PUBLIC LECTURE: Bazm-e-Sarfraz Annual Public Lecture

The Centre for Muslim States and Societies invites you to Bazm-e-Sarfraz annual event commemorating the contributions made by Begum Sarfraz Iqbal (1939-2003) towards promoting Urdu literature and championing the cause of inter-communal harmony.

At this year’s event, Dr Ghazala Hayat, daughter of Begum Sarfraz Iqbal, will speak on her experiences in the United States working with Muslim youth and on the issue of radicalisation.

The lecture will be followed by supper.

About the speaker

Professor Ghazala Hayat, daughter of Begum Sarfraz Iqbal, is Chair of Public Relations for the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis and a past board president of Interfaith Partnership. She is also Professor of Neurology at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Among various leadership positions, she is director of the Clinical Neurophysiology fellowship and she is also director of the ALS clinic.

About Begum Sarfraz Iqbal

Born in Rohtak, India, Begum Sarfraz Iqbal migrated to Pakistan at a young age and became a patron of Urdu literature and art in Pakistan. She authored two books: Daman-e-Yusuf (Mavara Publishers, 1989) and Jo Bachay Hain Sang (Naqoosh, 2002) and wrote regular columns in Daily Ausaf (Islamabad) and Daily Pakistan. She also published numerous articles in other literary magazines including Mah-e-Nau.

Begum Sarfraz Iqbal was a philanthropist who introduced the idea of adopting schools to improve the quality of education in Pakistan and ceaselessly worked to help disadvantaged people in Pakistan. The events commemorating her contributions focus on ideas that unite people across religious and cultural divides and focus attention on ideas and philosophies of moderate Muslim thinkers.