An old video of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reciting Allama Iqbal’s poetry, has resurfaced on social media. The clip from a rally was again shared on the day when he was sworn in as the Turkiye’s president for another five years.

Erdogan recited verses from Iqbal’s poetry titled Tuloo-e-Islam at the commemoration of Democracy and National Unity Day on July 15, 2018.

The English translation of the verse is

If a mountain of grief collapsed upon the Ottomans, then why lament?

For the dawn arises from the blood of a hundred thousand stars

The Turkish president had described Iqbal as “the great poet of the East” in his speech.

The National Unity Day is the day when Turkiye failed a coup attempt aiming to topple Erdogan. The day is dedicated to all who participated in the overthrow of the coup.

It merits here to mention that Iqbal is revered in Turkiye for his poetry and philosophy. In 2016, the country honoured Iqbal for his “services to Islam”.

Turkish Minister for Culture and Tourism Nabi Avci presented the ‘Dost Award’ to Allama Iqbal’s grandson, Walid Iqbal at a ceremony in Konya, Turkey.