khwab tha ya khayal tha kya tha
hijr tha ya visal tha kya tha

a dream or fancy 'twas or what?
parting, union 'twas or what?

mere pahlu mein raat ja kar wo
mah tha ya hilal tha kya tha

place, by my side / at night who sought
was crescent moon, full moon or what?

chamki bijli si par na samjhe hum
husn tha ya jamal tha kya tha

like lightning on me havoc wrought
was beauty or glamour or what?

shab jo dil do do hath uchhalta tha
wajd tha ya wo haal tha kya tha

the joy with which my heart was fraught
was rapture, ecstacy or what?

jis ko hum roz-e-hijr samjhe the
mah tha ya wo sal tha kya tha

as parting's day that which we thought
a month it was or year or what?

'mushafi' shab jo chup tu baitha tha
kya tujhe kuchh malal tha kya tha

the night you sat there saying naught
was it ill-will you bore or what?