Eighteenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

Pakistan’s national literary legend Allama Iqbal (1877-1938): a Muslim poet, philosopher, and politician in British India. He wrote his works in Persian and Urdu. He is a visionary national poet of not only Pakistan but of the entire Islamic World. Iqbal was a revolutionary writer with great consciousness and precision who gave philosophical ideas regarding the universe in a quite new way. His concept of revival and revolution did not only lead to the creation of Pakistan but also gave a new breath and the sense of revolution to the Islamic world and East. For him, the aim of life is self-realization, self-knowledge, and harmony in living human beings. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Allama Iqbal was the common man’s poet in the sense that through his poetry he represented the collected consciousness of the people of his time. He is the best articulated Muslim response to Modernity that the Islamic world has produced in the 20th century. And still continue to inspire. But can we compare Allama’s vision to the modern era poets of Pakistan? Can his work be compared with contemporary Pakistani literature? Both have different levels but they combine on one ground, i.e. when it comes to universal approach. I will discuss the philosophical thoughts regarding revival, self-knowledge, peace, harmony, and revolution in contemporary Pakistani art, poetry, and culture.