Meaning
A spiritual elder or master of a Sufi order who guides disciples on the mystic path.
Literally: old man, elder
Usage & notes
The pir is the guide who leads the seeker, an ideal Iqbal honours when the guide truly possesses inner light. He warns equally against false pirs who exploit devotion and prizes the authentic master who awakens the self.
Related words
ARABIC
Murshid
A spiritual guide or preceptor who directs the disciple toward God.
ARABIC
Mureed
A disciple who has pledged himself to a spiritual guide on the mystic path.
PERSIAN
Pir-e-mughaan
The 'Elder of the Magians', the old Zoroastrian wine-seller and master of the tavern; in Sufi symbolism the true spiritual guide who dispenses the wine of love.
ARABIC
Saalik
The wayfarer on the mystic path who travels the stages toward the Divine.