Safar e haqeeqat

Ek zamane ki baat hai. Arab ke wasi registan ke darmiyan ek purana qabila rehta tha. Logon mein ek purani riwayat mashhoor thi ke kahin registan ki ret ke neeche ek purani kitab dafan hai jiska naam "Safar-e-Haqeeqat" hai. Kaha jata tha ke jo is kitab ko sirf maal ya shohrat ke liye dhoondhe, woh kabhi kamyab nahin hota. Lekin jo sach ki talash mein nikle, Allah uske liye raste asaan kar deta hai.

Usi qabile mein Ayaan naam ka ek 18 saal ka naujawan rehta tha. Bachpan se hi usay purani kahaniyan aur asrar pasand the. Ek din uske dada ne wafat se pehle usay ek purana naqsha diya aur sirf itna kaha:

"Beta, har chamakti cheez sona nahin hoti... aur har purani kitab sirf kagaz nahin hoti."

Ayaan ne naqsha sambhal kar rakh liya. Kuch din baad usne himmat ki aur akela registan ki taraf rawana ho gaya. Din ki sakht garmi, raat ki sard hawa aur door tak pheli khamoshi uska imtihan le rahi thi.

Teen din ke safar ke baad achanak ret ka toofan uth khara hua. Jab toofan ruka to Ayaan ko ret ke neeche pathron se bana ek purana darwaza nazar aaya. Darwaze par ajeeb si tehreer likhi thi:

"Haqeeqat tak wohi pohnchta hai jo sabr, ikhlas aur yaqeen ka musafir ho."

Ayaan ne darwaza dhakka de kar khola. Andar andhera tha. Sirf ek purana chiragh jal raha tha aur beech mein lakri ka ek sandook rakha tha. Jab usne sandook khola to uske andar sone ya heere nahin the... balki gard se dhaki hui ek purani kitab thi.

Us kitab ke cover par sirf do alfaaz likhe the:

"Safar-e-Haqeeqat."

Jaise hi Ayaan ne kitab ka pehla safha khola, uske aas paas ki deewarein hilne lagen... aur usay ehsaas hua ke uska asal safar ab shuru hua hai.

Har baab usay ek nayi aazmaish ki taraf le jane wala tha. Kahin dhoke ka imtihan, kahin khauf ka, kahin lalach ka, aur kahin apne nafs se jung. Agar woh kisi imtihan mein nakaam hota, to kitab ka agla safha kabhi na khulta...  Ayaan ne jaise hi kitab ka pehla safha khola, us par sirf ek jumla likha tha:

"Haqeeqat tak pohnchne ke liye pehle apne dil ko pehchano."

Jumla parhte hi ghaar ki zameen zor se larazne lagi. Achanak deewar ka ek hissa khula aur ek tang surang nazar aayi. Ayaan ne gehri saans li aur Allah ka naam lekar us surang mein dakhil ho gaya.

Kuch der chalne ke baad usay teen raste nazar aaye. Har raste ke upar ek lafz likha tha:

Daulat

Shohrat

Haq

Pehle do raste roshni se jagmaga rahe the, jabke teesra rasta tareek aur tang tha. Ayaan kuch lamhon ke liye soch mein pad gaya. Usay apne dada ki baat yaad aayi:

"Asaan rasta hamesha sahi nahin hota."

Us ne teesra rasta, yani "Haq", chun liya.

Jaise hi woh us raste par chala, usay ajeeb si awaazein sunai dene lagen.

"Wapas laut jao..."

"Tum kabhi kamyab nahin hoge..."

"Ye sab sirf ek dhoka hai..."

Ayaan ka dil zor zor se dharakne laga. Lekin usne aankhen band karke Allah se dua ki:

"Ya Allah, agar mera irada sachha hai to meri rehnumai farma."

Dua khatam hote hi woh awaazein khamosh ho gayin.

Raste ke aakhir mein ek bohat bada hall tha. Hall ke darmiyan safed sang-e-marmar ka ek chabootra bana hua tha. Us par ek chamakta hua sheesha rakha tha.

Kitab ka agla safha khud-ba-khud khula aur us par likha tha:

"Jo is sheeshe mein dekhega, use apna sab se bada dushman nazar aayega."

Ayaan ne himmat karke sheeshe mein dekha...

Aur woh hairan reh gaya...

Sheeshe mein koi aur nahin, khud Ayaan khara tha.

Lekin uska chehra ghusse, takabbur aur lalach se bhara hua tha.

Us ne muskura kar kaha:

"Agar Haqeeqat tak pohnchna hai... to pehle mujhe harao."

Ye dekh kar Ayaan ke hosh udd gaye...                               Ayaan ne sheeshe mein apna doosra roop dekha. Uski aankhen surkh thin aur chehre par ajeeb si muskurahat thi.

Woh bola:

"Main tumhara sab se bada dushman hoon... tumhara nafs."

Ayaan ne hairani se poocha:

"Main tumhe kaise hara sakta hoon?"

Woh muskuraya aur bola:

"Talwar se nahin... apne faislon se."

Itna kehna tha ke poora hall andhere mein doob gaya.

Jab roshni wapas aayi to Ayaan khud ko ek anjaan basti mein khara paya. Log bhooke the, pyase the aur madad ke muntazir the.

Usi waqt ek ameer aadmi Ayaan ke paas aaya aur ek bhaari thaila sone ke sikkon ka uske haath mein rakh kar bola:

"Ye sara sona tumhara hai... bas is basti ko bhool jao aur apni manzil ki taraf nikal jao."

Ayaan ne sikkon ki taraf dekha. Itna sona usne zindagi mein kabhi nahin dekha tha.

Uske zehan mein khayal aaya:

"Agar ye sona le loon to meri zindagi badal jayegi."

Magar foran usne kitab ka pehla jumla yaad kiya:

"Haqeeqat tak wohi pohnchta hai jo apne dil ko paak rakhe."

Ayaan ne sona zameen par rakh diya aur kaha:

"Meri manzil sona nahin... Haq hai."

Jaise hi usne ye alfaaz kahe, ameer aadmi ghaib ho gaya. Bhooke log bhi hawa mein bikhar gaye.

Sab kuch ek imtihan tha.

Usi lamhe kitab ka doosra safha khul gaya.

Us par sirf ek jumla likha tha:

"Tum pehla imtihan kamyabi se paar kar chuke ho... lekin asal safar ab shuru hoga."

Achanak zameen phat gayi.

Neeche utarne ke liye pathar ki purani seedhiyan nazar aayin.

Seedhiyon ke aakhir mein ek bohat purana darwaza tha, jis par ek nishan bana hua tha...

Wohi nishan jo Ayaan ke dada ke diye hue naqshay par bhi bana tha.

Ayaan ne larazte hue haath se darwaza khola...

Aur jo usne andar dekha...

Usne uski saanson ko rok diya.                                        Darwaza ahista ahista khula...

Andar ek bohat bada kutubkhana tha. Hazaron purani kitaben almariyon mein rakhi thin. Lekin ajeeb baat ye thi ke un par zara bhi gard nahin thi, jaise koi roz unki hifazat karta ho.

Hall ke bilkul darmiyan ek buzurg shakhs safed libas mein baitha tha. Uski lambi darhi thi aur chehre par sukoon tha.

Ayaan ne adab se salam kiya.

Buzurg ne muskura kar jawab diya aur kaha:

"Main tumhara intezar kar raha tha, Ayaan."

Ayaan hairan reh gaya.

"Aap mera naam kaise jante hain?"

Buzurg ne jawab diya:

"Safar-e-Haqeeqat apne musafiron ko khud chunti hai."

Ye sunte hi Ayaan ke rongte kharay ho gaye.

Buzurg ne usay ek purani chaabi di aur kaha:

"Agla darwaza is chaabi se khulega. Lekin yaad rakhna, us darwaze ke baad jo kuch tum dekhoge, woh tumhari zindagi hamesha ke liye badal dega."

Ayaan ne chaabi li aur aage barh gaya.

Lambi raah ke baad woh ek azeem darwaze ke samne pohncha. Darwaze par likha tha:

"Har sach dekhne ke qabil nahin hota."

Usne Allah ka naam liya aur chaabi darwaze mein ghumai.

Darwaza khula...

Andar ek chamakta hua kamra tha. Kamre ke beech mein pathar ka ek chabootra tha, jis par ek purana parcham aur uske neeche ek makhfi naqsha rakha hua tha.

Jab Ayaan ne naqsha uthaya, uske pichhe ek jumla likha hua tha:

"Haqeeqi manzil kitab ke aakhri safhe par nahin... balki us maqam par hai jahan ye naqsha tumhe le jayega."

Isi waqt bahar se kisi ke qadam ki aahat sunai di...

Ayaan ne mud kar dekha...

Darwaze par ek siyah libas pehne hue naqabposh shakhs khara tha.

Usne sard lehje mein kaha:

"Safar-e-Haqeeqat sirf tum nahin dhoond rahe..."

"Aur main tumhe manzil tak kabhi nahin pohnchne dunga."  Naqabposh shakhs ahista ahista Ayaan ki taraf barhne laga. Uski chal mein ajeeb sa itminan tha, jaise use pehle se maloom ho ke Ayaan kahan tak pohnchega.

Ayaan ne himmat karke poocha:

"Tum kaun ho?"

Naqabposh halki si hansi hansa aur bola:

"Main un logon mein se hoon jo sadiyon se 'Safar-e-Haqeeqat' ki talash mein hain. Lekin hamara maqsad Haq ko paana nahin... usay chhupana hai."

Ye sun kar Ayaan ke hosh udd gaye.

Naqabposh ne kaha:

"Is kitab mein ek aisa raaz chhupa hai jo agar har insaan tak pohnch gaya, to jhoot aur dhoka zyada der tak zinda nahin reh sakega."

Ayaan ne foran kitab ko mazbooti se apne seene se laga li.

Naqabposh ne talwar nahin nikali.

Usne sirf ek purana sikka zameen par phenka.

Jaise hi sikka zameen se takraya, poora kamra laraz utha. Deewarein hilne lagen aur chhat se pathar girne lage.

Ayaan ne naqsha uthaya aur bhaagna shuru kar diya.

Tang surangon se guzarte hue woh ek khuli wadi mein pohncha.

Magar wahan pohnch kar uske qadam ruk gaye...

Uske samne ek bohat purana shehar tha, jo ret ke neeche aadha daba hua tha.

Shehar ke darmiyan ek buland minar khara tha, aur uski choti par sunehri roshni chamak rahi thi.

Ayaan ne naqsha dekha.

Naqshay ka aakhri nishan usi minar ki taraf ishara kar raha tha.

Usne dil hi dil mein dua ki:

"Ya Allah! Agar ye safar teri raza ke liye hai, to mujhe sidha rasta dikha."

Jab usne pehla qadam minar ki taraf badhaya...

Door kahin se azaan ki awaaz goonj uthi.

Ayaan ne sar utha kar dekha...

Aur usay ehsaas hua ke uska sab se bada imtihan ab shuru hone wala hai.                                                                 Azaan ki awaaz dheere dheere khamosh ho gayi, lekin uski goonj Ayaan ke dil mein baqi thi.

Usne naqsha mazbooti se pakra aur purane shehar ki taraf chal diya.

Shehar bilkul sunsaan tha. Gharon ke darwaze khule hue the, magar andar koi na tha. Aisa lag raha tha jaise sadiyon pehle yahan ke log achanak ghaib ho gaye hon.

Ayaan aage barha to uski nazar ek purani masjid par padi. Masjid toot chuki thi, lekin uska mehrab ab bhi salamat tha.

Jab woh masjid ke andar dakhil hua to usne dekha ke mehrab ke paas ek boodha shakhs Qur'an ki tilawat kar raha tha.

Ayaan ne salam kiya.

Buzurg ne salam ka jawab diya aur muskurakar kaha:

"Musafir... tum manzil ke qareeb ho, lekin yaad rakho, har manzil tak pohnchne wala kamyab nahin hota."

Ayaan ne poocha:

"Kya aap 'Safar-e-Haqeeqat' ke baare mein jante hain?"

Buzurg ne seedha jawab dene ke bajaye ek purana sandook nikala.

Sandook ke andar ek chandi ki purani chaabi aur ek parcha tha.

Parchay par likha tha:

"Jab chand poora ho aur saaya minar ko chhoo le, tab zameen apna raaz khol degi."

Ayaan ne sar utha kar bahar dekha.

Aaj ki raat... poornima ki raat thi.

Uska dil tez dhadakne laga.

Woh foran minar ki taraf daura.

Jaise hi chand ki roshni minar par padi aur uska saaya zameen par bana...

Achanak zameen zor se hilne lagi.

Ret dheere dheere hatne lagi.

Aur minar ke bilkul samne...

Pathar ki ek purani seedhi zameen ke neeche utarti hui nazar aayi.

Ayaan ne Allah ka naam liya aur pehla qadam neeche rakha...

Lekin usay bilkul andaza nahin tha...

Ke us seedhi ke neeche koi uska intezar kar raha tha.        Ayaan ahista ahista pathar ki seedhiyan utarne laga. Neeche har taraf gehri khamoshi thi. Sirf uske qadmon ki aahat goonj rahi thi.

Kuch der baad woh ek bohat bade zair-e-zameen hall mein pohncha. Hall ki deewaron par purani naqashi bani hui thi. Har naqashi ek musafir ki kahani bayan kar rahi thi jo Haq ki talash mein nikla tha.

Hall ke aakhir mein ek azeem darwaza tha.

Us darwaze par sirf itna likha tha:

"Sirf sach bolne wala hi is darwaze ko khol sakta hai."

Ayaan ne darwaza dhakka diya, magar woh na khula.

Tabhi andhere se ek awaaz aayi:

"Teen sawalon ke sachche jawab do... warna tum hamesha ke liye yahin qaid ho jaoge."

Pehla sawal tha:

"Tum is safar par kyun nikle?"

Ayaan ne kuch lamhe socha, phir kaha:

"Shuru mein mujhe sirf us kitab ka raaz maloom karna tha... lekin ab mera maqsad Haq ki talash hai."

Hall mein halki si roshni phail gayi.

Doosra sawal aaya:

"Agar tumhe manzil aur apni jaan mein se ek ko chunna pade, to kya chuno ge?"

Ayaan ne aankhen band karke kaha:

"Jaan Allah ki amanat hai. Main wahi faisla karunga jo Allah ko pasand ho."

Roshni aur tez ho gayi.

Ab teesra aur aakhri sawal aaya...

Hall bilkul khamosh ho gaya.

Awaaz ne poocha:

"Agar tumhe pata chale ke 'Safar-e-Haqeeqat' ki asli manzil koi khazana nahin, balki ek aisi zimmedari hai jo tumhari poori zindagi badal degi... to kya tum phir bhi aage barhoge?"

Ayaan ne bina kisi hichkichahat ke jawab diya:

"Agar us mein Allah ki raza ho, to main kabhi peeche nahin hatunga."

Jaise hi usne ye alfaaz kahe...

Bohat zor ki garaj sunai di.

Purana darwaza dheere dheere khulne laga.

Andar se ek noor nikla jo poore hall mein phail gaya.

Us noor ke darmiyan...

Ek purana takht nazar aa raha tha.

Aur us takht par...

"Safar-e-Haqeeqat" ka woh aakhri hissa rakha tha jo sadiyon se gum tha.

Lekin Ayaan ne jaise hi uski taraf qadam badhaya...

Peechhe se wohi naqabposh shakhs dobara zahir ho gaya.

Is baar woh akela nahin tha...

Uske saath aur log bhi the.

Aur unka maqsad sirf ek tha...

Ayaan ko aakhri safha tak pahunchne se rokna.   Naqabposh afrad dheere dheere Ayaan ki taraf barhne lage. Hall mein gehri khamoshi thi. Sirf mashaalon ki lau hil rahi thi.

Unke sardar ne kaha:

"Kitab humein de do. Tumhein zinda yahan se jane diya jayega."

Ayaan ne kitab ko mazbooti se pakar liya aur bola:

"Ye kitab kisi insaan ki milkiyat nahin. Agar is mein koi bhalai hai to use chhupana bhi ghalat hai."

Naqabposh sardar muskuraya.

"Tum abhi tak samjhe hi nahin... hum kitab ke dushman nahin hain. Hum us raaz ke muhafiz hain jo is ke andar chhupa hai."

Ye sun kar Ayaan ek lamhe ke liye ruk gaya.

"Muhafiz...? To phir tum mujhe rok kyun rahe ho?"

Sardar ne jawab diya:

"Kyun ke har shakhs is raaz ka bojh uthane ke qabil nahin hota."

Itne mein achanak poora hall laraz utha. Chhat se pathar girne lage aur takht ke neeche zameen phat gayi.

Takht dheere dheere neeche dhansne laga.

Ayaan foran uski taraf daura.

Usne kitab ka aakhri hissa uthaya aur dono hisson ko milaya.

Jaise hi dono hisse aik hue...

Kitab ke safhe hawa mein khul gaye.

Lekin un par sona, jadui naqshay ya khazane ka zikr nahin tha.

Har safhe par sirf hikmat, sachchai, sabr, insaf aur Allah par tawakkul ke bare mein naseehat likhi hui thi.

Ayaan ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye.

Usay samajh aa gaya ke asal khazana sona nahin tha... balki insaan ka seedha rasta aur achha kirdar tha.

Isi waqt kitab ke aakhri safhe par ek naya jumla zahir hua:

"Safar khatam nahin hua... ab tum agle muhafiz ho."

Ayaan ne hairani se sar uthaya...

Naqabposh sardar ne apna naqab utaarna shuru kiya...

Aur uska chehra dekh kar Ayaan bilkul sakt reh gaya.

Woh chehra uske marhoom dada se bohat milta tha...   Ayaan ki saansein tez ho gayin.

Usne larazti hui awaaz mein poocha:

"Tum... mere dada ho?"

Naqabposh shakhs ne apna naqab poori tarah utaar diya.

Woh Ayaan ke dada nahin the.

Lekin unka chehra itna milta tha ke pehli nazar mein koi bhi dhoka kha jata.

Buzurg ne narmi se kaha:

"Main tumhare dada ka sab se qareebi saathi tha. Hum ne saalon tak 'Safar-e-Haqeeqat' ki hifazat ki."

Ayaan ki aankhon mein hairani thi.

"To mere dada ne mujhe is safar par kyun bheja?"

Buzurg muskura diye.

"Kyun ke woh jante the ke ek din tum yahan zaroor pohnchoge. Lekin woh ye bhi jante the ke sirf wahi shakhs is kitab ka muhafiz ban sakta hai jo har imtihan mein ikhlas aur sabr dikhaye."

Itna keh kar buzurg ne ek purana khat Ayaan ke hawale kiya.

Khat par uske dada ki likhai thi.

Ayaan ne kanpte hue haathon se khat khola.

Us par likha tha:

"Mere pyare Ayaan... agar tum ye khat padh rahe ho to iska matlab hai ke tum ne apne nafs, lalach aur khauf par qabo pa liya hai. Yaad rakhna, 'Safar-e-Haqeeqat' ka maqsad kisi khazane tak pohnchna nahin, balki insaan ko uske Rab ke qareeb lana aur uske akhlaq ko behtar banana hai."

Ayaan ki aankhon se aansu behne lage.

Usi waqt zameen dobara larazne lagi.

Buzurg ne foran kaha:

"Jaldi chalo! Yeh maqam hamesha ke liye band hone wala hai."

Sab log tez qadam se bahar ki taraf bhaage.

Lekin jaise hi Ayaan ne bahar nikalne ke liye aakhri qadam rakha...

Usne dekha ke kitab ka ek aakhri safha hawa mein ud kar andhere raaste ki taraf chala gaya.

Us safhe par sirf ek jumla likha tha:

"Asal Haqeeqat abhi baqi hai..."

Ayaan ne us safhe ki taraf dekha...

Aur bina kisi hichkichahat ke uske peeche chal diya. Ayaan ne udte hue aakhri safhe ka peecha kiya. Woh safha hawa mein chamak raha tha aur usay registan ke us hissay ki taraf le ja raha tha jahan kisi insaan ne kabhi qadam nahin rakha tha.

Kai ghanton ke safar ke baad woh ek unche pahad ke samne pohncha.

Pahad ke darmiyan ek tang darra tha. Darre ke upar pathar par likha tha:

"Yahan se aage sirf wohi ja sakta hai jo apne Rab par bharosa rakhta ho."

Ayaan ne Allah ka naam liya aur darre mein dakhil ho gaya.

Andar thandi hawa chal rahi thi. Darre ke aakhir mein ek purani ghaar thi. Ghaar ke beechon beech ek pathar ka chabootra bana hua tha.

Jab Ayaan uske qareeb gaya to usne dekha ke udta hua safha aahista se chabootre par ja gira.

Usne safha uthaya...

Lekin is baar us par koi alfaaz nahin the.

Sirf ek khali safha.

Ayaan hairan reh gaya.

Achanak ghaar mein ek buzurg ki awaaz goonji:

"Kya tum jante ho ye safha khali kyun hai?"

Ayaan ne idhar udhar dekha, magar koi nazar na aaya.

Usne kaha:

"Nahin."

Awaaz ne jawab diya:

"Is liye ke is kitab ka aakhri baab likhna kisi aur ka kaam nahin... tumhara kaam hai."

Ayaan aur bhi zyada hairan ho gaya.

"Lekin main kya likhun?"

Awaaz boli:

"Har insaan apni zindagi ke faislon se apni 'Safar-e-Haqeeqat' likhta hai. Ye kitab kabhi mukammal nahin hoti. Iska aakhri safha har us shakhs ke liye khali rehta hai jo Haq ki talash mein nikalta hai."

Ye sun kar Ayaan ko ehsaas hua ke asal khazana koi makhfi raaz ya jadui taqat nahin thi.

Asal khazana tha...

Insaan ka imaan, uska ikhlas, uska sabr aur uske nek aamal.

Ayaan ne kitab ko band kiya aur aasman ki taraf dekha.

Suraj tuloo ho raha tha.

Registan ki ret par pehli kiran padi aur poori wadi noor se bhar gayi.

Ayaan muskuraya aur dheere se kaha:

"Safar khatam nahin hua... ab asal zindagi ka safar shuru hua hai."

Usne kitab ko sambhala aur logon tak sachchai, nek akhlaq aur umeed ka paigham pohnchane ke irade ke sath wapas apne gaon ki taraf chal pada.

✨ Khatam... ya shayad ye sirf ek naye safar ki shuruaat thi.