M. Zahid Raffat
The ever-grateful nation marks another birth anniversary of Dr Muhammad Iqbal on 9 November, paying homage to a thinker and poet whose vision shaped the creation of Pakistan. He awakened the Muslims of the subcontinent and, more importantly, articulated the need for a separate homeland where they could live according to their religious tenets and free themselves from the economic subjugation of the Hindu majority. This idea was later translated into political reality by Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, whose leadership turned Iqbal’s dream into a sovereign state within a remarkably short period.
Pakistan emerged on 14 August 1947, yet Allama Iqbal did not live to see the dawn of freedom. He had passed away nine years earlier on 21 April 1938 and rests today beside the steps of the historic Badshahi Masjid in Lahore. His final years were spent in Javed Manzil, a residence he built and named after his younger son Javed Iqbal. This house has since been converted into the Iqbal Museum, which preserves his personal belongings, manuscripts, and various objects of daily use. A visit to the museum on the eve of his birth anniversary proves not only enlightening but a reminder of how much remains to be explored about his life beyond his poetry. Before moving to Javed Manzil in May 1935, Dr Iqbal lived in several locations across Lahore, including the upper floor of Attar Chand Kapur’s bookshop in Anarkali, a residence on McLeod Road, and a house inside Bhati Gate. These details—often overlooked—help scholars trace the intellectual and personal journey of a man who shaped Muslim political consciousness in South Asia.
The story of Javed Manzil itself is an intriguing chapter in Iqbal’s life. In 1934, while living in a rented house on McLeod Road, he bought seven kanals of land in an open auction in Mauza Garhi Shahu. The house, built in the name of his son, cost Rs 42,025 and became his residence the following year. Ever meticulous, Dr Iqbal rented three of the front rooms from Javed for Rs 50 a month. The rental agreement—karaya namah—is preserved in the museum, a testament to his habit of documenting even personal transactions with care.
During his years at Javed Manzil, Dr Iqbal received many distinguished visitors. Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Fatima Jinnah visited him in 1936, as did Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who admired Iqbal deeply despite political differences. Yet these years also brought great sorrow: just days after moving into the new house, Iqbal’s wife, Sardar Begum, passed away on 24 May 1935.
Allama Iqbal was born on 9 November 1877 to Sheikh Noor Muhammad in a Kashmiri family living in Kashmiri Mohallah. Their house—Iqbal Manzil—had been purchased by his grandfather Sheikh Muhammad Rafique in 1861. His date of birth was formally confirmed by the National Committee for Birth Centenary Celebrations, established by Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Bhutto inaugurated the centenary year on 1 January 1977 with a visit to Iqbal’s mausoleum. The committee recommended converting Javed Manzil into a national museum to preserve his belongings for future generations. It was formally inaugurated on 2 December 1977 by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.
Since then, 9 November has been observed officially as Iqbal Day, marked by ceremonies, guard changes at his mausoleum, and numerous scholarly and cultural events. His death anniversary on 21 April is also commemorated with great reverence. The federal government took possession of Javed Manzil in December 1977, and Japanese engineers subsequently renovated the building. It was inaugurated again in December 1984 after extensive improvements. During the last phase of General Pervez Musharraf’s rule, around 50 items from the museum were temporarily taken to Islamabad for display in the newly established National Monuments Museum. According to the museum’s curator, these items have not been returned, though he notes that they are well displayed in Islamabad and accessible to visitors who may not be able to travel to Lahore.
Justice (retired) Dr Javed Iqbal, persuaded by General Zia-ul-Haq, agreed to sell Javed Manzil and all of Iqbal’s personal belongings to the government for Rs 3.5 million, allowing the residence to be transformed into a national heritage site. Dr Javed Iqbal later moved to a bungalow on Main Boulevard, Gulberg, where he lived until his death. One of the remarkable features of that residence is a large mural based on Iqbal’s poetic masterpiece “Javed Namah”, created by artist Jimmy Engineer in 1980–81. Dr Iqbal had once written to his son that no artist could fully translate “Javed Namah” into visual form, but whoever achieved the task would earn global acclaim. Jimmy Engineer, proud of completing the challenge, considers it one of his greatest artistic accomplishments.
For scholars and admirers of Iqbal, the Iqbal Museum remains an essential destination. Beyond manuscripts, letters, clothing, books, and utensils, the museum offers a rare glimpse into the personal world of a man whose intellectual legacy transcends generations. To understand Iqbal more deeply, researchers must visit the museum more often, for there is still much to see, study, and learn
The writer is Lahore-based Freelance Journalist, Columnist and retired Deputy Controller (News), Radio Pakistan, Islamabad and can be reached at zahidriffat@gmail.com
