Rafey Habib Biography

M. A. R. Habib (Rafey Habib) is an Indian-born Muslim poet and scholar of literature who has also written numerous books of literary criticism. He was born in India, grew up in England and now lives in America.

He is a scholar in the areas of literary criticism, theory and philosophy. He is a Professor of English and the author of seven books, including three histories of literary criticism, a study of T.S. Eliot's philosophical background, and two translations of Urdu poetry. His own volume of poetry, Shades of Islam: Poems for a New Century, appeared in September 2010. His latest book, Literary Criticism: From Plato to the Present: An Introduction, was published in 2011.

His interests also extend to Islamic philosophy and literature, as well as postcolonial studies. He believes that it is a matter of some urgency to foster an improved mutual understanding between the Islamic world and Western cultures. He has given numerous talks on various aspects of Islam, such as Islam and Democracy, and is currently working with colleagues at Rutgers University to establish a cultural diversity of courses, including Islamic literature in English translation.