Meaning
Rose; flower.
How Iqbal uses it
The classic image of beauty and fragility. A rose-petal can slit a diamond's heart — gentle words, though, are wasted on a fool. He also builds a whole caravan's boat from “a leaf of the rose,” trusting fragile beauty to cross a stormy sea.
See it in the verse
Gul in Iqbal’s couplets
Phool ki patti se kat sakta hai heere ka jigar
Mard-e-nadaan par kalaam-e-narm-o-nazuk be-asar
Mard-e-nadaan par kalaam-e-narm-o-nazuk be-asar
A diamond's heart can be cut by the petal of a flower — yet on a foolish man, soft and gentle words have no effect.
Self-Knowledge · Action
Safina-e-barg-e-gul bana lega qafila mor-e-na-tawan ka
Hazar maujon ki ho kashakash magar ye dariya se par hoga
Hazar maujon ki ho kashakash magar ye dariya se par hoga
The caravan of feeble ants will make a boat of a rose petal; though a thousand waves clash against it, this boat will cross the river.
Hope · Courage · Unity