Word Meaning
फ़लक-ज़दा
falak-zada
Meaning
Afflicted by fate or adverse destiny; struck down by the skies; ill-fated.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu and Persian poetry, 'falak' (the celestial sphere) is viewed as the revolving wheel of destiny that inflicts suffering upon mortals. The compound 'falak-zada' describes someone severely tormented or crushed by adverse fortune. In the cited couplet, it addresses the distressed human soul who feels abandoned by fate, reminding them to have courage under the spiritual protection of Ali.
Etymology
Arabic 'falak' (celestial sphere, sky, fate) + Persian suffix '-zada' (past participle of zadan, meaning struck or afflicted).
Usage
In ghazal poetry, it frequently personifies the lover or sufferer as a victim of the cruel, rotating wheel of heaven.
Examples
A shelter for every wanderer struck by fate
Why weep at destiny, O afflicted soul?