Allama Iqbal

Short Biography

Iqbal was born in the Punjab on Nov 9, 1877.his ancestors, who were Kashmir Brahmins, had embraced Islam two hundered years earlier.Iqbal`s own father was a devout muslim with sufistic bent of mind.He recieved his early education in Sialkot.after passing the entrance examination, he joined Intermediary College.Mir Hassan, a great Oriental Scholar, had a special aptitude for imparting his own literary taste and to his studies.under his influence Iqbal was drawn towards Islamic studies, which he regarded to be an outstanding favour that he could not forget it all his life.Passing on to the Government College Of Lahore, Iqbal did his graduation with english literature, philosphy and arabic as his subjects.at the college he met Prof.Arnold and Sir Abdul Qadir.Iqbal`s poem, Chand (moon) and other early poems appeared in the journal ( which belongs to Sir Abdul Qadir ) in 1901 and were acclaimed by critics as cutting a new path in urdu poetry.It did not take him long to win recognition as a rising star on the firmament of urdu literature.In the mean time he had done his MA in philosphy and was appointed as a lecturer in history, philosphy and political science at Oriental College, Lahore.he then moved to Government College to teach philosphy and english literature.Wherever Iqbal worked or thought his versatility and scholarship made a deep impression on those around him.Iqbal proceeded to Europe for higher studies in 1905 and stayed there for three years.he took the Honors Degree in philosphy and taught arabic at the Cambridge University in the absence of Prof.Arnold.from England, he went to Germany to do his doctrate in philosphy from Munich and then returned to London to qualify for the bar.he also served as a teacher in the London school of Commerce and passed the Honors examination in Economics and political science.during his stay in Europe Iqbal not only read voraciously but also wrote and lectured on Islamic subjects which added to his popularity and fame in literary circles.Iqbal returned to India in 1908.the poet had won all these academic laurels by the time he was 32 or 33.he practised as a lawyer from 1908 to 1934, when ill health compelled him to give up his practise.infact, his heart was not in it and he devoted more time to philosphy and literature than to legal profession.He attened the meetings of Anjuman Himayat-I-Islam regularly at Lahore.the epoch making poems, Shikwa and Jawab-E-Shikwa, which he read out in the annual convention of it one year after another, sparkled with the glow of his genius and made him immensely popular.they became the national songs of Millet.Iqbal`s other poem Tarana-E-Hind ( The Indian Anthem ) and Tarana-E-Milli ( The Muslim Anthem ) also became very popular among masses and used to be sung as symbols of national or muslim identity at public meetings.The balkan wars and the battle of Tripoli, in 1910, shook Iqbal powerfully and inflicted a deep wound upon his heart.in his mood of anger and frustration he wrote a number of stirring poems, which together with portraying the anguish of muslims were severely critical of the west.The spirit of change is evident in poems like Bilade-E-Islamia ( The Lands Of Islam ).Wataniat ( Nationalism ), Muslims, Fatima Bint Abdullah ( who was killed in the siege of cyrainca, Siddiq, Bilal, Tahzib-E-Hazir ( Modern Civilization )and Huzoor-E-Risalat Maab Mein ( In The Presence Of Sacred Prophet ).