Akas-e-Mustaqil

Chapter2 : Deen Aur Muhabat

Sardiyon ki thandi aur dhundli subah ne jese tese haveli par apna qadam rakha. Har taraf parindon ki chehchahat ki awazein goonj rahi thin, magar haveli ke us thandey kamre mein khauf aur mayoosi ka naya din shuru ho chuka tha. Ayat poori raat ro ro kar abhi mushkil se thori dair ke liye soyi hi thi ke achanak us ke kamre ke lakri ke bhari darwaze par halke hath se dastak hui.

Takk... takk... takk...

Ayat ne sardi se kaanpte huye mushkil se apni suji hui ankhein kholin. Wo apni bikhri hui zulfon ko samait-ti aur ankhon ko masalti hui uthi. Us ke dil mein ek ajeeb sa darr dharak raha tha. Us ne darrte darrte aage barh kar kamre ka darwaza khola.

Darwaza khulte ہی samne us ki ami khari thin. Un ke chehre par ek ajeeb si be-basi aur dard tha. Ami ne darwaze se andar aate hi Ayat ka hath thama aur ose bistar ki taraf le gayeen. Unho ne boht pyar se Ayat ke sar par hath phera aur narm-dili se bolin, "Beta, yahan baitho... meri ek baat suno."

Ayat unhein is tarah itni subah subah apne kamre mein dekh kar thori shock ho gayi thi. Us ne herat aur fikr se pucha, "Ami... aap is time yahan? Itni subah?"

Ami ne ek thandi aah bhari, un ki ankhon mein ansu tair rahe the. Wo boli, "Dekho beta... main tumhari maa hoon. Main ne apni poori zindagi isi haveli mein, isi sakht mahool mein guzar di hai. Kia tum meri tarah sabir nahi ho sakti? Jo qismat mein likha ho, us par sabr karna parta hai."

Ayat ka dil phatne laga. Us ne roti hui awaz mein kaha, "Ami... main kya karoon? Aap to sab janti hain na... kya kisi se mohabbat karna itna bara gunah hai? Phir mere sath hi aisa kyun ho raha hai?"

Ami ne Ayat ka kanpta hua hath mazeed mazaibooti se pakra aur unhein samjhate huye boli, "Beta... in sab mardon ne aur Dadi ne mil kar decide kar liya hai. Wo do din ke andar andar tumhari shadi kahin aur karwa rahe hain. Aaj sham ko hi rishtey wale aa rahe hain."

Ayat ka jese saans ruk gaya, magar ami ne apni baat jaari rakhi, "Dekho beta, agar tum chahti ho ke tumhari maa ka sar khandani logon ke samne na jhuke... aur mujhe tumhare baap se zehriley taane aur baatein na sunni parein, to tum is rishtey ke liye haan kar do. Main tumhare samne hath jorti hoon mera bacha... Khuda ke liye yeh zid chor do!"

Maa ko is tarah hath jorhte dekh kar Ayat ka jigar shaqq ho gaya. Us ne rote huye ami ke ghutno par sar rakh diya, "Ami! Khuda ke liye aisa mat kahein. Aap mujhe is dunya ke hawale karne ke bajaye zehar de dein... plz mujhe zehar de dein, magar main yeh shadi nahi kar sakoon gi! Main mar jaon gi ami..."

Ayat ki Ami ny nihayt narm lehjy mein kaha Mera pyara beta tum jb choti thi tumhari maa ny socha tha ke tmhy wo zindgi na guzarni prhy Jo mein ny guzaar di hai Meri beti mein janti hoo tm nahi thk ho per apni maa ke khatir tum apni maa ki trhan sabr kr lo dekho Allah sabar deny walo ka buhat sath dete hein Meri beti..

Ayat ny apni Ami ki ghot se sr uthaya aur boli Ami Jo sabr ap kr chuki Kia mein bhi wohi kroo ap Kia chahti hein ? mein apni zindgi apki trhan guzar doo??

Ami ne jhatke se apna hath peeche kiya, un ka chehra sakht ho chuka tha. Unho ne aakhri patta phenkte huye boht bhari awaz mein kaha, "Agar tum apni maa ka mara hua moun nahi dekhna chahti... to aaj sham ko chup chap tiyar ho ke bahar aa jana. Dua tumhein tiyar kar de gi. Aur un logon ke samne koi drama karne ki zaroorat nahi hai, warna... warna main samjhoon gi ke meri koi beti thi hi nahi!"

Yeh aakhri alfaaz Ayat ke dil par hathoray ki tarah lage. Ami khari huin aur Ayat ko us ke hal par rota hua chor kar kamre se bahar nikal gayeen, darwaza peechhe khamoshi se band ho gaya. Ayat hawa mein hath phelaye be-bas khari reh gayi, jese us ke muqaddar ki zanjeerein mazeed kas di gayi hon.

Dosri traf Haveli ke band darwazon se hazaron meel door, Karachi ki sakht zameenon par dhoop poori aab-o-taab se chamak rahi thi. Zarvan Khan apnee waseeh zameenon ke bilkul darmiyan mein dono hath peeche baandhay khara tha. Us ki siah ankhon mein wo jalaal aur rob tha jo us khandaan ka sadiyon se hissa tha. Us ke bilkul peeche do chaar hathiyar band guards aur us ka khaas admi, adab se sar jhukaye kharay the. Kisi mein itni himmat nahi thi ke Zarvan ki ijazat ke baghair saans bhi le sake.

Hawa ka ek garm jhonka aaya aur Zarvan ki kaali shalwar kameez ko hila gaya. Us ne palte bina, apnee bhari aur roobdar awaz mein kaha, "Bakhtiyar!"

"Ji, Chhote Sahab..." Bakhtiyar ne foran aage barh kar jawab diya.

Zarvan ne apnee nazar saamne pheili zameenon par rakhte huye ek thande aur sakht lahje mein kaha, "Suno... jab tak hum na chahein, in zameenon par ek parinda bhi par na maare. Agar yahan koi ajnabi nazar aaye, to baghair soche samjhe use pakar kar mere deray par le aana. Phir us ki saza aur jaza... Zarvan Khan khud teh kare ga."

"Sahab, theek hai... bilkul aisa hi hoga," Bakhtiyar ne foran itaat karte huye sar hila diya. Us ne ek file aage ki aur darrte darrte bola, "Sahab... aur yeh un logon ki list hai jo in zameenon par kheti bari karte hain. Jinhon ne yahan din raat mehnat ki hai, un ki tankhwa aur ujrat inhein deni hai... is ke ilawa is pichhle maheene ki un ghareebon ki list bhi hai jin ki shikayatein mujhe masool hui theen. Main ne sab likh di hain."

Zarvan ne baghair file ki taraf dekhe apne sakht andaaz mein hukum diya, "Theek hai. Yeh sab Luqman ko dikhao. Wo isay pura kar de ga."

Zarvan aage barhne hi wala tha ke Bakhtiyar darrte aur jhijhakte huye bola, "Chhote Sahab... ek baat aap se karni thi..."

Zarvan ne apne qadam roke aur apni gusse bhari siah ankhon se Bakhtiyar ko ghoora. Us ke mathe par bal par chuke the, "Bolo Bakhtiyar. Kya baat hai?"

Bakhtiyar ne ek thandi saans bhari aur himmat jama kar ke kaha, "Sahab... Luqman logon ke paise kha jata hai. Na wo yahan kaam karne walon ko poori mazdoori deta hai, aur na hi ghareebon tak wo madad pohanchata hai jo aap yahan se bhejte hain. Mujhe pichle kuch dinon se boht shikayatein masool hui hain."

Yeh sunte hi Zarvan ka chehra tesh aur gusse se lal ho gaya. Us ne achanak palat kar Bakhtiyar ki ankhon mein dekha. Us ke andar ek jwalamukhi phatne ko tayyar tha.

"Yeh kab aur kaise hua?!" Zarvan dahara, us ki aawaz zameenon par gunj gayi, jis se aas paas khare guards bhi seham gaye. "Tum mujhe yeh baat ab bata rahe ho? Abhi ke abhi... apne bandon ko le kar jao aur Luqman ko gardan se daboach kar mere samne pesh karo!"

Zarvan ka jalaal is waqt aasmaan chu raha tha. Us ne apne daant peesay aur sakht awaz mein bola, "Zarvan Khan ke sath ghadari... Luqman soch bhi nahi sakta ke yeh be-imani usay kitni mehngi padne wali hai!"

Dosri traf Haveli par sham ke saye gehray hone lage the, magar is sham mein koi pur-sukoon baat nahi thi. Har kona aane wale toofan ki khamoshi ka pata de raha tha.

Dua ne apne sar par kali chadar orhi hui thi. Us ka gora rang is waqt zard par chuka tha aur un gehri, bori ankhon mein ansuo ka ek samandar thama hua tha. Ek udaas aur tootay huye dil ke sath us ne darrte darrte Ayat ke kamre ka darwaza khola aur andar dakhil hui.

Us ne dukh se bhari nazron se samne dekha. Ayat wahan bistar par bethi thi, magar herat ki baat yeh thi ke ab us ki ankhon mein koi ansu nahi tha. Us ki ankhein rote rote bilkul sookh chuki thin aur chehre par ek ajeeb si khamoshi thi—wo khamoshi jo tufan se pehle aati hai. Dua ne aage barh kar use dekha, aur Ayat ne bhi apni thaki hui nazrein utha kar Dua ko dekha.

Dua ne apni larzti hui aawaz ko sambhala aur boht dukh se boli, "Ayat... mujhe Tai Jan ne tumhein tiyar karne ke liye bheja hai."

Yeh alfaaz kehte hi Dua ke sabr ka baandh toot gaya aur wo zaro-zaar rone lagi. Us ke masoom dil se apni bhen ki yeh halat mazeed seh nahi ho rahi thi.

Ayat, jo jese apne hosh-o-hawaas kho chuki thi, ne bina kisi takasur ke Dua ko dekha aur aik be-jaan awaz mein boli, "Dua... na jaane Allah ne betiyan kyun banayee hain? Kaash... kaash ye mujhe paida hote hi zinda dafan kar dete. Agar aaj main na hoti, to na unhein ye din dekhna parta aur na mujhe is azaab se guzarna parta.

"Ayat! Mat karo aisi baatein... please mat karo," Dua ne tarap kar us ka hath pakra aur us ke paas baith gayi.

Magar Ayat is waqt jese is dunya mein thi hi nahi. Wo apne hosh khoye paglon ki si halat mein diwaangi se boli, "Dua! Main nahi karoon gi kisi se bhi shadi... Abdullah ke ilawa main kisi ki nahi ho sakti! Main bhag jaoon gi Dua! Agar ye baghaawat hai, to baghaawat hi sahi! Ya to main apni marzi se jiyoon gi, ya phir in logon ke hathon mar jaoon gi... magar mujhe is tarah ghut ghut kar nahi jeena!"

Ayat ki ye baatein sun kar Dua ka kaleja kaanp utha. Haveli ke mardon ka khauf us ke dil mein baith gaya. Us ne rote huye Ayat ko kaha, "Nahi Ayat! Tum aisa kuch nahi karo gi... Khuda ke liye aisi baat moun se bhi mat nikalo!"

Dua ne us ke sookhe huye chehre ko dekha aur iltija karte huye boli, "Ayat, abhi tum tiyar ho jao... wo log aate hi honge, please! Filhal sabr se kaam lo, meri jaan. Ho sakta hai ke wo log tumhein dekh kar khud hi rishta na karein... par tab tak tum pretend to kar sakti ho na? Kam az kam un ke samne drama na karne ka natak to kar sakti ho na? Please Ayat... Tai Jan ne boht ro kar, iltija kar ke mujhe bheja hai ke main tumhein samjhaoon. Un ki khatir maan jao..."

Haveli ki un udaas diwaron se door, ab kahani ka rukh Karachi ki taraf ata hai, jahan Zarvan Khan ka azeem aur shahi dera waqee tha. Dery par aik ajeeb si sanjeeda khamoshi thi. Zarvan Khan wahan apni aali-shaan kursi par baith kar gehray kash laga raha tha, jab achanak sarak par gariyon ke rukne aur dorenday qadmon ki aawaz aayi.

Bakhtiyar aur us ke do-chaar hathiari band bunde Luqman ko gardan se pakray, gaseet-te huye dery par lekar aaye aur seedha Zarvan Khan ke qadmon mein zameen par phenk diya. Luqman khauf se kaanp raha tha, us ke chehre par pasina tha.

Zarvan khan, jo dery par sukoon se baitha tha, aahista se utha. Us ka lamba qad-o-kaath aur siah aankhon ka khauf dekh kar Luqman ki saansain atak gayeen. Zarvan ne cigarette ka dhuan hawa mein udaya aur aik thandey, jalaali lahje mein bola, "Luqman... tum apni safai mein kuch kehna pasand karo gy?"

Luqman khamosh raha to achanak Zarvan Khan ki aawaz mazeed buland aur daharney wali hui, "Ya phir tumhein seedha kaali jail mein daal doon?!"

Luqman ne tarap kar zameen par sar rakh diya aur maafi ki ilteja karte huye roney laga, "Sahab! Plz mujhe maaf kar dein... mujh se ghalti ho gayi sahab! Mujh par rehm karein... please mujh par rehm karein...!"

Zarvan Khan ke chehre par koi tarrs nahi aaya. Us ne apne daant peesay aur sakht lehje mein kaha, "Matlab... jo Bakhtiyar keh raha tha, tum ne wo sab kiya hai? Tumhare paas apni be-imani ki koi safai nahi hai!" Zarvan ne apne bondon ki taraf dekha aur hukum diya, "Le jao isay! Aur is ghadar ko meri zameenon par sab ke samne das (50) kore maaro, aur phir seedha kaali jail mein daal do!"

Luqman cheekhney laga, "Sahab rehm! Sahab rehm karein...!" Magar Zarvan ke bunde Luqman ko berahemi se zameen par gaseet-te huye wahan se le gaye. Us ki cheekhein dery se door tak goonjti raheen.

Zarvan ne gusse se apna chehra phera aur dery par khare baqi logon ko mukhatib karte huye boht bhaari aawaz mein bola, "Zarvan Khan ke paas ghadar aur munafiq logon ke liye maafi ki koi gunjaish nahi hai! Jo yahan khray huye rehm ki bheek mang raha hai, use pata hona chahiye ke us ka jurm koi aam jurm nahi... ghadari hai! Munafiqat hai! Aur mujhe is cheez se sakht nafrat hai!"

Dery par khamoshi chha gayi. Bakhtiyar ne darrte darrte aage barh kar poocha, "Sahab... Sahab in files ka kya karoon?"

Zarvan Khan ne apni kursi par wapas baithte huye kaha, "Yeh sab ab se tum dekhoge, Bakhtiyar. Kisi aese imandaar insaan ko is jagah par lagao jo is kaam ke laaiq ho, aur use yeh sab dikhao. Jao ab yahan se!"

Bakhtiyar ne adab se sar jhukaya aur files samait kar wahan se chala gaya, jabke Zarvan aik baar phir cigrate ka kash lga kr gehri soch mein doob gaya.

Doosri taraf, haveli mein aane wala toofan bilkul darwaze par dastak de chuka tha. Rishtey wale aa chuke the.

Dua ne boht mushkil se, ro ro kar Ayat ko tiyar kiya tha. Ayat tiyar ho kar waqai behad khoobsurat lag rahi thi, bilkul ek apsara ki tarah. Wo sheeshe ke samne bethi be-jaan nazron se khud ko dekh rahi thi. Us ki ankhein suji hui thin aur chehre par khushi ka ek halka sa saaya bhi nahi tha, jo saaf saaf wazeh nazar aa raha tha. Dua, jo sheeshe ke samne Ayat ke peechhe khari hui thi, us ki apni ankhon mein bhi ansu tair rahe the. Us se apni bhen ka yeh dukh dekha nahi ja raha tha.

Itny mein darwaza khula aur Ayat ki ami jaldi se andar aaeen. Unho ne pareshani se kaha, "Chalo beta... wo log kab ke aa chuke hain, boht dair ho gayi hai."

Ayat ki maa ne use le jaane ke liye jaise hi us ka hath pakra, to Ayat ne aik jhatke se, be-dili se un ke hath se apna hath chhudwaya aur sakhat lahje mein boli, "Main ja rahi hoon na..."

Aur phir wo thake huye qadmon se chalti hui seedha rishtey walon ke samne chali gayi. Ayat ki ami bhi sar jhukaye us ke peechhe peechhe thin. Jaate jaate Ayat ki ami ne palat kar Dua se kaha, "Beta, tum yahin baith jao. Jab tak wo log hain, tumhein un ke samne aane ki zaroorat nahi hai, warna tumhare abu gussa karenge."

Dua chup chap kamre mein hi ruk gayi. Wo kamre ke andar khidki ke peechhe chup kar darrte darrte baahir ka scene dekhne lagi, jahan Ayat un logon ke samne ja rahi thi. Us ka masoom dil kisi anjaan darr se taiz taiz dharak raha tha.

Ayat baahir dilaan mein gayi aur chup-chap ek taraf baith gayi. Rishtey walon mein se larki ko dekhte hi larke ki ami khushi se uchhal pareen aur bolin, "MashaAllah! Aap ki beti to waqai boht pyari hai... humein to koi aiteraaz nahi hai!"

Wahan larka majood nahi tha, kyunke is khandaan mein larki ka is tarah larke ke samne aana boht mayoob aur bura samjha jata تھا۔ Wahan khamoshi se Sarmad, Ayat ke baba, aur Dua ke baba sab baray roob se majood the. Dadi bhi wahin bethi thin, jo foran aage barh kar apni jhooti aur banawati muskurahat ke sath bolin, "Hum ne apni Ayat ko boht naazo ke sath pala hai... boht acchi aur masoom larki hai hamari bachi."

Larke ke maa baap ne khushi se sar hilaya, "Haan haan, bilkul boht pyari bachi hai. Humein koi aiteraaz nahi. Bas... agar aap Ayat aur hamare larke ko ek dafa samne karwa dete, to unhein psand krny mein aasaani ho jati."

Yeh sunte hi Sarmad ne gusse se apne baap ki taraf dekha, magar us ke papa ne hath ke ishaare se use chup rehne ka kaha. Dadi ne foran baat ko sambhala aur bolin, "Arre koi baat nahi! Hamari beti hamari raza mein razi hai, aap bilkul be-fiqar rahein. Main chahti hoon ke is neik kaam mein ab dair na ho. Do din baad Juma hai... bas nikah kar ke sadgi se rukhsati kar dete hain, Islam bhi to sadgi hi pasand karta hai na!"

Dadi ko is tarah Deen aur Islam ki sadgi ki baatein karta dekh kar, Ayat ne apni neechi nigahein uthaeein aur herat aur afsos se dadi ke chehre ko dekha. Us ke dil mein aik ajeeb sa dard utha Us ki aankh se ek khamosh ansu tapak kar us ke qeemti jore par gira, aur us ne socha... 'Islam to aur bhi boht si cheezon ka hukm deta hai... phir Deen ko sirf apni aasaani aur apni marzi ke liye hi kyun yeh log istemal karte hain?'