Muhammad Iqbal

Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal; born 9 November 1877 21 April 1938) was a Muslim poet and
philosopher born in Sialkot , Pakistan. He wrote poetry in Urdu and Persian languages. This
poetry is considered to be among the greatest of the modern era. His vision of an independent
state for the Muslims of British India was to inspire the creation of Pakistan. He is commonly
referred to as Allama Iqbal ( Allama lit. Great Scholar.)

Origins
Allama was born as Muhammad Iqbal, in Sialkot, Punjab, then British India, on 9th November
1877 (24th Zilhaj 1289 Hijri) in a Kashmiri Pandit family. His father was Sheikh Noor
Muhammad, who worked in a small government job but later started his own business. Both
Allama Iqbal's mother and father were very pious and religious-minded people and devoted to a
simple life. They had six children, two sons, Ata Muhammad and Muhammad Iqbal and four
daughters.
After early Islamic education and then secondary at a small school in Sialkot, Iqbal was admitted
to the Scottish Murray College, Sialkot, where he topped the higher secondary examinations and
got a scholarship to study at the famous Government College, Lahore, for BA. On going to live
in the hostel there, Iqbal met Professor Arnold, an English teacher who taught many things to
Iqbal and guided him properly in his studies of Philosophy and Literature.

Early career
At this time, Iqbal also became well known as a new poet and writer, he used to go to attend a
'Mushaira' at the haveli of Hakim Syed Amin uddin, in Bhaati Gate area of Old Lahore city
here, he met many famous poets and writers and also began to write good poems which became
very popular. He was guided by Mirza Dagh, Mirza Gurgani, Hakim Amin uddin, Hakim Shuja

uddin and Sir Abdul Qadir. His first famous poem, Koh i Himala was also printed in Makhzan
magazine, owned by Hakim Shuja uddin and Sir Abdul Qadir.
After doing his BA and MA from Government College, Lahore, Iqbal was appointed a professor
at this same institution and after some time, in 1905, he was selected for higher studies in
England and Europe. He went and studied in Cambridge University and then also law at London
University, and then he went to Munich, Germany, where he took a PhD degree. After all his
study, Iqbal decided to go back and teach and also practice law in India.

Later career, poetic and ideological work

Although faced by many difficulties, Iqbal followed this plan. He taught some senior classes at
Government College and also practiced Law at Lahore High Court. At the same time, he wrote
many famous poems such as Asrar i Khudi, Ramuz i Bekhudi, Payam i Mashriq, Zabur i Ajam,
Bang i Dara, Bal i Jibrail, Zarb i Kalim and etc. Because of his learning and knowledge, people
soon began to call him 'Allama' Iqbal and in 1922, King George V of Britain, made him a knight,
giving him the title of Allama 'Sir' Muhammad Iqbal.

Ideological work
Allama Iqbal was a poet and a philosopher, he was always concerned about the thoughts and
ideas and condition of Muslims everywhere, but specially Indian Muslims who were under
British Rule and also threatened by Hindu majority population. Iqbal believed strongly in Sir
Syed Ahmed Khan's earlier idea about 'Two Nation theory' that Muslims and Hindus were two
separate nations and should be allowed to live separately. He put forward this idea again in his
famous Allahabad Address of Muslim League, in 1930,[2] and also preached this in his poems and
lectures. Allama's words and ideas inspired many Muslims, some of whom became leaders of the
Muslim League, and struggled to obtain Pakistan later on. He was very popular amongst the
Muslim masses too.

Death
Allama Iqbal died in Lahore, on 21st April 1938, and is buried near the Badshahi Mosque in
Lahore. His message and ideas lived on after him, amongst Muslims and under the leadership of
Quaid i Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Muslims of India were able in August 1947 to finally
get a separate homeland, Pakistan