Word Meaning
जहाँगीरी
Jahangiri
Meaning
World conquest, imperial dominion, or global statecraft.
Detailed Meaning
In Persian and Urdu poetic tradition, 'jahangiri' denotes the art or status of conquering and ruling the world. In this couplet by Iqbal, 'a'in-e-jahangiri' refers to the formal imperial code and worldly dominion exercised by majestic Seljuk rulers like Sanjar and Tughril. It represents temporal authority and political empire, placed in dynamic balance with the spiritual grandeur of the wandering qalandar.
Etymology
Persian: composed of 'jahān' (world) + 'gīr' (root of giriftan, to seize/hold) + nominal suffix '-ī', signifying the state or act of world conquest.
Usage
In classical and modern philosophical Urdu poetry, especially in Iqbal, it symbolizes secular imperial power, often juxtaposed with spiritual independence (faqr).
Examples
a'in-e-jahangiri (the law of world conquest)
shauq-e-jahangiri (the ambition for imperial rule)