Iqbal is known for his immense success and accomplishments. Born in Sialkot in 1877, he had a keen interest in languages namely Urdu, Arabic, and Persian. In college, he took philosophy and even taught it for a few years.
Apart from this, he had a degree in metaphysics, Barat law, and an arts degree. He even worked as a barrister in an inn. Eventually, he got his Ph.D. from Europe in 1905.
He has written Tarana e Hind “Sare Jahan Se Accha ” which is still played widely in India as a patriotic song speaking of communal harmony. “Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua” which he wrote in 1902 for children.
His poetry career came in later years where he espoused the theory of self-realization. His poems depicted the spiritual beliefs and theological concepts of Islam and he gained an immediate rise to popularity. Soon, he became a renowned poet.
He was a strong political voice and took part in all conferences like round table ones in England. He was also awarded knighthood in the year 1922 by then British sovereign King George V, for his craft and skill. He rallied for raising the levels of education in Indian Muslims and called for the social transformation of the beleaguered minorities.
His poems and worked sparked a renaissance among the Muslims to learn about their faith. Among his literary works are Koh i Himala (first poem), Armaghan-e-Hijaz, jawab-e-shikwa, Bal-e-Jibrael etc.
He was invited to hold lectures at prestigious institutions like Aligarh and Bombay. His lectures would eventually be penned as a book titled, “The reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam”.
He died in 1938 and was buried in Lahore.
