Sir Muhammad Iqbal, commonly known as Allama Iqbal, was a philosopher, poet, and politician who is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in South Asian literature and history. He was born on November 9, 1877, in Sialkot, British India (now in Pakistan), and passed away on April 21, 1938, in Lahore, Pakistan.

Iqbal is particularly well-known for his poetry, which is marked by its intellectual depth, philosophical richness, and musicality. He is considered to be one of the greatest poets of the Urdu language, and his works have been translated into many other languages as well.

Iqbal was also a prominent political figure, and his writings played a key role in the formation of the Muslim League, which eventually led to the creation of Pakistan in 1947. He was knighted by the British government in 1922, and in 1930 he delivered his famous presidential address at the All India Muslim League in which he proposed the idea of a separate Muslim state in India, which eventually