Iqbal

Poet - Philosopher of Pakistan

by Mark Lankshear

On April 21st more than 80 people celebrated Iqbal Day at Pitsmoor Methodist Church, marking the 65th anniversary of the celebrated Islamic poet -philosopher’s death. 

Allama Muhammad Iqbal was born in 1877 in Sailkot in the Punjab. His father was a tailor whose devotion to Islam, especially its mystical aspects, gained him respect among his Sufi peers and other associates. Iqbal studied in India and then Europe, gaining a law degree, a Bachelor of Arts at Cambridge and a PhD at Munich University. 

He worked as a lawyer and academic in Lahore, wrote poetry and spent his time devoted to his own spiritual development. Already a famous poet, Iqbal received a knighthood from the British Government in honour of the brilliant poerty book, Asrar-i Khudi. 

In 1930, as President of the All Indian Muslim League, speaking at a meeting in Allahabad he was the first to suggest a self governed Muslim state which led eventually to the formation of Pakistan in 1947.

After touring Europe in the early 30’s Iqbal returned to Lahore. His vision of religious and political unity were gaining wide acceptance and his popularity was at its peak. One of his last acts was to establish an institution to study classical Islam and contemporary social science, joining modern science and philosophy to Islam, to create bridges of understanding at the highest intellectual level. 

In the West, Intellect is the source of life,
In the East, Love is the basis of life.
Through Love, Intellect grows acquainted with Reality,
And Intellect gives stability to the work of Love,
Arise and lay the foundations of a new world,
By wedding Intellect to Love. 

To find out more about Iqbal why not visit the excellent Iqbal Academy site

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