Persian poetry of Allama Iqbal translated into Hindko language

PESHAWAR: The Gandhara Hindko Academy has published the Hindko language translation of the Persian poetry by poet-philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal.

Titled “Barg-e-Lala” (The tulip flower), the 100-page publication is a meticulous effort by a late poet and writer from Peshawar, Khwaja Yaqoob Akhtar Sethi (November 5, 1934 – January 16, 2017). Tulip is considered a symbol of perfect love.

Allama Iqbal frequently used “Lala” in his Persian poetry. Late Khwaja Yaqoob Akhtar Sethi did the translation of a long poem by Allama Iqbal, “Lala-e-Toor,” which was published in “Payam-e-Mashriq” (The message from the East), a collection of philosophical Persian poetry by Allam Iqbal whose first edition came out in the year 1923. Through “Payam-e-Mashriq,” Allama Iqbal had tried to bring the East and the West closer to each other. He had composed the poetry in reply to Western Divan of Goethe, a famous German poet.

The great Muslim thinker of the subcontinent in “Payma-e-Mashriq” highlighted those social, moral and religious truths, which influenced the spiritual development of individuals and communities. The “Payam-e-Mashriq” is applauded as a compelling effort by a distinguished Eastern poet, gifted with knowledge of the Western literature and thought, to enter into a dialogue with Europe. It is a collection of quatrains, followed by a cluster of poems explaining Allama Iqbal's philosophy of life and some poetical sketches of the European poets, philosophers and politicians.

The Hindko language translation “Barg-e-Lala” has a total of 163 Persian Rubayat (quatrains) from “Lala-e-Toor” long poem of Allama Iqbal taken from “Payam-e-Mashriq”. A senior Hindko language writer, poet and research scholar, Muhammad Ziauddin, has written the foreword to the “Barg-e-Lala” by terming the publication a commendable effort to convey the message of Allama Iqbal to Hindko language readership in an easily understandable style.

“Allama Iqbal portrayed the feelings of the Muslims of the subcontinent through his unmatched poetry. He awakened the Muslim through his poetic work after understanding well the Islamic teachings. He conveyed his philosophical thoughts to common people through an easy language,” said the writer, who is general secretary of the Gandhara Hindko Board, in his comments on the book.

Ziauddin said though Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s Urdu poetry was translated into the Hindko language by fellow writers such as Professor Hussam Hur and others in the past, late Khwaja Yaqoob Akhtar Sethi performed a well-needed task by translating the Persian work of the national poet into the Hindko language.

“It is hoped that translation of our national poet’s Persian work into Hindko language will motivate other literati to make similar bids to take the message of the great poet-philosopher to more people,” said Ziauddin, head of the Executive Committee of the Gandhara Hindko Academy run by the Gandhara Hindko Board in partnership with the Higher Education Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.