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ISLAMABAD, Nov 14 (APP):Nazriya Pakistan Council has hosted a special ceremony in connection with Iqbal Day.
The theme of the event was “The Relevance of Iqbal’s Thought in the Contemporary World.” The ceremony took place at the Aiwan-e-Quaid of the Nazriya Pakistan Council, said a press release issued here on Friday.
Presiding over the ceremony, Senator Walid Iqbal said that Allama Muhammad Iqbal was fundamentally a teacher, and teaching was his earliest means of livelihood as he served at Government College Lahore.
He added that widespread misconceptions prevail among the public regarding Iqbal’s poetry. “Much of the poetry sung in ecstatic musical gatherings and attributed to Iqbal was never written by him,” he said, quoting noted scholar Dr. Abdul Waheed Rana.
Senator Walid Iqbal emphasized the need to make the younger generation aware of the true standard and essence of Iqbal’s poetry. He shared that Iqbal was a philosopher and thinker who, through his poetry, highlighted modern thought and philosophy for future generations.
Addressing teachers and students, he added that Iqbal was a multifaceted personality whose various dimensions can be understood by reflecting deeply on his verses. He stressed that today’s youth must be acquainted with the true spirit of Iqbal’s message.
Speaking as the chief guest, renowned fiction writer and legal expert Muhammad Hafeez Khan said that he truly understood the spirit of Iqbal’s poetry only after studying The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam and Dr. Javed Iqbal’s books “Apna Gareban Chaak” and “Zinda Rood”. “One cannot understand Iqbal without reading these three works,” he remarked.
He also said that curriculum designers have selectively included those aspects of Iqbal’s personality that portray him as conservative, whereas in reality, Iqbal was a progressive thinker.
Nazriya Pakistan Council Chairman Mian Muhammad Javaid said that Iqbal was gifted by Allah for the renaissance of the Islamic world. Referring to the historical background of the Pakistan Movement, he said the establishment of Pakistan stood as the finest example of Iqbal’s thought bearing fruit.
“Today, 240 million Pakistanis live freely in a sovereign homeland, and 130 million Bangladeshi Muslims reside in their independent country. In this context, we have reaped part of the benefits of Iqbal’s teachings,” he noted.
NPC’s Chairperson of the Taleem Network Pakistan and former Senator Razina Alam Khan stated that most of Iqbal’s poetry is directed towards the youth. “There is a need to convey his message to today’s generation in simple language so they may move confidently towards a bright future,” she said.
Renowned fiction writer Dr. Abdul Waheed Rana said that Iqbal, in terms of thought and craft, was a progressive poet who challenged outdated systems and ideas. He asserted that Iqbal was a progressive voice who used religious metaphors simply to communicate with the public—just as Ghalib and other great poets did.
Prof. Dr. Sabeen Younas said that a deeper study of Iqbal’s poetry reveals a profound understanding of the Holy Qur’an and divine commandments. She added that the relevance of Iqbal’s thought has increased manifold in contemporary times.
Earlier, renowned broadcaster, poet, and fiction writer Farkhanda Shameem presented a poetic tribute to Allama Iqbal. Upon Senator Waleed Iqbal’s arrival, NPC Senior Vice Chairman Faisal Zahid Malik, Director Admin & Finance Sultan Hameed Malik, and Director Programs Hameed Qaiser briefed him and also showed him the Iqbal Gallery—decorated with Iqbal’s selected verses and sketches by the late writer and artist Aslam Kamal.
At the conclusion, the chairman and other distinguished guests presented Senator Waleed Iqbal with two books featuring Aslam Kamal’s calligraphy and sketches. A prayer was also offered for the departed soul of the late senator and distinguished intellectual Irfan Siddiqui.