ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari, in his message marking the death anniversary of Allama Muhammad Iqbal on April 21, urged the people of Pakistan to embrace the thoughts, philosophy, and teachings of the Poet of the East in both their personal and national lives to build a just, inclusive, and progressive country.
“Today, we are observing the death anniversary of Poet of the East and Thinker of Pakistan Allama Muhammad Iqbal,” the President stated, adding that the nation must pay tribute to Iqbal’s immense intellectual and political contributions. “The thoughts, philosophy, and poetry of Allama Iqbal are a beacon of light for us, and we need to follow his message in our individual capacity and collective national direction.”
He praised Allama Iqbal not just as a poet, but as a visionary thinker and reformer who deeply felt the agony of the decline of the Muslim Ummah and used his literary and philosophical expressions to awaken and guide the Muslim world.
President Zardari emphasized that Iqbal’s poetry addressed critical concepts such as selfhood, divine love, reformation, intellectual freedom, and the revival of the Islamic world. “According to Iqbal, the salvation of the Muslim Ummah not only lay in political freedom but was also attainable through intellectual and spiritual awakening,” he remarked.
He highlighted Iqbal’s advocacy for knowledge, wisdom, and self-confidence, alongside his call for adherence to the principles of true religion. “His poetry and ideas are a call to action,” Zardari said. “They challenge us to reform ourselves and uplift our society.”
President Zardari also recalled Allama Iqbal’s influential political role, particularly his active leadership in the All India Muslim League and his historic Allahabad address in 1930, where he presented the concept of a separate homeland for Muslims of the Indian sub-continent. “His political thought reflects the idea of a distinct Muslim identity and laid the foundation for the creation of Pakistan,” the President noted.
Reflecting on Pakistan’s present challenges, President Zardari called for Iqbal’s teachings to be adopted as guiding principles. “Today we are faced with numerous social, economic, and intellectual challenges, so we should adopt the teachings of Iqbal as a beacon of light,” he stressed.
He concluded his message by urging the nation to work toward a Pakistan where all citizens have equal opportunities for justice and progress. “Let us pledge that we will follow the teachings and thoughts of Allama Iqbal and will make Pakistan a country where all citizens have equal opportunities of social and economic justice and progress,” he said. “May Allah Almighty give us the wisdom and strength to understand and put into practice the message of Iqbal. Ameen.”
