Iqbal: A Selection of his Urdu and Persian Verse

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.

About Author: David J. Matthews (1942–2021) was a British scholar, author, and translator of Urdu literature and translator of Muhammad Iqbal and Mir Anees poetry in English. He was 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. He taught Urdu language and Urdu literature for over 30 years (1965–99) at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London after graduating in Classics at UCL. Matthews published a number of works relating to Urdu literature, including many translations of significant classical Urdu works. One of his major interests was poetry. His 70 works have appeared in 250 publications in 4 languages and 2091 library holdings. 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 Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2009 by the Government of Pakistan.