Word Meaning
एहतिराज़
ehtirāz
Meaning
Avoidance, refraining, abstinence, or taking precautions to guard oneself.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu, 'ihtirāz' signifies abstaining, keeping clear of something, or taking refuge from danger. In this couplet, the beloved's coquetry is portrayed as so lethal that even Death (ajal) itself seeks to flee and guard against it. Though often confused in colloquial usage with 'e'tirāz' (objection), its classical sense is strictly avoidance or caution.
Etymology
Arabic (إِحْتِرَاز), from the root ح-ر-ز (ḥ-r-z), meaning to guard, preserve, or take caution.
Usage
Commonly used in ghazals to express the futility of caution or self-preservation before the overwhelming power of love and beauty.
Examples
Reason's precaution is useless upon the path of love.
Avoiding the arrow of their glance is no longer possible.