Allama Iqbal remembered on 83rd death anniversary

Islamabad: To pay tributes to the creative poetic and original intellectual genius of Allama Iqbal, a webinar on ‘Poet of the East’ jointly organized by Pakistan National Movement and Writer Forum, Islamabad was held here on Wednesday.

Well-known literary researcher and educationist, Dr, Anwar Mahmood Khalid, poet, literary critic, educationist, and intellectual, Muhammad Afsar Sajid (Faisalabad) and Professor Niaz Irfan were guests of honour.

Dr. Khalid Iqbal Yasser, former D.G, Urdu Science Board, Dr. Zobia Sultana of Folk Heritage Ms. Nubla Pirzada, Deputy Director, National Language Promotion Department, Islamabad, Dr. M.A. Asghar, Zahid Shah, former senior officers, columnist Rukhsana Rukhshi, (London), Shazia Taslim, (Lahore), participated. Students of various professional colleges and Universities also participated in the event.

While commenting on various works on Iqbal, including ‘Evolutionary period of Iqbal’s life’, (1905-13) Muhammad Afsar Sajid touched upon human aspect of Allama Iqbal and presented rare details about Iqbal’s early life, disclosing that at the age of two, leeches were applied to suck malignant blood In Iqbal’s right eye as a result of which he lost his sight for ever, besides giving details of his adolescent friends, teachers at Cambridge and Heidelberg as well as his intellectual affinity with Miss Attiya Faizi and Miss Emma Wegenast (Germany).

Dr. Anwar Mahmood Khalid highlighted the poetic genius and rare diction of Persianised Urdu language introduced by Iqbal in the prevalent poetic scenario.

Nubla Pirzada spoke about Iqbal’s role in popularizing Urdu language through his prose and poetry besides encouraging and engaging ‘Baba-e- Udru’ Maulvi Abdul Haq by writing a number of letters to him for this cause urging him to shift to Lahore for his ventures. She urged the masses to use Urdu as their lingua franca as provided in our constitution and decisions of the supreme Judiciary.

Dr Khalid Iqbal Yasser was of the view that whatever our poet philosopher Allama Iqbal deduced from the gist of the history around a century ago as enunciated in his New Year 1938 message, diagnosing various socio, economic and-political ills causing drastic damages to universal human values and the humanity at large, is still very much valid to meet the present challenges. Dr Zobia Sultana explained the salient features of Iqbal’s first ever book titled ‘Ilmul al Aqtsad’ published in 1903 highlighting various economic issues being confronted by various countries at that time.

Rukhsana Rakshi highlighted salient features of Iqbal’s philosophy and gave a detailed appraisal of unique elements of his poetry. Coordinated and compering the event M. Yousuf Aziz, President, Pakistan National Movement and author of various titles about Iqbal, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and various other disciplines.

After introducing speakers and highlighting role of Iqbal’s thought, poetry and philosophy in re-awakening of Muslims of South Asia. He said although Allama Iqbal was still nascent and had lived only less than a quarter of the 19th century and some 38 plus years in the 20th century (Totally some 61 years, yet in the revival and renaissance of Islamic teachings and process of Muslim thought as well as nationhood in the contemporary history of South Asia, his contribution after Shah Wali Ullah, Mujadid Alif Sani and to some extent say Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, is quite unblemished and unparalleled. He also shared with audience the comments of Chairman (dated 7 May, 1907) of the special board, University of Cambridge, approving PhD. M. Yousuf Aziz said that while remembering the great poet philosopher of our times, one should also be mindful honestly to act upon his sayings most religiously rather to encourage segmentation and radicalization of the masses and particularly of the youth. M.A Asghar and others also paid rich tributes to person and poetry and services of Iqbal.