Arabic · noun · Nation, Faith & Society
Naamoos
नामूस
said naa-moos
also written: namus, namoos, nāmūs
Meaning
Honour, reputation; the honour of family and faith that must be defended.
Literally: honour held sacred, that which must be defended
Usage & notes
Namus is sacred honour — the dignity of self, family, faith, or community that one is bound to protect. Iqbal couples it with ghairat: the living self feels the violation of its namus as an unbearable wound and rises to defend it. He treats the defence of what one holds sacred as a measure of a people's vitality, and indifference to it as a sign of inner collapse.
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