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This is such an amazing initiative! This is a great collection of Urdu poetry which has been made accessible to everybody.

— Aditi Rao Hydari, Actor

9 Urdu couplets and shers with aalam

aalam(m): world, state

Description of aalam: Aalam is an Urdu word meaning "world," "universe," or a "learned scholar" or "expert." Unlike its use as a proper noun like a surname or baby name in Arabic contexts, in Urdu it functions primarily as a common noun denoting the physical realm or intellectual mastery. Differs from the English "world" by encompassing both material existence and cosmic totality in philosophical senses. In Urdu poetry, aalam evokes the transient beauty

1 / 9: aalam

aman-e-aalam ki khaatir

jang yugon se

jaari hai

for the sake of

world peace

war has been

raging for ages

Aslam Habeeb (6)

aman (m) (3)

peace

aalam (m) (9)

world, state

khaatir (m) (5)

caring

jang (f) (3)

war, fight, struggle

yugon (m) (1)

eons, ages

jaari (3)

ongoing, flowing

Theme: Nature, World & Universe (50)

2 / 9: aalam

muddatein huyi ab to jal ke aashiyaan apna

aaj tak ye aalam hai

roshni se Darta huun

it has been ages since

my home burned down

and, to this day

i fear the glow of light

Qamar Jalalvi (5)

muddatein (f) (1)

ages, long period

jal (m) (4)

burn

aashiyaan (f) (3)

home

aalam (m) (9)

world, state

roshni (f) (5)

light, brightness

Theme: Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (118)

3 / 9: aalam

is aalam-e-veeraan mein ya anjuman-aaraai

do roz ki mehfil hai

ek umr ki tanhaai

what use decorating the gathering

in this desolate world

two days of festivities

and a lifetime of loneliness

Sufi Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum (2)

aalam (m) (9)

world, state

veeraan (m) (2)

desolate, empty

anjuman (m) (5)

gathering, assembly

aaraai (f) (1)

adornment, decoration

roz (m) (13)

day, every day

mehfil (f) (17)

gathering, concert

umr (m) (15)

life

tanhaai (f) (11)

solitude, loneliness

Theme: Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (118)

4 / 9: aalam

jo dekhte tere zanjeer-e-zulf ka aalam

asir hone ki

aazaad aarzoo karte

should they see the world of

shackles of your tresses

even free men would

desire to be held hostage

Haidar Ali Aatish (6)

zanjeer (m) (7)

shackles, chains

zulf (m) (7)

tresses (of a woman)

aalam (m) (9)

world, state

asir (1)

captive

aazaad (5)

free, freed

aarzoo (m) (17)

desire

Theme: Beauty, Charm, & Union (109)

4.4K

5 / 9: aalam

ab ye aalam hai ke gham ki bhi khabar hoti naheen

ashk bah jaate hain

lekin aankh tar hoti naheen

such is the state now

that even grief goes unnoticed

tears stream down

yet the eyes remain dry

Qabil Ajmeri (8)

aalam (m) (9)

world, state

gham (m) (19)

sorrow, sadness

khabar (f) (12)

news, awareness

ashk (m) (5)

tears

bah (1)

to flow

aankh (m) (11)

eyes, eye

tar (m) (2)

wet

Theme: Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (118)

6 / 9: aalam

khud ko paaya to gham-e-aalam mein bhi khushi paayi

tanhaai mein bhi

apni hi mehfil sajaayi

when I found myself

i found joy even in worldly sorrows

even in solitude

i arranged my own gathering

Parveen Shakir (16)

khud (24)

myself

paaya (4)

to gain, to secure

gham (m) (19)

sorrow, sadness

aalam (m) (9)

world, state

khushi (f) (8)

happiness

tanhaai (f) (11)

solitude, loneliness

mehfil (f) (17)

gathering, concert

sajaayi (1)

arrange, decorate

Theme: Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (118)

3.3K

7 / 9: aalam

ye ehtiyat ka aalam bhi kya qayaamat hai

pukaar bhi na sake tujhko

tere naam se hum

this state of caution

how calamitous it was

i could not even

call out to you by your name

Sahir Ludhianvi (18)

1971: Padma Shri

2013: Commemorative Stamp India

ehtiyat (f) (1)

caution

aalam (m) (9)

world, state

qayaamat (f) (9)

catastrophe, apocalypse

pukaar (m) (1)

call

Theme: Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (118)

2.8K

8 / 9: aalam

rahegi aab-o-hava mein khayaal ki bijli

bahaar-e-aalam-e-faani

rahe, rahe na rahe

the lightning of thought

shall remain forever

whether the beauty of this

fleeting world stays or fades away

Chakbast Braj Narayan (6)

aab (m) (3)

water

hava (m) (8)

breeze, wind

khayaal (m) (15)

thoughts

bahaar (f) (12)

spring

aalam (m) (9)

world, state

faani (f) (1)

mortal, transient

rahe (20)

remain

Theme: Voice, Expression, & Language (78)

9 / 9: aalam

hum jis pe mar rahe hain woh hai baat hi kuchh aur

aalam mein tujh se laakh sahi

tu magar kahaan?

the one i die for

is so unique and special

there maybe millions like you

but how can you even compare?

Altaf Hussain Hali (2)

rahe (20)

remain

aalam (m) (9)

world, state

laakh (m) (5)

hundred thousand

magar (28)

yet, but

Theme: Love, Passion, and Longing (113)

Featured Themes

Nature, World & Universe (50)

Home, Country, & Belonging (30)

Love, Passion, and Longing (113)

Heart, Mind, & Memory (66)

Miscellany (44)

Oppression, Rebellion, & Freedom (61)

Friends, Family, & Community (139)

Life, Learning, & Living (127)

Hopes, Aspirations, & Dreams (37)

Voice, Expression, & Language (78)

Creativity, Philosophy, & Enlightenment (40)

Religion, Reason, & Tradition (70)

Quest, Journey, & Destination (54)

Grit, Resilience, & Courage (58)

Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (118)

Beauty, Charm, & Union (109)

Alfaaz Ki Mehfil is a curated space for timeless poetry celebrating words, emotions, and the enduring beauty of expression. From classic Urdu couplets to modern reflections, it brings together generations of poetic voices that speak of love, longing, hope, and the human soul.

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aalam(m): world, state

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