Word Meaning
शब-हा
shab-haa
Meaning
nights; multiple nights, especially spent in sorrow or separation
Detailed Meaning
In Persian and classical Urdu poetry, 'shab-ha' is the plural form of 'shab' (night), signifying numerous or recurring nights. In this couplet, it combines with an izafat to form 'shab-ha-e-hijr', pointing to the agonizing, prolonged nights of separation from the beloved. The poet reflects that if those excruciating nights were added to his life's tally, his time in this ruined world would seem unimaginably longer.
Etymology
Persian: 'shab' (شب, night) + regular Persian inanimate plural suffix '-hā' (ها).
Usage
Typically connected through izafat with grief or longing (like shab-ha-e-hijr) to highlight the drawn-out torment of sleepless nights in the ghazal tradition.
Examples
The nights of sorrow pass with immense agony.
Do not ask of the torment of separation's nights.