Iqbal Lahori: The 136th birthday of the National Poet, Allama Mohammad Iqbal, will be observed today across the country with great zeal and fervour.

Sir Muhammad Iqbal (November 9, 1877-April 21, 1938), also known as Allama Iqbal, was a philosopher, poet, and politician in British Indian who is widely regarded as having inspired the Pakistan Movement. He is considered one of the most important figures in Urdu literature, with literary work in both Urdu and Persian Language.

Iqbal is admired as a prominent classical poet by Pakistani, Indian, Iranian, and other international scholars of literature. Though Iqbal is best known as an eminent poet, he is also a highly acclaimed "Muslim philosophical thinker of modern times". His first poetry book, Asrar-e-Khudi, appeared in the Persian language in 1915, and other books of poetry include Rumuz-i-Bekhudi, Payam-i-Mashriq and Zabur-i-Ajam. Amongst these his best known Urdu works are Bang-i-Dara, Bal-i-Jibril, Zarb-i Kalim and a part of Armughan-e-Hijaz. In Iran and Afghanistan, he is famous asIqbāl-e Lāhorī  (Iqbal of Lahore), and he is most appreciated for his Persian work. Along with his Urdu and Persian poetry, his various Urdu and English lectures and letters have been very influential in cultural, social, religious and political disputes over the years.

In 1922, he was knighted by King George V, giving him the title "Sir".

While studying law and philosophy in England, Iqbal became a member of the London branch of the All India Muslim League. Later, in one of his most famous speeches, Iqbal pushed for the creation of a Muslim state in Northwest India. This took place in his presidential speech in the League's December 1930 session. He was very close to the founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

In much of Southern Asia and Urdu speaking world, Iqbal is regarded as the Shair-e-Mashriq "Poet of the East"). He is also calledMuffakir-e-Pakistan "The Thinker of Pakistan") and Hakeem-ul-Ummat "The Sage of the Ummah"). The Pakistan government officially named him a "national poet". His birthday Yōm-e Welādat-e Muḥammad Iqbāl or (Iqbal Day) is a public holiday in Pakistan. In India he is also remembered as the author of the popular song Saare Jahaan Se Achcha.