Daud Rahat

Daud Rahbar (1926 – 5 October 2013) was a Pakistani scholar of comparative religions, Arabic, Persian, Urdu literature and Indian classical music. Rahbar is regarded as an accomplished essayist, poet, composer, short story writer, translator, philosopher,

After a teaching career in England, Canada, Turkey and the United States, he retired as Professor Emeritus of Comparative religions from Boston University in 1991.

Early life Daud Rahbar grew up in Model Town, Lahore, Pakistan between 1929 and 1949. The town was the first cooperative society in the Indian subcontinent, a suburb based on the design of a Hindu architect, Divan Khem Chand. The town was autonomous from Lahore City's jurisdiction, and sectioned into blocks. Each block was populated by either Muslims, Sikhs or Hindus (where the Hindus constitute the largest community). He remarked that his close association with Hindus "made the love of Hindu communities a natural condition of [his] soul." His childhood was spent writing poetry (he took the pen name 'Rahbar' at the age of eight), gardening and walking with his father while discussing Arabic and Persian literature.

Family Rahbar's father, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal (1894–1948), was named after Sir Muhammad Iqbal. He graduated with an M.A in Arabic and was the recipient of a State scholarship from the University of Cambridge. He received the McLeod Research Scholarship and was employed to teach Arabic literature at Oriental College, Lahore, where his father was President. In 1949, Rahbar went to Cambridge University and completed his PhD dissertation the second of its kind that brought scholars of Islamic subjects together from across the world. Rahbar's paper, entitled The Challenge of Muslim Ideas and Social Values to Muslim Society produced criticism from conference attendees, to the point that he was not allowed to return to the platform to explain his points. by those who did not fully understand "what he really stood for." He maintained that Rahbar's "entire career has been a defence of Islam"

Contributions to poetry and classical music theory and composition Throughout his academic career, Rahbar continued to make significant contributions to Urdu literature and music. He performed in concerts and poetry readings both in the United States and Pakistan. His love was for classical South Asian music, particularly the Agra School. His flair for poetic expression is infused throughout his autobiography, Memories and Meanings. "Music has been my solace for the last forty years," he wrote. "Without it I perhaps could not have been a friend to myself and to others. Music and poetry have made life easier for me everywhere and at every stage of my adult life.". His published works in the field of Urdu literature include:

Salaam o Payaam. Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 1996 – Letters to his friends and associates. Subsequent volumes were published in 2004 and 2009. Kalcar ke Ruhani Anasir. Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 1998 – Culture and Religion. Pragandah Taba' Log. Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2000 – Short stories. "Gandhi and the Hindi-Urdu Question." In Indian Critiques of Gandhi. Edited by Harold Coward, p. 217–238. Albany: SUNY Press, 2003.

Death Daud Rahbar died at a nursing home in Deerfield Beach, Florida, United States, on 5 October 2013.