KARACHI:
Iqbal Day is celebrated every year on the 9th of November to acknowledge Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s contributions to the subcontinent. He is widely celebrated in Pakistan and across the world by those familiar with his work. Iqbal is considered the ideological founder of Pakistan because he envisioned an independent state for the Muslims of British India, which became a starting point for the creation of Pakistan. He was the most prominent leader of the All-India Muslim League and worked closely with Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Iqbal’s philosophy is still relevant and provides several arguments that can be applied to the contemporary political and social environment. Iqbal Day reminds us of the intellectual journey that led him to become “The Sage of the Ummah” (Hakeem-ul-Ummat). Spirituality is a significant cornerstone of Iqbal’s poetry, which apart from the ideology of independence, also explored the concepts of submission to Allah and following the path of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Much of his poetry gives insights on a higher purpose, God’s divinity, and the ultimate definition of being a Muslim in the poem ‘Mard-e-Muslaman:
Qahari-o-ghaffari-o-quddusi-o-jabroot
Yeh char anasir hon to banta hai muslaman
Iqbal imagined Islam as a dynamic life code, which is universal and flexible to evolve with time. His vision of a sovereign Muslim homeland was to create a state for Muslims to practise the teachings of Islam not just in letter but in spirit too, implement its philosophy, and re-discover its dynamism. His poems are replete with the message of love, peace, hope, unity and brotherhood. Iqbal’s words hold true decades later and perhaps will continue to be valuable as well as appurtenant for future generations.
Salma Tahir
Lahore
Published in The Express Tribune, November 10th, 2021.
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