Shikwah Jawab-e-Shikwah

Rendering any literary piece from one language to another can never be easy, more so if the original is in verse. Differences of culture, tradition and idiom between the East and the West present a real difficulty in translating Urdu verse into English, even when the translation is in the form of prose. The difficulty is compounded when the original is the inspired creation of a master such as Allama sir Muhammad Iqbal, overflowing with grand metaphors and delicate nuances as well as throbbing with vigour and passion. The author’s ravishing sweep, his vibrant discourse, his delicate turn of phrase and his consummate poetic artistry virtually render this masterpiece untranslatable.