A Delegation of Iranian Scholars visits Iqbal Academy Pakistan Lahore

In cooperation with Iqbal Academy of Pakistan and Qom University of Qur'an and Hadith and Qom University of Religions, an agreement was made to promote Iqbal's thought in Iran.

A delegation of prominent scholars of Iran visited Iqbal Academy Pakistan on 12 February 2023. The delegation included Syed Abul Hasan Nawab, Head of Qom University of Religions, Abdul Hadi Masoudi, Head of Qom University of Qur'an and Hadith, Muhammad Najaf Lakzai, Head of Department of Political Science, Baqaral Uloom, Islamic Culture and Culture, and Hussain Ahmadi, Head of Construction and Development Department for Holy Places of Qom.

Director Iqbal Academy Pakistan Professor Dr. Baseera Ambareen welcomed the delegation. Before the regular meeting and session, the delegation visited the book sale center of Iqbal Academy Pakistan, library and archives section of the Academy.

Director Iqbal Academy Pakistan while talking to the delegation talked about the establishment of Iqbal Academy Pakistan, it's history, performance of various departments, efforts made to promote Iqbal's thought, books published in more than twenty languages of the world,  detailed introduction about the various departments of the Iqbal Academy and the Presidential Iqbal Awards for books written on Iqbaliyat in Urdu, other Pakistani languages and international languages.

She discussed in detail the importance of Allama Iqbal's Persian poetry as bridge and Allama Iqbal's Persian poetry for the stability of relations between Iran and Pakistan. She proposed to the delegation, the establishment of Iqbal Chairs in Iran, translation of Allama Iqbal's  Urdu Kalam, Allama Iqbal's selected letters and prose writings into Persian language. As through this translation, there is a possibility of strengthening the individual and institutional relations between the two countries at the level of academic, intellectual, cultural, civilization and scholars.

The theme of this meeting of Iqbal Academy with the delegation was Allama Iqbal's concept of ummah. Syed Abul Hasan Nawab, the head of the delegation, thanked Iqbal Academy Pakistan and said that the importance of Allama Iqbal and Iqbal Academy Pakistan for Pakistan is more than it's nuclear weapons, because Pakistan's nuclear weapons are only for Pakistan's geographical boundaries and terrestrial existence while the guarantee of the security of the national and cultural existence of Pakistan lies with Allama Iqbal's thought and Iqbal Academy Pakistan. The focus of Allama Iqbal's thought remained Islam and the Ummah. Therefore, the mention of Allama Iqbal's name and his thoughts as long as it is alive will continue to provide a guarantee for the survival of the Muslim Ummah.

Abdul Hadi Masoudi, a member of the delegation, while discussing the topic of the meeting, said that Iran and Pakistan are close in terms of language, history, civilization and culture, neighborliness and even the system of governance because both of them are born from the same root. He discussed in detail about Allama Iqbal's philosophy of self and concept of Ummah. He said that Allama Iqbal's philosophy has the concepts of self-examination, self-reliance, and striving for self-development. He said that the thought and personality of Allama Iqbal have now become part of the Ummah, we have to be associated with Allama Iqbal and his thought to maintain the existence of our Ummah.

The member of the delegation, Muhammad Najaf Lakzai, discussed in detail about Allama Iqbal's concept of ummah and concept of governance. He said that Allama Iqbal's concept of governance is derived from Tawheed, Prophethood and Holy Quran. Allama Iqbal emphasized on making the Qur'an the center and pivot to secure the existence of the Ummah and the unity of the Ummah. Allama Iqbal repeatedly warned against the danger to the collective existence of the Muslim Ummah, which is chaos and division. He said that we should organize online seminars in collaboration with the centers of Islamic studies of Iran, Khana Farhang Iran Lahore and Iqbal Academy Pakistan so that the people of both countries can benefit from the scholars of Pakistan and Iran and in this way Allama Iqbal's concepts of Ummah can be converted into reality.

In the meeting, Dr. Muhammad Ali Chaudhary also discussed in detail about Allama Iqbal's concept of Ummah, the stability of relations between Iran and Pakistan and the promotion of mutual relations. He said that Allama Iqbal's concept of Ummah is beyond material concepts. He said that the tradition of Iqbaliyat  is very stable in Iran. Scholars like Baqai Makan, Qasim Safi and Hussain Sakat not only translated the books of Pakistani Iqbal scholars into Persian, including the books of Dr. Nazir Qaiser, but also books of extraordinary importance on the personality and thought of Allama Iqbal have been authored by them.

For the further promotion of Allama Iqbal's thought in Iran and the strengthening and promotion of relations between Iran and Pakistan, he proposed to activate Khana Farhang Iran, to start seminars in collaboration with Khana Farhang Iran Lahore and Iqbal Academy Pakistan, and to teach Persian language.  He said that the government of Iran should start establishing Iqbal Chairs and Iqbal Centers in Iran like the efforts made for the establishment of Kursi Ferdowsi around the world. He also offered his services for this. He said that Iqbal Academy Pakistan can play a very effective role in advancing these efforts.

The head of the delegation Syed Abul Hasan Nawab in his closing speech thanked Iqbal Academy Pakistan and announced that Iqbal Chair will be established in University of Religions Qom Iran. Moreover, he said that MPhil and PhD classes in Urdu literature are being started very soon in the University of Religions, Qom, Iran. For which the services of scholars from Pakistan will also be taken. Pakistani scholars and officers of Iqbal Academy Pakistan also participated in the meeting. Among them were Professor Dr. Salim Mazhar, Dr. Nasir Mehmood, Vice Chancellor Allama Iqbal Open University, Dr. Muhammad Ali Chaudhary, Dr. Arooba Siddiqui, Dr. Tahir Hameed Tanoli, Dr. Khizr Yasin and Muhammad Nauman Chishti.