Sir Muhammad Iqbal

Muhammad Iqbal was born on November 9, 1877, in Sialkot, Pakistan, which is now part of Punjab. He was an Islamic philosopher, author, and politician. He was popularly known as the "Poet of the East."Iqbal was born into a strong Kashmiri household where Punjabi was the primary tongue. Iqbal, on the other hand, was proud of his Kashmiri heritage. His father, Sheikh Noor Muhammad, founded his own business after working in a low-level government position. His mother was a modest woman named Imam Bibi. Both Sheikh and Imam Bibi were deeply spiritual individuals. They were well-liked in society and enacted as role models for him as a child. He began his Quranic study at the age of four and was taught Arabic by Syed Mir Hassan, a professor at Scotch Mission College.

Iqbal continued his study at Government College Lahore, where he earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in philosophy and Arabic, excelling in both fields. In 1905, Iqbal traveled to England for additional study, inspired by his philosophy teacher, Sir Thomas Arnold. He graduated with honors from Trinity College, University of Cambridge. Then he achieved a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Munich in 1908. He was influenced by Western thinkers like Nietzsche and Bergson and Rumi's works during his time in Europe. The educational exposure significantly influenced his upbringing. Muhammad Iqbal became a prolific writer, principally in Persian and Urdu, Punjabi, and English. His poetry emphasized the concept of "Khudi," or self-realization, as well as Islamic spiritual principles, advocating for the oneness of the Muslim community, or Ummah. As a poet, Iqbal made major contributions to both literature and politics throughout his life.

His Persian works included "Asrar-i-Khudi" and "Bal-i-Jibreel," while his Urdu works included "Tarana-e-Milli" and "Bang-e-Dra." "The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam" and "The Secrets of the Self," were his English works. Iqbal was strongly engaged with the All-India Muslim League in his political endeavors. He allied with leaders Mohammad Ali Jouhar and Muhammad Ali Jinnah to advocate Muslim political rights. Iqbal was instrumental in getting Jinnah to return to India and lead the Muslim League. He advocated for a separate Muslim state and emphasized the importance of Muslim unity. Following his demise on April 21st, 1938, Muhammad Iqbal was acknowledged as Pakistan's ideological creator. His legacy is still cherished and honored throughout Pakistan and India. He is officially recognized as Pakistan's national poet, and his works profoundly impacted the cultural and intellectual climate of the Muslim world and beyond.