Iqbal’s 134th birth anniversary: Remembering words of the visionary

Make a name of yourself in academics, be innovative and cultivate new thinking and trends - Allama Iqbal.

ISLAMABAD:

The lyrics of “nigahe faqr main shane sikandari kiya hai” sounded beautiful in Rahat Fateh’s voice, as the audience sat mesmerised by the magic woven by Muhammad Iqbal’s poetry on Thursday.

The performance was part of a seminar on comparative religion, organised by The Asian Study Group (ASG) to pay a tribute to the revered poet and philosopher Muhammad Iqbal on his 134th birth anniversary.

Iqbal’s poetry drew inspiration from everyday life, gave a message of hope and prosperity in the most adverse of circumstances and helped shape ideals to a nation groping in the dark.

Justice (retd) Nasira Javed Iqbal, the poet’s daughter-in-law, was the chief guest on the occasion. A brief pictorial history of the poet was also screened at the beginning of the seminar.

“Muslims were going through a tough time and lagged behind in education. Through his poetry Iqbal urged them to equip themselves with modern day knowledge, without which it would be impossible for them to compete,” she said.

Referring to his famous poem in which he compares the youth with a falcon urging them to reach set high aims, she said, “In all his works he is encouraging youth with the message of courage, hope, freedom and tolerance. He also emphasised on education for the young; unfortunately today we are not at the elevated position he had wanted us to be at.”

Relating a story she said Iqbal’s son Javaid had once asked his father to bring him a phonograph on his way back from around table conference in. However his wish was deliberately not fulfilled by his father who taught his son to think beyond the conventional mindset. It was in reply that Iqbal wrote another famous poem “Dayar-e-ishq main apna maqaam paida kar, Naya zamana nayae subah o shaam paida kar” (Make a name of yourself in academics, be innovative and cultivate new thinking and trends).

ASG President Parveen Malik, students and intellectuals participated in the seminar.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th, 2011.