THE FOUR GREAT URDU POETS Mir, Nazir, Ghalib & Iqbal Selected Poems Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Mir (1723 - 1810) was the leading Urdu poet of the eighteenth century and one of the pioneers of Urdu. He was one of the principal poets of the Delhi school of the Urdu ghazal. Like many Urdu poets Mir's literary reputation is from his ghazals. After moving to Lucknow his daughter died, then his son and wife. Mir practiced the Malamati or 'Blameworthy' aspect of Sufism. He was a prolific poet, his complete works consisting of 6 Divans comprising all kinds of poetic forms: ghazals, masnavis, qit'as, ruba'is, etc. Nazir (1735-1830) is an Indian poet known as the 'Father of Nazm', who wrote mainly Urdu ghazals and nazms. The canvas of Nazir's nazms is so vast that it encompasses all aspects of human behavior. Many of his poems are spiritual and he is seen as a true Sufi. Ghalib (1797-1869}, was born in the city of Agra of parents with Turkish aristocratic ancestry. His great fame came to him posthumously. Although he wrote ghazals, qit'as and ruba'is in Persian he is more famous for those written in Urdu. Iqbal (1873-1938) was born in Sialkot, Punjab. He graduated with a master's degree in philosophy. Nietzsche and Bergson influenced him and he became critical of Western civilization that he regarded as decadent. He turned to Islam and Sufism for inspiration. In his final years he returned to Urdu as his medium with ghazals inspired by his on-and-off Sufism. Here is a large collection of his ruba'is, ghazals, nazms, qit'as, masnavis & qasida. All poems in this collection are in the correct rhyme-structure and meaning. Introduction on all the lives of the Poets, Selected Bibliographies. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 599 pages. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat... I am astonished. " Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator from English into Persian, knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Omar Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Mahsati, Lalla Ded, Bulleh Shah, Shah Latif, Makhfi and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa

NINE GREAT URDU SUFI POETSQutub Shah, Dard, Nazir, Mir, Aatish, Zauq, Zafar, Ghalib & Hali.Translation & Introduction Paul SmithSome of the greatest and most memorable spiritual poems of all time have been composed in the Urdu language and are contained in this anthology. CONTENTS: The Urdu Language; Urdu Poetry; The Ghazal in Urdu Poetry; The Ruba'i in Urdu Poetry; The Masnavi and other forms in Urdu Poetry; Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art & Use of Poetry. THE POETS... Qutub Shah (1565-1611) was the fifth sultan of the Qutub Shahi dynasty of Golconda in South India. He founded the city of Hyderabad and was a scholar of Arabic and Persian. He wrote poetry in Urdu and Persian. He had the distinction of being the first Urdu poet. He was also a mystic or Sufi poet and a devout Shiite Muslim. Dard (1720-1784) is considered one of the three great poets of the Delhi school of classical Urdu poetry. He is firstly a Sufi poet who saw the physical world as a veil of the Divine Reality and this world a pathway. Nazir (1735-1830) No other Urdu poet used as many words as Nazir. He was influenced by Amir Khusrau, Sadi, Rumi and like many other Urdu poets especially Hafiz whom he often quotes. He eventually renounced all wealth for a life of poverty. He was said to have been a great musician. It is also said that he became God-realized. Mir (1723-1810) practiced the Malamati or 'Blameworthy' aspect of Sufism. Using this way one ascribes to oneself an unconventional aspect of a person or society then plays out its results either in action or in poetry. He composed mainly ghazals and an autobiography. Aatish (1777-1847) was born in Faizabad. Some critics rank him beside Mir and Ghalib. His ghazals are mainly Sufi in flavour on the traditional themes of human and divine love. He went blind towards the end of his life. Zafar (1775-1862) the last of the Mughal emperors in India,, was a noted Urdu poet and Sufi who often held poetry readings at his court. He was especially influenced by the poet Zauq. He wrote a large number of Urdu ghazals and other forms of poetry. Zauq (1788-1855) was a religious man and in his ghazals he often dealt with mystical and ethical themes. Most of his poetical output was lost during the mutiny of 1857. Ghalib, (1797-1869). His Urdu Divan of this now famous poet contains 263 ghazals and ruba'is, masnavis, qasidas and qit'as. There have been many movies based on his life made in India and Pakistan where his popularity has never flagged. Hali 1837-1914) was poet, critic, teacher, reformer and prose-writer. He also wrote biographies of Ghalib and Sadi of Shiraz. The correct rhyme-structure & meaning has been obtained in all of these hundreds of beautiful, inspiring, loving, honest, mystical poems. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" Pages 821.Paul Smith(b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish and other languages including Hafez, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in ud-din Chishti, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Hallaj, Rudaki, Yunus Emre Ghalib, Iqbal, Makhfi, Nazir, Bulleh Shah, Baba Farid, Lalla Ded, Abu Sa'id, Ibn al-Farid, Abu Nuwas, Seemab, Jigar, Qutub Shah and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, kids books and a dozen screenplays.www.newhumanitybooks.com

Maangey Allah se bas itni dua hai Rashid Main jo Urdu mein vaseeyat likhoon beta parh ley All Rashid asks of Allah is just one small gift: If I write my will in Urdu, may my son be able to read it. Urdu, one of the most widely used languages in the subcontinent, is, sadly, dying a slow death in the land where it was born and where it flourished. This definitive collection spans over 200 years of Urdu poetry, celebrating well-known and relatively unknown poets alike. It is essential reading for all who love Urdu verse and for all looking for the ideal introduction.

For many people, Urdu is indelibly associated with a bygone era: the cultural renaissance of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in the face of colonial oppression, heady mushairas and romantic poetry. For others, it brings to mind the gritty prose of the Progressive Writers portraying the grim social realities of the mid-twentieth century. In this luminous collection of Urdu poetry and prose, Ralph Russell expands our world of Urdu letters to include folk and oral narratives, besides prose and poetry. By situating each form historically, he gives us a refreshing perspective on the diverse literary cultures and histories of India. Besides canonical short stories by the likes of Manto and Premchand, there is Ismat Chughtai's a little-known autobiographical essay about her relationship with her brother, the writer Azim Beg Chughtai. There are creation tales from the Quran, popular stories of Akbar and Birbal, along with the legendary exploits of Sikandar (Alexander the Great). Selections from the sublime poetry of Mir, Ghalib and others are supplemented by astute commentary and roman transcriptions of the original Urdu. Farhatullah Beg's brilliantly imagined account of the 'last Delhi mushaira' captures a moment in time never seen again, with the horrors of 1857 just around the corner. An accessible introduction for unfamiliar readers, and a pleasurable companion for those familiar with Urdu literature, this volume is a treasure trove of stories, poetry and history. Originally published as Hidden in the Lute(1995), this revised edition has been edited by Russell's student and friendfor several years, the novelist Marion Molteno.

* * * In his two most famous poems, Muhammad Iqbal sets out to reconcile the vacuum between Man and God with his philosophy and vision intricately woven in this epic dialogue * * * Besides other translations out there, this book aims to provide a more literal and detailed analysis that will appeal to the young and old readers alike. Read on to gain a better understanding of arguably Iqbal's best works and discover why he was named The Poet of the East as this iconic dialogue incites a feeling of pride and re-connection to one's Self.

Faiz Ahmen Faiz is looked on as the most important Urdu poet in both India and Pakistan. This collection of his poems is representative of the best in contemporary Urdu writing. The Urdu text is presented with English translations.