“Nations are born in the hearts of poets; they prosper and die in the hands of politicians.” — Allama Iqbal
LAHORE, 21 April 1938 – The city was draped in silence as the news spread: Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the man whose verses had ignited the imagination of millions, had passed away. His funeral procession stretched for miles, a sea of mourners reciting his poetry as if it were scripture. Among them stood young students, elderly scholars, and laborers—united in grief for the man who had given them a dream: the dream of freedom, identity, and revival.
Eighty-six years later, on 21 April 2024, Pakistan and the Muslim world commemorate Iqbal Day, not just as a date of mourning, but as a celebration of a legacy that reshaped history.
The Man Who Dreamed Pakistan
Iqbal was more than a poet; he was a visionary philosopher, a Sufi thinker, and the spiritual architect of Pakistan. Born in Sialkot in 1877, he studied in Lahore, Cambridge, and Munich, blending Eastern spirituality with Western philosophy. His famous Allahabad Address (1930) laid the intellectual foundation for a separate Muslim state in India—a vision that would later materialize as Pakistan.
But Iqbal’s message was universal. His poetry, especially “لب پہ آتی ہے دعا بن کے تمنا میری” (a prayer sung by schoolchildren even today) and “The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam”, called for a renaissance of Muslim civilization. He challenged colonialism, materialism, and intellectual stagnation, urging Muslims to reclaim their heritage.
Iqbal: The Spiritual Architect of Pakistan
When we speak of Pakistan’s creation, the name of Allama Muhammad Iqbal rises not merely as a contributor—but as the very heartbeat of the idea. Though he did not live to see 14 August 1947, Iqbal laid the ideological foundation of the country long before political movements gained traction.
In his historic Allahabad Address, Iqbal declared:
“Self-government within the British Empire or without the British Empire, the formation of a consolidated North-West Indian Muslim State appears to me to be the final destiny of the Muslims…”
These were not just political words—they were a revolutionary declaration of Muslim identity, rooted in history, philosophy, and faith.
While Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah provided leadership and legal brilliance, it was Iqbal who breathed life into the vision. Their correspondence in the 1930s shows how Iqbal persistently urged Jinnah to return to politics and lead the Muslims of India. Without Iqbal’s philosophical guidance, the Pakistan Movement might have lacked its soul.
“You are the only Muslim in India to whom the community has the right to look up for safe guidance through the storm which is coming…” — Iqbal to Jinnah, 1937
Iqbal’s Pakistan was more than land—it was a dream of dignity, justice, and self-realization. He imagined a society where Muslims could live freely, think boldly, and contribute meaningfully to the modern world.
The Poet of the East
Iqbal’s verses were a revolution in ink. Whether in Urdu (“Bang-e-Dra”) or Persian (“Asrar-e-Khudi”), his poetry awakened the masses. His iconic couplet:
خودی کو کر بلند اتنا کہ ہر تقدیر سے پہلے
خدا بندے سے خود پوچھے بتا تیری رضا کیا ہے
(“Elevate yourself so high that before decreeing your fate,
God Himself asks, ‘Tell me, what is your wish?'”)
became an anthem for self-empowerment and divine consciousness.
In “Shikwa” and “Jawab-e-Shikwa”, he boldly voiced the frustrations and faith of the Muslim Ummah. His love for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) shone through every word, every metaphor, and every prayer.
Iqbal’s Global Legacy
In Iran, he is revered as Iqbal-e-Lahori, a master of Persian verse.
In Turkey, his works influenced the intellectual circles surrounding Atatürk.
In the West, his academic works introduced Islamic thought to European philosophy.
Yet, his greatest impact was on the soul of Pakistan, and on Quaid-e-Azam, who transformed Iqbal’s dream into a political reality.
Also See: Iqbal’s Vision of Pakistan and Afghanistan
Why We Remember Him Today
Iqbal’s death anniversary is not just about tributes—it’s a call to action. In an era of disillusionment, his message of unity (Ummah), selfhood (Khudi), and resistance to tyranny is more urgent than ever.
For Students: His vision of education as enlightenment lives on in scholarships and literary circles.
For Leaders: His warnings against moral decay and material obsession are still relevant.
For the Muslim World: His dream of a reawakened Islamic civilization still inspires revolutions of the mind.
He was buried beside Lahore’s Badshahi Mosque, where his tomb stands not as a relic—but as a symbol of awakening, visited by thinkers, dreamers, and freedom-seekers.
