The book begins with an Introduction which discusses the important aspects of Iqbal’s life and art. The poems are thoughtfully chosen and faithfully rendered also attempts to retain the beauties of the thyme and assonance, the special ornaments of Urdu verse.įor the benefit of the reder who is not familiar with Urdu language in the Persian script, the author has given the transcription of the Urdu text in the roman script. There are in all 61 nazma and 26 ghazals, drawn mostly from Bang-e- Dara, and Baal-e-Jibreel.
The book contains the text and translation of some of the finest poems of Iqbal including Tarana-e-Hindi, Naya Shivala, shikwa, Jawab-e Shikwa, Saqi Nama, Taloo-e-Islam, Tasweer-e-Dard, Walida Marbooma ki Yaad mein, the poet and the Candle, etc. While Ghalib is a specialist of the ghazal, Iqbal is essentially a poet of the nazm, a poetic form, a better suited than the ghazal for the logical development of thought or theme. This book is meant to introduce the reader to the poetry of Iqbal, a great poet, often bracketed with Ghalib, the all-time great in Urdu poetry.
