Allama Iqbal: The poet who wrote ‘Sarey Jahan Se Acha Hindostan Hamara’

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Sir Muhammad Iqbal widely known as Allama Iqbal, was a poet, philosopher and politician, as well as an academic, barrister and scholar in British India who is widely regarded as having inspired the Pakistan Movement. He is called the “Spiritual Father of Pakistan and considered one of the most important figures in Urdu literature with literary work in both Urdu and Persian.

Iqbal is admired as a prominent poet by Indians, Pakistanis, Iranians and other international scholars of literature. Though Iqbal is best known as an eminent poet, he is also a highly acclaimed “Muslim philosophical thinker of modern times”. His first poetry book, The Secrets of the Self, appeared in the Persian language in 1915, and other books of poetry include The Secrets of Selflessness, Message from the East and Persian Psalms. Amongst these, his best known Urdu works are The Call of the Marching Bell, Gabriel’s Wing, The Rod of Moses and a part of Gift from Hijaz. Along with his Urdu and Persian poetry, his Urdu and English lectures and letters have been very influential in cultural, social, religious and political disputes.

In the 1923 New Years Honours he was made a Knight Bachelor by King George V.While studying law and philosophy in England, Iqbal became a member of the London branch of the All-India Muslim League. Later, during the League’s December 1930 session, he delivered his most famous presidential speech known as the Allahabad Address in which he pushed for the creation of a Muslim state in north-west India.

In much of South Asia and the Urdu-speaking world, Iqbal is regarded as the Shair-e-Mashriq  “Poet of the East. However Iqbal made a name in the West and surrounding continents  too. In an article for the Dawn Hajira Maryam who happened to be in Turkey  wrote “Journeying across Turkey as a young Pakistani, I have come across various aspects of life that a vibrant historic society has to offer: architecture, cuisine, poetry, philosophy, and intellectual thought. There have been times I’ve stumbled onto conversational exchanges with strangers while taking a taxi ride or having a cup of tea at a random place. “Where are you from?” I get asked. “Pakistan,” I reply. “Oh, do you know Muhammad Iqbal?” I get asked in return.

In the past four years, I have lost count of how many times my identity as a Pakistani has been associated with one of the most pioneering intellectuals of the region to which I belong. What intrigues me the most is that this association has been made not by well-versed academics or students, but by street vendors and tea-sellers.”

In another piece Walid while emphasizing on the Iqbal’s teachings in express Tribune wrote that Iqbal opines that the essence of Islamic monotheism or Tauhid, as a working idea, is human unity, human equality, and human freedom, and that these ideal principles must be transformed into a realisation of definite human organisation. This opinion, that humanity unites in divinity, that humanity attains equality in divinity, that humanity attains freedom in divinity, that if this divinity were denied and disrespected, mankind would be divided and disintegrate, serves as a beacon light towards tolerance, national integration, interfaith harmony, and the dialogue of civilisations in this day and age. From Iqbal’s perspective, “The political ideal of Islam consists in the creation of a people born of a free fusion of all races and nationalities, and the moment our grasp of the Islamic principle is loosened, the solidarity of our community is gone.”

6 COMMENTS

  1. Iqbal wrote “Sare Jahan Se Accha Hindustan Hamara” and then formulated the Idea of 2 Nations theory by propagating that Muslim can not live with Kafir Hindus and Created Pakistan for Indian Muslims. That is his legacy..Hero in Pakistan and a redicalized, Hindu Hating Islamic Villain in India

    • You want to be called kafirs,you want Ayodhya issue not to be closed,you want Kashmir issue not to be finished,u want Sabarimala issue and u want processions for doing issues and u want cows to be killed etc.
      In short u want many issues in the country.
      R u working for any outside agencies?
      Why gov should not take action on u?
      My evergreen question is why gov is not taking action on u!
      Is this called hindutva?

      • What is finishing of “Kashmir Issue” to Muslims like you?

        Ok, let us Make 5 Districts in Southern Kashmir where Muslims are 100% Azad .. a highly redicalized country with its own warlords like JeM. Hizub, a land locked country just like Afghanistan sandwiched between China and Pakistan which has ethically cleansed Hindus living for centuries midst them, a country whose birth from Jihad and so called Gazwa a Hind. Will then be peace? You tell me.

        To Muslims, anybody pointing concerns and how Muslims politics is affecting them in their own country should be banned and action should be taken.

        Have you seen YouTube videos uploaded by Indian Muslim and how they are abusing India, Hindus.

        For you blasphemy is only when it concerns Muslims but when your Muslim Leader standing on podium and on public address System in from on thosands of Muslim abuses Hindus Gods and Goddess and thousands of Muslims chear and no one object is not Blasphemous but Free Speech.

        Only yesterday, a Muslim killed and Hurt Australians in Melbourne…you tell me why?

        Successive Australian Prime Ministers have publicly called Muslims to leave their country if they do not like Australia.. for you Australian PMs should be shut-up.

        And today, Albania banned Greeks to live in Albania who in a funeral procession where a Greek was Killed by a Police officer raised anti’-Albanian slongans and Greek flags. Now tell me why can’t Indians do that in Kashmir.

        In Kashmir, Muslims do not want to live with Hindus and India… it is just like Myanmar type problem. So according to you what is the solution?

        Tomorrow in Delhi, in UP, in Hydrabad Muslim will raise same demands and start pelting stone, do Indians Make them Independent too.

        I do no know if you are a Pakistani or living in India… whatever solution to Kashmir problem is, it will DIECTLY AFFECT MUSLIMS LIVING IN REST OF INDIA.

        As far banning me is concerned, I could be banned but my feelings towards Muslims politics in India and all over world will not change.

  2. Only fools believe that Allama Iqbal is responsible for creation of Pakistan,the worst tragedy that happened to the great nation of India. He died in 1933. He loved India so much that he said” Mere watan ka hr zarra devta hai” It was evil machinations of radical communal hindus that made him think twice. But having died so much before partion,he can’t be blamed. Real culprits are Britishers who highlighted Hindu RSS communalism in the minds of muslims. British wanted to divide it and Sardar Patel,Nehru,Gandhi got fed up with Jinna’s idea of permanent reservations for muslims based on population and secretly collided with the British.

    • “Commual Hindus”…Is there any such thing called “Secular Muslim”? How do you define a “Secular Muslim” ? You want Muslim to be Muslim but Hindus not be Hindus but Secular.

  3. Jinna too was forced into idea of Pakistan as alternative safeguards were not conceded to. Jinna had declared in his first speech to the nation of Pakistan that all nationals regardless of religion will be equal citizens.

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