Allama Iqbal by Comrade Sajjad Zaheer, Published in CPI magazine Qumi Jang

Allama Iqbal 

by Comrade Sajjad Zaheer 

Published in CPI magazine Qumi Jang

ٰPasdaran or Protectors of ideological groups in South Asia often use Selective Approach while developing a narrative  and often delete or add numerous things. Interestingly this deletion and addition is often found both right and left groups. Allama Iqbal is a fine example to understand this mindset that is still in practice by & large among Reds. Many new revolutionaries have reservations with Iqbal these days. But it was not a case in Pre-partition times and even Progressive Writers Association, (a subordinate organization of Communist Party of West Pakistan) in its first Pakistani public meeting (held at November 1949, Lhore) had photographs of Iqbal, Buleh Shah, Waris Shah etc in its pandal. RaufMalik has reproduced extracts of that meeting well, in his book. The party was banned in 1954 and in 1960s, we witnessed growth of numerous leftist, communist groups along with an alliance of province based nationalists. Except few, many of them had excluded Iqbal from their text and some targeted Iqbal as reactionary poet. Interestingly many of them praised Ghalib, Tagore. Ghalib wrote qasidas too while Tagore had a family legacy of serving colonial rulers. His father had founded Shantinikatan in 1862 and his uncle got highest civil ward at first Delhi Darbar held in 1877. Tagore got Nobel Award in literature in 1913 and awarded Knighthood during WW1 by King George V in 1915. Mahatma Gandhi too got three awards from colonial rulers during that period. (See Indian Summer by Alex Von Tunzaliman) Neither Ghalib nor Iqbal included Qasidas of colonial rulers in their books. But new opponents of Iqbal presented a Qasida by Iqbal written in 1901, (When he was very young) as a weapon against him. But Sajjad Zaheer and many did not do it and that is why we are sharing this article with you.
Comrade Sajjad Zaheer in his writings had declared Iqbal "great thinker'' and also endorsed Allahbad address but new progressive opponents of Iqbal looks more smart from Zaheer. If they are loyal with their narrative then they should criticize Zaheer first.
Click and read about the book info HERE

This article of Zaheer is reproduced in Comrade Abdur Rauf Malik autobiography published by Jumhori Publications, Lhore under the title "Surkh Syasat". It is also included in the book based on various writings & editorials published in CPI official magazine ''Qumi Jang'' before partition printed in Pakistan by Sang e Meal, Lhore and compiled by Ahmad Saleem, a progressive writer and archivist.

Read yourself

Some extracts of Rauf Malik book, published in Wichaar.com and a Radio Show

Radio Show and its news link

http://www.wichaar.com/news/127/ARTICLE/33787/2018-01-02.html

Part 5

http://www.wichaar.com/news/127/ARTICLE/33321/2017-07-17.html

Part 4

http://www.wichaar.com/news/127/ARTICLE/33237/2017-06-29.html

Part 3

http://www.wichaar.com/news/127/ARTICLE/33183/2017-06-18.html

Part 2

http://www.wichaar.com/news/127/ARTICLE/33174/2017-06-17.html

Part 1

http://www.wichaar.com/news/127/ARTICLE/33078/2017-06-02.html