Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — “I assure the Pakistani community of every form of support in solving its daily problems. I am all praise for Aalami Urdu Markaz’s efforts in the promotion of Urdu language and literature and reviving Iqbal’s thought among the people. In this shining gathering of intellectuals and literary figures, my opinion of Iqbal’s poetry and philosophy is just like showing light to the sun,” said Javed Rafiq, minister at Pakistani Consulate, Jeddah.

“Iqbal was a practical thinker whose concept of philosophy is for real life of society. His objective was to use his medium of poetry to convey his thoughts like the British Industrial Revolution novelists who highlighted the problems of the masses. Iqbal was more successful as a poet in highlighting the problems of the Muslims of not only the Indian subcontinent but the whole Ummah. It should be remembered that there is no replacement of Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah,” said Rafiq while chairing a literary gathering of Majlis-e-Iqbal, a subsidiary of Aalami Urdu Markaz, Jeddah.

Chief guest of the evening was Aneeq Ahmed, who made a comparison between thoughts of famous Muslim reformist Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Allama Iqbal. He lauded Farooque Moonis’ article about Iqbal as a thesis. He thanked Aalami Urdu Markaz and Majlis-e-Iqbal officials for holding this event and inviting him.

“Sir Syed teaches of slavery. He was overwhelmed and bedazzled by the influence of British Empire and imitated their culture. Iqbal’s rebuttal and refutation of the Western thoughts led the Muslims and other communities of the Indian Subcontinent to independence. Iqbal was not a man of diction but a thinker of depth who refused blind nationalism that hurts the spirituality and the universality of religion,” he added.

Moonis constantly stressed upon the fact that Allama Iqbal derived his divine inspiration from the Holy Qur’an. The love, faith, courage and the patriotic zeal reflected in his poetry was the subject of discussion. “Iqbal’s contemporary scholars had acknowledged that his only source of inspiration was the Holy Qur’an. Iqbal believed that by straying from the path of Qur’an, humanity fell from grace. Iqbal wasn’t a traditional poet but a man of marvelous genius who believed in the perfection and divine guidance of Holy Qur’an with his whole heart. Iqbal, with his spiritual strength opened new doors of research in the realm of thought,” said Moonis in his lead article titled as ‘Iqbal and the Holy Qu’ran’

The program began with the recitation of a few verses of the Holy Qur’an by Eng. Qari Muhammad Asif. Iqbal’s Naat was presented by Ahmed Zubair in his melodious voice. Muhammad Usman and Zamurrad Saifi offered poetic tribute to Allama Iqbal. Hamid Islam Khan was the master of the event. Shafique S. Nagri, Afsar Barabankawi and Muhammad Mujahid Syed presented their poetic pieces.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Amir Khurshid, chairman of Majlis-e-Iqbal. He expressed his gratitude to Aneeq Ahmed and Javed Rafiq for their gracious presence. The concluding remarks were made by Athar Abbasi who lavishly praised Ahmed and Rafiq, minister at the Pakistani Consulate Jeddah, for their support and he appealed to the Pakistani Consulate for the revival of annual Mushaira, which had become a popular feature of Aalami Urdu Markaz and Pak Consulate.

Abbasi recalled Ahmed’s old association with Aalami Urdu Markaz since the days of chairmanship of famous Pakistani Urdu poet Munawwar Hashmi. Majis-e-Iqbal’s 24th session and the reception dinner was organized on Friday at Mehran Restaurant and was attended by a large number of poets, intellectuals and Urdu lovers of Indo-Pak community.