Allama Iqbal
Our national poet Allama Iqbal is the creator of the idea of Pakistan.He is also called the poet of the East and the champion of the islamic thought.He was born in Sailkot on November 9, 1877.His father's name was Sheikh Noor Muhammad.He got his early education from a local school.
After doing his matric, Allama Iqbal joined Murrey college, Sailkot from where he passed his intermediate.Then he went to Government college, Lahore.He did his M.A. in philosophy.For the purpose of higher studies, he went abroad. From Germany, he did his Ph.D and came back home.
On his return, he started his practice as a lawyer in Lahore. Very soon, he felt bored and gave most of his time to poetry. He had a natural talent for poetry.So,he decided to make full use for the talent. His education of philosophy provided him a lot of food for thought.
Politically, the Indian Muslims were passing through the most terrible time of their history. They were leading a life of misery and hopelessness.His poetry gave them a new spirit. His poems awakened them for their laziness.
Allama Iqbal was wise enough to look into the future.He had already seen from the Hindus and the English had decided to crush the Muslims. He had a profound knownledge of Islam and other religions.He told the Muslims that they could save themselves only by following their religion. So, in his poetry, he warned the Muslims to beware their hidden enemies.
Allama Iqbal wrote in Urdu as well as in persian.Many collections of his poems have been published.Bagh-e-Dara, Bal-e-Jabril, payam-e-Mashriq and Javed Nama are some of them.
The young generation was the main source of hope for Iqbal. He firmly believed that only the young Muslims could change the fate of the nation. So he inspired the Muslim youth. His concept of 'Khudi' gave a new life to the nation. This concept set them to action.
Allama Iqbal presented before the nation the idea of a separate homeland for the Indian Muslims. This idea gave a definite direction to the struggle of the Muslims. Unfortunately, he died in 1938 and could not see his dream come true. On August 14, 1947, a separate homeland for the Muslims came into being. The dream of the poet of the East had come true.