Word Meaning
फ़ाहिशा
faahisha
Meaning
A wanton or unchaste woman; a prostitute; lewd person.
Detailed Meaning
Literally meaning a lewd woman or prostitute, the term is frequently employed as an allegory for the material world ('dunya') in Sufi and classical Urdu poetry. In the given couplet, the world is portrayed as a deceitful courtesan that ensnares everyone with greedy attachment. It captures the moral critique of mortal human obsession with worldly vanity.
Etymology
Arabic, from the active feminine participle of 'faḥusha' (فَحُشَ), meaning to exceed limits of decency, be lewd, or commit gross indecency.
Usage
In classical ghazal, it is traditionally used allegorically to depict the treacherous, seductive nature of the mortal world.
Examples
She lured many souls with her deceitful charms.
The material world acts as a wanton diverting seekers from the truth.