My Favorite Poet
“Iqbal was a remarkable poet of worldwide fame and his work will live
forever. His services to his country and the Muslims are so numerous
that his record can be compared with that of the greatest Indian that
ever lived”. (Muhammad Ali Jinnah)
Allama Iqbal is our national poet. He was born at Sialkot on November 9,
1877. He belonged to a respectable Kashmiri family. One of his
forefathers left Kashmir and settled in Sialkot. His father Sheikh Nur
Muhammad was a very pious and religious man. Allama Iqbal inherited
mysticism and deep love of his religion from his parents.
Allama Iqbal received his early education from Mission High School,
Sialkot and passed Intermediate examination from Murray College. His
teacher Molvi Syed Mir Hassan was one of the most learned and pious man
of his time. Iqbal had the good fortune of studying Arabic, Persian and
lslamiat under the inspiring guidance of his teacher. In one of his
poems, he applauded the love affection and care of his teacher bestowed
upon him. Then he went to Lahore and passed his M.A examination from
Government College, Lahore. He joined the teaching staff of the Govt.
College Lahore and served there for some time.
In 1905, he went to Europe for higher studies in Philosophy and Law. He
did his Ph.D. in Philosophy from Germany and Bar at-Law from London. He
served as a professor of Arabic in London University for six months. His
stay in Europe was of great importance. He was not impressed by the
Western civilization. He disliked the Western civilization. That is why
he criticized it in his poetry. His hatred is quite prominent in his
poems. He also predicted that the materialistic civilization of the West
is to lead them only towards destruction.
When he returned home, he started law practice in the Lahore High Court.
But he was more interested in poetry than law. Most of his time, he
devoted to poetry philosophy and religion. He aroused the Muslims
through the message of his poetry. In fact, he had great love and
sympathy for the Muslims of India. He wanted to help them. He wrote many
poems. He asked the Muslims of the whole world to unite.
Iqbal presided over the Allahabad Session of the All-India Muslim League
in 1930. Here, he gave us the idea of Pakistan. He said that the only
solution of the problems of the Indian Muslims was a separate Muslim
State. He preached that slavery was greatest curse. The Muslims should
break the chains of slavery. He pointed out the main causes of the
degradation and humiliation of the Muslims in his poems "Shikwa" and
"Jawab-e-Shikwa".
Allama Muhammad Iqbal was a great poet of Urdu and Persian. He was an
inspired and creative poet. He dreamt of a separate homeland for the
Muslims of the Sub-Continent. But he could not live long to see his
dream materialize in the shape of Pakistan in 1947. He died on the 21st
April, 1938. His death was a great loss for the Muslims. He was buried,
near the gate of Shahi Masjid. Lahore. Every year Iqbal Day is
celebrated to pay him homage. May his soul rest in peace.
He wrote many books such as Bangi-e-Dara, Bal-e-Jabreel, Zarb-e-Kalim, Israr-e-Khudi,
Ramuz-e-Bekhudi, Javaid Nama, etc.
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