Speakers of the seminar, titled “Iqbal and Tasawer-e-Tarekh called for re-interpretation of Allama Iqbal’s thoughts and emphasized over the need to create understanding about the core message of the Poet of East. Organized by Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Department of Urdu, the seminar described different features and aspects of Pakistani society in the light of Iqbal’s philosophy.
Addressing the ceremony, Executive Director, National Language Promotion Department (NLPD) Dr. Rashid Hameed said that Iqbal was a universal poet and philosopher who used both Urdu and Persian poetry as a means of his poetical expression.
He said that beside a great poet and philosopher, Allama Iqbal was also a universal reformer and historian who used poetry as medium to deliver his manifold message to uplift Muslim Ummah. He urged for the revival of Iqbal’s message of Ijtihad (reasoning) and need to create awareness among youth about the diverse massage of Iqbal for the rebuilding of the Muslims’ ummah.
He said that Iqbal’s poetry is not only a literary asset for us but our religious and civilizational history will remain incomplete without Iqbal. He was a saint who was assigned the task to alter the lives of Muslims through his poetry, he added.
Rashid Hameed observed that Iqbal was a great historian, philosopher, geo-political analyst, and a visionary person who forecast the future of Muslims in the Sub-continent and give the idea of separate homeland for them.
He said that there were only few Urdu poets who had been associated with history. Iqbal was the only example who transcend the popular patterns of poetry and introduce new thoughts in literature. Iqbal was of poet of humanity and he not only think about the people of the Sub-continent but also for the whole Muslim Ummah. History remains the most prominent element in Iqbal’s poetry, he said.
Eminent scholar, researcher and expert of Iqbal studies, Dr. Aun Sajid Naqvi at the outset shed light on Iqbal’s thoughts and shared his views on Iqbal’s work, message and application of his ideas in the society. He called for creating awareness about the massage of Iqbal and opined that revival of the Muslims’ glories was possible by following Iqbal’s philosophy of independent reasoning and utilization of youth for unity in the ranks of Muslim World.
Dr. Aun explained Iqbal’s poetry, message, thoughts and his understanding about the west and gave recommendations to join hands for the unity of Muslims in the light of the works of Iqbal.
Dr. Fahmida Tabassum, Head of the Urdu Department, in her concluding remarks termed Iqbal as the most prominent poet of the Eastern poetic tradition and gave recommendations for spreading the massage of Iqbal for the unity of Muslims.
She said that Iqbal’s message has a very strong connection with the teachings of Quran and his thoughts reflects how Iqbal took guidance from the Holy book.
Iqbal gave new and unique meaning to the words and only a great poet like Iqbal can uphold the mission to sensitize the whole nation with his particular words and thoughts.