Dr Umneea Ahmad Khan
Any piece commemorating the Pakistan Independence Movement is incomplete without
the mention of Allama Mohammad Iqbal. Allama Iqbal’s name is mentioned alongside
Quaid-e-Azam and rightly so; undoubtedly no other leader has influenced the
independence movement on so many different levels. His contributions as a sage
philosopher and a poet, as well as a catalyst of Pakistan movement, are
undisputed. Although he is given due credit for proposing the creation of a
separate homeland for the Muslims of India, his pivotal role in giving a
concrete direction to the disintegrated factions of the Muslim community at that
time, with his involvement in politics that aided in channelling the actual
process, gets muddled up – especially for our youth who are not as aware of
Allama Iqbal’s status in the political scenario of undivided India.
This is mainly because we do not see much reference to his close relationship
with Quaid-e- Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah in our regular texts and also because
little is mentioned about him as an active politician. In this short article, I
will focus on this aspect of life with reference toAllama Iqbal’s letters to
Quaid-e-Azam between 1936 -1938, and speeches of Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam.
In the foreword of Letters to Jinnah, Quaid -e- AzamMohammad Ali Jinnah
acknowledges Allama Iqbal’s contribution in these words:
“His (Allama Iqbal) views were in consonance with my own and had finally led me
to the same conclusions as a result of careful examination and study of the
constitutional problems facing India and found expression in due course in the
united will of Muslim India as adumbrated in the League resolution of the All
India Muslim League, popularly known as the Pakistan Resolution 23rd March
1940”.
Allama Iqbal’s formal involvement in politics started when he was elected as an
executive member of the British branch of the Indian Muslim League in 1908. Upon
his return to India, although formally he was enrolled as Advocate of Chief
Court and as a professor of Philosophy at Government College Lahore, Allama
Iqbal continued to raise awareness and inspire the masses through his poetical
works and lectured widely on the political revival of the Muslims of the
subcontinent. Allama Iqbal represented the Muslims of India at the Round Table
Conferences held in England in 1931 and 1932. In 1936, he joined the Central
Parliamentary Board of All India Muslim League on the personal request of Quaid
-e-Azam and later on also became the president of the Punjab Branch of the same.
While Allama Iqbal’s poetical works were read at public gatherings and his
philosophical ideas were discussed in intellectual circles, he held extensive
meetings with eminent leaders like Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Lord Lothian, Tej
Bahadur Sapru and Jawahar Lal Nehru among others. Additionally,hewrote
extensively on matters of the state, offering valuable criticism on the new
constitution and supporting the reforms proposed by Quaid-e-Azam. Hecorresponded
with the Muslim leaders advising them on legal matters, policy making and the
freedom movement, whilst maintaining a strong standpoint on the two nation
theoryagainst any opponents. He was held in high esteem by the leaders of his
time which shows his central and very strong position in the political scenario
of India.
In his famous presidential address known as the Allahabad Address at the 25th
session of the All-India Muslim League on 29 December 1930, he formally
envisioned the creation of Pakistan in these words:
“India is a continent of human groups belonging to different races, speaking
different languages, and professing different religions [...] Personally, I
would like to see the Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Sindh and
Baluchistan amalgamated into a single State. Self-government within the British
Empire, or without the British Empire, the formation of a consolidated
North-West Indian Muslim State appears to me to be the final destiny of the
Muslims, at least of North-West India”.
Quaid-e-Azamrightfully recognized thatit was the Allahabad Address that planted
the seed that saw its fruit in 1947.
Allama Iqbal had complete confidence in the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam and
proclaimed, “there is only one way out. Muslims should strengthen Jinnah's
hands. They should join the Muslim League”.Later on Quaid-e-Azamalso
acknowledged him as a friend and a mentor:
“To me he was a friend, guide and philosopher and during the darkest moments
through which the Muslim League had to go, he stood like a rock and never
flinched one single moment ….”
And also notably in his message on Iqbal Day in 1944:
“Iqbal was not merely a preacher and philosopher. He stood for courage and
action, perseverance and self-reliance, and above all faith in God and devotion
to Islam. In his person were combined the idealism of the poet and the realism
of the man who takes a practical view of things. Faith in God and unceasing and
untiring action is the essence of his message.”
This is not only a mere exhibition of the close relationship the two leaders
shared but further elaborates Allama Iqbal’s role in endorsing and strengthening
Quaid-e-Azam as the only leader of the united Muslims of India. Furthermore,
Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah also accepted thisduring theLucknow Session in
1935, which marked the first step in the reorganisation of Muslim League as the
only authoritative and representative body of Muslims of India, was not without
the contribution and advice of Allama Iqbal. This consequentlyled to the
strengthening of the All India Muslim League,whicheventually became the only
party representing the majority of the Muslims of India.
The turning point in the politics of Muslim India was when Allama Iqbal played a
vital role in convincing Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to return to India and
entrusted him withthe formidable task of leading the distraught Muslims of the
sub-continent.Earlier,disappointed and disillusioned with the state of affairs
in India, Quaid-e-Azammoved back to England after the Round Table Conference of
1932, andstarted his law practice there. It was Allama Iqbal’s vision that he
recognised a true leaderin Quaid-e Azam - a leader who could bring the
realization of his dream of a separate homeland for Indian Muslims. In one of
the letters to Quaid-e-Azam, Allama Iqbal wrote:
“ I know you are a busy man but I do hope you won't mind my writing to you
often, as you are the only Muslim in India today to whom the community has right
to look up for safe guidance through the storm which is coming to North-West
India, and perhaps to the whole of India”.
Upon Quaid-e-Azam’sreturn to India, Allama Iqbal continued to provide social,
moral and political support to Quaid-e-Azamonmany different fronts - from openly
supporting the constitutional reforms proposed by Quaid-e-Azam to more private
meetings with other political leaders. In one of the extensive meetings with Mr
Jawahar Lal Nehru and other delegates,Nehru triedto convince Allama Iqbal to
persuade the Muslims to join the Congress party. Allama Iqbal asked Nehru(Nehru
being a proponent of Socialism), how many congressmen agreed with him on
Socialism. “Half a dozen”, said Nehru. Allama Iqbal replied, “How could you
expect me to advise ten crore Indian Muslims to trust Congress when you couldn’t
carry even half a dozen congressmen on your socialist plank”. At the conclusion
of this meeting, MianIftikhar-ud-Din said to Allama Iqbal, “… Muslims listen to
you, who bothers about Jinnah’s view?” To this Allama Iqbal replied rather
strongly, “Mian Sahib! Probably you would agree that Muslim unity is probably
needed….A semblance of unity has been created under Jinnah’s leadership. Since
Hindus do not like the process of Muslim unity as a nation, then should it be
shattered to please them? Please forgive me, I am not prepared to accept it” (as
narrated inIqbal- the life of a Poet Philosopher and Politician).
When Allama Iqbal was terminally ill, Mr Jawhar Lal Nehru came to his residence
to enquire of his health. Towards the end of their meeting, Mr Nehru askedAllama
Iqbal why he didn’t consider taking up the leadership of All India Muslim
League, as Muslim leaders as well as the masses listened to him more than
Mohammmad Ali Jinnah. To this Allama Iqbal replied, how could he think of such a
thing when Mohammad Ali Jinnah was his leader and he considered himself merely a
solider of Jinnah’s army (as narrated by Prof. M S Baqa).
Following excerpt from Allama Iqbal’s letter to Quaid-e- Azam shows how closely
both leaders worked and corresponded in matters of political importance:
My dear Mr Jinnah,
I am sending you my draft….I hope the statement issued by the Board will fully
argue the whole scheme and will meet all the objections so far advanced against
it. It must frankly state the present position of the Indian Muslims as regards
both the Government and the Hindus. It must warn the Muslims of India that
unless the present scheme is adopted the Muslims will lose all that they have
gained…will feel much obliged if you send the statement to me before it is sent
to the press.
In another letter Allama Iqbal wrote more assertively:
“I read in the papers that you have brought about a compromise between the
Bengal Broja Party and the Parliamentary Board. I should like to know the terms
and conditions.”
The above two excerpts not only show the positive and strong working relations
between Allama Iqbal and Quaid -e- Azambut also the confidence Allama Iqbal had
in Quaid-e-Azam’s leadership. In another letter, dated 30th October 1937, he
says:
“We must carry the work of organisation more vigorously than ever and should not
rest till Muslim Governments are established in the five provinces and reforms
are granted to Baluchistan”.
These excerpts like many others are evident of the mutual trust, confidence,
support, and understanding between Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam, as well as
their commitment towards the common goal of a separate homeland for Indian
Muslims. I conclude with a quote from the condolence message of Quaid-e-Azam on
the death of Allama Iqbal, whichclearly illustrates Allama’s Iqbal’s
contributions to the freedom movement and also shows volumes of respect and high
esteem Quaid-e-Azam had for Allama Iqbal:
“I am extremely sorry to hear the sad news of the death of Sir Muhammad Iqbal.
He was a remarkable poet of world-wide fame and his work will live for ever. His
services to his country and the Muslims are so numerous that his record can be
compared with that of the greatest Indian that ever lived. He was an
ex-President of the All-India Muslim League and a President of the Provincial
Muslim League of the Punjab till the very recent time when his unforeseen
illness compelled him to resign. But he was the staunchest and the most loyal
champion of the policy and programme of the All-India Muslim League”.
References:
Anjum, A. (2014). Iqbal- The Life of a poet, philosopher and politician. Random
House India.
Baqa, M. S. (2014). Iqbal in quotes.
Iqbal, M. (2006).Stray reflections - The Private Notebook of Muhammad
Iqbal.Editedby Javed Iqbal. Iqbal Academy Pakistan.
Dar., B. A. (1967). Letters and writings of Iqbal.Iqbal Academy Karachi.
Jinnah, M. A. (1956). Letter of Iqbal to Jinnah. Sheikh Mohammad Ashraf, Kashmir
Bazar Lahore.