Identity: Philosopher, Critic, Researcher, Poet, Translator, and Iqbal Scholar

Khalifa Abdul Hakim was born on 1 July 1893 (according to some sources, 12 July 1894), corresponding to 1 Shawwal 1303 AH, in the historic Mubarak Haveli located in Mohalla Chilla Bibiyan, inside Akbari Gate, Lahore. He belonged to the Lahore branch of the Kashmiri Dar family.

He received his early education at Mittha Shah Wali Mosque and the schools of Anjuman-i-Himayat-i-Islam. He passed his matriculation examination in the first division from Islamia High School, Sheranwala Gate, Lahore. After matriculation, he briefly studied science at Forman Christian College, Lahore, but due to a lack of interest, he moved to Aligarh and completed his F.A. there. In 1915, he earned a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of the Punjab, and in 1917, he completed his M.A. in Philosophy from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. While studying for his LL.B. at Law College Lahore, he also served as editor of the English newspaper Observer. His literary career began during his school years, and his first poem was published in the Kashmiri Magazine of Lahore.

In 1919, on the recommendation of Muhammad Iqbal, he was appointed Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Osmania University, Hyderabad Deccan. In 1922, he went to Germany for higher studies and earned a doctorate in Philosophy from Heidelberg University in 1925. His doctoral dissertation was titled Metaphysics of Rumi. Upon his return, he became Professor and Head of the Department of Philosophy at Osmania University. He later served as Principal of Amar Singh College, Srinagar, Director of Education in Kashmir, and Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Osmania University. In 1950, largely through his efforts, the Institute of Islamic Culture was established in Lahore, and he became its first Director.

His writings represent a remarkable synthesis of philosophy, Islamic thought, and literary criticism. His major Urdu and English works include Fikr-e-Iqbal, Afkar-e-Ghalib, Hikmat-e-Rumi, Dastan-e-Danish, Islam ki Bunyadi Haqiqatein, Nafsiyat-e-Waridat-e-Ruhani, Tashbihat-e-Rumi, Iqbal aur Mulla, Talkhis-e-Khutbat-e-Iqbal, Shrimad Bhagavad Gita (a poetic Urdu translation), and A Short History of Greek Philosophy translated from German. Among his notable English works are Islamic Ideology, Islam & Communism, and Metaphysics of Rumi. His poetry was published under the title Kalam-e-Hakim, while his scholarly essays were compiled as Maqalat-e-Hakim.

Death: Khalifa Abdul Hakim passed away in Lahore on 30 January 1959.