You’ve probably seen the posters. The stern-looking man with the thick mustache, resting his chin on his hand, looking like he’s solving the secrets of the universe. That’s Allama Iqbal. Most people know him as the "Poet of the East," the guy who dreamt up the idea of Pakistan. But honestly, looking at him in isolation is a mistake.
Poetry isn't a solo sport. It’s more like a long, centuries-old conversation. To understand the poets of Allama Iqbal—meaning both the masters who shaped his brain and the peers who tried to keep up with him—you have to look at the messy, vibrant world of 20th-century literature. It wasn’t just about sitting under a tree and waiting for a muse. It was about heated letters, intense mentorships, and a massive shift from traditional love poems to revolutionary anthems.
The Man Who Graded Iqbal’s Homework: Daagh Dehlvi
Imagine being so good at writing that your teacher tells you to stop coming to class. That basically happened to Iqbal.
When Iqbal was a young, aspiring poet in Sialkot, he did what everyone did back then: he looked for an Ustad (master). He chose Daagh Dehlvi. Daagh was the rockstar of his era, the master of the Delhi school of poetry, known for his smooth, conversational Urdu. Iqbal used to mail his poems to Daagh for correction.
It didn't last long.
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After a few sessions, Daagh reportedly sent the poems back with a note saying there was hardly anything to fix. He recognized that Iqbal’s talent was already hitting a ceiling most people never reach. Even though they rarely met, Iqbal always remained a proud "disciple" of Daagh. It’s a bit ironic, isn't it? Daagh was all about romantic, playful lyrics (Ghazals), while Iqbal eventually turned into a philosopher-poet who wrote about the "Self" (Khudi) and the rise of nations.
The Ghosts in the Room: Rumi and Ghalib
You can’t talk about the influences on Iqbal without mentioning Mawlana Rumi. Iqbal didn't just read Rumi; he practically treated him like a spiritual GPS. In his masterpiece Javid Nama, Iqbal literally casts Rumi as his guide through the heavens.
He called Rumi Pir-e-Rumi (The Master from Rum) and referred to himself as Murid-e-Hindi (The Indian Disciple). Rumi’s influence shifted Iqbal away from the dry, intellectual Western philosophy he studied in Germany and back toward a passionate, action-oriented Islamic mysticism.
Then there’s Mirza Ghalib.
If you read Iqbal’s early work, especially in Bang-e-Dara, you’ll find a literal tribute to Ghalib. He saw Ghalib as a kindred spirit—a man who was born too early for his time. Some critics argue that while Ghalib brought doubt and intellectual complexity to Urdu poetry, Iqbal took those tools and used them to build a bridge toward political awakening.
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The Contemporary "Rivals" and Peers
The era Iqbal lived in was crowded with geniuses. He wasn't the only one trying to wake up the masses.
Akbar Allahabadi
Akbar was the king of satire. While Iqbal was giving grand, sweeping speeches in verse about the "Eagle" (Shaheen), Akbar was cracking jokes about how "Westernized" Indians were becoming. They were friends and shared a deep concern for the loss of Eastern values, but their styles were worlds apart. Iqbal was the fire; Akbar was the stinging laugh.
Hafeez Jalandhari
You know him as the writer of Pakistan's national anthem. Hafeez was younger but lived in the shadow of Iqbal's monumental presence. He brought a lyrical, musical quality to Urdu poetry that was different from Iqbal’s dense, Persian-heavy philosophy.
The Progressive Shift: Faiz Ahmad Faiz
This is where it gets interesting. Faiz Ahmad Faiz, the legendary revolutionary poet, actually saw Iqbal as a massive influence. In fact, Faiz translated some of Iqbal’s Persian works into Urdu.
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Even though Faiz was a Marxist and Iqbal was an Islamist philosopher, they both agreed on one thing: poetry should serve a purpose. It shouldn't just be about "the rose and the nightingale." It should be about the struggle of the worker and the dignity of the human soul.
Why Does This Matter Today?
We often stick Iqbal on a pedestal and leave him there. We treat his poetry like a museum piece. But the poets of Allama Iqbal show us that he was part of a living, breathing network of thinkers.
He was influenced by German philosophers like Goethe (he wrote Payam-e-Mashriq as a response to Goethe’s West-östlicher Divan) and Nietzsche. He took Western ideas of the "Superman" and transformed them into the Mard-e-Momin—the person of faith who is master of their own destiny.
Actionable Insights for the Modern Reader
If you want to actually "get" Iqbal and the circle of poets around him, don't start by memorizing dates. Try these steps instead:
- Listen to the Qawwalis: Poetry in South Asia was meant to be heard. Listen to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or the Sabri Brothers perform Iqbal’s Shikwa and Jawab-e-Shikwa. The emotion tells you more than a textbook ever will.
- Compare the "Ustad" and "Shagird": Read a Ghazal by Daagh Dehlvi and then read a poem from Iqbal’s early period. You’ll see the DNA of the old master in the young student's work.
- Look for the "Eagle": Iqbal’s favorite metaphor was the Shaheen (Eagle). Whenever you see it, he’s talking about independence, high aim, and not settling for "scraps" left by others.
- Check the Persian connection: If you really want to go deep, look at the translations of Asrar-e-Khudi. It’s where he lays out his whole philosophy of the "Self."
Iqbal wasn't just a poet; he was a bridge between the classical world of Rumi and the modern world of political revolution. He took the old masters and forced them to speak to the 20th century. By looking at the poets who surrounded him, we see a man who was constantly learning, constantly arguing, and ultimately, constantly evolving.