Meaning
The poverty of the dervish; the chosen, contented destitution of the spiritual mendicant.
Literally: poverty of the dervish
How Iqbal uses it
Not mere lack but a noble, willing renunciation that frees the soul from the world; the faqr-e-darvesh is richer than any king's treasury.
See it in the verse
Faqr-e-darvesh in Iqbal’s couplets
Parindon ki duniya ka darvesh hoon main
Ki shaheen banata nahin aashiyana
Ki shaheen banata nahin aashiyana
I am the dervish of the world of birds — for the falcon never builds itself a nest.
The Falcon · Freedom
Nigah-e-faqr mein shaan-e-sikandari kya hai
Khiraaj ki jo gada ho wo qaisari kya hai
Khiraaj ki jo gada ho wo qaisari kya hai
In the eyes of true inner wealth, what is the grandeur of an Alexander? What is an emperor who must beg for tribute?
Freedom · Selfhood · Humility
Nigah-e-faqr mein shan-e-sikandari kya hai
Khiraj ki jo gada ho wo qaisari kya hai
Khiraj ki jo gada ho wo qaisari kya hai
In the eyes of a free spirit, what is the splendour of an Alexander? An empire that begs for tribute is no empire at all.
Selfhood · Freedom · Self-Knowledge