Word Meaning
इख़्तियार
ikhtiyār
hinoun
Meaning
Authority, control, power, choice, or free will.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'ikhtiyār' signifies sovereign control, mastery, or personal agency. In this couplet, it highlights the heart's supreme command over worldly or spiritual realms before love stripped it of all autonomy. It poetically sets up a contrast between past dominion and present surrender.
Etymology
Arabic (خ-ي-ر), derived from the Form VIII verbal noun ikhtiyār, meaning 'choice', 'selection', or 'free will'.
Usage
It is often contrasted with 'jabr' (compulsion) or 'be-ikhtiyārī' (helplessness) to explore the tension between free will and the overwhelming sway of love.
Examples
Apne hī ikhtiyār meñ hotā to kyā na thā
Dil par kisī kā ikhtiyār nahīñ chaltā
Synonyms
क़ाबूअधिकारवशतसर्रुफ़
Related Words
बे-इख़्तियारमुख़्तारइख़्तियारात