Word Meaning
इंफ़िआ'ल
infi'āl
Meaning
Shame, remorse, embarrassment, or mortification.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu and Persian poetry, 'infi'al' primarily denotes deep shame, embarrassment, or remorse. It reflects an internal emotional reaction of feeling mortified or stricken with conscience before the Beloved or the Divine. In this couplet, it appears in the classic trope 'araq-e-infi'al' (sweat of shame), where the poet describes his entire existence as the distilled dew of his own profound remorse.
Etymology
Arabic root ف-ع-ل (f-'-l); Form VII verbal noun 'infi'āl' denoting passivity, reaction, or being deeply affected (hence mortification or shame).
Usage
In the ghazal, it is most celebrated in the genitive compound 'araq-e-infi'āl' (sweat of remorse), symbolizing unbearable guilt or extreme humility before the beloved.
Examples
Drenched from head to toe in the sweat of shame.
A heart overcome by quiet remorse.