Wajeeha Bilal
From 1st century BC, the Roman empire had grown in power expanding its rule over
Europe, Mediterranean Africa, and the Middle East. By the 2nd Century, it was at
its peak and the imperial culture, with its emphasis on power, risked the values
of scholarship and philosophy from ancient times. In the following epoch,
political thinking was subordinated to religious dogma and the ideas of ancient
Greece were largely neglected. In the 7th Century, Islam emerged as a powerful
religion that spread from Arabia into Asia and Africa, and also inspired the
political thinking in Christian Europe. Unlike Christianity, Islam was open to
secular political thinking and urged wide scholarships and the study of other
philosophies. Libraries were set up in cities throughout the Islamic empire to
conserve classical texts and many scholars incorporated the ideas of ancient
learning into their practices. Cities like Baghdad became centers of learning
and scholars such as Al-Kindi, Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina, Ibn Rushd and Ibn Khaldun
emerged as political theorists.
It would then take an immense influence of the Islamic culture to bring fresh
ideas to medieval Europe, as scholars rediscovered the classical texts. In the
12th Century, the texts that Islamic scholars had preserved and translated
became a source of inspiration for the Christian scholars, particularly in Spain
where the two faiths co-existed. As the Middle Ages drew to an end, the
introduction of secular thinking into intellectual life had a profound effect in
the West and there was a rush to find and translate not only the texts but also
Islamic commentaries. Search for knowledge and a desire to seek aspiration were
the traits of an Islamic society that were gradually understood and adopted by
the West.
With the rise of colonialism and fall of the Muslim empire, the Muslim society
was in a dire need of awakening. They had slowly let go of their Islamic virtues
that were keenly observed by the western civilization. Many thinkers and
reformers sought to bring the true spirit of Muslim values amongst the masses
and in this regard the works of our national poet Allama Iqbal are a true asset
for every being. Sir Muhammad Iqbal (9 November 1877), a South Asian poet and
ideological innovator was a philosopher, poet, politician, and a social
reformer. Influenced by Islamic determination as well as ancient philosophies,
Allama Iqbal, was a huge advocate for the revival of Islamic identity while
promoting independence from slavery and western domination. His poetic ideas are
dominated by the active self that is not passive. Being alive and aware is the
fundamental virtue of being a faithful identity. One would have to make an
extraordinary journey of transformation to embrace that divine spark which Iqbal
refers to as Khudi in his works. According to him, one would have to go through
many experiences in life before finally arriving at the point of realization,
leading to self-discovery.
In his major works, Iqbal has expressed in many ways that the whole universe
revolves around the nature of the ‘self’. The aim of life is not destruction,
but it is self-awareness and self-knowledge. Asrar-i-Khudi (The Secrets of the
Self), published in Persian, was an amazing philosophical poetry book of Iqbal.
This book deals mainly with the individual identity, while his other work
Rumuz-i-Bekhudi addresses the social interaction of an individual. One of his
masterpieces, the Javid-Nama (Book of Eternity) depicts the poet’s journey
through the universe, guided by the great sufi poet, Jalaluddin Rumi, while
encountering a wide range of mythic and historical figures. His works also
stress on the political and social awakening of Islamic civilization across the
world. His famous lectures compiled in the book ‘The Reconstruction of Religious
Thought in Islam’ put forth his social and religious philosophy, which aims at
forming a dynamic and democratic society inspired by the life of the Prophet
(Peace Be Upon Him).
Rejecting the idea of Muslims as oppressed nation, Sir Dr Muhammad Iqbal went
into politics as president of All India Muslim League, in 1930. His
participation in the London RT Conferences of 1931 and 1932, brought forth an
optimistic vision of a social and political order. He travelled across Europe
and West Asia to harvest political and financial support for Muslim League. He
influenced the religious thoughts of Muslims, not only in the subcontinent but
also in Europe, Asia, and Africa. His philosophy about religious and political
issues made him one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century. He revived the
divine spirit of freedom not only for his contemporary Muslim society, but also
for many generations to come. He did not approve of relaxing in mere spiritual
aura nor did he believe in chanting in the hollow pleasures of the western
materialistic approach. His ideas were international that were open to every
race and culture.
Iqbal’s poetry ‘Cheen o Arab Hamara, Hindustan Hamara’ depicts the cultural
unity with the Chinese and Arab world. Iqbal’s social and political views that
are appreciated by the common people of our country are more dynamic and global
with deep meaning that has been widely appreciated by other reformers as well.
Many scholars and leaders in Iran realized the importance of Allama Iqbal’s
poetry during the rise of the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Iqbal’s Asrare-i-Khudi
and Bal-i-Jibreel are very popular in Iran. Ali Shariati, a revolutionary
activist and a sociology professor, described Dr Iqbal as someone who gave a
message of “rejuvenation” and “awakening” to the Muslim world.
Allama Iqbal passed away in 1938 but even today millions are mesmerised with the
beauty and effect of his poetry. He deciphered the purpose of human existence,
streamlined the philosophy of life, and revived the teachings of Islam to awaken
the masses. He spread the message of hope and courage to stand up and act
collectively for the true Muslim identity. He believed that self-realization
could light the spark to live with hope and freedom. Human life exists due to
movement and the spirited breath that flows in it. A heart that is full of life
is the only secret to an active life. Only a humble human that realizes its true
potential is worthy of being called the most eminent of God’s creatures.
‘O Nightingale, sing thee, for with thy intonation,
A falcon’s heart emerges in the pigeon’s frail creation,
Disguised within your heart is the secret of life...’
We all realize the need for a mass awakening in this world, thus Allama’s poetry
is relevant now more than ever. We wish to revive the message of Allama Iqbal
for our own sake and practice self-awareness in a world that seems to be lost in
a digital slumber of technology and western dominated social media. Iqbal was a
sufi poet and a reformer who believed in the supremacy of the awakened soul over
the frail body and of love over hopeless enslavement.
(Twitter@WajehaBilal)