Fatima Fayyaz is a scholar of Persian literature who studies Central Asian hagiographical Persian literature, contemporary Afghan Persian poetry and prose, Persian epics, and South Asian mystic literature.
She completed her Ph.D. from the University of Tehran, Iran, in 2019 and currently teaches at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, as an assistant professor of Persian and comparative literary and cultural studies.
In Bhai Nand Lal’s fifty-fifth ghazal, the recurring word dīdam (to perceive) reflects various modes of perception, from seeing to realizing. The ghazal opens with the Beloved revealed not externally but within the pupil of the poet’s own eyes...
In this fifty-second ghazal, Bhai Nand Lal employs a striking repetitive structure, often repeating words or phrases three times to emphasize the Divine’s perfection and beauty.
In his 44th ghazal, Bhai Nand Lal ‘Goya’ explores the connection with the Divine within and beyond earthly life. Opening with joy at the Divine’s revelation, he offers his eyes and heart as his only worthy possessions.
In this thirty-sixth ghazal, Bhai Nand Lal reflects on the transformative nature of Divine love, symbolized by the “ār” sound. The Beloved’s arrival is likened to spring, bringing life and abundance. The Beloved’s smile and gaze sustain the...
Bhai Nand Lal’s thirtieth ghazal explores the futility of reaching the Beloved’s lane, emphasizing the superiority of spiritual connection over material wealth. Using the repeated verb nārisad ("to not arrive"), the ghazal highlights the unattainable...
Bhai Nand Lal’s twenty-fifth ghazal is an intimate love letter composed of whispered questions addressed to the Beloved. Each couplet begins with the recurring question “what would happen,” inviting speculation and yearning for reunion.