NASAH:

I agree most of your thoughts here but you need to correct yourself here:

you said:
As Momin probably would have intended to say:

“Umre tou saree kutee ishq-e butaan main Momin.

“Aakhree waqt main hum phir se Mussalmann hongay”

When scholarly men hit the mid life crisis, they either turn secular like Salman Rushdie or become devoted ‘poet’ like Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi.”

NASAH: The correct couplet is:

“Umre tou saree kutee ishq-e butaan main Momin.

“Aakhree waqt main hum phir se (not phir se but “khak”) Mussalmann hongay”
–so “Aakhree waqt main hum khak Mussalmann hongay”

–So that changes the whole meaning. Opposite.

Coming from India, I know little bit about Iqbal.

To NASAH,

I would term Ghazal as Kohi – e – Noor in Queen of England`s Crown. Its pride of the poetry. However, a particular Ghazal still is composed on some idea/theme.

Just to clarify, Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poetry revolves around revolutionary ideas and liberation of human being from subjugation by other humans. Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, too, was a revolutionary poet but diverted during last phase of his life.

A couplet, what to talk of magnificent Ghazal, is composed due to some inside ripples caused by an event, thought, feeling which makes it a theme for the couplet.

Ali Hasan says:

“In my opinion, poetry without a basic theme is no poetry.”

Then what would you call a magnificent Ghazal no poetry?

A thematic poetry is called a “Nazam” a tougher genre to master than the Ghazal and Iqbal was the Michelangelo of Urdu ‘Nazam’.

He took a Urdu language of the schizophrenic Ghazal, composed of scattered pearls of two liner complete thoughts, carved it into a monumentally beautiful, exquisitely proportionate sculpture that overnight rivaled the thematic poetry of any other well developed European language .

Yet who can deny the charm of a carefully disorganized ideas of an unrivaled Urdu Ghazal representing the carelessly disorganized life of the Indo-Pakistani-Persian culture.

“Zindagi apni muntashir si Zia
Ek ghazal si rahi nazam na hui”

In my opinion, poetry without a basic theme is no poetry. In case of Iqbal, it was ‘Mazhab’ and he didn’t come around this theme in his 20s or 30s. He had twists and turns in development of his intellect. A natural process of reaching maturity, I believe. That’s why his poetry has different shades prompting some to declare him fundamentalist, extremist, nationalist etc.

What however is important to see is that what he was in his last days? The days when he had reached his mental as well as spiritual maturity and floated the idea of ‘Khudi’ and ‘Shaheen’. And this is where we should focus and take his poetry as ‘Last and Latest Edition’

Jahangir asks:

“in taza khudawo main baraa sab sai watan hai
jo parahan is ka hai wo mazhab ka kafn hai”

One wonders, how come Iqbal goes against his above versed principle and put forward a demand for Pakistan(watan).”

One explanation is OLD AGE.

As Momin probably would have intended to say:

“Umre tou saree kutee ishq-e butaan main Momin.

Aakhree waqt main hum phir se Mussalmann hongay”

When scholarly men hit the mid life crisis, they either turn secular like Salman Rushdie or become devoted ‘poet’ like Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi.

Everyone quote Iqbal Presidential address of 1930.

Can anyone tell me where i can find full text of Iqbal speech?

I look at Iqbal as a brilliant poet and an opportunist.

At one stage he wrote “Hindi hai hum”. He also wrote “Mazhab nahi sikhatha, apas main bair rakhna”.

On the other hand he was so disillusioned by INC that he pretty much hated the idea of a secular government.

I didn’t live in his time and no one will ever know what goes on in one’s mind and with in a group of people, unless they write about it themselves. So, I can’t say that I know him or no one can say that they knew him.

It might as well be the congress because of its idiosyncratic policies and pseudo-secularist views, alienated Iqbal and he himself was at no fault.

We may never know.

But on the outset he seems like an opportunist, because as soon as the idea of an independent Muslim state came into picture, he dissociated himself from everything Hindustani.

Maybe he saw better benefits in living in a Muslim state.

He was a Sunni, but surprisingly trusted Jinnah to be the sole leader of Indian Muslims. Was that opportunism? or just broadmindedness? hard to tell.

No doubt Leaders like Iqbal born once in centuries.

But is it not necessary to mention the people who scarified their life, their property, their freedom to make this dream of Allama comes true.
People who clashed with Hindus and compel them to accept division of India.
I think that when every creation of Pakistan is discussed we should not forget to mention those great people who struggle for this country without caring for their life, property, their love ones.

Iqbal is my favourite poet. He took the support of his pen for establishment of Pakistan. His poetry teaches us the right direction towards Islam and tells us about our hidden success that to avoid western cultures and norms. Here I want to quote his one beautiful couplet that is “suraj hamein har shaam ye dars deta hai….maghrib ki taraf jaogey to doob jaogey” and now we are going towards it’s opposite direction which refers our failure.

Khurram Ali Shafique is a stylist when it comes to writing. He is always at his best when it comes to Iqbal. His thesis is cultivated through a deep understanding of history and Iqbal studies. It is such unfortunate that most of the people commenting just did that without reading and just spelled their mindset. A useful contribution towards our understanding of this world will need an impartial and dispassionate discourse. Iqbal was a visionary and is still relevant, and his work stands out illuminating the paths on which the caravans have been marching to seek the light that he was.

“in taza khudawo main baraa sab sai watan hai
jo parahan is ka hai wo mazhab ka kafn hai”

One wonders, how come Iqbal goes against his above versed principle and put forward a demand for Pakistan(watan).

People living in hatred and bias based on ethnicity will never be able to understand and evaluate Iqbal and assess his contributions for the freedom of people.

Iqbal says “juda ho deen siasat sai tu hojatee hai changezee” but it proved the other way round. We have seen Taliban worse than changez and we have seen our religion- political parties not only openly supporting Taliban but their past government in NWFP served as a leeward for these childern of changez.
Someone has said here Iqbal would feel proud in India I disagree with him because even the genius poet Ghalib’s eternal abode is in dilapidated condition in Dheli. They have never declared his birth day or death day as a holiday.

Good lyrics by Iqbal but he made a poor choice as to where he wanted to spend his last day. India would have made him proud unlike our Pakistan.

I agree with Jehangir. Iqbal is a poet and should be regarded as an excellent poet but not as a national hero. Almost all poets are not pragmatic persons as they have chosen to speak out their thoughts but not to practice them. Similarly Iqbal has chosen to give sermons like mullas. He cannot be compared with Quaid-e-Azam and therefore should not be graded like him. Moreover the philosophy of Iqbal as is revealed from his poetry is not to believe in your motherland rather he has condemned nationalism which contradicts his own philosophy of selfhood, or he has prescribed this selfhood for personal characters and not for national character but that too is contradictory because individual characters make national character.

Jahangir says:

“He (Iqbal) does not deserve the status given to him by our governments. He is a good poet but his ideas are obscurant and retrogressive. He not only believes in the past but also lives in the past.”

Jahangir is partially right.

Allama Iqbal was more than a ‘good’ poet. He was the Poet Laureate par excellence not only of Pakistan but of the entire Urdu speaking subcontinent and of the Persian speaking neighboring countries.

However it is true that Iqbal was an obscurant, he had a fascination for the grandeur of Islam’s conquest of more than half of the first millennium world.

And indeed Iqbal wistfully dreamed of unleashing yet another wave of world conquests by Islam.

Yet Iqbal was not among the first who brought the religion into the politics or the politics into the religion.

In May 1899, a few months after Iqbal’s graduation with a master’s degree in philosophy, he was appointed as the reader of Arabic at the University Oriental College of Lahore. From January 1901 to March 1904, when he resigned from the position, Iqbal taught intermittently as assistant professor of English at Islamia College and at the Government College of Lahore. In 1905, Iqbal went to Europe, where he studied in England and Germany. In London, he studied at Lincoln’s Inn to qualify at the bar and at Trinity College of Cambridge University, he enrolled as a student of philosophy while he prepared to submit a dissertation in philosophy to Munich University. Munich University exempted him from a mandatory stay of two terms on the campus before submitting his dissertation, “The Development of Metaphysics in Persia.” After his successful defense of his dissertation, Iqbal was awarded a Ph.D. degree on 4 November 1907.

Iqbal was never at home in politics, but he was invariably drawn into it. In May 1908, he joined the British Committee of the All-India Muslim League. With the exception of one brief interruption, Iqbal maintained his relationships with the All-India Muslim League all his life.

When Iqbal came back from Europe in 1908 after earning three degrees in England and Germany, he started his professional career as an attorney, professor, poet, and philosopher all at once. At length, however, the poet and philosopher won out at the expense of the attorney and professor while he continued to be partially active as a political leader. Iqbal was elected a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly from 1926 to 1930 and soon emerged as a political thinker. In 1930, the All-India Muslim League invited him to deliver a presidential address, which became a landmark in the Muslim national movement for the creation ofPakistan.

Iqbal’s philosophical and political prose works are actually few in number, most notably The Development of Metaphysics in Iran (1908) and The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam (1930). The latter work was actually a collection of his seven lectures that he had delivered in December 1928 in Madras. The lectures are reflective of his mature philosophical and rational approach to Islam, emphasizing a responsible itihad, the right of interpreting the Qur’an and the Sunna. A third work is Iqbal’s Presidential Address to the Annual Meeting of the All-India Muslim League (1930). This address is an extensive review of the interaction among the British, the All-India National Congress, and the All-India Muslim League from the perspective of a Muslim thinker. In it, Iqbal expounded the concept of two nations in India. This address came to be known as the origin of the idea for an independent state of Pakistan.

Iqbal composed his poetry in Persian and Urdu. His six Persian works are Asrar-e-Khudi wa Ramuz-e -bekhudi (1915), Payam Mashriq (1923), Zabur-e-Ajam (1927), Javid-Namah (1932), Pas Chas Bayad Kard Ay Aqwam-e-Sharq (1926), and Armaghan-e-Hijiz (1938). His Urdu works, which are primarily responsible for his popularity in Pakistan as well as in India, are Bang-e-Dara (1924), Bal-e-Jibril (1935), and Darb-e-Kalim (1936). Poetry like visual art, is susceptible to varied interpretations; consequently, his admirers, relying primarily upon his poetry, have attempted to prove him a nationalist, a Muslim nationalist, a Muslim socialist, and even a secularist.

Iqbal remained a steady supporter of the founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah (1876–1948). During 1936–1937, Iqbal wrote eight letters to Jinnah, advocating the partition of India into two nations. His presidential address of 1930 formulated the two-nation theory, which Jinnah finally accepted when he presided over the All-India Muslim League’s annual meeting in Lahore in 1940 and demanded that Pakistan be created by partitioning India.

Ragi,

You say that Iqbal’s song ‘Saare Jahaan se acha’ has the stanza
‘Iqbal had written, “Muslim hain hum watan hai sara jahan hamara”

Sorry to correct you – you have obviously learned the revised version. The original song that is sung in India is:

“Mazhab nahin sikhata, Aapas me bair rakhna, Hindi hain hum watan hai, Hindustaan hamaara.”

For my Indian friends an information : This song was written by Iqbal at the turn of the 20th century when he still considered himself a patriotic Hindustani. He however had dissociated himself from this song at a later stage.

“Qaom Mazhab say hai Mazhab jo Nahi Tum Bi Nahi”

As per Iqbal basis of nationhood is religion; which is a direct antithesis of modern western philosophy of separation of Church and State. He forewarned the Islamic world that it would cease to exist if it does not adopt what is called “fundamentalism” by the West and some “secular muslims”.

The statement appearing beneath the title to the effect that “Iqbal foresaw the trajectory of the Pakistani masses” is an editorial note. In my article, I have been careful not to use such words, because I understand that Iqbal believed in free will. However, the choices we make have consequences, and the consequences of choices made by nations can spread over centuries. Someone who knows the deeper currents of life can guess some of the “possibilities” that lie ahead due to choices alread made. Iqbal claimed to know this deeper current of life, and nothing more.

However, the thrust of my article is not so much on the greatness of Iqbal as it is to win for the common Pakistani the right to be respected unconditionally and without discrimination on any basis, including EDUCATION. Even an unlettered person has got soul, and it is soul which gives him or her the right to choose.

I am very grateful to all who have posted comments here, and I also thank the editor of this blog for making my article accessible to such large audience.

@ Jahangir,

Mr. Jahangir, you obviously does not know what Iqbal was and why he is a hero not only to us Pakistani’s but also to millions around the world, including India. Not only that he gave us the idea of Pakistan, he fought for it, it was him who brought Quaid back to Pakistan. It was his poetry that not only translated the past but predicted the future and still show us the right path to follow.

Lets forget what Iqbal was, lets see you a critic of Iqbal has achieved in life. Calling Iqbal a fundamentalist. He was the one who asked all muslims to get modern education, and not only for boy also the girls should be educated equally well.

I am not very knowledgeable of this book you speak of, I have only read Iqbal’s latter poetry. Hence, I actually think your article is poorly written as it seems you expect me to see the connection of what has transpired in history to the ideas that are placed in the chapter you refer to.
In this article you only mention the issues we have faced through our history but I didnt see any connection as to how this relates to the words in Iqbal’s chapter and how he foresaw all these issues.

I would have expected something better from a scholar on Iqbal.
Sorry but thats how I feel.

@Raagi
“Iqbal had written, Saare Jahan se acha Hindustan hamara. The Hindus still sing it in India. The Indian Army bands play it very well. Why cant we follow what he said about the Millat. Muslim hain hum watan hai sara jahan hamara.”

This is an example of how facts have been distorted in muslim mindsets through false associations.

The Hindus sing it in India; and so do the Muslims, Sikhs, Parsees, Christians, Jains, Buddhists. This is what makes India – India.

Iqbal said “Hindi hai hum, watan hai…” not “Hindu hai hum…”. Hindi stands for people of Hind and not a religion. Iqbal had a broader vision, while “Muslim hai hum..” is a narrower vision that represents muslim extremism.

Epic poems, wishful thinking and when you look up, there’s stark reality.

I was quite surprised to see the parallels between Iqbal and Hasan Al-Banna, the founder of Muslim brotherhood. Iqbal seems to have the same reactions to his experiences in the west and developed the same ideas regarding the need for Islam to be the guiding principle for government. He used Jinnah to realize his goal of creation of Pakistan, but his real goals were achieved later.
It is quite fitting that the perverse child of the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Quaida, has now found its home in Pakistan since the founder-inspirers of both had similar visions. Sad for all the common people who were hoodwinked.

Khurram,
What a brilliant piece. Very enlightening, as always. Thank you for your effort. This can open up a whole new debate about the neglect of the people and how in the final analysis, it is they who collectively decide their own destiny. Very refreshing indeed.

Some one has written that Iqbal’s authentic and readable biogaraphy is required. I am afraid that it can be produced because there are many objectionable aspects of his character which can dent his image made in pakistani’s mind. Our children have been taught to regard him as a national hero by including him in compulsory subjects of Urdu and english in every class starting from class one upto graduation. He does not deserve the status given to him by our governments. He is a good poet but his ideas are obscurantic and retrogressive. He not only believes in the past but also lives in the past.

Iqbal, the best of all. I am proud to be a ravian as Iqbal is. If one wants to go through the history of nations just go through his poetry.

@ Jehangir

I think you haven’t read Iqbal so intensely that’s why you profess this belief about him. You should read his book “Reconstruction of Religious Thoughts in Islam” And about fundamentalism, you’re wrong. Iqbal advocated secularism too. Do read about his structure of government in Muslim majority areas and how he defines his secularist theory. Iqbal, on the other side, was a practicing Muslim, but he never advocated extremism. Being Fundamentalist doesn’t mean one is Extremist.

This is IQBAL who is telling us with a smile that, “I was one & alone but had done what I wanted but you are now a nation”.

Indians sing “Sare Jahan se acha Hindustan hamara”, for very right reasons. Iqbal was a muslim and so are millions in India
Today this Nation Need Such type of Personalities & leaders that can lead the nation & Country in a well manner. Allama Iqbal Insist especailly Youngers to Come forward to survive!
Sir Iqbal, we’re sorry. We wanted to make a Pakistan which You and Jinnah envisioned. But We and Political Leaders unitedly steered Pakistan towards a pitiful direction where You and Jinnah would never had wanted to see us to go.

Congratulations Iqbal. Your country and its press are listening to the people of its neigbours. I think we Pakistani’s are moving on the right track. Since we are also adding the views of our Indian brothers and sisters, on this i must say anybody can freely express his or her views. No doubt Iqbal would feel proud of us.

Is the medium, “the message”? The portrayal of Iqbal’s persona to be larger than the enlightened wisdom in his message may not be the right track to follow. No doubt he was the gem of his age. The difference in the East and west lies in the conceptual perception of the individual and the collective. Iqbal’s realization of the self and his quest for the truth confronted him with experience quoted as “collective self”. The understanding of the structural design of the individual self permits sufi’s and sometimes philosophers to orient with the collective self beyond the parameters of time and space, including past present and sometimes uncalculated and indefinate future. This collective self (by the author) is portrayed as the nation of Pakistan here. This is why the human arts portray messages beyond time or space in particular states of the mind. More important today is being a human, and taking important contributing roles in being effecient and productive parts of our collective self ‘PAKISTAN’ than idealizing personalities. Therefore, all of you, can and should be ‘Iqbal of the ages’ within themselves and for others.

Hi
I am Kashmiri living in Indian side. I am proud of Iqbal because he was from us. He changed the scenerio of muslims in sub contnent. He and Mr. Jinnah gave you a Pakistan after a long struggle.

Once upon a time in Pakistan, the youth were taught Urdu and Persian in Schools all across the country. More than fifty percent of Iqbal’s intellectual output is in Persian. It is unfortunate that majority of young people in Pakistan lack the necessary vocabulary of Urdu and Parisian languages required to understand and comprehended the message of Urdu masters like Iqbal and Ghalib. People with such handicap can still strive to understand Iqbal by reading Dr. Annemarie Schimmel’s work on Iqbal. The great German scholar has translated bulk of Iqbal’s Urdu and Persian work into English and German. The philosophy and message of Iqbal is above and beyond any literary prizes. The key to understanding and enjoying Iqbal’s message is very simple: keep your mind open and bias-free, and Iqbal will take you on an intellectual journey full of resonance and radiance of wisdom.

Iqbal was not a good poet in my humble view. He advocated fundamentalism through his poetry and therefore his poetry is much liked by our clergy.

Salute to Iqbal. Pakistan its time to wake up now.

Iqbal was a very confused person.

This write up about Iqbal tells me why it is so difficult to find a readable book about the many U-turns in Iqbal’s literary life and political career.

Indeed, the ever-inspiring Iqbal’s poetry is full of freshness containing a golden message. His God-gifted ability to transform complex feelings into rhyming words and phrases is well known. He stresses the role of the youth in Saqi Nama, saying that the young people are full of passion and new ideas, suggesting that the outdated rituals should not stop them from exploring new horizons.

Pakistan has just celebrated the 132nd birth anniversary of the great philosopher in a befitting manner on Monday.

Iqbal, a lawyer and a poet, concentrated on writing on history, politics, economics, philosophy and religion. Asrar-e-Khudi, Rumuz-e-Bekhudi, Bang-e-Dara are some of his poetic works. Throughout his writings, he laid great emphasis on humanity’s creative capability. He was interested in the political and spiritual revival of Islamic civilisation across the world, but specifically in South Asia; a series of famous lectures he delivered to this effect were published as presidential address, and worked closely with Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Iqbal is known as Muffakir-e-Pakistan, Shair-e-Mashriq and Hakeem-ul-Ummat, and is officially recognized as the national poet of Pakistan.

His poetry has philosophical depth, passion, force and eloquence. ( Khudi ko ker buland itna ke her taqdeer se pahle Khuda bande se khud pooche bata teri raza kiya hai)

In “Rumz-e-Bekhudi”, he is addressing the Ummah about an ideal community based on Islamic social and ethical value where self-sacrifice is emphasized. “Payam-e-Mashriq” is a reminder to the west about the importance of spirituality, morality and religion. In ‘Zabur-e-Ajam’ he denounces slavery and reminds on remembering the past, excelling the present and preparing for the future. “Javed Nama” is addressed to his own son and other young people at large arguing that Muslim traitors were responsible for the many victories of British in the Indian subcontinent leading to enslaving. His other Persian works are Pas Chih Bayad Kard and Armaghan-e-Hijaz.
Allama Iqbal persuaded Mr. Jinnah in 1934 to return from England and lead the Muslims of the Indian Sub-continent in their struggle to create Pakistan.
All Pakistani’s must understand and benefit from the philosophy of Allama Iqbal, who taught self-reliance and true sovereignty instead of relying on the West.

May Allah Bless his soul and grant us another Allama Iqbal to united us “ya rab dil e muslim ko zinda tammana deh” so we can live in peace both muslim and non muslims.

This country also belong to minority as well as majority. Iqbal teaching is according to islam that, “Allah” is “Aalla meen” meaning “God for all” not only for muslims.

Therefore we need to ask ourself Are we Muslim? No way, please wake up.

No matter what we discuss and no matter what opinion we may agree and disagree upon things will never change until we stop saying that we need personalities like Allam Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam to get us out of this socio-political mess. We all understand what Allama and Quaid wanted from each individual member of our nation. Honesty, hard work, modern education, nationalism and vision for prosperity were just a few ingredient passed on by them to get us started.

But unfortunately while still in their capable hands our nation became dependent and forgot completely to develop our own traits. Today whenever I hear people discuss the situation of Pakistan, the end result is always that we need a true leader like Allama and Quaid but there are no leaders in sight with those qualities and traits, so we have no option but to wait for one.

I ask what it will take and how long it will take for our nation to understand that we are the leader if we believe in ourselves. What we need to action now, we need to be working on developing the traits of Allama and Quaid so we can lead this nation to prosperity. But alas we will still hope someone some where is developing these traits and will come to our rescue.

Although everyone sings “Saare jahan se acha” here in India. Alas no one knows much about this great poet. I plan to read his autobiography soon.

Real weird stuff. Basically Iqbal says in fancy words that muslims are superior to others and cannot live by side-by-side with them. Its all cloaked in fashionable european language and with reference to nietzsche and so on.

But the real meaning is pretty ugly and indeed, in Pakistan this kind of vision has come true. Now muslims cannot even live with their own.

Indians sing Sare Jahan se aacha Hindustan hamara, for very right reasons. Iqbal was a muslim and so are millions in India.

Iqbal was a confused philosopher, but Iqbal academy seems to have gone well ahead of their hero. Amazing.

well, Ias a youngster, am quite fascinated by Iqbal’s work especially his concept of Khudi. Having read the above article and being a medical doctor, I would like to ask what exactly Iqbal means by ‘Biological renewal’? and does it offer any solution for the religious extremists of today, or on a broader perspective, from the current wave of terrorism in the Country? I would really appreciate explanation of this part because in my view this part of Iqbal’s speech needs the most attention today, rather than merely discussing how Iqbal was able to predict the future course of the Muslims of the subcontinent! I would also like to add that i have an e copy of this book ‘The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam’ in english and i can email this book if somebody wants it.

We are very proud to sing Sare janhan se acha Hindustan Hamara written by Great Poet Iqbal. He used word “Hindustan” but that did’nt mean only Hindu, Hindustan means we all citizens of Hindustan. Hindu, Muslims, Sikh, Christan, Parsi are all integral part of India. Since childhood, we have very great respect for Iqbal.

When someone told me that “Saare Jahan se acha Hindustan hamara” was written by Iqbal, I could not believe it. It is a beautiful song and enjoy listening to it. Iqbal truly believed in the unity of the Subcontinent.

Iqbal was a legendary poet worthy of a Nobel Prize for literature. In my point of view if he would have stayed in India, he would have been better honored and aptly revered in a spirit of Hindu/muslim co-existance.

The man who wrote “Sare Jehan se acha Hindustan hamara”, got confused in later years and forgot the real meaning and how the Hindustani Identity got evolved over 5000 years of our civilization. Indian’s did not forget that Identity and kept it intact and still proud of it. There are more than billion people, including 150 million Muslims who can relate to this Identity and call India, Bharat or Hindustan as home. Pakistani’s rejected it and now they don’t know where they belong to.

Iqbal was not a poet or philosopher. He was what he termed, mard-e-momin. He, in my opinion had reached to the level of identification of “khudi”. It was only for this reason that he could explain The Holy Quran in his poetry (No other poet has done that so beautifully). And it was no difficult either for him to see or guess the future of muslims in particular and world in general.

we have to set him free to the world from urdu departments of out universities. We first have to really analyse and appreciate what he actually was.

The comments here on this blog are far away reaching theme of Iqbal, makes me aware of the lack of reflection of and in the society concerned as whole on its present and future direction.

If The Allama Saab was alive today, he would not recognise the Pakistan that he dreamed of. Instead I fear he would be sitting in exile in London, as his views would upset everyone from the Generals to Presidents, and those idle beggars on our streets. His life was of action and endevour, all he would see in Pakistan is a country tooled up to the hilt, under seige with the defenceless having been murdered and the strong sitting in their pavilions, periodically issuing statements inviting foreign investment.

If he were alive now, I would ask him, would you have worked so hard for a Pakistan which is like the one today?

Well I partially agree with you and on most points I disagree. Iqbal is a thinker of all time if he point out some of religious negligence then it doesn’t mean that people adopt this way. You are well learned person why cant you understand people are losing their faith and their belief and self-respect because the ongoing situation make all of them so materialistic. This Pakistan should be look like Iqbal’s Pakistan but it isn’t because we are not remembering the doctrine and religious tenet. Well certainly the people of today’s time is weak in belief. He awake them that time which is also needed or the demand of that era we should watch our self and religion.

Second sir we are Muslims we should call our Lord by HIS name ALLAH rather God. I know you have to address at massive level so mention God in brackets please.

This is one of the best article that I have seen on Dawn; a fascinating article. It makes me love and respect Iqbal even more.

Raagi Says:
November 9th, 2009 at 16:00

“Iqbal had written, “Saare Jahan se acchha Hindostan hamara”. The Hindus still sing it in India. The Indian Army bands play it very well………”.

Here comes typical Pakistani religious indoctrinated mindset. Doesn’t muslim, christians, sikhs, jains, budhists sing this song in india?

“Saare Jahan se acha ” is almost compulsory part of school curricullum across whole India. Our people don’t think whether it was written by muslim or hindu.

Sare Jahan se achcha Hindustan Hamara, Hum bulbulen hain iski yeh gulsitan hamara.’

MY INDIA is the best amongst all the nations of the world. We are its nightingales and this is our garden. That’s how ‘the poet of East – Allama Sheikh Mohammed Iqbal’ showered his unlimited love for his country. – India.

‘Khake witan ka humko har zarra devta hai” (Each dust particle of my motherland is god to me).

Iqbal has a great and unique vision of India and he had described his dream of a new India in these words:

Sach keh doon aye Brahmin gar tu bura na mane. (Should I speak the truth Oh Brahmin if you aren’t offended?)

Aa ek naya shiwali hum phir se yan bana de’n. (Let us make new temples again)

Shakti bhi shanty bhi bhakto ke geet me hai. (There is strength and peace in the hymns of worshippers)

Dharti ke waasiyon ki mukti preet me hai. (Peace of inhabitants of the world lies in love)

Mullahs have issued a fatwa on Iqbal for daring to see this dream for a new India. It is wrong to assume that Iqbal is the poet of Muslims or he belongs to Urdu literature alone. Iqbal transcends all boundaries. You cannot put him in any category. Like all great poets, he belongs to the whole mankind.

Allama Iqbal was born in Sialkot on November 9, 1877. He learned Arabic and traditional eastern education under the guidance of famous scholar Meer Hasan. After MA in Philosophy, he received Ph D from Cambridge and German University. After passing the examination of Barrister, for some time he worked as a professor of Arabic in London University. In 1908, he returned to India and became professor in Lahore. One and half years later he started practicing law. British government bestowed the title of ‘Sir’ on him in 1922. In 1926, on the invitation of Madras University, he delivered series of 6 lectures on Islam. He was appointed as a member of Punjab Legislative Council. He presided over All India Muslim League in 1930. In 1931, he represented India in second ‘Round Table Conference’. In 1932, on Shaah of Afghanistan’s invitation he participated in welcome celebration in Kabul, along with Syed Sulaiman Nadwi and Sir Ross Masood. He died on April 21, 1938.

Iqbal, like so many Muslim intellectuals was disillusioned with the policies of Congress and suggested a federation of Muslim states to protect the culture and civilisation of Muslims. The purpose of this article is not to re-open the old controversial chapters of history as Allama Iqbal had died long before independence in 1938. The least I can say is he loved India with bottom of his heart. That he belongs to Pakistan is travesty of truth. “This is not the whole Truth,” said Professor Abdul Haq, an eminent Urdu critic. “Iqbal foresaw a federal structure for a free India, in which a Muslim-dominated north-western region could be a cultural unit like many others.

Dr Abdul Haq said that Iqbal is the most misunderstood poet of the 20th century. “We must look at Iqbal in totality if we want to understand him,” he said. Iqbal’s tragedy was that his poetry was used by different groups to serve their own interests. His poetry had so many facets that he seemed to assume different roles in different phases of his poetry: he was a staunch nationalist, a vocal communist, an advocate of Hindu-Muslim unity, a humanist, a believer in Islamic revivalism, a freedom fighter, and an advocate of international brotherhood. No poet in Urdu, and I’m sure in any other Indian language too, has shed as many tears on India’s misery and colonial captivity.

Uth ke ab daore jahan ka aur hi andaz hai

Mashroq-o-maghrib me tere daur ka aghaz hai

“Get up now that the style of the world has changed.It is the beginning of your age in the East and West.”

Sorry to say this — sometimes it is difficult to absolve Allama Iqbal for what is happening now in Pakistan — bless his soul.

I humbly disagree here and really don’t think Iqbal intended his book to be interpreted to represent linear eras in time. I also do not agree to the notion that this work can be understood in the light of collective experiences of the masses of subcontinent. I think its a philosophical dissection of religion with the intention of grasping the very basic nature of both ‘religion’ and ‘Islam’. Had the Muslim masses, or even the intellectuals, been able to follow this spirit of inquiry and reconstruction, we would have been a much more mature society. But unfortunately, as you mentioned only a fraction of the people in our nation are able to fully understand this brilliant piece of work, let alone the masses being able to grasp the concepts. There has been, in my opinion, no serious attempt whatsoever at the masses’ level to understand religion in this way over the last few hundred years (especially because we have carefully steered away from the advances in social sciences and philosophy).

Iqbal, larger than all tags, of being a poet or a philospher, a visionary.
One thing is for sure, in following Iqbal’s footsteps, one realises the self, faces the challenges and discovers the truth.
If one follows Iqbal or reads his Master Rumi the ultimate message is same but Iqbal was more of a sane and he put things into prospective and made life as a realisation of abstract.
How he did that is quite amazing grappling with mataphysics, social orders and psychology and than staying on ground realities, he was constantly thinking about Islam and I must say about his existance.
Was he satisfied? I do not think so. To him this was all equal to nothing.
For a Mard-e-mumin does not realise one is Murd-e-mumin and neither the spiritual thirst of knowledge is quenched in this world unless one is joined with the Supreme Being, Allah Himself.
For me a woman of twenty first century, Allama is my hope, he offers solution to many spiritual and personal problems, he ignites the light of hope he does not decide the destination for you, constant change and movement, acceptance and maintaining honour in disgrace, and immense patiance and believe in Allah.
he assures me big time that the essence of intellectual being is Realisation of Allah in a sufi way.
The supreme sufi master with a political vision.
His intution and vision was guided.
The need is his message should be made easier, should be translated into Urdu from Persian and even from difficult urdu text of earlier 19th century.
This poet must live on. I am not ready to accept that he was a sacred poet, so we should keep him in the highest shelves of the library only.
Need is to celebrate Iqbal to own him, to interpret him and to discuss him, to sing his songs.
Let us stop owning him so that we can liberate him to the world.
If Rumi is alive, why have we murdered Iqbal and hidden him in the coffins of Urdu departments and lughats.

Iqbal had written, “Saare Jahan se acchha Hindostan hamara”. The Hindus still sing it in India. The Indian Army bands play it very well. Why cant we follow what he said about the Millat. “Muslim hain hum watan hai sara jahan hamara”.

Nice write up.

Sir Iqbal, we’re sorry. We wanted to make a Pakistan which You and Jinnah envisioned. But We and Political Leaders unitedly steered Pakistan towards a pitiful direction where You and Jinnah would never had wanted to see us to go.

This is a good and timely peace of analysis.
Yes, Iqbal is the eagle of khudi: self-hood, with a fulsome and flashing flight through the windy and lacerating space and time,
AND the persistant and unavoidable need for the biological renewal of faith to face the merciless survival-of-the-fittest struggle.
Where are we as people in all this?

Thank you for this article. It is very well written and informative, a bit scary though that Iqbal could actually predict the future, but an eye opener for us all and it is time we open our eyes.

The Work Of ALLAMA IQBAL is really commendable.
Today this Nation Need Such type of Personalities & leaders that can lead the nation & Country in a well manner. Allama Iqbal Insist especailly Youngers to Come forward to survive!

Today Our Country need Us & we have to come forward in order to save Our Country & to bring it out from the problems.