At first glance, haazir seems like a simple word. It means “present”—a declaration of being here, of showing up. But in Urdu poetry, haazir carries a depth that extends far beyond attendance. It is not just about marking one’s presence; it is about embodying it.
In this episode of Urdunama, Fabeha Syed unpacks the layered meanings of haazir through the verses of Parveen Shakir and Ahmad Faraz. Their poetry reveals how the word transforms depending on where it stands: sometimes as an intimate offering of love, sometimes as the vulnerability of surrender, and sometimes as the quiet strength of resistance.