Word Meaning
अफ़्ग़ानियों
Afghāniyoñ
Meaning
Afghans (plural oblique); the people of Afghanistan.
Detailed Meaning
In this couplet, it refers to the Afghan people, traditionally associated with fierce independence, rugged mountainous living, and religious honor. The verse satirically presents an imperialist scheme to neutralize their spirit by driving out the orthodox religious scholars from their valleys. Iqbal frequently invokes the Afghans as archetypes of uncorrupted pride and resilience.
Etymology
Persian 'Afghān' (an ethnonym for Pashtuns/Afghans) + Persian adjectival suffix '-ī' + Urdu plural oblique marker '-oñ'.
Usage
In classical and modern Urdu poetry, particularly in political nazms, the word evokes fierce valor, traditional faith, and stubborn resistance against foreign domination.
Examples
The religious pride of the Afghans
the rugged valleys of the Afghans