Inamullah Khan Yaqeen

Biography

Inamullah Khan Yaqeen is remembered as one of the earliest poets of the Delhi school of Urdu poetry, active during the first half of the eighteenth century. Born in Delhi in 1727, he was part of a cultural and literary environment that was shaping the foundations of Urdu as a poetic language. His short life did not prevent him from establishing a reputation as a refined poet.

Yaqeen was closely associated with Mirza Mazhar Jan-e-Janaan, a major Sufi poet and spiritual guide of the time. He was both a disciple and an adopted son of Jan-e-Janaan, which gave him access to a rich literary and spiritual environment. This connection greatly influenced his poetic style, imbuing his work with both mystical depth and classical refinement.

As a poet, Yaqeen specialized in the ghazal form. His poetry combined simplicity of expression with emotional sincerity, reflecting themes of love, longing, and the transient nature of life. Unlike some of his contemporaries who leaned heavily on ornamentation, Yaqeen’s diction was marked by directness and clarity. This quality made his work accessible while still appealing to connoisseurs of classical poetry.

Although his life was tragically short—he passed away in 1755 at the age of just 28—Yaqeen left behind a body of work that contributed to the early shaping of Urdu poetry. His ghazals are considered important for understanding the transition from the heavily Persianized diction of earlier poets to a more balanced and distinctly Urdu style.

Yaqeen’s poetry is studied today as part of the formative phase of Urdu literature, alongside other early masters like Mir Taqi Mir and Khwaja Mir Dard. His role as both a disciple and a poet in his own right ensured that he remains part of the literary history of Delhi, remembered for both his promise and his early loss.