Word Meaning
सआयत
sa'āyat
Meaning
Calumny, slander, malicious tale-bearing, or informing against someone to an authority.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Arabic and Urdu, 'sa'āyat' primarily denotes the malicious act of tale-bearing or slandering someone before a patron, judge, or ruler. In this couplet, it refers to initiating complaints or backbiting, which the speaker disdains because truth is inherently on his side. It highlights the speaker's dignified silence in contrast to the petty accusations of adversaries.
Etymology
Arabic (سِعَايَة), derived from the root س-ع-ي (s-ʿ-y), originally connected to striving or walking fast, evolving into running about to carry malicious reports or backbiting to an authority.
Usage
In classical ghazal poetry, it denotes the underhanded intrigues and malicious whispers spread by rivals (raqīb) to poison the beloved's ears.
Examples
sa'āyat-e-bad-khwāhān
dām-e-sa'āyat