32nd Iqbal Day Celebrated in Kuwait; Pakistani Poet and Philosopher Honoured

*Efforts Underway to Establish Iqbal Chair at Kuwait University; Ambassador Dr. Zafar Iqbal Proposes Rana Ejaz Hussain Sohail as Its First Chairman; Awards Presented to High-Achieving Pakistani Students*

*KUWAIT:* Report Mohammad Omar: The Kuwait Pakistan Friendship Association organised its 32nd annual Iqbal Day seminar at the Embassy of Pakistan in Kuwait to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the Poet of the East and the philosopher who inspired the Pakistan Movement.

The event was attended by prominent members of the Pakistani community, academics, literary figures, students and representatives from various walks of life. Speakers paid rich tribute to Allama Iqbal, highlighting his philosophy, poetry and contribution to the intellectual and political awakening of Muslims in the subcontinent. They also stressed the importance of introducing younger generations to his ideas and teachings.

The seminar was presided over by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Dr. Zafar Iqbal.

In his opening remarks, Community Welfare Attaché at the Embassy of Pakistan, Hamza Tauqeer, explained the objectives of the event and paid tribute to Allama Iqbal. He also appreciated the efforts of Kuwait Pakistan Friendship Association President, Rana Ejaz Hussain Sohail Advocate, for organising Iqbal Day celebrations in Kuwait continuously for the past 32 years.

The proceedings began with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Hafiz Qasim. Muhammad Faisal Naqshbandi recited Iqbal’s famous verse, “Khudi Ka Sirr-e-Nihan La Ilaha Illallah”, while Tariq Iqbal presented another renowned couplet:

“Dayar-e-Ishq Mein Apna Maqam Paida Kar, Khudi Na Bech, Faqiri Mein Naam Paida Kar.”

Both performances received warm appreciation from the audience.

A video message from Dr. Abdul Rauf Rafiqui, Director of Iqbal Academy Pakistan, was also screened. He commended Ambassador Dr. Zafar Iqbal and Rana Ejaz Hussain Sohail for organising the seminar abroad on the occasion of Allama Iqbal’s 150th birth anniversary.

A special anniversary cake was cut during the ceremony by the Pakistani ambassador, accompanied by prominent members of the Pakistani community.

The second session was conducted by Hakeem Tariq Mahmood Siddiqui. Renowned poet based in Kuwait, Imad Bukhari, presented a poetic tribute to Allama Iqbal, highlighting the emotional depth and intellectual strength of his poetry.

President of the Pakistan Women Forum (PWF), Fareeha Mazhar, delivered a detailed address on various aspects of Iqbal’s thought and philosophy.

Dr. Jahanzeb Usman, President of the Awami National Centre Kuwait, discussed important dimensions of Allama Iqbal’s philosophy alongside the intellectual contributions and poetry of renowned Pashto poet Ghani Khan. He congratulated the organisers on arranging the memorable event.

Pir Amjad Hussain, President of the Insaf Welfare Society Kuwait and a prominent Pakistani businessman and social figure, recited Persian verses of Allama Iqbal and explained his philosophy of Khudi (selfhood). He observed that Iqbal’s revolutionary poetry had inspired Muslims of the subcontinent and generated the enthusiasm that became a foundation for the success of the independence movement. However, he regretted that Iqbal was not alive to witness the establishment of Pakistan on August 14, 1947.

Sohail Yousaf, a respected academic and literary personality based in Kuwait, also presented a comprehensive paper on Iqbal’s philosophy and poetry.

Addressing the gathering, the host of the event and President of the Kuwait Pakistan Friendship Association, Rana Ejaz Hussain Sohail Advocate, highlighted the international recognition of Allama Iqbal and the significance of his Persian poetry.

He stated that more than 9,000 couplets in Iqbal’s poetic works were in Persian. He also discussed the different phases of Iqbal’s literary journey, including the period when the poet had temporarily stopped writing poetry before being persuaded by his teacher, Professor Arnold, to resume his literary work.

Rana Ejaz Sohail said that a study of Iqbal’s poetry revealed that he was a visionary thinker committed to intellectual and social reconstruction. He also highlighted the importance of preserving and compiling research papers on Iqbal to create valuable academic resources for future researchers and students of Iqbal studies.

In his presidential address, Ambassador Dr. Zafar Iqbal discussed the challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI) and the responsibilities of young Muslims in an increasingly technology-driven world.

He emphasised that instead of blindly following others, young people should recognise their own abilities and contribute effectively to the changing world through knowledge, hard work and self-confidence.

The ambassador said that efforts were underway to establish an Iqbal Chair at Kuwait University to promote the teachings and philosophy of Allama Iqbal. He proposed that Rana Ejaz Hussain Sohail should be appointed its first chairman in recognition of his 32 years of continuous efforts to promote Iqbal’s philosophy in Kuwait and internationally.

Dr. Zafar Iqbal observed that a lack of self-confidence among younger generations was a major challenge. He said Iqbal’s philosophy could help overcome this weakness by encouraging young people to recognise their abilities and develop confidence in themselves.

He added that the relevance of Iqbal’s teachings had increased in the age of technology and artificial intelligence. Iqbal opposed intellectual stagnation and blind imitation and instead advocated continuous learning, progress and independent thinking.

The ambassador further said that Iqbal’s poetry carried a message of hope rather than despair, while pessimism was increasingly affecting people both inside and outside Pakistan. He stressed that if individuals focused on self-reform in the light of Iqbal’s teachings, society and the nation as a whole would improve.

Quoting Allama Iqbal, he said:

“Individuals shape the destiny of nations; Every individual is a star in the destiny of the nation.” Awards Presented to High-Achieving Pakistani Students

The concluding session featured the distribution of awards among Pakistani students who achieved outstanding positions in their annual board examinations.

The Kuwait Pakistan Friendship Association presented shields, while the Embassy of Pakistan awarded certificates to the successful students. Awards were also presented to students of Britain Academy, an educational institution headed by prominent educationist Atif Sohail, for their outstanding performance in its examinations.

Among the board examination achievers, Hamza Athar secured 936 marks and obtained second position across Kuwait in Class 12 Pre-Engineering.

Zunaira Tabassum scored 1,012 marks to secure second position in the Class 12 Pre-Medical group, while Marwa Nazar obtained 961 marks and secured first position in Pre-Engineering.

Aishal Abdul Samad achieved first position in Pre-Medical with 1,018 marks.

In Class 10 Science, Rohan Ahmed secured second position with 1,032 marks, while Huzaifa Arshad obtained first position with 1,037 marks.

The outstanding students of Britain Academy recognised at the ceremony included Syeda Qissa Zahra Naqvi, Yahya Muhammad Arif, Hafsa Muhammad Abbas, Farhan Nawab Din and Noor Tauseef.

On the occasion, Dr. Shujauddin, President of the Association of Pakistani Doctors in Kuwait, was also honoured by the Embassy of Pakistan in recognition of his outstanding community services. He has previously been awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz for his contributions.

Participants appreciated the Kuwait Pakistan Friendship Association’s 32-year tradition of organising Iqbal Day celebrations and expressed hope that such initiatives would continue to promote Iqbal’s philosophy, intellectual awareness and educational excellence among younger generations.

*3D Media*