Majlis-e-Iqbal holds literary event with top poets

Arab News
IQBAL’S MESSAGE: Guests and organizers pose for a group photo during the Majlis-e-Iqbal event in Jeddah recently. (AN photo)

JEDDAH: Majlis-e-Iqbal, a literary organization affiliated with the Alami Urdu Markaz, recently held an event to celebrate the life and work of Muhammad Iqbal in Jeddah.
The event, the fifth this year, began with a recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an by Qari Mohammed Asif followed by a naat by Mohammed Nawaz Janjua. Sher Afzal recited one of the Iqbal’s poems namely “Khudi ka sirr-e-nehaan.”
Chaired by Wasim Bukhari, the event drew a large number of Pakistani and Indian expats. Syed Shehabuddin conducted the ceremony. Popular poet Syed Mohsin Alavi hosted the event.
Majlis-e-Iqbal Chairman Amir Khurshid told those in attendance that the literary forum has begun a new program for the recital of Iqbal’s poetry. He read out a verse from a popular poem “Lala-e-Sehra” which means “Flower of the Desert.”
Those in attendance included Khalid Irfan from the US known for his humorist poetry and another poet Aziz Jibran from Karachi, who were in the Kingdom to perform Umrah. Athar Nafees Abbasi, president of Alami Urdu Markaz, thanked the two for attending.
A member of Alami Urdu Markaz, Munawar Hussain Bodla, presented a thesis written on Iqbal’s poetic theory. He recited one of Iqbal’s poems: “Main zulmat-e-shab me lay kay niklunga apne dar mandah karwan ko; Sharar fishaan hogi aah meri, nafs mera sholah baar hoga.” The meaning of this couplet is: “In the darkness of the night, I shall take out my tired caravan — my sigh will be shedding sparks, my breath will be throwing flames.” Shehabuddin, secretary-general of Majlis-e-Iqbal, said that Iqbal was a great and an outstanding poet and the pride of Muslims. Iqbal was inspired by Maulana Roomi and Maulana Jalaluddin’s book “Masnavi,” he said.
Other members of Alami Urdu Markaz, Syed Farid Hassan, Khalid Kathoria and Mubassir Aazam, also attended. Prominent personalities included Feza-ur-Rahman, Naeem Bazidpuri, Amjad Obaid, Mohammad Amanatullah, Amin Najmi, Akram Agha and Nadir Khan Sargiroh.
Local poets Naushad Usman and Irfan Barahbankvi recited their poems.