Daily Times

Sir: The 21st April is the death anniversary of Allama IQbal, our national poet. The first Iqbal Day was observed on January 9, 1938. Since then Iqbal Day had been celebrated on different dates. In 1940, the Iqbal Day was observed on March 25, one day after the All-India Muslim League adopted the Pakistan Resolution. The function was presided over by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the father of the nation. Similarly, Iqbal day was celebrated on different dates of the year. It is, indeed, a day of meditation, reflection and rededication to the principles, ideals and values preached by Iqbal. Rededication implies fresh resolution to practise his teachings in everyday life and this must be our aim in life, to act as a true disciple of Iqbal by following his guidelines for spending life.

Iqbal Day was observed in March 1944 and Quaid e Azam’s message was delivered on that occasion which is still relevant and holds great significance today.

Iqbal was not merely a preacher and a philosopher. He stood for courage and action, perseverance and self-reliance, and above all faith in God and devotion to Islam. Although a great poet and philosopher, he was no less a great politician. With his firm conviction and faith in the ideals of Islam, he was one of the few who originally thought over the feasibility of carving out of India such an Islamic state in the North-West and North-East Zones which are historical homelands of Muslims.”

IFTIKHAR MIRZA

Islamabad