A special lecture under the auspices of Chughtai Public Library, was organized on May 15, 2024, as a part of the Thought of Iqbal (Fikr-e-Iqbal) Series. The topic of the lecture was "Dedication of Payam-e-Mashriq" concerning Allama Iqbal's Persian anthology "Payam-e-Mashriq." The guest speaker was Dr. Abdul Rauf Rafiqui, Director of Iqbal Academy Pakistan.
In his address, Dr. Rafiqui told that Payam-e-Mashriq was Allama Iqbal's third collection of Persian poetry. This collection was written by Allama Iqbal in response to the famous poet Goethe's "West-Eastern Divan" and was considered a gift from the Eastern world to the West. Influenced by the zeal and fervor of the then Afghanistan's Amir Amanullah Khan's struggle against the British, he dedicated his book to him. In Payam-e-Mashriq, Iqbal sheds light on the nature of knowledge and wealth. He finds Muslims deprived of the knowledge of things and the pleasure of feeling, and emphasizes the importance of acquiring them. He advises the ruler of Afghanistan to live a life of simplicity despite of his royal status and to practice self-awareness amidst the affairs of the state, highlighting that those Muslims who achieved greatness and power had embraced simplicity.
In conclusion, he awakens the passion for the love of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah Almighty be upon him), stating that the life of the Muslim community thrives on this sacred love, and that it brings beauty to the universe. Here, he expresses his restless and passionate love for the Prophet (PBUH) and invites his audience to be immersed in the same love, thereby completing the "Dedication."