Word Meaning
निस्बत
nisbat
Meaning
Relationship, connection, affinity, reference, or proportion.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'nisbat' signifies a relationship, connection, or affinity between two beings or concepts. In the cited couplet, it denotes the subtle, distant historical link between idols and the Kaaba from which they were expelled. The word underscores how an essential connection to an origin persists even across estrangement and exile.
Etymology
Derived from the Arabic feminine noun 'nisbah' (نِسْبَة), meaning relation, affinity, or lineage; from the root n-s-b (ن-س-ب).
Usage
In ghazals, 'nisbat' is frequently deployed to compare disparate worlds or to assert a subtle spiritual affinity between the profane lover and the divine sanctuary.
Examples
having a distant connection
what relation has the ascetic to the lover