TEHRAN- The memorial ceremony dedicated to the renowned poet and philosopher Allama Iqbal Lahori was held at the Art Bureau of the Islamic Ideology Dissemination Organization on Sunday, bringing together distinguished poets and literary figures from Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. 

The event was held on the occasion of the 148th birthday of the poet and aimed to celebrate the lasting legacy of Iqbal and foster cultural ties among the nations.

The evening featured heartfelt recitations and speeches by prominent poets from the four countries, highlighting the enduring relevance of Iqbal’s thought and poetry. 

The gathering was attended by a diverse audience, including literary enthusiasts, academics, and diplomatic representatives.

During the event, Ambassador of Pakistan to Iran Muhammad Mudassir Tipu delivered a speech emphasizing the significance of Iqbal’s philosophy in promoting mutual understanding and cultural collaboration. 

Additionally, Zahid Munir Amir, a renowned Pakistani researcher and Iqbal scholar, provided an insightful lecture on Iqbal’s intellectual contributions and his influence on contemporary thought.

The event, organized by the Art Bureau, served as a vibrant platform for cultural dialogue, reaffirming the deep-rooted bonds of friendship and shared heritage among the participating nations. The evening concluded with a collective recitation of Iqbal’s poetry, leaving a lasting impression on all attendees.

Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1877–1938), known as Iqbal Lahori, was a South Asian academic, poet, barrister, philosopher, and politician who is considered one of the most important figures in Urdu literature, with literary works in both Urdu and Persian languages.
 
Iqbal is admired as a prominent classical poet in Iran, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka and also by international scholars of literature.

He is widely known as the poet of Islam or the poet of the East. However, about 60 percent of the works of Iqbal is in the Persian language which makes him equally popular in Iran. His poetry has been translated into many languages.

Though Iqbal is best known as an eminent poet, he is also a highly acclaimed Muslim philosophical thinker of modern times. He is called the spiritual father of Pakistan. 

He was a strong proponent of the political and spiritual revival of Islamic civilization across the world, but in particular in South Asia; a series of lectures he delivered to this effect were published as “The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam”. 

After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, he was named the national poet there. He is also known as the “Hakeem-ul-Ummat” (The Sage of the Ummah) and the “Mufakkir-e-Pakistan” (The Thinker of Pakistan).

Photo: Ambassador of Pakistan to Iran Muhammad Mudassir Tipu speaks at the Allama Iqbal poetry night at the Art Bureau in Tehran on November 9, 2025.

SAB/