Meaning
Blister-footed; one whose feet are blistered from long, barefoot wandering.
Literally: blister-footed
How Iqbal uses it
The aabla-paa wanderer counts each blister as a mile of devotion, the desert writing its toll on his soles.
See it in the verse
Aabla-paa in Iqbal’s couplets
Apne mann mein doob kar pa ja suragh-e-zindagi
Tu agar mera nahin banta na ban, apna to ban
Tu agar mera nahin banta na ban, apna to ban
Dive into your own self and find the trace of life. If you will not be mine, then do not — but at least become your own.
Selfhood · Self-Knowledge
Khudi ke zor se duniya pe chha ja
Maqam-e-rang-o-bu ka raaz pa ja
Maqam-e-rang-o-bu ka raaz pa ja
By the force of your selfhood, rise and overspread the world — and seize the secret of this realm of colour and scent.
Selfhood · Action · Aspiration