IIUI’s IRD held a session in Multan highlighting Allama Iqbal’s message on youth and nation building

The Iqbal International Institute for Research and Dialogue (IRD) of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) organized an intellectual session titled “Iqbal and Youth: Role in Nation Building” at the Faculty of Islamic Studies and Languages, Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Multan. The event brought together faculty members, scholars, social figures, and students from the region.

Addressing the inaugural session, Nasir Fareed, Additional Director of IRD, highlighted that Allama Iqbal regarded the youth as the vital strength of the Ummah and that nation-building could only be achieved through knowledge, action, and self-realization. He said that understanding Iqbal’s message enables youth to face contemporary challenges and contribute meaningfully to the country’s progress. He also briefed participants on IRD’s objectives, stating that the institute continues to organize such programs nationwide to promote Iqbal’s thought among the younger generation.

Renowned scholar Prof. Dr. Ali Asghar Saleemi elaborated on Iqbal’s philosophical concepts, especially the role of youth in reviving the Muslim Ummah through selfhood and constructive engagement.

In his keynote address, Dr. Talib Hussain Sial, an expert on Iqbal studies, connected Iqbal’s intellectual message with modern-day realities, emphasizing that Iqbal’s philosophy is a call for youth to recognize their potential and become purposeful contributors to the development of the Muslim world. He said that Iqbal associated the rise of nations with the moral and intellectual development of their youth.

Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Studies and Languages, Prof. Dr. Abdul Qudoos Suhaib, thanked the organizers and participants and underscored the importance of continuing such academic and intellectual initiatives. He appreciated the revival of IRD’s programs at BZU after a pause, noting that the institute is now advancing its goals with renewed vigor.

The ceremony concluded with the distribution of shields and IRD publications among guest speakers and students who recited Iqbal’s poetry. The participants expressed gratitude to IIUI President Prof. Dr. Ahmed Saad Alahmed for his leadership and support, noting that under his guidance, IRD and other university institutions are making significant academic progress