Sir Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938) and beyond


Literary journals of considerable ambition and scope were flourishing, especially in Urdu, with a wide readership among the western-educated
Urdu and its literature also belonged to many others besides Muslims, as they always have from their earliest days.
There was also a good deal of pan-Islamic sentiment: the Ottoman Sultan was popular enough, for a time, to appear on textile labels
Two politically-oriented ghazals by Iqbal, meant to be easily accessible to everybody; parts of one are nowadays sung by schoolchildren in India: *more information*
Iqbal's poetry in Persian and Urdu has always attracted poetry-lovers, and has often been used for decorative calligraphy as well
One of his greatest poems, *"Masjid-e Qurtuba"*, was inspired by a visit to Cordoba, where he saw its magnificent mosque-turned-cathedral
Iqbal's tomb, in Lahore, is just outside the Badshahi Masjid, adjoining the ancient *Lahore Fort*
Muhammad Ali Jinnah's tomb, in Karachi, is set in the midst of a huge new park
The Saudi-sponsored King Faisal Mosque, in Islamabad, is said to be the largest mosque in the world.
Islamic religious designs are a popular form of bazaar art in South Asia
Pakistani trucks are decorated with remarkable flair; their sides and back are adorned with images both religious and secular: *more views*
Bangladesh commemorates the past of its capital, *Dhaka*, on some particularly lovely bills
And Bangladesh too has lively folk art traditions
Modern visitors wander in the Red Fort in old Delhi or *Shahjahanabad*, accompanied by birds



 
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