KARACHI: Insisting that Allama Iqbal is a blessing [neamat] for the Muslims, an Iranian diplomat has cautioned that we may lose this gift of God if we do not follow the message [of unity] contained in his poetry, philosophy and practices.

Speaking at a conference held at the Iranian cultural centre on Friday, Dr Mohammad Raza Baqri, director general of the centre, said: “Iqbal is a blessing, not only for Pakistan, but for the whole of Islamic world [Millat-i-Islamia]. However, if we just remain stuck to reciting and enjoying his poetry and ignored the message he wants to convey through it, this blessing may be taken away from us.”

Speaking in Persian, he recited couplet after couplet to emphasise the importance of Muslim unity. A senior official of the centre, Najmuddin Musavi, summed up his longish speech in Urdu.

Aalia Imam, a renowned scholar and author of an important book on Iqbal, said that in circumstances when ignorance, hatred, bloodshed ruled the roost and intellect was measured with gold and silver, such an impressive conference on Iqbal being held at the Iranian cultural centre “proves that what Iqbal has said is true word for word”.

She argued that Iqbal’s sublime poetry was as relevant in the 21st century as it was in the 20th century. She said this century had already seen tumultuous changes and fast-paced technological advancement but what Iqbal the visionary had said almost a century ago was still fresh to guide the youth. She quoted from Iqbal‘s book The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam and said whatever the technological advancements might have been, basic human behaviours and values had remained static. Talking about upheavals, she said: “Revolution is not just about sloganeering. It is a philosophy. Iqbal was an unusual revolutionary. He told us to fight oppressors.”

Syed Anjum Rizvi, a media person and ardent admirer of the poet, made an emotional speech and recited Iqba’s verses with elan.

He said he had been reciting Iqbal’s certain poems at school functions and radio programmes since his boyhood but turned to it wholeheartedly after getting inspiration from Faiz Ahmed Faiz. “In 1978 we were sitting with Faiz sahib at the home of a relative of mine in London, a man said something irreverent about Iqbal. Faiz sahib stared at him, his face and ear turned red with rage, and said: ‘Mian, Iqbal ke barey main aisi baat kabhi mazaq main bhi nahin kehna [Never utter such a thing about Iqbal even in jest]. You don’t know how great Iqbal is’. Then Faiz sahib began to praise Iqbal’s poetry so much that I got impressed about Iqbal’s greatness, began reading his poetry earnestly and it continues to mesmerise me. “Every time I read his poetry, I discover fresher meanings and angles in it.” He particularly praised Iqbal’s poem Masjid-i-Qurtuba, which he said had no match at least in Urdu poetry.

Hamza Farooqui said Iqbal was such a visionary that many of his predictions came true in his lifetime. Quoting from Iqbal’s poetry and speeches, he said Iqbal had talked of ‘A clash of civilisation’ back in 1936. He said he had predicted another war of that scale after the First World War.

The speeches were interspersed with singing of Iqbal’s poetry, both Urdu and Persian.

Earlier, Asra Fatima, a student of Iqbaliyat and head of a youth organisation called Iqbal Ke Shaheen, narrated how she sought and got cooperation from the Iranian cultural centre officials to hold the event there.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2017