ALLAMA IQBAL

The visionary leader of an Independent homeland

Allama Iqbal was not only a great poet but was also a renowned philosopher & political leader of
his time. The purpose of this study is to develop concepts to describe his efforts for a separate
homeland for Muslims in British India. To throw light and information on the poet’s life, work,
and the activities centered on him. This study aims to promote and disseminate the study and
understanding of the works and teachings of Allama Iqbal among youth. A literature review has
been described as a statement of problems. Iqbal is admired as a prominent classical poet by
Pakistani, Indian, and other international scholars of literature. Although most well-known as a
poet, he has also been acclaimed as a modern Muslim philosopher. His first poetry book, Asrar-e-
Khudi, appeared in the Persian language in 1915, and other books of poetry include Rumuz-i-
Bekhudi, Payam-i-Mashriq, and Zabur-i-Ajam. He was born on 9th November 1877, in Sialkot,
Pakistan. It may be recalled that the National poet Allama's modified present date of birth was
authenticated after research. Earlier it was 1875. Anjuman Himmayat-ul-Islam an influential and
social organization of Lahore had been doing excellent work in the field of educational and social
services, and its annual meetings were an important date in the social calendar of Lahore city. It is
on record that when the annual meeting of the Anjuman took place in 1899, Iqbal recited a poem
Nala-e-Yatim, which was greatly appreciated for its depth of feeling. After that year, it became a
standing feature at the annual meetings of the Anjuman that Iqbal would recite a poem, specially
composed for the occasion. Allama Iqbal proved a great political leader and a reliable companion
of the Quaid-e-Azam. He awakened the Muslims of the sub-continent with his verses to demand a
separate homeland. He led the Muslims at every step and rendered great services in the
accomplishment of Pakistan. Here are some verses to inspire the Muslim Youth, of India/Pakistan.
Introduction
Allama Iqbal a great poet, philosopher, and political leader was born on 9th November 1877, in
Sialkot, Pakistan. It may be recalled that the National poet Allama's modified present date of birth
was authenticated after research. Earlier it was 1875. He was initially educated in the traditional
Muktab. One of his teachers at Sialkot was Moulvi Mir Hasan, who was later awarded the title of
Shams-ul-Ulema by British Govt. During School days Allama Iqbal started writing poems and he
was encouraged by Mir Hassan which Iqbal has gratefully acknowledged in some of his verses. At
this time, he was also sending his poems to the Great Poet. Dagh Dehalvi for correction. Often
Dagh Dehalvi encouraged the young and enthusiastic poet by writing back to say that his poems
were so perfect that they needed no correction. After completing his education at the Muktab, Iqbal
joined Sialkot Mission School, from where he passed his matriculation examination. He proceeded
to Lahore for higher studies and joined Government College, Lahore to secure his Bachelor of Arts
Degree, which he was able to obtain in 1987, with two gold medals for Proficiency in English and
Arabic. Two years later, he secured his master’s degree in philosophy and was appointed to the
oriental College, Lahore as a lecturer in History, Philosophy, and English. During his college days,
Iqbal continued his boyhood hobby of writing poetry and was admired by many lovers of poetry.
About this time Iqbal wrote the first Urdu Book on Economics. Later he went to England to pursue
studies in law. He got his Ph. D in Philosophy from the German University.

Social Philosophy of Allama Muhammad Iqbal:

He had a profound insight into the holy Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad and had
delved deep into Western thought. His Islamic knowledge and his study of philosophy in the West
equipped him with good access to the sources of both Islam and Western modernism. His approach
to Islam is thus on a broader basis than that of the traditional theologians and the Western-educated
Muslims. Iqbal’s later poetry particularly poetical works in Persian and the lectures, entitled “The
Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam” testifies to his objective and dynamics. Keeping
this in view, this paper discusses the Social Philosophy of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, with a special
focus on his views on Ummah and Islamic Society. Iqbal’s Views on the Concept of Ummah The
term Ummah, frequently interpreted as “Muslim community”, designates a basic concept in Islam.
The Qur’anic concept of Ummah, occurring sixty-four times in the Quran, mostly designates a
people to whom a Prophet was sent by God or a people who are objects of a divine plan of
salvation. According to these analyses, the term Ummah refers to a single group sharing a common
religious orientation. A Community is generally defined as a group of people organized together
in spacetime, so the Islamic community is one where its members share Islamic principles and
duties in common. It is different from ‘nationality’ in the Western sense of the term because it is
against territorial boundaries.

The Qur’anic words for the Islamic community are ‘ummah’ and ‘millah’. The following verse of
the Quran bears the wide and comprehensive nature of the Islamic community, “Let there be of
you an ummah which calls for the good, enjoins the good workers, and prohibits the works of evil.
Those are truly felicitous.” Society is an association of individuals. But it is not a mere assemblage
of individuals. It is like an organic whole. In an organic body, the part and the whole cannot remain
separate from one another. The individual and society cannot remain separate from one another.
Individuals and society act and react to each other. A society is strong only if its individuals are
strong, and the individuals are weakened if society declines. While one must develop his ego, he
has also to create in himself a social awareness. Man is a social animal. A proper relationship
between individuals and society has to be established for the fruitful achievement of both. To
develop personality is not to cut one’s relation with social affairs. Rather an individual must enrich
society by the wealth of his thoughts and actions otherwise his existence is worthless and
meaningless. To Iqbal, an individual should not even refrain from any sacrifice if society gains
something from it. A Muslim is not a true Muslim apart from the Islamic Society. In Islam, there
is no gap between the spiritual and social order. According to Iqbal “Islam is non-territorial in
character, and it aims to furnish a model for the final combination of humanity”. This community
is unique in terms of its good and felicity and has its heritage in the traditions of Prophets. Iqbal’s
use of ‘millah’ in his Urdu and Persian poetical works and ‘community’ in his English writings is
in this Qur’anic sense. Based on this Qur’anic version, Iqbal develops his theory of the Islamic
community logically and systematically and exposes its dynamics both to psychological and moral
spheres of life for the actualization of the will of God. Iqbal believes in the universality of the
Ummah (Muslim community) and is of the view that the body and soul of the Ummah are
composed of a belief in the unity of God, and this very unity is the basis of the affinity of thought
among Muslims. Similarly, Risalat (Prophethood) creates a spirit of oneness among the Muslims.
It is because the Muslims received the message of God and the mission of life through the Prophet.
In the view of Iqbal, the commonness and solidarity of the Muslim Ummah depends on
Prophethood and that millions of Believers are joined together into one religion because of the
Prophet.

Iqbal’s Educational Thought:

Briefly, education, according to Iqbal, is a means to an end and not an end itself. The end of
education is Islamic Ideology and Culture. It is through education that a culture perpetuates itself.
Every system of education consists of social ideals, norms, and values and is based on its specific
culture. Iqbal exhorts us not to imitate other nations. Iqbal believed that the basic aim of education
is self-realization, which means consciousness of divine attributes that constitute the very essence
of man. Iqbal’s whole thought is based on Self or Khudi. Khudi is that unit of intellect that is self-
knowing and self-cognition and is conscious of its seat and its goals. Khudi here does not mean
mind or discretion, but it is something which has to be kept well in mind or on account of which
man has mind and discretion. The same faculty in man calls himself ‘I’ on account of being self-
knowing or self-cognizant. So, Iqbal calls it ana, or Ego, or ‘I’. In Iqbal’s view, this khudi passes
through three stages in its evolution i.e., A sense of one’s existence, a sense of the existence of
others, and a sense of the existence of God. Thus Iqbal’s philosophy is the philosophy of egohood
and it is said that education begins from a sense of ego. The ego will undergo a process of evolution
and is always striving to achieve perfection. Perfect ego according to Iqbal is called the perfect
man and that is the purpose of education.

As Iqbal says;

Elevate yourself to such heights that before destiny (intervenes)

God himself may ask his slave, tell! What doeth thou will†

Iqbal lays unprecedented stress on the development of self in man as well as in society. He regards
this failing of the Muslims as the primary cause for their humiliation in the world. The primary
cause of the downfall of Muslims, in his opinion, was religious dogmatism, which had debased
Islam and had obstructed its evolutionary process.
Aims of Education:

Educational aims are primarily a phase of values. They are conscious or unconscious value
judgments. These judgments involve thinking in Metaphysics and Epistemology. Educational aims
take their roots from philosophy. Iqbal’s philosophy is the philosophy of self. In his view, “a strong
will in a strong body is the ethical ideal view of Islam.” Criticizing the educational system of his
times he says very emphatically:

“I venture to say, that the present system of education in this country is not at all suited to us as a
person. It is not true to our genius as a nation, it tends to produce an un-Muslim type of character,
it is not determined by our national requirements, it breaks entirely with our past, and appears to
proceed on the false assumption that the ideal of education is the training of human rather than
human will.”

The aim of Education, according to him, is to develop the personality through activity, creativity,
and originality, to prepare man for the conquest of the material forces of the Universe and further
the achievement of spiritual heights of man. He viewed the cultivation of individuality as the
highest goal of all social and educational efforts.

Allama Iqbal, a renowned poet, philosopher, and thinker, played a crucial role in shaping the
ideology that led to the creation of Pakistan. His contributions can be understood through his
writings, speeches, and interactions within the political and intellectual circles of his time.

Vision for a Separate Muslim State:

Philosophical Ideals: Iqbal's philosophical works, particularly "Asrar-e-Khudi" (Secrets of the

Self) and "Rumuz-i-Bekhudi" (The Secrets of Selflessness), emphasized the development of
individual selfhood and the revival of Islamic thought. His concept of "Khudi" (self) urged
Muslims to strive for self-realization and empowerment.
Political Engagement:

Iqbal was actively involved in the All-India Muslim League. His famous Allahabad Address in
1930 articulated the idea of a separate Muslim state in the Indian subcontinent. He advocated for
Muslim political autonomy within the larger framework of India.

Literary Contributions:

Poetic Works: Iqbal's poetry played a significant role in galvanizing the Muslim community. Works
like "Bang-e-Dra" (The Call of the Marching Bell), "Zabur-e-Ajam" (Persian Psalms), and "Bal-
e-Jibril" (Gabriel's Wing) invoked a sense of pride, unity, and a desire for self-determination among
Muslims.

Concept of Pakistan: Iqbal's vision for a separate Muslim state was articulated in his poetry, where
he envisioned a land where Muslims could live according to their faith and cultural values. His
writings acted as a catalyst for political movements advocating for a separate homeland.

Influence on Political Leaders:

Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Allama Iqbal's ideas deeply influenced Jinnah, the founding father of
Pakistan. Iqbal's vision and ideology were instrumental in shaping Jinnah's political goals and
determination for a separate Muslim nation.

Notable Books and Works:

"Asrar-e-Khudi" (Secrets of the Self): This philosophical work delves into Iqbal's ideas about
the self, individuality, and self-realization. It laid the foundation for his vision of a revived Muslim
community.

"Bang-e-Dra" (The Call of the Marching Bell): This collection of Urdu poetry contains some of
his most influential poems, expressing the aspirations and struggles of Muslims in the
subcontinent.

"Rumuz-i-Bekhudi" (The Secrets of Selflessness): Expanding on the ideas presented in "Asrar-

e-Khudi," this work explores the concept of selflessness and sacrifice.

Allama Iqbal's intellectual contributions, especially his philosophical thoughts and poetic works,
provided the ideological underpinnings for the demand and eventual creation of Pakistan. His
vision for a separate Muslim state greatly influenced the course of history in the Indian
subcontinent.
Death:

Allama Iqbal, the revered poet-philosopher, passed away on April 21, 1938, in Lahore, British
India (now part of Pakistan). He had been suffering from a prolonged illness, which was
exacerbated by complications related to his health. His demise deeply saddened the nation and
marked the end of an era in Urdu literature and philosophical thought.

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