Timeline Of Sir Dr Allama Mohammad Iqbal

1877: Born at Sialkot (present Pakistan) on Friday, November 9, 1877. Kashmiri origin.

1893–1895: High School and Intermediate — Scotch Mission College, Sialkot.

1897: B.A. (Arabic and Philosophy) — Government College, Lahore. Awarded Jamaluddin Gold Medal for securing highest marks in Arabic, and another Gold Medal in English.

1899: M.A. (Philosophy) — Government College, Lahore. Secured first rank in Punjab state and awarded Gold Medal. Reader in Arabic, Oriental College, Lahore.

1900: Read his poem “Nala-e-Yateem” (Wails of an Orphan) at the annual function of Anjuman-e-Himayat-e-Islam at Lahore.

1901: Poem “Himala” published in Makhzan. Assistant Commissioner’s Examination (didn’t qualify for medical reasons).

1903: Assistant Professor, Government College, Lahore. Published his first book, Ilm Al-Iqtisad (Study of Economics), Lahore.

1905: Traveled to England for higher studies.

1907: Ph.D., Munich University, Germany (Thesis: The Development of Metaphysics in Persia).

1907–1908: Professor of Arabic, University of London.

1908: Bar-at-Law, London. Returned to India. Started law practice on October 22, 1908. Part-time Professor of Philosophy and English Literature.

1911: Wrote and read famous poem “Shikwa” (Complaint) at Lahore. Professor of Philosophy, Government College, Lahore.

1912: Wrote the epoch-making “Jawab-e-Shikwa” (Reply to Complaint).

1913: Wrote History of India for middle school students, Lahore.

1915: Published a long Persian poem “Asrar-e-Khudi” (“Secrets of Self”). Resigned from professorship to spread the message of Islam.

1918: In counterpart to Asrar-e-Khudi, published Rumuz-e-Bekhudi (Mysteries of Selflessness) in Persian.

1920: English translation of Asrar-e-Khudi by R.A. Nicholson, entitled Secrets of Self. Visited Kashmir and presented his famous poem “Saqi Nama” at Srinagar.

1923: Awarded knighthood at Lahore on January 1, 1923. Published Payam-i-Mashriq (The Message of the East) in Persian. It was written in response to Goethe’s West-Ostlicher Divan.

1924: Prepared Urdu course material for Grade 6–7 students at Lahore. Published “Bang-e-Dara” (“Call of the Caravan”) in Urdu in March 1924.

1926: Elected to Punjab Legislative Council, Lahore (1926–1929).

1927: Published Zabur-i-Ajam in Persian.

1929: Delivered six lectures at Madras, Osmania University at Hyderabad, and Aligarh. He commented on the latest scientific and philosophical developments of the 1920s in the light of Islamic teachings.

1930: President, All-India Muslim League. Elaborated on the idea of an independent Muslim state in his presidential speech at Allahabad. [Refer to 1924–1928 events in particular and 1912–1929 in general in the Muslims in the Indian Subcontinent - V 1800 - 1950 CE].

1931: Published Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, a collection of six lectures, Lahore; also published by Oxford University Press. Participated in Mo’tamar-A’lam-e-Islami (World Muslim Conference) in Palestine. Participated in the Second Round Table Conference, London, September 7–December 31, 1931.

1932: Visited Paris and met French philosophers Bergson and Massignon. Bergson was astonished to hear his remark on the Islamic concept of time. Published Javid Nama in Persian. It was a reply to Dante’s Divine Comedy. Participated in the Third Round Table Conference, London, November 17–December 24, 1932.

1933: Iqbal met Mussolini in Rome after Mussolini expressed his interest to meet him. Visited Cordoba, Spain and wrote the poems “Dua” (“Supplication”) and “Masjid-e-Qurtuba” (“The Mosque of Cordoba”). Served as Advisor to the Government of Afghanistan on higher education (October 1933). Awarded Honorary D. Litt degree by Punjab University on December 4, 1933.

1934: “Musafir” (“Traveller”) in Persian.

1935: Published Bal-e-Jibril in Urdu.

1936: Published Zarb-i-Kalim in April 1936, “Pas Che Bayad Kard” in Persian, and “Payam-e-Mashriq” in September 1936.

1937: Ulema from Al-Azhar University visited Iqbal at Lahore.

1938: Jawahar Lal Nehru visited Iqbal at Lahore in January 1938. Iqbal died at Lahore on April 21, 1938. Armaghan-i-Hijaz, a collection of Urdu and Persian poems, published posthumously