Urdu Sarmaya 2nd Year (Class 12) PDF Download – FA Punjab Board

Urdu Sarmaya for FA 2nd Year (Class 12) is published by the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) and is the official Urdu Lazmi textbook for Class 12 students in Punjab. The anthology brings together 14 prose pieces, 10 nazms, and 12 ghazals by major Urdu writers and poets, covering history, biography, humor, and classical and modern poetry.

For FA students, this book is central to the annual Urdu Lazmi exam. Going through each piece’s summary and short-answer questions here makes revision quicker and helps build a clear understanding of the prose themes, poetic imagery, and the poets and writers behind them.

Book Overview

Class	12th Class (2nd Year)
Subject	Urdu Lazmi (Urdu Sarmaya)
Category	FA
Board	Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB)
Total Pieces	36 (14 Nasr + 10 Nazm + 12 Ghazliyat) + Farhang glossary
Format	PDF (Free Download)

Nasr (Prose) — 14 Pieces

1. Manaqib Umar bin Abdul Aziz (RA) — Allama Shibli Nomani

This piece recounts real episodes from the life of the pious Umayyad caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz, focusing on his justice toward non-Muslims — including ordering land seized from a Christian by the ruling family’s son returned to him — and his courageous decision to reclaim unjustly granted family estates (jagirs) and return them to the public treasury, despite fierce opposition from his own relatives.

Important Questions:

• What complaint did the Christian bring before Umar bin Abdul Aziz? That Abbas, son of the former caliph Waleed bin Abdul Malik, had forcibly seized his land.
• How did Umar bin Abdul Aziz rule on this land dispute? He said God’s book (the Quran) takes precedence over any worldly document, and ordered the land returned to the Christian.
• What difficult decision did Umar bin Abdul Aziz make regarding family jagirs? He decided to reclaim all estates unjustly granted to Bani Umayyah family members and return them to the public treasury, despite his family’s anger.
• What title was given to Umar bin Abdul Aziz because of his piety and justice? “Umar Sani,” meaning the second Umar, after Umar Farooq (RA).

2. Tashkeel-e-Pakistan — Mian Bashir Ahmad

This historical essay traces the political and religious decline of Muslims in India after Aurangzeb’s death, through reform movements led by Shah Waliullah and Syed Ahmad Barelvi, whose jihad movement against the Sikhs ended with his martyrdom at Balakot in 1831. It documents the humiliations that followed 1857 — lost lands, removed posts, and the replacement of Persian in courts in 1837 — tracing the roots of the political awakening that eventually led to the demand for Pakistan.

Important Questions:

• Who led the religious and social reform efforts among Muslims from 1812 to 1831? Syed Ahmad Barelvi.
• How did Syed Ahmad Barelvi’s movement end? He was martyred at Balakot on 6 May 1831 after his campaign faced betrayal from some local chiefs.
• What changed in Indian courts in 1837 that affected Muslims? Persian, the traditional language of administration, was removed from the courts.
• What happened to Muslims’ condition after the events of 1857? Their remaining dignity was lost, and British oppression against them intensified sharply.

3. Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk — Dr. Molvi Abdul Haq

This tribute portrays Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk (Syed Mehdi Ali Khan) as a man of wisdom, eloquence, and generosity, comparing his effect on people to a touchstone that transforms whoever it touches. It describes his skilled administrative work in Hyderabad State, his succession of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan as secretary of Aligarh College (helping it grow into a university), and his role as the first general secretary of the All India Muslim League.

Important Questions:

• What metaphor does the author use to describe Mohsin-ul-Mulk’s effect on people? The touchstone (paras), which transforms whatever it touches.
• What administrative role did Mohsin-ul-Mulk hold in Hyderabad State? He headed the Board of Revenue and reorganized the state’s land records.
• What position did he take after Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s death? Secretary of Aligarh College, which he helped raise to the status of a university.
• What role did Mohsin-ul-Mulk play when the All India Muslim League was formed? He was elected its general secretary.

4. Mehnat Pasand Khudmand — Maulana Muhammad Hussain Azad

This allegorical tale imagines mankind once living carefree under a gentle king called Khusrau Aaram (Comfort), until greed and jealousy destroyed that golden age and brought hunger, disease, and poverty. Desperate people are directed to “Mehnat Pasand Khirad-mand” (the Industrious Wise One), who teaches them mining, farming, and building, restoring prosperity through hard work and earning the title “Sultan-e-Mehnat,” King of Labour.

Important Questions:

• Who was Khusrau Aaram, and what happened to his rule? A gentle king representing Comfort under whom mankind lived carefree; his rule collapsed once greed and jealousy set in among people.
• What is “Mehnat Pasand Khirad-mand” said to be the son of? Need and Poverty (Ehtiyaj-o-Aflas).
• What skills did Mehnat Pasand Khirad-mand teach the suffering people? Mining, farming, building, and other forms of productive labour.
• What title did he ultimately earn through his people’s success? “Sultan-e-Mehnat,” meaning King of Labour.

5. Akbari Ki Hamaqatain — Molvi Nazir Ahmad

This satirical story follows Akbari, a naive daughter-in-law who, despite her husband’s warning about a con-woman (kutni) roaming the city, is easily fooled by a fake holy woman (bhagat) selling counterfeit religious relics and charms. The bhagat quickly senses Akbari’s foolishness and uses flattery and false remedies to manipulate her, exposing the dangers of gullibility.

Important Questions:

• What warning had Akbari’s husband, Muhammad Aqil, given her? Not to let any strange woman into the house, since a con-woman (kutni) was going around fooling people in the city.
• What items did the fake bhagat carry to trick people? Fake tabarrukat like ash of healing (khaak-e-shifa), dates claimed to be from Madina, and other counterfeit religious relics.
• How did the bhagat gain Akbari’s trust so quickly? By flattering her, giving her a free ring as a “blessing,” and telling her convincing stories.
• What character flaw of Akbari does this story satirize? Her extreme gullibility and tendency to trust strangers without question.

6. Pehli Fatah — Naseem Hijazi

This dramatic historical narrative describes the mobilization for Muhammad bin Qasim’s campaign against Sindh, sparked by the plea of a captive Muslim woman, Naheed. Women across Basra and Kufa — led by figures like Zohra, who sold her jewellery to arm soldiers — filled the war chest with donations, while the seventeen-year-old commander led an army of 12,000 through difficult mountain terrain facing guerrilla resistance.

Important Questions:

• How old was Muhammad bin Qasim when he led this army? Seventeen years old.
• What event sparked the mobilization of women’s support for the campaign? The plea (faryad) of a helpless captive woman, Naheed, which spread through Basra and Kufa.
• What did Zohra do to support the campaign? She sold all her jewellery to buy horses and weapons for new soldiers.
• How large was the army by the time it left Basra? Twelve thousand — six thousand cavalry, three thousand infantry, and three thousand with supply camels.

7. Dastak — Mirza Adeeb

This one-act stage play opens on a stormy night in Dr. Zaidi’s room, where he becomes fixated on the sound of a knock at the door that his wife insists she cannot hear. The tense, mysterious exchange between the couple builds an atmosphere of psychological unease, drawing the audience into the doctor’s private anxiety as the drama unfolds.

Important Questions:

• What type of literary work is “Dastak”? A one-act stage drama (sage drama) by Mirza Adeeb.
• What does Dr. Zaidi repeatedly claim to hear at the start of the play? A knock (dastak) at the door.
• How does Begum Zaidi respond to her husband’s claim? She says she hears nothing and that no one is at the door.
• What mood does the setting — a stormy night with strong winds — create for the play? A tense, mysterious atmosphere that heightens the psychological drama.

8. Hawai — Begum Akhtar Riazuddin

This humorous travelogue describes the author’s journey to Hawaii to reunite with her husband after a three-month separation, including a turbulent flight, a chaotic late-night airport reunion after her husband got the time-zone difference wrong, and a messy house she had to clean herself. It also includes a witty description of the American supermarket, comparing its scale to Lahore’s Anarkali and Mall Road markets combined.

Important Questions:

• Why was the author travelling to Hawaii? To reunite with her husband, who had already been there for three months.
• Why was her husband late in receiving her at the airport? He miscalculated the time difference between Japan and Hawaii, arriving late.
• What condition was the house in when the author arrived? Messy, with unwashed dishes, scattered socks, and days of accumulated clutter.
• How does the author describe the American supermarket she visited? As a giant of a market that could swallow up all the shops of Anarkali and Mall Road combined.

9. Maulana Zafar Ali Khan — Chiragh Hasan Hasrat

This personal profile recalls the author’s first meeting with Maulana Zafar Ali Khan at a newspaper office, where the fiery journalist-poet immediately steered every conversation toward politics — the Simon Commission, the Round Table Conference — rather than literature. It also describes his surprising physical vigour despite an unremarkable build, including his passion for swimming, wrestling, and horse riding, along with a humorous anecdote of the author faking illness to avoid an exhausting early-morning walk with him.

Important Questions:

• What topic did Maulana Zafar Ali Khan always steer conversations toward? Politics — especially the Simon Commission and the Round Table Conference.
• What physical activities was Maulana Zafar Ali Khan skilled in? Horse riding, spear-throwing (nezabazi), swimming, and wrestling.
• How did the author avoid an exhausting walk with the Maulana? He pretended to be seriously ill with fever and body aches.
• What surprised the author most about Maulana Zafar Ali Khan’s appearance? That despite his fame as a leader, he lacked the imposing physique the author had expected.

10. Qurtaba Ka Qazi — Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj

This one-act play is an Urdu adaptation of an English drama by Laurence Housman, skilfully relocated to Andalusia. It centres on the household of Qazi Yahya bin Manzoor in Granada, his son Zubair, and the household’s maid Ilawa, building a tense pre-dawn atmosphere as the events of the play unfold.

Important Questions:

• What is the original source of this play, and who adapted it into Urdu? An English one-act play by Laurence Housman, adapted into Urdu by Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj.
• Where is the play set? In Granada, in Andalusia (Muslim Spain).
• Who is the central character of the household? Qazi Yahya bin Manzoor.
• At what time of day does the play open? In the dim early hours before dawn.

11. Muwasilat Kay Jadeed Zarayee — Dr. Hafiz-ur-Rehman

This informational essay traces the history of communication from messengers and horse-relay stations — organized by Muslim rulers under a department called “Deewan-ul-Bareed” — and carrier pigeons, to Samuel Morse’s telegraph in 1838 and Marconi’s wireless invention in 1895. It explains the basic science of radio waves and how wireless sets transmit and receive voice messages across long distances.

Important Questions:

• What was “Deewan-ul-Bareed”? The postal/communication department established by Muslim rulers to manage horse-relay message delivery.
• Who invented the telegraph, and when? Samuel Morse (Fitle Morse in the text), in 1838.
• Who achieved the first success in wireless communication, and when? Marconi, in 1895, though at first he could only send simple clicking sounds a few yards.
• What was used before mechanical devices to carry messages long distances? Carrier pigeons, used for centuries, including by Mughal emperor Jahangir.

12. Molvi Nazir Ahmad Dehlvi — Shahid Ahmad Dehlvi

This warm biographical memoir recalls the author’s childhood memory of meeting his grandfather-in-law, Molvi Nazir Ahmad, and describes his blunt, outspoken honesty, including his refusal of the title “Ghayur Jang.” It recounts the story of a nobleman’s miraculous recovery tied to the publication of Nazir Ahmad’s Quran translation, and his humble, impoverished student days when he memorised stories on a mosque floor and begged for food door to door.

Important Questions:

• What character trait of Molvi Nazir Ahmad is emphasized throughout this memoir? His blunt honesty — he never hesitated to speak the truth, even when it was inconvenient.
• What title did Molvi Nazir Ahmad refuse to accept? “Ghayur Jang.”
• What miraculous event is linked to the publication of his Quran translation? A seriously ill nobleman, Nawab Sarfaraz Ali Khan, recovered fully after his family published Nazir Ahmad’s Quran translation following a dream.
• How did Molvi Nazir Ahmad survive as a poor student? He slept on a mosque floor wrapped in a sackcloth mat and begged for food from nearby houses.

13. Aik Safarnama, Jo Kahin Ka Bhi Nahi Hai — Ibn-e-Insha

In his signature witty style, Ibn-e-Insha recounts a flight to Kabul that never actually lands there — delayed in Rawalpindi and Peshawar, and eventually turned back due to bad weather over Kabul. The essay pokes fun at the exaggerated warnings friends gave him about Kabul’s brutal cold, including comic anecdotes of people trying to donate their old, worn-out coats for his trip.

Important Questions:

• Why is this travelogue called “a travelogue that belongs nowhere”? Because the flight to Kabul was diverted back to Peshawar due to bad weather, so the writer never actually reached his destination.
• What warnings did friends give the author before his trip? That Kabul’s cold was unbearable, and he should wear multiple coats to survive it.
• What comic donation did people try to give the author? Their own old, worn-out coats, claiming it was for his trip.
• What is the overall tone of this travelogue? Humorous and self-deprecating, in Ibn-e-Insha’s typical satirical style.

14. Ayub Abbasi — Prof. Rashid Ahmad Siddiqui

This heartfelt tribute describes Ayub Abbasi as an outwardly unremarkable man — not wealthy, brilliant, or striking — whose quiet, unpretentious presence was compared to air, water, and light: things so common they go unnoticed until they are gone. After his death, the author and his friends realised how deeply irreplaceable this seemingly ordinary man truly was.

Important Questions:

• What natural elements does the author compare Ayub Abbasi to? Air, water, and light — things so common that their value is only felt in their absence.
• What outward qualities did Ayub Abbasi lack, according to the author? Wealth, exceptional intelligence, sharp dressing, or eloquent speech.
• How did people realise Ayub Abbasi’s true importance? Only after his death, when his absence left everyone feeling restless and incomplete.
• What is the central message of this tribute? That quietly good, unassuming people can be the most irreplaceable, even if their worth goes unnoticed while they are alive.

Nazm (Poetry) — 10 Poems

1. Hamd — Maulana Zafar Ali Khan

This hamd praises Allah’s boundless mercy and forgiveness, saying every particle of the universe and every breeze carries the message of His glory. The poet reflects that his own failures were met only with divine forgiveness, and that Allah’s light remained undiminished no matter how disbelievers tried to extinguish it.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this hamd? Maulana Zafar Ali Khan.
• What does the poet say every particle of the universe does? It tells the story of Allah’s glory and greatness.
• How does the poet describe his own shortcomings before Allah? As full of faults, yet always met with Allah’s forgiveness and mercy.
• What does the poem say about disbelievers trying to extinguish Allah’s light? Their efforts failed, and His light remained complete and undiminished.

2. Naat — Hafeez Taib

This naat praises the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ using the repeated refrain “Khair-ul-Bashar” (best of mankind), describing him as beautiful in character, thought, and words, and as the healer of hearts and remover of hardship. The poet closes with a personal plea, hoping the Prophet’s ﷺ merciful glance will fall on him, the humble, helpless poet (Taib), on the Day of Judgment.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this naat? Hafeez Taib.
• What refrain is repeated throughout the poem? “Khair-ul-Bashar,” meaning the best of mankind.
• How does the poet describe the Prophet’s ﷺ role for troubled hearts? As a healer (chaara-saaz) who removes hardship and brings comfort.
• What personal request does the poet make in the closing lines? That the Prophet ﷺ look with mercy upon his humble, helpless condition on the Day of Judgment.

3. Khuda Sar-e-Sabzay Kay Is Chaman Ko — Akbar Allahabadi

This nazm is a gentle prayer asking Allah to keep the homeland (the garden, or “chaman”) forever green and blooming. Using rich imagery of spring, singing birds, morning dew, and flowers offering prayer, the poet paints nature itself as joining in this prayer for lasting prosperity.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this nazm? Akbar Allahabadi.
• What is the poet’s central prayer in this nazm? That Allah keep the garden (homeland) forever green and flourishing.
• What natural imagery does the poet use to build this prayer? Singing birds, blooming flowers, morning dew, and a spring breeze.
• What poetic device does the poet use by having flowers “pray”? Personification, giving nature itself a voice to join in the prayer.

4. Islami Musawat — Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali

This nazm describes the symptoms of a nation’s moral collapse — loss of intellect and faith as guides, indifference to justice, self-absorption, and living in a state of forgetful heedlessness. Hali uses these warnings as a backdrop to highlight the value of Islamic equality (musawat) as the ideal that restores a community’s dignity and sense of collective responsibility.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote “Islami Musawat”? Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali.
• What does the poet say is lost when a nation begins to fall? Its intellect and faith as true guides, and its sense of honour and dignity.
• How does the poet describe a morally declining nation’s attitude toward the oppressed? Indifferent — unmoved by their cries and unwilling to show mercy.
• What central Islamic value does the poem ultimately point toward? Musawat, or equality, as a remedy for a nation’s moral and social decline.

5. Suragh-e-Rahru — Josh Malihabadi

This philosophical nazm argues that every trace points to something that made it — a snake’s trail in the sand, footprints proving a traveller passed, an idol that needed a sculptor. Josh extends this logic to the stars and the Milky Way, suggesting the ordered universe itself is evidence of a creator behind it.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote “Suragh-e-Rahru”? Josh Malihabadi.
• What examples does the poet give of traces proving a cause? A snake’s trail in the sand and footprints proving a traveller passed by.
• What does the poet say about an idol (“sanam”)? That an idol cannot exist without a sculptor who carved it.
• What is the poem’s underlying philosophical argument? That the ordered universe — like stars and the Milky Way — is itself evidence of a creator.

6. Aadmi — Syed Zameer Jafri

This satirical nazm contrasts what once mattered — knowledge, heart, love — with what matters now — wealth, mansions, cars — lamenting how changing values have made a genuinely good “man” rare and hard to find. Jafri’s characteristic wit runs through the poem’s short, punchy lines, ending with a wry note about ambitious modern man reaching “across the ocean.”

Important Questions:

• Who wrote “Aadmi”? Syed Zameer Jafri.
• What values does the poet say once defined a good man? Knowledge, heart, and love.
• What values does the poet say define “man” today, in contrast? Wealth, mansions, and cars.
• What is the overall tone of this poem? Satirical and witty, lamenting changing values with light humour.

7. Nojawan Se Khitab — Israr-ul-Haq Majaz

This energetic nazm calls on the youth to be fiery and passionate like storms and lightning, urging them to turn clay into flame and thorns into roses through their spirit. Majaz reminds the youth that their vigour is a trust belonging to the whole world, and even their sacrifice should bloom like fragrant roses from the earth.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote “Nojawan Se Khitab”? Israr-ul-Haq Majaz.
• What qualities does the poet urge the youth to embody? The fire and passion of storms and lightning.
• What transformation does the poet ask the youth to bring about? Turning clay into flame and thorns into roses.
• What does the poet say the youth’s vigour (shabab) belongs to? The whole world — it is described as a trust (amanat) held on behalf of everyone.

8. Aik Kohistani Safar Kay Doran — Majeed Amjad

This descriptive nazm paints a winding mountain path with deep gorges on either side, where a bent old tree leans over the road so that travellers can pass beneath it with ease. The poem closes on a reflective note about the unnoticed, unrewarded sacrifice of such quiet, humble presences along life’s difficult paths.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this nazm? Majeed Amjad.
• What kind of path does the poem describe? A winding mountain path with deep gorges on both sides.
• What does the bent old tree in the poem do for travellers? It leans over the path, allowing travellers and caravans to pass beneath it easily.
• What reflective theme does the poem end on? The quiet, unnoticed sacrifice of humble things that make others’ journeys easier.

9. Tameer-e-Danish — Ehsan Danish

This reflective nazm meditates on life as constant motion and change — night always waiting for dawn, autumn always moving toward spring, and every voice restless for the end of separation. Danish observes that revolution and transformation touch everything, from cities to deserts, gatherings to lonely nights, making change the one true constant.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote “Tameer-e-Danish”? Ehsan Danish.
• What does the poet say night is always waiting for? The light of dawn.
• What seasonal image does the poet use to describe constant change? Autumn always moving on its way toward spring.
• What is the central theme of this nazm? That change and revolution (inqilab) are constant, touching cities, deserts, gatherings, and quiet nights alike.

10. Qitaat — Anwar Masood

This set of four witty quatrains uses light humour for social commentary — one on the shock of ever-rising utility bills, one mocking politicians who forget voters after elections, one about unresolved public complaints, and one satirizing bureaucratic delay, where a file crawls through countless desks before reaching any decision.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote these “Qitaat” (quatrains)? Anwar Masood.
• What does the first quatrain humorously complain about? The shock of rising water, gas, electricity, and phone bills.
• What does the second quatrain satirize? Politicians who forget ordinary voters once they’ve secured power.
• What does the final quatrain mock? Bureaucratic red tape, where a file passes through many desks without reaching a resolution.

Ghazliyat — 12 Ghazals

1. Kaam Mardon Kay Jo Hain, So Wohi Kar Jatay Hain — Khwaja Mir Dard

In this Sufi ghazal, Dard reflects that true men accomplish real deeds and, in a sense, die to the self before physical death ever arrives, so that death has little left to claim. He also touches on the rarity of true companionship and how even the untalented turn hostile toward the talented out of envy.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this ghazal? Khwaja Mir Dard, an 18th-century Sufi poet.
• What does the opening couplet say about “true men”? That they accomplish real deeds and figuratively die to the self before death comes for them.
• What does the poet say about envy from the untalented? That those without skill often turn hostile toward the skilled, smiling outwardly while resentful within.
• What poetic tradition does Khwaja Mir Dard represent? The Sufi tradition of Urdu ghazal, blending spirituality with reflections on mortality.

2. Kya Farq Dagh-e-Dil-o-Gul Mein — Khwaja Mir Dard

This ghazal reflects that a flower without fragrance and a heart without desire are equally worthless, and that solitude can persist even among the most eloquent company. Dard closes with the image of a wounded chest that no skilled tailor of hearts can ever truly mend.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this ghazal? Khwaja Mir Dard.
• What comparison does the opening couplet make? Between a scentless flower and a heart without desire — both equally without value.
• What does the poet say about being surrounded by eloquent people? That solitude can still be felt even in the midst of many articulate companions.
• What image does the poet use for an unhealable wound? A torn chest that no skilled mender (rafoogar) can ever truly repair.

3. Dunya Mein Jab Talak Kay Main Andoh-Geen Raha — Ghulam Hamdani Mushafi

This melancholic ghazal describes a lifetime spent in sorrow, where grief remained a constant companion and nights passed in weeping. Mushafi closes with the idea that the blood of a martyred love never stays hidden underground — truth and passion eventually surface, no matter how long buried.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this ghazal? Ghulam Hamdani Mushafi.
• What is the central mood of this ghazal? Melancholic — describing a life spent inseparable from sorrow.
• What does the poet say about “the blood of love’s martyr”? That it never stays hidden underground — it eventually surfaces.
• What historical period does Mushafi’s poetry represent? Classical Urdu ghazal of the 18th century.

4. Na Gaya Koi Adam Ko Dil-e-Shadan Le Kar — Ghulam Hamdani Mushafi

This ghazal on mortality observes that no one ever departed the world with a fully content heart, carrying only longing and regret instead. Mushafi uses the image of spring flowers eventually wilting to reflect on the fleeting nature of youth, beauty, and worldly pleasure.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this ghazal? Ghulam Hamdani Mushafi.
• What does the opening couplet say about how people leave the world? That no one departs with a fully content heart — all carry longing and regret.
• What imagery does the poet use for life’s fleeting beauty? Spring flowers that eventually wilt and fade.
• What is the central theme of this ghazal? The impermanence of youth, beauty, and worldly desire.

5. Baske Dushwar Hai Har Kaam Ka Asan Hona — Mirza Ghalib

One of Ghalib’s most famous opening ghazals, this piece reflects on how difficult it is for anything at all to become easy — even becoming a true human being (insan) is not something achieved without struggle. Its philosophical, existential tone runs through every couplet, questioning desire, restraint, and the nature of suffering.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this ghazal? Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib.
• What does the famous opening couplet say? That it is difficult for anything to become easy — even for a person (aadmi) to truly become a human being (insan) is not easily achieved.
• What overall tone characterizes this ghazal? Philosophical and existential, reflecting on struggle, desire, and the human condition.
• Which collection is this ghazal from? Deewan-e-Ghalib.

6. Kisi Ko Dey Kay Dil Koi Nawa-Sanj-e-Fughan Kyun Ho — Mirza Ghalib

In this ghazal, Ghalib questions why one should lament after giving away one’s heart, reflecting on how one’s own temperament stays unchanged regardless of the beloved’s behaviour. He closes with characteristic wit, mocking how the beloved blames the lover for faults that are really the beloved’s own.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this ghazal? Mirza Ghalib.
• What question does the opening couplet raise? Why one should cry out in lament after having already given away one’s heart.
• What does the poet say about changing his own nature? That he will not change his own temperament just because the beloved refuses to change theirs.
• What tone does the closing couplet (maqta) carry? Ghalib’s characteristic wit, addressed to himself by name.

7. Jab Ishq Sikhata Hai Aadab-e-Khud-Aagahi — Allama Iqbal

This philosophical ghazal explains that love (ishq) teaches self-awareness, revealing to even the humblest the secrets of true sovereignty. Iqbal contrasts the spiritual poverty (faqr) of the free-spirited dervish with the worldly wealth of kings like Darius and Alexander, favouring the former as the higher form of greatness.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this ghazal? Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
• What does the opening couplet say love (ishq) teaches? Self-awareness (khud-aagahi), revealing the secrets of sovereignty even to the humble.
• Which historical kings does Iqbal mention for contrast? Darius (Dara) and Alexander (Sikandar).
• What does Iqbal value more than worldly kingship in this ghazal? The spiritual poverty (faqr) and freedom of the dervish (qalandar/faqir).

8. Na Takht-o-Taj Mein, Na Lashkar-o-Sipah Mein Hai — Allama Iqbal

From Bal-e-Jibril, this ghazal declares that true worth lies not in crowns, thrones, or armies but in the presence and inner state of the free-spirited dervish (qalandar). Iqbal argues that the world one perceives is shaped by one’s own vision, a recurring theme in his philosophy of selfhood (khudi).

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this ghazal, and which collection is it from? Allama Iqbal, from Bal-e-Jibril.
• According to the opening couplet, where does true worth NOT lie? Not in crowns, thrones, armies, or soldiers.
• Where does the poet say true worth actually lies? In the presence and inner state (bargah) of the free-spirited dervish (qalandar).
• What philosophical idea does Iqbal explore in this ghazal? That the world one perceives is shaped by one’s own vision and inner selfhood (khudi).

9. Dil Mein Ek Lehri Si Uthi Hai Abhi — Nasir Kazmi

This soft, melancholic ghazal describes a wave of feeling stirring in the heart and a fresh breeze that has just begun to blow. Kazmi finds meaning in the beloved’s silence as much as their words, closing with a hopeful note that better times will eventually come.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this ghazal? Nasir Kazmi.
• What image opens the ghazal? A wave stirring in the heart, and a fresh breeze that has just begun to blow.
• What does the poet say he finds meaningful even in the beloved’s silence? That the silence itself becomes a form of companionship and conversation (hum-sukhan).
• What hopeful note does the closing couplet strike? That good times will come again, and life still holds promise.

10. Aey Hum-Sukhan, Wafa Ka Taqaza Hai Ab Yehi — Nasir Kazmi

This ghazal reflects on the demands of loyalty and friendship, painting a devastated homeland where trees once giving shade have been cut down, markets stand closed, and streets lie dark and unlit. Kazmi’s melancholic imagery captures a sense of collective loss and longing for a bygone sense of security.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this ghazal? Nasir Kazmi.
• What does the poet say loyalty (wafa) now demands? That both he and his companion make deep personal sacrifices for one another.
• What imagery does the poet use to describe a devastated place? Cut-down trees, collapsed walls that once gave shade, closed markets, and dark, empty streets.
• What overall feeling does this ghazal convey? A deep sense of collective loss and longing for a lost sense of security.

11. Udasi, Bedili, Ashufta Hali Mein Ki Kab Thi — Firaq Gorakhpuri

This reflective ghazal questions whether life was ever truly stable even before sadness set in, and whether real friendship among people ever fully existed. Firaq closes with the idea that even a brief life can leave behind a lasting legacy, softening the ghazal’s otherwise melancholic tone.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this ghazal? Firaq Gorakhpuri.
• What question does the poet raise about life in the opening couplet? Whether life was ever truly stable, even before sadness and restlessness set in.
• What does the poet say about a short life? That even a brief life can still leave behind something lasting and worthwhile.
• What is the overall tone of this ghazal? Reflective and melancholic, questioning the stability of friendship and life itself.

12. Sukoon Darkar Hai Lekin Sukoon Hasil Nahi Hota — Tabish Dehlvi

This ghazal meditates on the endless search for peace that never quite arrives, describing eyes so exhausted by longing that they no longer even shed tears. Tabish closes with a humbling reflection that reaching one’s true goal in life is never as simple as it first appears.

Important Questions:

• Who wrote this ghazal? Tabish Dehlvi.
• What does the opening couplet say about peace (sukoon)? That it is desired but never truly achieved.
• How does the poet describe his longing eyes? As so exhausted by longing that they no longer even shed tears.
• What closing reflection does the poet offer about reaching one’s goal? That reaching one’s true destination in life is never as simple as it first seems.

The book also includes a Farhang (glossary) section covering difficult words and brief author profiles from each piece, helping students quickly look up meanings and context while reading.

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Who Should Read This

This textbook is for FA 2nd Year students studying Urdu Lazmi under Punjab Board. It is the main reference for annual board exam preparation and covers the complete Urdu Sarmaya syllabus. FSc and ICS students who have Urdu Lazmi in their curriculum will also find this book useful for their exams.

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Applicable Boards

This textbook is published by Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) and is used in all Punjab Board affiliated colleges for FA, FSc, ICS, and ICOM students. Federal Board and other provincial boards with a similar Urdu Lazmi curriculum may also find this book useful.

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