Muhammad Iqbal

Sir Muhammad Iqbal (Urdu: محمد اقبال‎) (9 November 1877 – 21 April 1938), widely known as Allama Iqbal (علامہ اقبال), was anacademic, poet, barrister, philosopher, and politician^[1] in British India who is widely regarded as having inspired the Pakistan Movement. He is considered one of the most important figures in Urdu literature,^[2] with literary work in both the Urdu and Persianlanguages.^[1][2]

Iqbal is admired as a prominent poet by Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and other international scholars of literature.^{[3][4][citation needed]} Though Iqbal is best known as an eminent poet, he is also a highly acclaimed "Muslim philosophical thinker of modern times".^[1][4] His first poetry book, Asrar-e-Khudi, appeared in the Persian language in 1915, and other books of poetry include Rumuz-i-Bekhudi, Payam-i-Mashriq and Zabur-i-Ajam. Amongst these his best known Urdu works are Bang-i-Dara, Bal-i-Jibril,Zarb-i Kalim and a part of Armughan-e-Hijaz. ^[5] Along with his Urdu and Persian poetry, his various Urdu and English lectures and letters have been very influential in cultural, social, religious and political disputes over the years.^[5]

In 1922, he was knighted by King George V,^[6][7] giving him the title "Sir".^[8] While studying law and philosophy in England, Iqbal became a member of the London branch of the All-India Muslim League.^[4][5] Later, in one of his most famous speeches, Iqbal pushed for the creation of a Muslim state in Northwest India. This took place in his presidential speech in the League's December 1930 session.^[4][5]