Word Meaning
ज़लाल
zalāl
Meaning
Straying, error, deviation, or moral and intellectual misguidance.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Arabic and Urdu, 'zalāl' signifies straying from the right path, error, or intellectual and moral misguidance. In the provided couplet, it is paired with 'safīh' (foolish or base persons) to denote ignorance and deviation, contrasting with the speaker's refined understanding ('nuqta-dāniyāñ'). The poet grieves that the companion preferred the association of the foolish and misguided over true wisdom.
Etymology
Arabic, from the triconsonantal root ḍ-l-l (ضلّ), meaning to stray, err, or lose one's way.
Usage
In Urdu poetry, 'zalāl' is commonly used as a philosophical antonym to 'hidāyat' (guidance) or 'rushd' (rectitude).
Examples
Wandering in the wilderness of zalāl
Choosing zalāl over true guidance