intizam

Intizam is a term of Arabic origin widely used in Persian, Urdu, and Turkish to mean organization, administration, or an orderly arrangement. The word derives from the Arabic root n-z-m (order, arrangement) and appears in the noun form intizām, conveying the sense of instituting and maintaining a system. In Urdu and Persian, intizam denotes the administrative machinery of a state or institution—the system of offices, rules, and procedures through which affairs are managed. It can also refer to the discipline or orderly conduct required within an organization or society.

In historical contexts, intizam described the state’s governance apparatus. In empires influenced by Persianate administration, the term encompassed ministries, bureaucrats, revenue collection, justice, and internal security. In South Asia, references to intizam have appeared in chronicles and legal documents to indicate the functioning of government or the implementation of policy.

In modern usage, intizam remains a common Urdu and Persian word for administration or organizational setup. It is often used in phrases such as intizam-e-dawla (state administration) or intizam-e-amal (administration of affairs). The term is closely related to, but distinct from, nizam (order or system) and tanzim (organization, arrangement). In contemporary discourse, intizam can describe bureaucratic efficiency, reform efforts, or the structural aspects of governance, as well as the broader concept of social order.