Remembering Allama Iqbal

What is the definition of ummah? I thought it meant same thing as Mullah.

By any measure, Iqbal was the most exalted poet and philosopher of modern Jihadism. No Jihadi writer or thinker can fail to pay the man proper tribute. His services to the Ummah were immeasurable.

The great thing about Ummah is that it simultaneously exists and does not exist, in ways that are most favorble to it.

Iqbal reminds me of somewhat of Savarkar..similar ``nationalistic, martial`` poetry and prose, inspiration for Hindu Mahasabha. Savarkar was more action oriented and deemed dangerous by the british faced the worst jail available. This was because the brits figured that he can potentially inspire the masses. iqbal was more of an inspiration for the mulsim bourgoise.

#59 by bjkumar

....This whole ``ummah`` thing is an artificial construct and everyone here knows that quite well.....

BeeJay Bhai, Ummah is in the hearts, not in boundaries. I agree that everyone knows quite well about `that`.

Dear Farzana,

Normally, poets ought to be exempt from criticism. The problem I see with poets like Iqbal is that one can not espouse the idea that being a Muslim raises one to lofty heights - making such individuals the greatest thing since aalu-batora - AND sing the praises of ``universalism`` at the same time.

This whole ``ummah`` thing is an artificial construct and everyone here knows that quite well.

But there is no shortage of writers (like you) who keep pushing it with greater frequency than pimps keep pushing paan!

By the way, when you so smoothly fork over such terms as Jinnah`s ``sacrifices`` - would you care to elaborate what those were? For example, how many days in the jail did that character put in? Or is that simply an article of faith with the such writers as you?

It is highly unfortunate that a lot of that mindset of exclusivity remains - especially among the writers here on chowk - and it keeps getting actively promoted - apparently by people with an agenda.

Some writers appear SO stuck on the past of their community - as if they have zero ability to deal with the present.

Re: # 59

Agreed.

Iqbal`s mindset is very clear in this verse:

Bey Khatar Kood Para Aatish-e-Namrood Mein Ishq;
Aq`l Khari Hai Mahv`e Tamasha-e-Lab`e`Baam Abhi.

Iqbal was clearly `Jehadi`.

Thanks.

Re: # 58
When we talk about mindsets and philosophies, we cannot ignore the fact that many of these poets and thinkers had their own influences. A lot of them wrote and said, what they thought was right based on their own observations and views. Hopefully, the future generations will pick from Iqbal`s poetry what is applicable to them and ignore what they do not subscribe to. I wrote something on what I did not like in his poetry. The more I thought about it, the more I felt that it was unfair to compare his verses from early 1900s to the current issues of Ummah. So, I killed that passage. I must say that your conclusion lacks proper evidence. Sometimes, you need to appreciate a poetical expression as it is. You do not have to interpret things literally.

I found an interesting passage on Iqbal`s thought process -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allama_Iqbal
[Iqbal`s Thought

Amongst Western thinkers, Iqbal was deeply impressed by Friedrich Nietzsche. Some people have criticised him for endorsing Nietzsche`s concept of the Übermensch (superman), which is reflected in Iqbal`s own concept of ``the perfect man``. However, Iqbal asserted that his concept of the perfect man is influenced by Jami and Rumi. Bergson`s ideas regarding time also influenced Iqbal. He wrote Payam-i-Mashriq (The Message of the East) as a reply to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe`s West-östlicher Diwan. Amongst Eastern thinkers, Iqbal was influenced by Rumi, whom he called his spiritual guide. Iqbal also admired Mirza Ghalib`s poetic style.

Iqbal is one of the foremost modern Muslim philosophers. Major themes in his philosophy include creating an effective response to the intellectual challenge of the West, the revival of intellectual discourse in the Islamic world, and the concept of Khudi or selfness.]


Note: Did you really mean to highlight the gender of ``Aql`` in the second line?

Re: # 72

Zahra:

iIis there aa book of Iqbal`s poems, in Hindi transliteration and English Translation?

Anil Kapuria

Re: # 72, ZahraJ: Can you throw light on the change that occurred within the psyche of Iqbal? This will require providing life history events that transformed him from a unifier to a divider.

When I was younger, I fiercely argued that Iqbal was all bull shit. That may largely have been a reaction to the over dose of Iqbal that we as kids had to endure comprising in false statements like ``he was an ideal momin`` (he was no such thing...contrary to what the writer of this piece asserts). I offer no comments on his ``person`` or his ``philosophy`` but I cannot resist admitting that even though it is second nature with me to be suspicious of all things muslim (and hence ``Iqbal``), to me his poetry is that rare gift that God has bestowed upon only a handful in all history (and only God knows why...there is hardly ever an apparent reason).


Rang ho ya khisht o sang, changg ho ya harf o saut
Moajza e fann ki hai khoon e jigar say namood !

Thank Iqbal and Jinnah for creating a paradise for muslims, or should we say an absolute nightmare? Muslims killing muslims during prayers with plastic explosives and ball-bearings in bombs. Religious leaders, innocent people and even children dying and all of them muslims!! What a shame!! So much for ``escaping`` hindu domination and killing 6 million innocent people in 1947 to create this nightmare country.

While the Pakis are blowing each other up in parks at Eid time, here is an article from Dawn about how Americans are moving to India and working there. Eat your hearts out, Pakis!!

http://www.dawn.com/2006/04/13/fea.htm

Some interactors have pointed out many valid contradictions in Iqbal`s thought process. In fact these are merely transitions in his thought which culminated in his Shaheen and `Mard-e-Momin concepts. Iqbal in his early days was just a poet and not a philosopher when he wrote ``saare jahaan se achcha hindostaan hamaraa``. But a philosopher when he wrote ``Khudi ko kar buland itna key har taqdeer sey pehley, Khuda bundey sey khud poochhey, bata teri raza kya hai?``

Iqbal went through a major transition when he was exposed to the German existantialist philosophy during his sojourn in Hiedelberg where he adopted the `aubermunsch` philosophy, while later, he went through a further transformation during his time in Cordoba, and that defined and solidified his views forever; culminating in his synthesis of all those influences in his Khudi, Shaheen and `Mard-e-Momin symbolism.

Iqbal was not a fundamentlist Muslim. Quite far from it. In fact his idea of `Musalmaan` and `Momin` was quite different from the traditional meaning. Firstly, he rejected all rituals openly for which he is still branded as `kafir` by many. He wrote many derogatory couplets about maulvis or `sheikhs` as he called them. His idea of `Mard-e-Momin` was when he says ``Dasht to Dasht, Sehra Bhee Na Chorey Ham Nei; Behr-e-Zulmat Mein Dora Diey Ghorey Ham Nei.``In this verse he is referring to the Battle Of Namaraq in 634 AD against the Persians and the Muslim commander Abu Ubaid. Iqbal wrote many poems in quite graphic detail about specific incidents in many battles during Caliph Umar`s time.

Stll he was not a practising Muslim. No Wahabi or Deobandi or Shia or whomever would write anything like ``Jo Mein Sar Basajda Hua Kabhi, To Zameen Sey Yeh Aaney Lagi Sada; Tera Dil Jo Hai Sanam Aashna, Tujhe Kya Mile Gaa Namaz Mein.``

Iqbal was a ``Deist``, rather than a `Theist``.

Quite interestingly, Iqbal`s thoughts are more acknowledged and practiced in Iran than in Pakistan. Ali Shariety`s reverence for Iqbal is common knowledge.

#50 by Zeena: Khushal Khan Khattak was the sea and Allama Iqbal was merely a tributary..............

AND

#46 by Zeena : Yes, sir, Allama Iqbal was the greatest poet of all the times............No doubt about it.

Huh? Are both these statements your ZeenaJi? Please clarify.

Actually I think Iqbal was the sea and everyone else was and is still just standing on the shores.

Ref#51

The line

tum sabhi kuch ho mgaar musalmann bhi ho

should be

tum sabhi kuch fo, batao ke musalmaan bhi ho

Iqbal`s conflicting thought process is hall mark of his life.

At one point he says

Hindi hain ham-watan hain, Hinodstan hamara

AT other place he praises the destructive and facist nature of his symbol Falcon by claiming

Parindo ki duniya ka darvesh hun mein,
ki Shahin banata, nahi ashiyana

Because falcon kills other birds and live in their nests.
Then he takes a turn toward relegion and instigates the Muslims by saying

Rahe ga ravi-o-nile-o-ufraat mein kab tak,
Tera safina to hai, bahar-e-bekraan ke liye.

or

youn to sayyad bhi ho, mirza bhi ho, afghan bhi ho
tum sabhi kuch ho mgaar musalmann bhi ho

His poem shikwa and jawab-e-shikwa are example of Islamic victimhood and muslims not following the islam properly. These are the two train of thought which are taken by every Islamic fundmentalist and in that sense Iqbal was one.

He openly takes the side of destruction instead of rebuilding without analysing the cause of the problem when he says

Jis khet se, dahkan ko mayyassar na ho roti
Us khet ke har khosh-e-gandum ko jala do

But in the same poem he presents a very positive thohgt when he say

Sultan-e-jamhoori ka aataa hai zamaana.
Jo nakh-e-kuhan ayae nazar tum ko, mitta do


Then at other place he take introspective relegious view like his Hindu ancestors and says

Khuda ke banday hain hazaron, bano me firatay hain maaray maaray,
Mein khuda ka banda banu ga, jisko khuda ke bando se pyaar ho ga

Above univarsal human love is only found in Hinduism with the concept of Vasudev Kutumbkam ( Universal Family), it does not distinguish the people based on their relegion.

My favourite of Iqbal couplet are

Mah-o-khrsheed-o-anjum doratay hain saath saath iske,
Falaq kaya hai, kisi Mashook-e-beparvah ki toli hai.

or

Aagosh mein zami ke, soya hua ho sabza
Phir phir ke zhariyon mein paan chamak raha ho

Paani ko choo rahi ho, jhuk jhuk ke gul ki tahni
Jaise haseen koyi, aeena dekhta ho