ISLAMABAD:A seminar on “Iqbal and Maulana Rome” was organized by the Iqbal Chair of Tasawwuf and Muslim Thought, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) on Wednesday.
Prominent writer of Urdu, Prof. Dr. Safeer Akhter chaired the event while Chairman, Department of Urdu, Prof. Dr. Abdul Aziz Sahir delivered a keynote address.
Dr. Safeer Akhter said that there is a need to promote Sufism and AIOU has taken the initiative to promote the teachings and philosophy of Sufis.
He added that Maulana Rumi has a deep influence on our thoughts and ideas.
Rumi’s masnavi was spread all over the world in his life and it has been translated into many languages.
He congratulated Vice Chancellor, AIOU, Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum for providing scholars with a platform for research on Sufism.
Dr. Abdul Aziz Sahir gave a keynote address on the life, services, spiritual relationship, and intellectual connections between Allama Muhammad Iqbal and Maulana Rumi.
Both of them promoted unity, solidarity, and brotherhood with their thoughts and enlightened our paths with knowledge and wisdom.
Dr. Sahir, while describing the characteristics of Iqbal’s poetry said that Iqbal always used imagination, emotions, and thought. He is the Mujaddid and Imam of imagination.
Head Iqbal Chair, Prof. Fateh Muhammad Malik said that three seminars were conducted on Iqbal and Maulana Rome which will remain memorable in our academic history.
Senior Advisor, PMU, Professor Muhammad Rafiq Tahir said that this series of organizing academic and intellectual gatherings will continue now.
Prof. Muzaffar Ali Kashmiri recited some poems of Allama Muhammad Iqbal at the end of the ceremony.
Head, Seerat Chair, Sahibzada Sajid Ur Rehman, Dr. Abdul Wajid Tabasim, Faculty members, and a large number of students were also present.