Word Meaning
ख़िराज
Khiraaj
hinoun, masculine
Meaning
Tribute, land tax, imperial levy, or homage paid to a sovereign.
Detailed Meaning
In Islamic and classical Persianate governance, 'khiraj' denotes land tax or tribute collected from subject populations. In this couplet by Iqbal, it emphasizes that imperial glory (qaisari) is fundamentally dependent on begging for taxes and tributes from subjects, making it inferior to the dignity of spiritual self-sufficiency (faqr).
Etymology
Arabic (خَرَاج, kharāj), meaning tribute, revenue, or produce tax.
Usage
In classical and modern Urdu poetry, it often appears metaphorically in compounds like 'khiraj-e-tahseen' or 'khiraj-e-aqeedat' to express solemn homage or tribute.
Examples
paying tribute to supreme authority
gathering revenue from the conquered realms
Synonyms
लगानकरबाज़महसूल
Related Words
ख़िराज-गुज़ारगदाक़ैसरीफ़क़्र