Word Meaning
ग़ाफ़िलों
ghafilon
Meaning
Unaware, negligent, or heedless people (oblique plural).
Detailed Meaning
The plural oblique form of 'ghāfil', denoting those who are unmindful, oblivious, or negligent of truth and destiny. In this couplet, it represents mortals who, despite their unawareness of existence and history, still made their chaotic presence felt. It reflects a tone of self-reproach regarding human ignorance in the vast flow of time.
Etymology
Arabic root gh-f-l (غ-ف-ل, to neglect or be unmindful), adopted into Urdu with the Hindustani plural oblique suffix '-on'.
Usage
In classical ghazal poetry, the term is frequently used to admonish worldly individuals lost in transient desires instead of spiritual reality.
Examples
O oblivious souls, awaken from this prolonged slumber.
The warnings of time went unheeded by the heedless.