Professor Zaid Gul Khattak stated that the poetry of Allama Muhammad Iqbal embodies the essence of the Quran and Sunnah, noting a necessity to put Iqbal's teachings into practice. Khattak shared these views while presiding over an Iqbal Day ceremony at Aiwan-e-Quaid in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The event, organized by the Nazriya Pakistan Council Trust under the theme “A Greater Pakistan in the Light of Iqbal’s Thought,” featured various speakers highlighting Iqbal's influence. Khattak remarked it was astonishing that individuals who had not attentively read a single poem of Iqbal were claiming on social media that the poet never presented the concept of Pakistan. He stated that Iqbal aimed to create a political and social entity where the values of the Uswa-e-Hasana, or the exemplary life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, could flourish to help the Muslim Ummah recognize its true purpose.
Chief guest Dr Shoaib Suddle observed that society has drifted in different directions and expressed hope that current challenges would be overcome by returning to the path Iqbal highlighted. Suddle emphasized that people must embrace the true spirit of Iqbal's teachings. He also voiced concern regarding ongoing atrocities in Gaza and Palestine, urging people to play their role in raising their voices against the suffering of the Palestinian people.
Mian Muhammad Javed, Chairman of the Nazriya Pakistan Council Trust, described Iqbal as an enlightened thinker who deeply admired light and enlightenment. Javed added that Iqbal spoke for all humanity and his message was universal.
Attending from Gaza, Palestinian scholar Sheikh Dr Mufti Mahmoud Yousuf Al-Shobaki stated that Iqbal was not just a thinker of Pakistan but a thinker for the entire Muslim Ummah who presented the concept of Muslim unity and a shared identity. Al-Shobaki described Iqbal as a true Muslim and a man of exceptional intellectual stature who raised the issue of Palestine at an early stage, urging the Muslim Ummah to stand with the Palestinian people.
Other guests provided specific insights into Iqbal's work and legacy. Dr Abdul Ghafoor Abid suggested that those wishing to understand Iqbal's philosophy should study three specific books: Iqbal and the Reconstruction of Religious Thought in English, Pas Cheh Bayad Kard in Persian, and Hayat-e-Iqbal. Muhammad Idrees Azad quoted Iqbal’s message that a nation cannot change its circumstances unless it first resolves to change itself, noting this aligns with Quranic teachings.
Syed Zaheer Gilani, Chairman of the Iqbal Studies Forum, said Iqbal was rightly known as the Poet of the East because his poetry gave a new intellectual direction to the Muslims of the subcontinent and awakened the entire East. Waheed Rumi, CEO of ILO, stated the nation must revisit the missions of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal to transform Pakistan into a great state. Host Hameed Qaiser concluded that Iqbal was an extraordinary personality whose vision influenced the entire world.
