nikla.

Aashir ne gaadi ek gate ke saamne rok di.

Usne ek pedh ki taraf kadam badhaya.

Woh us pedh ki chhaon mein aakar khada hua.

Us pedh ki chhaon mein ek mitti ka ghar tha.

Ek basera tha.

Asiya.

Woh use dekhta raha.

Phir use apne gaalon par nami ka ehsaas hua.

Aankhein bheegne lagi.

Woh qabr ko dekhta raha.

"Assalamualaikum." Woh goya hua.

"Tum meri dost, meri cousin aur..." Woh ruka. "Meri pehli mohabbat thi."

"Tumhare jaane se mujhe laga tha, main jee nahi sakunga.

Par main zinda hoon."

Aashir ki awaaz bharra gayi.

"Asiya, aaj main tumse aitiraaf karne aaya hoon.

Humein lagta hai kitni dafa ek panna khatam toh kitaab khatam.

Par aisa nahi hota.

Us panne ke khatam hone par kabhi-kabhi ek tehreer samajh aati hai.

Jaise suni ghalti nichein utaari jaati hai.

Ek panna aur usse juda sabak."

Woh kuch der khamosh raha.

"Usi tarah tumhara jaana mujhe tod gaya.

Par ab main apne bikhre tukde sametna chahta hoon.

Khud ke liye.

Khud ko tanhaai se riha karne ke liye.

Aur shayad... uske liye."

Aakhri alfaaz sirf ek sargoshi the.

"Mujhe bahut der se samajh aaya hai ki yeh zindagi ek amanat

hai.

Allah ki di hui amanat.

Jise zaya nahi karna hota.

Main ab nahi karunga."

Woh qabr ko dekhta raha.

"Tum hamesha meri yaadon mein rahogi.

Ek dost ki tarah.

Par ab mehboob ka haq kisi aur ka hai.

Shayad... uska."

Usne phool rakhe.

"Fi amanillah, Asiya."

Usne bheegi palkon aur muskurate hothon ke saath sargoshi ki.

Woh chal pada.

Ek naye sawere ki khoj mein.

Pehle khud ko jodne...

Phir shayad usse judne.