Bunyad - A Journal of Urdu Studies, Lahore University of Management Sciences - Lahore

بنیاد (مجّلہ دراساتِ اردو)

Gurmani Centre for Languages and Literature
ISSN (print): 2225-6083
ISSN (online): 2709-9687
Abstract

This article critically examines a widely circulated misconception regarding Allama Iqbal’s poem "Sulaimā" from Bāng-e-Darā, allegedly written for Atiya Fayzee during his stay in Heidelberg, Germany. Drawing on Iqbal’s own handwritten manuscript and tracing the origins of the confusion to misread or misremembered claims by scholars such as Akbar Haideri and Gyan Chand Jain, the article argues that there is no concrete evidence that Iqbal ever titled the poem “Atiya” or explicitly dedicated it to her. By carefully revisiting primary sources, including Iqbal’s personal notebook housed at Javed Manzil and Sabir Kalorvi’s critical article, the article reveals the speculative and occasionally misleading nature of the interpretations that link the poem to personal relationships. The article also contextualizes Iqbal’s Heidelberg stay, highlighting the poet’s academic, social, and linguistic pursuits, thereby offering a nuanced understanding of the creative atmosphere in which "Sulaimā" was composed. In doing so, the study not only corrects historical inaccuracies but also emphasizes the need for caution when dealing with biographical readings of literary texts.

Author(s):

Khalid Mahmood Sanjrani

Professor of Urdu

Government College University Lahore, Lahore

Pakistan

  • dr.khalidsanjarani@gcu.edu.pk

Details:

Type: Article
Volume: 16
Issue: 1
Language: Urdu
Id: 68598195837b6
Pages 243 - 252
Published June 23, 2025
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.