I know what the gathering will be destined for, but the orator is entangled in matters of sight.

This profound couplet is a sharp critique of intellectual distraction. The poet, Allama Iqbal, states that he is aware of the ultimate fate and reckoning of the community (Jum'at ka Hashr). Yet, the orator or preacher (Khatib) is utterly consumed by abstract, theoretical disputes (Masail-e-Nazri). It suggests that while the real, fundamental issues are looming, the intellectual class is too busy arguing over minutiae to address the core moral or social crisis.