Iqbal Day 2021 Ceremony at Aiwan e Sadr Islamabad held at 9th November 2021

On the eve of Iqbal day, Iqbal Academy Pakistan organized Presidential Iqbal Award Ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr Islamabad.

President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi conferred Presidential Iqbal Awards on Dr. Aslam Ansari, Dr. Syed Abdullah, Dr. Tehseen Firaqi, Zafar Iqbal Raja, Khalid Almas, Ejaz-ul-Haq Ejaz and Khurram Ali Shafiq for writing the best books on Allama Iqbal. Addressing the ceremony, President said that Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the poet of the East, along with Quaid-e-Azam, presented the idea of ??a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent and taught the youth self-confidence. Establishment of Pakistan is the result of his vision and philosophy. Pakistan will fulfill Allama Iqbal's philosophy and vision, Iqbal's vision is necessary for leadership, the nations that have acquired knowledge have developed, Iqbal's thinking still has a profound effect today This concept became the basis of Pakistan, Iqbal played an important role in reviving the Muslims of the subcontinent. Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, National Heritage abd Culture Shafqat Mahmood and Senator Waleed Iqbal also addressed the function. Federal Parliamentary Secretary Ghazala Saifi was also present on the occasion. The host of the ceremony, Director Iqbal Academy Pakistan, Prof. Dr. Baseera Ambreen delivered the welcome address. Mukhtar Paras Shah officiated while Dr Qari Ikram-ul-Haq recited the Holy Quran.

President Dr Arif Alvi said Pakistani nation would make strides in every walk of life and achieve progress by following the vision and philosophy of poet philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal. He said people of Pakistan could make progress and become at par with other nations by seeking knowledge and innovation and by moving ahead with vision and hope. He said, “We are celebrating the birth anniversary of Allama Iqbal who was our national poet, philosopher, visionary, lawyer and as a person with knowledge of science.” The president said Allama Iqbal gave Muslims the two-nation theory and stressed on renaissance of Islam. Iqbal found Allah through creations in the universe, stars, atoms, Islam and philosophers like Rumi and pursued a path of discovery of the self, he observed. He said the great poet propounded his viewpoint about revival of Islam through his book “The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam.”

 

In different phases of his life, the poet pursued different strains of thought as at one stage he praised Hindustan through his poetry and at a later stage he along with Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah went through a change of thought and emphasized on identity of Muslims in India and stopped supporting a united India, he explained. The President said both were of the view that Muslims and Hindus were two different nations because their culture, religion, languages and festivals were different and they could not live together in a unified country. The two-nation theory gave to the Muslims vision of a separate identity and reiterated the past glory of Islam, he added.

He said Allama Iqbal in his poetry talked to the Muslim Ummah and his thinking and beliefs shook the Muslims in India. “The thought of Iqbal deeply affected minds of the people.” He said it was imperative that the Muslim Ummah should learn from the farsightedness of the visionary poet. “Bricks and mortar do not make a nation but it is made by knowledge, wisdom and intelligence as happened in the case of Germany and Japan,” he opined. Minister for Federal Education, Professional Training, National Heritage and Culture Shafqat Mehmood appreciated Iqbal Academy for holding the awards and increasing its activities regarding the poetry and philosophy of Allama Iqbal. He said Iqbal raised the consciousness of Muslim youth and made them aware that with confidence they could move forward in life and achieve success in its every aspect. The idea of Iqbal that Muslims were a separate identity led to the creation of Pakistan, he added. Senator Waleed Iqbal talked about the message espoused in the poetry of Iqbal. He said Iqbal chose eagle as a symbol to explain his theory of self and the value of dignity and freedom. Earlier the President gave away Presidential Iqbal Awards to Dr Khalid Almas, Dr Aslam Ansari, Dr Syed Abdullah, Zafar Ali Raja, Dr Muhammad Ejazul Haq, Dr Tehseen Firaqi and Khurram Ali Shafiq for their books on different aspects of life and poetic work of Allama Iqbal.

Director Iqbal Academy Pakistan while addressing the audience, said that the distribution of awards had been stalled for the last 10 years. She said that the study of Iqbal is being given importance at the government level and there is a dire need to disseminate Iqbal's vision at national and international level. She thanked the President Dr. Arif Alvi for attending the ceremony. Dr. Syed Abdullah's (late) award was received by his daughter Dr. Atiya Syed.