Word Meaning
रिज़वाँ
Rizwan
Meaning
The angel who guards the gates of paradise; gatekeeper of heaven.
Detailed Meaning
In Islamic belief and classical Urdu poetry, Rizwan is the angel appointed as the gatekeeper of paradise. In this couplet, the speaker playfully imagines getting into a quarrel with Rizwan because the memory of the beloved's earthly home will make paradise feel inferior, prompting him to try to leave. It reflects the romantic trope that the beloved's abode is vastly superior to heaven.
Etymology
Arabic root r-ḍ-w (ر-ض-و), from 'riḍwān' meaning contentment, pleasure, or God's good pleasure; personalized in Islamic tradition as the name of paradise's custodian.
Usage
In classical Urdu ghazal, Rizwan is frequently invoked as a foil to emphasize that heaven pales in comparison to the lane of the beloved.
Examples
Tell Rizwan that the lover prefers the beloved's street over heaven.
Rizwan stood bewildered at the gate of paradise.