ʿAbdul Qādir Bēdil

Muslim poet

Also known as: Mīrzā Bēdil

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 22, 2026

Quick Summary

‘Abdul Qādir Bēdil (1644–1721) was a prominent Persian-speaking poet of Uzbek descent, born in Patna, India. He is considered a significant figure in the "Indian style" of Persian poetry, known for its complex metaphors and philosophical depth.12

Bēdil was influenced by Sufism and chose not to be attached to any royal court, traveling extensively throughout India. His extensive body of work, comprising nearly 147,000 verses across 16 books, includes various poetic forms and philosophical explorations. While his poetry was largely overlooked in Iran, it had a considerable impact on Tajik and Uzbek literatures and remains influential in Afghanistan. His work is noted for its anti-feudal views and critical stance on dogma, making it relevant even today.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

South Asian arts
Persian
…the Indian style, however, was ʿAbdul Qādir Bēdil, born in 1644 in Patna, of Uzbek descent. He came early under the influence of the Ṣūfīs, refused to be attached to any court, and travelled widely throughout India during his long life. Bēdil’s 16 books of poetry contain nearly 147,000 verses…
Read More
…the Indian style, however, was ʿAbdul Qādir Bēdil, born in 1644 in Patna, of Uzbek descent. He came early under the influence of the Ṣūfīs, refused to be attached to any court, and travelled widely throughout India during his long life. Bēdil’s 16 books of poetry contain nearly 147,000 verses…
Read More

Islamic arts
Indian literature in Persian
…ʿAlī Sirhindī (died 1697) and Mīrzā Bēdil (died 1721), is convoluted and obscure, prompting the Persian poet Ḥazīn (died 1766), who went to India in the early 18th century, to write ironic comments about its incomprehensibility. Bēdil, however, was a very interesting writer. His lyric poetry is difficult but often…
Read More
…ʿAlī Sirhindī (died 1697) and Mīrzā Bēdil (died 1721), is convoluted and obscure, prompting the Persian poet Ḥazīn (died 1766), who went to India in the early 18th century, to write ironic comments about its incomprehensibility. Bēdil, however, was a very interesting writer. His lyric poetry is difficult but often…
Read More