Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sikandar ali vajd (1914-1983) was a progressive, thoughtful writer from hyderabad, and a contemporary of maKhdoom. A number of shu’ara have written beautiful nazm of exactly the same title “aaj ki raat”. It is highly likely that all these were written specifically for a mushaa’era in which the shaa’er had a special role and wrote a nazm of this title to commemorate that night. See josh, majaz, faiz and maKhdoom for this title or just enter ‘aaj ki raat’ in the search box and hit enter.
1
mil gaya shooKh¹ duaauN ko asar² aaj ki raat
paikar³-e mahr⁴ hai vo rashk⁵-e qamar⁶ aaj ki raat 1.playful, mischievous 2.effect, fulfilment 3.image 4.sun (glorious) 5.envy of 6.moon
The envy of the moon (the beloved) is glorious (like the sun) tonight. The poet/lover is fortunate that he is able to see her; his mischievous prayers have been effective, fulfilled/accepted. It may be the beloved herself who is accepting/answering his prayers and displaying her glory.
2
daulat⁷-e hosh⁸ sar-e-raah⁹ luTa baiThe haiN
hum ko darkaar¹⁰ nahiN apni Khabar¹¹ aaj ki raat 7.wealth 8.senses, sobriety 9.head/main part of the street 10.need 11.awareness
The poet/lover and his fellow lovers have lost their sobriety/awareness (they are in a trance). Tonight they don’t need to be aware/conscious of what they are doing, drunk trance is good enough for them.
3
husn¹² o ulfat¹³ ke gulistaaN meN bahaar aaii hai
maa’el¹⁴-e lutf¹⁵ hai har shaaKh o samar¹⁶ aaj ki raat 12.beauty (beloved) 13.love (poet/lover) 14.inclined towards 15.pleasure 16.fruit
There is spring in the garden of Beauty and Love. Every branch and fruit in inclined towards (giving) pleasure.
4
aye junooN¹ koshish²-e naakaam³ ke din beet gaye
auj⁴ par hai alam⁵-e fatah⁶ o zafar⁷ aaj ki raat 1.passion 2.trying 3.unsuccessful 4.peak, high 5.banner, flag 6.conquest 7.triumph, success
The poet/lover’s passion is finally bearing fruit … the banner of success is flying high, the days of frustrated trying (to win the beloved’s attention) are over.
5
kal pareshaani o hasrat⁸ ki faraavaani⁹ thi
dil meN aabaad¹⁰ hai KhushiyauN ka nagar aaj ki raat 8.longing 9.plenty 10.prosperous
Yesterday there was plenty of difficulty and longing. Today joy prospers in the heart. The “beloved” could be the audience and “success” could be the recognition that he has received.
6
garm saaNsauN ki mahak¹, narm nigaahauN ki kasak²
shaukat³-e sabr⁴ hui zer-o-zabar⁵ aaj ki raat 1.fragrance 2.sharp pain 3.grandeur, dignity 4.patience 5.helter skelter
The poet/lover is able to experience the fragrance of warm breath. He can see the pain of longing in the beloved’s soft eyes. This throws the dignity of his patience/forbearance helter skelter.
7
be-niyaaz⁶-e lab⁷-e saaGhar⁸ hai meri tishna-labi⁹
lab¹⁰-e jaaN-baKhsh¹¹ hai Khud aatish¹²-e tar¹³ aaj ki raat 6.not in need of 7.lip/rim of 8.wine cup 9.thirst of lips 10.lips 11.life giving 12.flame, fire 13.wet
His thirst does not need the rim of the cup of wine. He can get drunk from the lips of the beloved (she is described as ‘aatish-e tar’).
8
baar¹⁴-e hasti¹⁵ ka zara rooh¹⁶ ko ehsaas¹⁷ nahiN
Dhal gaye noor¹⁸ ke saaNche¹⁹ meN bashar²⁰ aaj ki raat 14.burden of 15.life, living 16.soul, spirit 17.feeling, awareness, experience 18.light 19.mould 20.men, people
His spirit has no consciousness of the burden of living. It is as if he (and everyone) has been cast in the mould of light (spiritual).
9
aarzuauN¹ ka taqaaza² hai keh ho jaaye yuN hi
zindagi ki shab³-e tareek⁴ basar⁵ aaj ki raat 1.desires 2.demand 3.night 4.dark 5.spend, pass
This night is so pleasant and festive that desires demand that the otherwise dark night of his life be spent like this festive night.
10
mil gaii hasrat⁶ o mahroomi⁷ o hirmaaN⁸ ki jaza⁹
dil ne seekha hai mohabbat ka hunar¹⁰ aaj ki raat 6.longing 7.deprivation (of the company of the beloved) 8.hopelessness 9.compensation 10.talent, skill
The poet/lover has spent his life in a state of longing, deprivation and hopelessness, but tonight he has received compensation for all that pain. It is as if the heart has learnt the skill of love.
11
kitne nau-rooz¹¹ luTaaye to ye sauGhaat¹² mili
hum-nafas¹³ kaash¹⁴ ho mahroom¹⁵-e sahr¹⁶ aaj ki raat 11.new-year’s day, years 12.gift 13.friend 14.wish, hope 15.deprived of 16.dawn
How many years were spent/wasted to get this gift. O, friend, I wish that this night be denied a dawn i.e. the festivities of the night continue forever, without the end that dawn would normally bring.
12
naujavaaN jism, lapakte¹ hue uriyaaN² shole³
zabt⁴ ki taab⁵ idhar hai na udhar aaj ki raat 1.rising, flaring 2.bare, nude 3.flames 4.self-control 5.strength, capability
The audience (presumably the many women fans) is described as warm like bare flaring flames. Neither the beloved nor her admirers are able to control themselves.
13
dard ka, lafz ka, aavaaz ka aahaNg⁶ naya
dil dhaRakte haiN ba-andaaz⁷-e digar⁸ aaj ki raat 6.melody 7.style 8.different
Pain/love, words, sound all have a new melody. Hearts beat in a different style/way tonight.
14
jur’at-angez⁹ haiN sarshaar¹⁰ badan ke Khat-o-Kham¹¹
mast-o-maGhroor¹² hai shahbaaz-e-nazar¹³ aaj ki raat 9.courage/dare inspiring 10.satiated/perfect 11.lines and curves 12.intoxicated and proud 13.hawk’s eye, keen/sharp sight
The lines and curves of perfect bodies inspire daring. The eyes of the beloved are sharp like the sight of a hawk (she is looking at the poet/lover).
15
na taraddud¹, na takalluf², na ta’ammul³ na haya⁴
jazba⁵-e shauq⁶ hai be-Khauf⁷ o Khatar⁸ aaj ki raat 1.hesitation 2.formality 3.deliberation, thinking 4.bashfulness 5.sentiment 6.desire, love 7.without fear 8.danger
The beloved is not bashful, hesitant or formal tonight. Love (the poet/lover) is fearless and daring.
16
kya Thahrna tera mumkin⁹ nahiN aye umr-e-ravaaN¹⁰
nahiN mumkin hai to phir aahista guzar¹¹ aaj ki raat     9.possible 10.flowing/passing time/life 11.pass
He wishes that time would stop. If it cannot stop, can it at least flow/pass slowly.