Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Rauf Parekh’s “The 100 best Urdu books” is a 2015 curated selection, not a ranked list or a claim of universal agreement. Published by Dawn on 16 March 2015, it says its choices reflect literary, cultural, and historical importance—and deliberately reaches beyond literature into history, culture, philosophy, and religion.
What are the 100 best Urdu books?
Parekh’s article presents 100 entries under the heading “The 100 best Urdu books.” Its stated aim is to identify remarkable works by their literary, cultural, and historical significance. Parekh also cautions that readers may disagree and explicitly says, “The list is not in order of preference.” The numbering therefore identifies entries; it does not indicate a ranking.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Humsafar : The World of Urdu Poetry | $15.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Ishq: A Collection of Urdu-Hindi Love Poems | $16.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Celebrating the Best of Urdu Poetry | $13.93 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Yaad-e-Rafta (Urdu Edition) | $10.94 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Shikwa and Jawab-e-Shikwa: With Urdu Transliteration, English Translation, and Commentary: The... | $5.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The original article appeared in Dawn on 16 March 2015. Read Rauf Parekh’s list in Dawn. Scroll.in republished the selection on 30 March 2015 under the framing “Essential writings on history, culture, philosophy and religion”; it is a republication, not a separate critical assessment. Read the Scroll.in republication.
What kinds of books does the selection include?
The list ranges across creative writing, scholarship, and reference works. Its breadth is part of what the title means: “books” here is not limited to novels or poetry collections.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- Poetry and classical prose: Kulliyat-i-Sauda, Kulliyat-i-Meer, Bagh-o-bahar, Fasana-i-ajaib, and Divan-i-Ghalib.
- Literary criticism and history: Aab-i-hayat, Muqaddama-i-shair-o-shaeri, and the four-volume Tareekh-i-adab-i-Urdu.
- Fiction and drama: Umrao jaan ada, Anarkali, Aag ka darya, Khuda ki basti, Aangan, Basti, and Aanandi.
- Language and reference: John T. Platts’s A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi and English; Farhang-i-Asifiya; Urdu lughat taareekhi usool par; and Urdu thesaurus.
- Memoir, essays, and humor: Bajang aamad, Yadon ki baraat, Zarguzasht, and Pitras ke mazameen.
- History, culture, philosophy, and religion: these subjects are included in the selection’s wider scope, alongside literary works.
How should a new reader choose a starting point?
Use the list as a map of different interests, not as a prescribed reading order. The titles above illustrate its range; Parekh’s selection does not establish which works are easiest to read, most suitable for beginners, or best in a particular edition.
- If you want creative literature, begin by choosing between poetry, fiction, drama, or essays rather than treating the list’s sequence as a recommendation.
- If you want to study Urdu’s literary history, the criticism and history entries offer a different kind of reading from novels and poems.
- If you are interested in language itself, the dictionaries, historical lexicon, and thesaurus are reference works rather than narrative books.
- If you want history, philosophy, or religion, look for those subjects in the full list; their inclusion is one reason it extends beyond a conventional literary canon.
Transliteration varies among sources and editions. The spellings used here follow Parekh’s article when naming its entries; confirm a title’s spelling, language, publisher, and edition against a reliable catalogue before seeking a particular copy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the list does—and does not—establish
The article is useful as one critic’s broad, clearly framed selection. It does not provide a survey of readers or scholars, a sales-based ranking, or evidence that its choices represent a current consensus. The Scroll.in republication confirms the identity and framing of the 2015 list, but it does not independently assess the books.
Parekh’s article says that Khutbaat by Maulana Mowdoodi had “over 100 editions.” That is the article’s reported figure, not a currently verified edition count; it gives no date range for the count. Likewise, the list itself does not establish what editions are available today or which translation, publisher, or format a reader should choose.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
Rank #3
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
