This book provides a new English translation of a selection of Muhammad Iqbal's Urdu and Persian poetry in a form that remains faithful to that of the original. The translations present pleasing renditions of Iqbal in an understandable contemporary idiom coupled with a conservative but well-wrought form (rhyme and metre). The purpose of this book is to give readers well-versed in English some idea of the grandeur and, indeed, the beauty of Iqbal's poetry. It is a commendable addition to Iqbal studies, in that it presents a refreshingly enjoyable English translation of some of Iqbal's best poetic writings.
Dr David J. Matthews is a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain, a trustee of the Iqbal Academy, UK, and a member of the Promotions Committee of Oslo University. His translations from Urdu into English include works by Rusva, Anis, Hali, Iqbal, Ibn-e Insha, Shaukat Siddiqi, and the contemporary Indian poet, Javed Akhtar. He was awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2009 by the Government of Pakistan.