Word Meaning
काफ़िराना
kāfirāna
Meaning
Like an infidel; charmingly impious, alluring, seductive, or ungodly.
Detailed Meaning
Literally meaning characteristic of an unbeliever (kafir), in Urdu poetics the term often shifts from religious infidelity to denote bewitching, rebellious, and captivating charm. In this couplet by Iqbal, it refers to the bewitching and passionate spirit of classical idols, a vibrancy that the sterile products of modern education fail to possess.
Etymology
Derived from Arabic 'kāfir' (unbeliever, disbeliever) combined with the Persian adjectival suffix '-āna' (in the manner of).
Usage
In classical Urdu ghazal, 'kafirana' is usually an aesthetic compliment celebrating the beloved's enchanting cruelty and alluring gaze rather than a purely theological insult.
Examples
She smote the gathering with her pagan-like, coquettish glance.
Such brazen and heathen charms hold sway over the lover's heart.