Khudi ko kar buland itna, ke har taqdeer se pahle Khuda bande se khud pooche, bata teri raza kia hai? Exalt your self thus, that before every twist of fate God should say, “My creation, on your desire I wait. Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938) is one of urdu's best regarded poets. From nationalist songs like Sare jahan sey achcha Hindustan hamara to deep philosophical poems like 'Masjid e Qurtuba', from popular ghazals to children's poems, Iqbal's poetry straddles genres with ease, and places him high up on the urdu pantheon in the company of greats like Ghalib and Mir. This book introduces Iqbal to a new generation. Written in relatively contemporary language, it offers a temporal and intellectual biography of Iqbal, alongside a translation of his poetry. Raza Mir brings Iqbal to life not just as poet, but as one of foremost political philosophers of South Asia.
