Word Meaning
वाइज़
Vā'iz
Meaning
A religious preacher, sermonizer, or moralist (often satirized in poetry).
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, the 'wa'iz' is the orthodox preacher or moralizer who publicly admonishes others against worldly and sensory pleasures. Poets conventionally depict him as a foil to the ecstatic lover (aashiq) or freethinker (rind), exposing his outward piety as superficial. In this couplet, even the solemn preacher is utterly swayed from his virtuous path by just one cup of pure wine.
Etymology
Arabic (wa'iz / واعظ), derived from the root w-'-z (و-ع-ظ), meaning to admonish, exhort, or preach.
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, the wa'iz is a stock character embodying rigid dogmatism and hollow preaching, frequently targeted by poets for ironic critique.
Examples
The sermon of the wa'iz could not deter the intoxicated lovers.
Hearing the call of the cup, even the preacher forgot his prayers.