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140th birthday celebration of poet philosopher Dr. Muhammad Iqbal in Vancouver
11-15-2017
On November 11th, the Honourable, Consulate General of Pakistan Dr. Muhammad Tariq, and Vice Counsel, Mr. Fahad Ahmad celebrated the legacy of the Dr. Mohammed Iqbal, better known as Allama Iqbal.
The world knows him as a poet of the east, a philosopher,a scholar of Islam, a thinker, a politician. For the people of Pakistan he is the spiritual father of Pakistan. The far-sighted politician who envisioned the plight the Muslims in sub-continent Asia will face as minority, under the Hindu majority government after the departure of British.
Although Dr. Iqbal died in 1938. It was the culmination of his lifetime efforts, on educating, and enlightening, the Muslims of the sub-continent through his poetry that had awakened them of their glorious past resulted in passing If the Pakistan Resolution at the All India Muslim League Convention on March 23, 1940, outlining the importance of a separate nation for the Muslims of India.
Hindsight is 20/20. Reflecting back at the historic events that led to the creation of Pakistan, one could see that Dr. Iqbal had devoted his entire life in securing and independent Muslim nation for the Muslims of India.
One article in few hundred words can never to justice to describe Dr. Iqbal’s legacy. His legacy Is his work which is just as relevant today for the the entire Muslim Ummah as it was in last century.
We commend the Honourable Consulate General of Pakistan and his team for celebrating Dr. Iqbal’s legacy on his 140th birthday with all the pomp and pageantry it deserves.
The event was held Surrey City Hall with a lineup of scholars and educators reflecting on the life and achievements of Dr. Iqbal.
Vice Counsel, Mr. Amjad welcomes the keynote speakers, Dr. Raminder Kang, Prof. Anne Murphy, UBC, Dr. Darryl McLean, SFU, and Dr. Syed Taqi Hasan Abidi.
Dr. Kang highlighted the role of Dr. Iqbal’s work and his efforts inspire and educate the humankind to unite, respect, and celebrate our differences through his work. Encouraging to free oneself from the slavery and abandon the racial and religious division.
Prof. Murphy shone the light on the importance of Dr. Iqbal’s work and how nearly after eighty years since his passing Dr. Iqbal continues to inspire modern day western scholars to study him and his work. Prof. Murphy listed number of scholarly research done on Dr. Iqbal by western scholars.
Dr. McLean shared his understanding of Dr. Iqbal’s work and the use of Arabic language and concepts taken from the Quran to inspire a nation, awakening their collective conscious, through self awareness.
Dr. Abidi, considered a scholar and an expert on Dr. Iqbal. He has authored of more than sixty books on Dr. Iqbal. Dr. Abidi gave a moving speech, highlighting the importance of Dr. Iqbal’s work, his life, his contribution to the Muslim Ummah from Far-East to far-West and how his work is still relevant today as it was nearly century ago, if the Muslims want to come out of their slumber, and hoping to unshackle themselves from the chains of slavery.
Hon. Dr. Tariq thanked the guests and the speakers for commerating the life of Dr. Iqbal.
The event was followed by a dinner and classical music program.
We commend the Honourable Consulate General and his team for organizing such an event to honour one of the greatest Muslim Scholar and a Leader whose lifetime of efforts led to one of the largest and strongest Muslim nation in the world.
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