philosphy of iqbal

8/7/2019 philosphy of iqbal

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Muhammad Iqbal

Professor Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal

Iqbal stands alone in the post classical period of Islamic philosophy as a reviver of the

discipline within the Muslim world. He is the only Islamic philosopher to make a serious

attempt at grabbling with the problems of modern western philosophy within an Islamic

context. His thought has been extremely influential throughout the Islamic world today.

Iqbal introduces his notion ofKhudi, or self. Arising from a desire to awaken the

Muslim Ummah and drawing upon inspiration from western existentialists like

Nietzsche, and Muslim spiritual teachers he empowers the Muslim individual. Beyond

its superficial, and important, role as a motivator for Muslims Khudi embodies a deep

philosophical concept prevalent throughout his philosophical writings.

Iqbals breadth and depth of knowledge is truly remarkable. Being educated both in the

east and the west gave him a unique perspective to tackle the problems of modern times.

Below we sample some of his work, and some work related to him. Iqbal wrote in

English, Urdu and Farsi. Many links below are compliments of theIqbal Academy.

Works:

In English:

The Development of Metaphysics in Persia (1908)

The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam (1930): The

landmark work in Islamic philosophy by Iqbal. [alternate site]

In Urdu:

Bang-i Dara (1924) - Call of the Marching Bell [alternate site][alt. site2][English

translation]
http://www.allamaiqbal.com/http://www.allamaiqbal.com/http://www.allamaiqbal.com/http://www.allamaiqbal.com/poet/prose/english/poet_introdev.htmlhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/prose/english/reconstruction/index.htmhttp://www.yespakistan.com/iqbal/reconstruction/http://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/bang/text/index.htmhttp://www.allama-iqbal.htmlplanet.com/baangdara/baangdara.htmhttp://www.geocities.com/drmuhammadiqbal/contents.htmhttp://www.geocities.com/drmuhammadiqbal/contents.htmhttp://www.geocities.com/drmuhammadiqbal/contents.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/bang/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/bang/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/http://www.allamaiqbal.com/poet/prose/english/poet_introdev.htmlhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/prose/english/reconstruction/index.htmhttp://www.yespakistan.com/iqbal/reconstruction/http://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/bang/text/index.htmhttp://www.allama-iqbal.htmlplanet.com/baangdara/baangdara.htmhttp://www.geocities.com/drmuhammadiqbal/contents.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/bang/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/bang/translation/index.htm


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Bal-i Jibril (1935) - Wings of Gabriel [alternate site][English translation]

Zarb-i Kalim (1936) - The Rod of Moses [alternate site][English translation]

In Persian (Farsi): [All of the below are English translations]

Asrar-i Khudi (1915) - The Secrets of the Self

Rumuz-i Bekhudi (1918) - The Mysteries of Selflessness

Payam-i Mashriq (1923) - Message from the East

Zabur-i Ajam (1927) - Persian Psalms

Javidnama (1932) - To his son

Pas Chih Bayad Kard (1936) - What should then be done: O people of the East?

Armaghan-i Hijaz (1938) - Gift from Hijaz

Allama Iqbals Approach towards the issue

of Rationality:

Posted by khuram on August 27, 2006

Iqbal, basically was not a Rational Philosopher. He was a Scholastic (Mutakkalim

Mahir-e-Ilm-ul-Kalam). Scholasticism basically is such an attempt whereby Scholastic

scholars try to interpret their religion in such a way as to show that religious doctrines are

in perfect harmony with the established rational philosophies.

As I pointed out in another post on the topic of Scientific Revolution and Muslim

World that roots of early Muslim philosophers could be found in Mutazillah faith.

Mutazilities were the first ever Scholastics (Mutakalims) in Islam. Thus Yaqub Alkindi,

Al-Farabi and Ibn-e-Sina etc. were also basically Scholastic scholars. All of them had

tried to resolve the apparent differences between the doctrines of Islam and the work of

such rational Philosophers as Aristotle and Plato.

All of these Muslim scholars however committed a common mistake. They mistakenly

took the work of Platinus, a first century B.C mystic type philosopher as an original work
http://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/bal/text/index.htmhttp://www.allama-iqbal.htmlplanet.com/baaljib/baaljib.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/bal/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/zarb/text/index.htmhttp://www.allama-iqbal.htmlplanet.com/zarab/zarabkleem.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/zarb/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/asrar/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/ramuz/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/payam/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/persianpsalms/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/javidnama/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/pas/translation/index.htmlhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/aramghan/translation/index.htmhttp://khuram.wordpress.com/2006/08/27/anti-rational-approach-of-iqbal/http://khuram.wordpress.com/2006/08/27/anti-rational-approach-of-iqbal/http://khuram.wordpress.com/http://khuram.wordpress.com/2006/08/27/scientific-revolution-and-muslim-world/http://khuram.wordpress.com/2006/08/27/scientific-revolution-and-muslim-world/http://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/bal/text/index.htmhttp://www.allama-iqbal.htmlplanet.com/baaljib/baaljib.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/bal/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/zarb/text/index.htmhttp://www.allama-iqbal.htmlplanet.com/zarab/zarabkleem.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/zarb/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/asrar/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/ramuz/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/payam/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/persianpsalms/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/javidnama/translation/index.htmhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/pas/translation/index.htmlhttp://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/persian/aramghan/translation/index.htmhttp://khuram.wordpress.com/2006/08/27/anti-rational-approach-of-iqbal/http://khuram.wordpress.com/2006/08/27/anti-rational-approach-of-iqbal/http://khuram.wordpress.com/http://khuram.wordpress.com/2006/08/27/scientific-revolution-and-muslim-world/http://khuram.wordpress.com/2006/08/27/scientific-revolution-and-muslim-world/


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of Aristotle. Both Plato and Aristotle were pro-rational philosophers but Platinus was

inspired by mysticism of Pythagoras. In this way elements of Greek mysticism entered in

the work of above-mentioned Muslim scholars. Platinus was not pro-rational in the strict

sense but under the influence of Plato, he did assign due importance to rationality in his

otherwise pure mystic type doctrines. This point basically deceived Muslim philosophers

and they considered those doctrines as the original work of Aristotle, who was a complete

Rationalist Philosopher. So the work of Muslim Philosophers was aimed at bringing

harmony between the religious doctrines of Islam with such Greek rational doctrines,

which had been contaminated by the elements of mysticism. Muslim Philosophers had

tried to get understanding of religious doctrines based on strong rational footings. Their

intention was admirable and it might had got ultimate success also just if they had

successfully segregated the mystic elements from the rational elements of Greek thought.

Just like early Muslim philosophers had tried to bring harmony between Islamic religious

doctrines and rational doctrines of Aristotle and Plato, Allama Iqbal also had tried to

bring harmony between Islamic doctrines and the doctrines of Western philosophers,

who were popular in his time. Thus Iqbal had tried to bring harmony between Islamic

doctrines and the works of such Western philosophers as Rousseau, Fichte, Neitzsche,

Bergson, Loyed Margon, Alexander Ward etc. etc. In addition, Iqbal also incorporated

various elements of Muslim Sufism in his work. Iqbal also had taken the negative

meanings of the emergence of Quantum Physics in his time. He had viewed it as a defeat

to classical physics. He also equalized this defeat of classical physics as a victory of

religion.

Iqbal, in his work, had adopted many anti-rational elements out of the work of Rousseau,

Neitzsche and Bergson. Rousseau, in his work, had preferred passions (jazbat) to

rationality (aqal). The same thing reflected in the work of Iqbal where he gave

preference to Ishq (obviously a kind of passion) over rationality.

Bergson was another anti-rationalist. According to him, human rationality particularly

was incapable to understand the true nature of time or duration. For him, ultimate

reality could be found in the true meaning of his duration. But this purpose could not be


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achieved by using intellect or rationality. Only intuition, according to him, could find

that ultimate reality. According to Bergson, Rationality can understand time only in

terms of minutes and seconds etc. whereas reality is that each and every moment of

time continuously keeps on creating new and new features to the universe. He calls this

phenomenon as creative evolution and considers it as the ultimate reality of universe.

Since rationality sees time just in mechanical terms of minutes and seconds, so it cannot

get the true knowledge of creative evolutionary aspect of duration. Only intuition,

according to Bergson, can find out this reality. Bergson has conceived intuition as

equivalent to such instincts, which acquire the quality of self cognition. So according

to Bergson, only the intuition (i.e. self-aware instinct) can find out the ultimate reality

of creative evolutionary duration. This reality, which intuition finds in this way cannot

be communicated to others with the help of written or spoken words. So reality can be

found only through personal intuitive experience. Bergson also discusses the role of

rationality, which just serves the purpose of converting that non-communicate-able pure

reality into the shape of less pure but communicate-able form of written or spoken words

of language. In this way, intuition produces the knowledge of reality. This original

knowledge is pure but cannot be communicated to others in this pure form. Role of

rationality is secondary. Rationality converts this pure knowledge into impure form that

can be communicated to others in the form of written or spoken words.

What Iqbal has done? He has picked the same concept of Bergsons intuition with the

same meaning and has given preference to this concept of intuition over rationality. He

also says that only intuition gives pure knowledge but this pure knowledge cannot be

communicated. By just following the Bergsons course, he says that rationality can be

used to convert this pure knowledge into impure form and so knowledge can be

communicated but only in impure form. Just like Bergson, Iqbal also says that pure

knowledge can be acquired only through personal intuitive experience. Rationality

cannot produce any knowledge. Rationality only converts pure knowledge into impure

but communicate-able form. See that for the purpose of getting new knowledge, there is

no need of rational inquiry according to Bergson and Iqbal.


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Bergsons views deserve heavy criticism. Despite the traditional criticism, these views

are not acceptable to me because of my own views about how new ideas are generated by

mind. I myself have worked on the issues of how new ideas come to mind. I am having

the opinion that only rationality produces new ideas. At first new ideas (in the form of

compound ideas etc.) are formed inside mind in such way that gives the vague feelings

that something new has been known. This thing has been considered to be intuitive

product by Bergson. I consider it the product of rationality. Bergson considers it as pure

knowledge. I consider it as vogue and less transparent knowledge. According to Bergson,

his intuitive and pure knowledge could be made into impure but communicate-able

through the application of rationality. In my opinion, that vogue and less transparent

knowledge can be made into solid, more transparent and more explanatory by purposeful

thinking and deep rational inquiry, which are more advanced features of human

rationality. In another post, where I have presented some aspects of my views about

ideas, I have shown that in producing any form of new knowledge, mind only arranges

and re-arranges the already available pieces of information. I, in my work, have defined

intellect as the ability of mind that it can arrange and re-arrange various sets of

information. So the process of creation of new knowledge takes place under the control

of intellect or rationality. At first instance, rationality can produce only vague and less

transparent ideas. Those vague and less transparent ideas can be made into more

transparent and more explanatory through the processes of deep purposeful thinking and

analysis, which are advanced features of same rationality.

What cannot be communicated cannot be regarded as pure just because it cannot be

communicated. Actually it could not be communicated just because it was not

sufficiently elaborated or it had not acquired sufficient transparency and explanatory

power so as to be successfully communicated. What cannot be communicated can be

better termed as vogue or less transparent etc. One who knows something new in

vogue and less transparent form finds oneself unable to successfully communicate it

to others. If that person makes his mind more clear about that vogue or less transparent

idea after thinking and analysis, then he can bring sufficient elaboration in that idea that

now it becomes communicate-able. A more elaborated idea would be better than a vogue
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idea. Bergson and Iqbal are having the view that more elaborated idea would be impure

whereas that vogue idea would be pure.

Actually this intuition has deceived many Sufi-type philosophers. It is another

interesting fact that only Bergson has tried to define the term intuition. Otherwise, it

always has been regarded as something very mysterious, which at once can convey the

knowledge of reality to Sufi etc. Bergson is actually a Sufi by heart. According to

Bertrend Russell, Bergson has just presented old Sufism using modern terminology of

biology such as instincts etc. Iqbal is also a Sufi, though explicitly he has reacted

against Wahdat-ul-Wajood. Actually there are many other things in Iqbalian thought

where he has assumed clear contradictory positions. Iqbal has presented his views in the

form of poetry but his detailed views about philosophical matters are found in his lectureson Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam. His poetry is full of exaggerations

and cannot serve the purpose of any systematic philosophy. Reconstruction of Religious

Thought is actually an attempt to modernize the Islamic Theology. He has taken many

of the views from above mentioned western philosophers as well as even from Wahdat-

ul-Wajoody Sufism and has presented them in the name of new Islamic Theology.

There is clear difference between the approach of ancient Muslim philosophers and that

of Iqbal. Ancient Muslim Philosophers like Al-Farabi and Ibn-e-Sina also had tried to

present Islamic Theology on strong rational footings. But, for doing it, they openly had

admitted that their works were the attempt to bring harmony between the doctrines of

religion and those of Plato and Aristotle. Allama Iqbal however never has admitted that

he has taken such and such ideas from the works of such and such western or Muslim

Sufi Scholar. Instead, he has presented these ideas and has given supporting proofs by

manipulating the meanings of various teachings of Islamic Sacred books in a way which

was suitable to his context. Original meanings of those teachings do not come up to the

meanings, which Iqbal takes for his purpose. For example, he has taken the same

meaning of time as had been taken by Bergson. But Iqbal uselessly has tried to show

that he had taken that meaning of time from the work of ancient Muslim scholars.


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FICHTE belonged to post Napoleon-war Germany. He had tried to re-build the morale of

German nation after their defeat in the hands of Napoleon, with the help of his

philosophy of Egoism. According to him Absolute Ego, an impersonal entity i.e.

instead of religions God who possesses personality, was the ultimate reality. All

humans also possess personal egos which have been originated (emanated) from the

same Absolute Ego. This Absolute Ego, according to Fichte, was in the state of

transition towards stronger positions. (Remember that aim before Fichte was to give

strength to the ego of German nation after their defeat with the view to restore the

morale of nation.) Fichte also asserted that those individuals who successfully strengthen

their personal egos, not only contribute to the purpose of Universe as a whole, but also

they could ensure the survival of their individual personalities even after death.

What Iqbal has done? In his new Theology, Iqbal has adopted the same concept of Ego

by the name of Khudi and Fichtes Absolute Ego has become Ana-e-Mutliq for

Iqbal. There is one important difference however. Fichte had conceived Absolute Ego as

the ultimate reality. That ultimate reality was of a non-religious type. Iqbal only has given

this non-religious type ultimate reality a religious touch. He also conceives Ana-e-

Mutlaq as the ultimate reality but in addition, he has equalized this ultimate reality to

God. Individuals, on the other hand possess personal khudies, which have been

emanated (originated In a manner in which light originates from sun) from Ana-e-

Mutlaq. See that in this scheme, individuals have not been created by God but

individual khudies (individuals) have been emanated from Ana-e-Mutlaq (God). Just

like Fichtes views, Iqbals Ana-e-Mutlaq is also in the state of transition towards

stronger positions. Individuals who try to give strength to their khudies (through ishq,

riazat etc. etc. i.e. not through using rationality) contribute to the purpose of Ana-e-

Mutlaq. Again just like Fichte, In Iqbalian system also, individuals who possess strong

khudies can survive death also. Its meaning is that persons who did not possess strong

khudies shall not be given any life after their death. According to Iqbal, a person who

wants to die forever can do it provided he must not try to give any strength to his khudy.

So there are no such things as paradise and hell in Iqbalian new Theology. Just like

SATAN is hero of Milton (Remember a famous quotation by Milton: Better to reign in


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Hell, than serve in Heaven Miltons work relates to Romantic movement in

literature) , Iblees is the hero of Iqbal. Iqbal also was influenced by Romantic writers/

scholars like Milton etc.

At this point, it seems necessary to give a mention of two main forms of Theology.

Theology is any systematic theory about God and about the relationship of God with the

Universe. In Theology, there always have been two different types of views about God.

First one is the Transcendental View of God (Mawarayi) and the second is

Imminentalist View of God (Suryani). Semitic religions like Judaism, Christianity and

Islam etc. possess the Transcendental View of God (Mawarayi Khuda). Its meaning is

that these religions conceive God as a personality whose existence is separate from and

is independent of the existence of material universe. God existed in those times also whenthere was no existence of material world. The relationship between God and Universe is

that of a Creator and creature.

Second view, which is mainly held by Arian nations, is known as Imminentalist

(Suryan) view of God. According to this view, God is not viewed as any personality.

There is no separate existence of God and Universe. God actually pervades (Taari-o-Saari

Hona) in the whole Universe. The relationship between God and Universe is not that of

Creator and creature but is that of soul and body. If God is viewed as a soul of Universe

then it means that God did not exist before the existence of material world. Actually,

according to Imminatalism, God and Universe neither had any origin and nor would have

any end.

It is clear that Islamic concept of God is that of Transcendental. First of all Fichtes

Absolute Ego is an impersonal entity. Iqbal has equalized this impersonal entity with

God. So Iqbalian Theology talks of an Imminantalist God and this view has to be

contradictory with the Islamic doctrines.

Secondly, Iqbal was also influenced by an Evolutionary School of Thought, which is

known as Emergent Evolution. Alexander Ward and Loyed Margon were the main

proponents of this school of thought. According to Prof. Alexander, (In Europe, name of


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one of Iqbals teacher was Alexander I am not confirmed however whether he was

same Prof. Alexander) the whole Universe is in the process of evolution. Non-living

matter first evolved into the form of plant life. Then plant life evolved into animal life.

This life ultimately has been evolved into the shape of human mind. According to him, it

seems wrong to assume that human mind was the last stage in the evolution of universe.

He says that universe is moving towards another stage of evolution. He calls this stage to

be Divinity. He says that relationship of human mind to Divinity is similar to the

relationship of animal life to human mind. According to him, just like human mind has

been evolved from animal life, in the same way, Divinity shall evolve from human mind.

Thus universe is not complete at the moment because it is still in the process of evolution.

Under the influence of these views, Iqbal has conceived reality to be in the process ofcontinuous evolution. According to him, God pervades (taari-o-saari hai) in this

evolutionary reality. Here Iqbal explicitly adopts the imminentalist view of God.

According to him, since reality is evolutionary, so Transcendental God will have to be

considered indifferent and having no linkage with the affairs of material world. By saying

that God pervades in such an evolutionary reality, Iqbal is saying that God is also in the

process of evolution. To be in the process of evolution means to be still incomplete etc.

So there is variety in Iqbalian thought but neither Iqbal has given this variety any

systematic shape, nor anything can be regarded as pro-rationality in this confused bundle

(Iqbalian thought) of a handsome variety of ideas.

Posted in -Home-, Allama Iqbal's Philosophy, Muslim Philosophy, Philosophy,

Philosophy in Pakistan, Philosophy of Science| 17 Comments

Some Possible Historical Roots of Iqbalian Ishq:

Posted by khuram on August 19, 2006

Some Historical Facts About Ishq:
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In the context of Iqbalian Ishq, it is important not only to differentiate between Haqiqi

and Majazi Ishq, but also to differentiate between ishq vs Fear and ishq vs

Rationality. It is clear now that Iqbal, in his work has compared Ishq with Rationality.

The difference beween Haqiqi and Majazi Ishq is quite famous. So here I only shall

mention some historical facts regarding Ishq vs Fear and Ishq vs Rationality.

Ishq vs Fear has been the issue of religion whereas ishq vs Rationality has been the

issue of Philosophy. Haqiqi and Majazi Ishq, on the other hand, have been the issues of

religion and Sufism.

1- Ishq vs Fear:

Since most religions require their followers to offer certain prayers. The issue in various

religions has been that what should be the reason of prayers. Should humans offer prayers

in order to ensure some worldly benefits? Or should they offer prayers with the view to

avoid punishment in after life? Or with the view to acquire good status in paradise, surely

in the after life? In other words, the issue has been that should humans offer prayers

because of worldly gains, or because of fear of God, or because of anything else?

Aryian Vedas are the most ancient religious teachings which are available to us. Contents

of Rig-Vadas show that the ancient Arians had been offering their whatever form of

prayers with the view to ensure worldly benefits for them. For example they used to offer

those prayers so that they might get good crops, or so that they win wars against their

enemies etc.

Soon Arian religion turned into a strict but invisible code of many customs and traditions.

Vedas did not contain any mention about the stratification of society into caste system. At

first, Arians had been just fighting against the native Indians, throughout the time of

Vedas. Eventually, they however had to include the native Indians also in their society.

This was the time when they felt the need of splitting up their society into various castes

so as to ensure the survival of their distinct identity from the native Indians. In the main

classification of four castes, first three i.e. Berhaman, Khashtaries and Vesh were Arians

whereas Shudars were the Native Indians. With the view to introduce such a social
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stratification, they brought about many changes in their religious doctrines as well. Now

reason for offering prayers also changed, for them. Previously, they had been offering

prayers with the view to ensure worldly benefits, now on ward, they would offer prayers

with the view to avoid Janam-Chacker, which was a new introduction to the religious

outlook of Indian people. Actually, with the view to legitimize such a rigid caste system,

Hindu religious leaders had developed a philosophy of kerma. This philosophy asserted

that after death, the soul again would take birth in some other body. Whether the soul

would go to some inferior body or to some superior body, would be determined by the

karams (i.e. Aamals . doings) of the person. A person who did good aamals in his

life, after his death his soul would go to superior body. For example the soul of a good

vesh would again take birth in the body of a Khashtari or even Berhaman. Similarly, the

soul of a bad Berhaman could go in the body of Shudar or even in some other inferior

animal. In this way, this philosophy of kerma successfully legitimized the rigid caste

system. This philosophy deprived shudars, of their right to complaint against their such a

low status in society because according to this philosophy, their low status was the result

of their own bad kermas (aamal) in their previous life. So the basis of Aamal (or prayers

etc.), in those days, had been the fear of bad transmigration as well as the fear of social

punishments because of strict social customs and traditions.

With the passage of time, Janeism and Buddhism emerged mainly as a reaction to this

caste system and the philosophy of Kerma. Both Janeism and Buddhism rejected caste

system and introduced the idea of Nirvana with the view to end up the evil janam

chacker.

Rapid success of Janeism and Buddhism posed severe threat to Hinduism. Hindu

religious leaders again felt the need to introduce new reforms in their religion in order to

counter the threat of Janeism and Buddhism as well as to win the popularity of Hinduism

among the general public.

Emergence of such literature as Ramayein and Maha-Bharata relates to this point in time.

Bhagwat Geeta is the important portion of Maha-Bharata. Philosophy of Bhagwat Geeta

provided for a new basis for why humans should offer their prayers. Philosophy of


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Bhagwat Geeta is also not in favour of caste system. Secondly this philosophy asserts that

basis of prayers should be the LOVE OF HUMANS FOR GOD. According to this

philosophy, this love should be unconditional means the basis of this love should not

be the fear of punishment, or expectation of reward after death. Humans should love God

without any hidden or secondary motive, and Such a love for God should be the reason

for the offer of religious prayers.

In Semitic religions like Judaism and Christianity, the reasons for why humans should

offer prayers have been both (i) to ensure worldly benefits and; (ii) the fear of

punishment or expectation of reward in the after-life. The examples of worldly benefits

include that Jews were promised for the acquisition of promised land. Hazrat Isa (RA)

had promised for the heavenly kingship for his nation.

In Islam, the reason for offer of prayers include (i) spiritual growth, (ii) fear of

punishment and expectation of reward in the after-life, (iii) Love for and obedience to

Prophet of Islam (PBUH). etc. (iv) As a thanks to God.

The concept of love of human for God, in an elaborated and transparent form, has been

evolved after 1st century of the emergence of Islam. By that time, many Abid-o-Zahid

Muslims had lost the spiritual basis of their prayers. They used to offer their prayers justto show before others that how much ibadat-guzar they were. The riakary of such

Abid-o-Zahid persons was apparent in their dishonest conducts and attitudes in various

worldly matters. Sufism, in Islam, has been emerged, originally as a reaction to this type

of riakary of such type of Abid-o-Zahid persons. Early Sufis differentiated between

Zahir and Batan. They took the initiative to offer their prayers with such purpose as

the purification of their inner-self (batan), instead of just to make show of their number of

prayers to others. In those days, Hazrat Rabia Basri (RA) happened to be the first Muslim

scholar who introduced the idea of Love of Human for God, as a basis for the prayers.

This original idea of Love of Human for God, later on was contaminated by later Sufis

with the Greek notion of Ishq. Actually later Sufis had adopted various elements of

Immanatalist doctrines of Indian Vedantas and Greeks Neo-Platonist theologies. I


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shall discuss about the historical development of Neo-Platonism theology later in this

post. Here I shall discuss only the main doctrine of this Neo-Platonism. This theology,

or philosophy, was developed by the 1st century B.C philosopher Platinus. According to

him, the whole reality or the source of origin of everything is a single unity which he

calls Zat-e-Behet. This entity, according to him, transcends the universe but everything

of the universe which are (i) First Intellect, (ii) Ruh-e-Kul, (iii) Ruh-e-Alvi of humans,

(iv) Ruh-e-Safli of humans and (v) matter; have been EMANATED from that zat-e-

behet. Emanation means just like light emits from sun in such way that no loss is

suffered by the sun.

According to the details, first of all first intellect emanated directly from zat-e-behet.

Then Ruh-e-Kul emanated from the intellect. Then Ruh-e-Alvi of humans emanated fromthat Ruh-e-Kul. Then this Ruh-e-Alvi lost its true status and became inclined to matter

and thus became Ruh-e-Safli. According to Platinus, human body is composed of

matter. Human soul has been imprisoned in matter in this way. The highest goal before

human is to try to purify his soul (through riazat, maraqba etc. etc.) so that the soul

may get freedom from the imprisonment in matter. After getting freedom from matter,

the purified souls then starts backward, or better to say, up-ward movement towards

Ruh-e-Kul, then to intellect and finally again units with the zat-e-behet.

Platinus says that when human soul is in imprisonment of matter, it feels intense missing

of zat-e-behet and the soul acquirs the feeling of Be-Qarari for meeting or uniting with

zat-e-behet. This feeling of Be-Qarari of human soul for uniting with zat-e-Behet

has been named as Ishq by Platinus.

It is this Ishq which compells humans to do such things as maraqbas, riazat etc. etc.

so that the soul may be purified and get freedom from the imprisonment of matter. To get

his soul re-united with the zat-e-behet is the ultimate real goal for any human, according

to this doctrine.

It is important to mention that not only Muslim Sufis, but Muslim rationalist philosophers

such as Al-Farabi and Ibn-e-Sina also had adopted this emanation doctrine with its details


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but after some modifications. Muslim Sufis have derived their concepts of Ishq-

Haqiqi, Fana-Fi-Allah, etc. from this doctrine. In addition, various concepts which are

found in works of Muslim scholars such as sufli, alvi, first intellect etc. also have Greek

origins. Just like in this Neo-Platonism, where ultimate goal for human is to get his soul

re-united with zat-e-behet, in many forms of Sufism, the ultimate goal before Sufi is

also Fana-fi-Allah. Just like in Neo-Platonism, where maraqbas and riazats are required

for this purpose, in many forms of Sufism also the same maraqbas and riazats are

required for this purpose. In addition, according to Neo-Platonism, since everything has

been emanated from a single source, so all the beauty found in universe is just the

reflection of that singe source. This concept has been taken up by Sufis by the name of

Husn-e-Azal and they have named the attraction for this Husn-e-Azal as Ishq.

Hazrat Muhayyudin Ibn-e-Arabi, the main proponent of Islamic Wahdat-ul-Wajood, has

taken many things from Neo-Platonic doctrines. Both Neo-Platonism and Ibn-e-Arabis

Wahdat-ul-Wajood are monistic doctrines instead of mono-theistic doctrines.

Monism asserts the unity between God and universe. In other words, according to

Monism, God and Universe are one and single thing as no other thing can exist except

God. Mono-theism (Islamic Tauheed) on the other hand, asserts that God and universe

are two separate entities. The thing which mono-theism emphasizes is that God is only

one i.e. there are not more than one gods. But fact remains that one God is considered

separate entity than universe. Universe is the creature and the creator is only one God,

according to Mono-theism. Secondly Ibn-e-Arabi has described creation of universe in

Neo-Platonic terminology of emanation etc. In addition, he also has adopted another

Greek concept of Logos, after some modifications.

2- Ishq vs Rationality:

Iqbal, in his work, has compared ishq with rationality. It means that he has taken

whole different meanings of ishq. It is clear by now that the term ishq has Greek

origins. The meaning, which Iqbal takes of this term, also has very interesting history. In

various poetic verses, Iqbal has equalized ishq with masti. Then Iqbal compares this

ishq-o-masti with rationality and then gives preference to ishq-o-masti over


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rationality. Here, masti vs rationality also has Greek origins. In ancient Greece, a

god of sharaab, masti and be-khudi was imported from the nearby island of Kareet. The

name of that god was Dyonisus. The worshipers of that god used to heavily drink

sharaab in order to get masti and be-khudi. They had the belief that during masti-o-

be-Khudi, their god i.e. Dyonisus entered in their inner selves (halool ker jata hai). A

person named Orphios is said to be the main proponent of this Dyonisusism. When this

god enters into the innerself of a mast-o-be-khud person, that person is supposed to

acquire irphan (i.e. famous ilm-o-irfan). Note at this point that many Sufis use to call

themselves as Arifs (i.e. this term has been derived out of this Orphios which becomes

oriph and so Arif). So this Dyonisusism is also known as Oriphism. Oriphies

endeavoured to get irphan (irfan) in the state of masti-o-be-khudi.

Pythagoras was actually a reformer of this Oriphism. The reform which he brought

about was that he replaced the method of masti-o-be-khudi with the method of applying

rational thought and pondering etc. with the view to get irphan. Although for

Pythagoras also, the meaning of irphan, just like other followers of Orphism, was not

getting of knowledge. Actually, even in those times (i.e. about 500 BC), some Greeks

(including Pythagoras) believed that body was the prison of soul. The objective before

human was the same i.e. to get freedom for soul from the prison of body. These views

later on would serve the founding stone of above mentioned Neo-Platonism. The purpose

of getting liberty from body could be achieved if a person acquired the state of irphan.

Orphios and other followers of Orphism used to try to get this irphan in the state of

masti-o-be-khudi. Pythagoras introduced reforms whereby he replaced the method of

mast-o-be-khudi with the method of rational thought and pondering. So this was the

first ever comparison between masti and rationality. Masti was older than rationality. But

this masti had no any such roots over which Allama Iqbal sahib can feel any pride.

Actually, in old times, the process of acquisition of new knowledge was considered to be

the most mysterious one. There was no such idea that rationality could produce new

knowledge. In many ancient nations, it was only Kahins etc. who used to tell

mysterious new things to general public. And those Kahins usually did it in the state of

masti-o-be-khudi. The meaning of Kahin is also that a person who tells mysterious


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things in the state of masti-o-be-khudi. In the pre-Islamic Arab, whenever any poet used

to say any new poetry, common people would consider that it was actually some JIN in

the inner self of that poet who was telling that poetry to the poet. It was due to the simple

fact that those people did not know that new poetry was just a product of rationality

(obviously inspired by intense feelings) of poet. Due to the ignorance of this fact, ancient

people only could think that new knowledge or poetry could only be produced in the state

of masti and be-khudi when the inner self of person was pre-occupied by some super-

natural entity such as Jin or god etc. Comparison of masti with rationality has this type

of history but Iqbal, in his work has taken immediate inspirations out of the work of

Rousseau, who in his work had given preference to passions over rationality. Rousseau

was a supporter of dogmatism. Dogmatists are those who think that since they already

know all the possible things, so they are not in need to apply their rationality with the

view to get knowledge of any new thing. But instead of following the views of Rousseau,

we must think that we are behind other nations just because we really do not know so

many things. We must accept this clear fact that we are in need of acquiring new

knowledge and for this purpose we should apply our rationality. But before applying

rationality, we first should give the rationality its due respect, which unfortunately has

not been given to rationality by our national heroes. Rather, they unduly have de-graded

the rationality by just following the views of some anti-rational type western scholars.


17/23

Allama Iqbal : The Poet and Philosopher

(This article was written about 20 years back by my father, Sh. S.D. Khanna. At present he is serving as the

News Editor in Daily Hind Samachar. In the field of journalism, he has the experience of almost 45 years.

An M.A. in Urdu, he has keen interest in Urdu poetry and is himself also a poet in the language.)

Iqbal is probably the most quoted poet in worlds literary and intellectual circles. His

admirers attach some sort of sanctity to his opinions and use his verses as arguments.

Probably his most remarkable achievement was that he gave an abiding place to the

teachings of Islam and patriotism in the hearts of the people. The language he used was

one of rare beauty and charm. With its solid Islamic background, wealth of stirring

phrases and telling epigrams, his verse can be memorized easily and recalled and

reproduced effortlessly. Even moderately educated has a readily useable treasure of

Iqbals wisdom on the tip of his tongue.

Allama Iqbal is the spokesman of reality. The limits of his poetry are unbounded and

limitless. He used it as a source of his message, which he wanted to give to the nation.

Iqbal was considerably influenced by Sir Syed Ahmed Khans thoughts. He sprang into

prominence about the time of Sir Syeds death. He studied the ups and downs of the

culture of man very deeply. He dedicated Godly gift of his mind for only one work

spiritualism and patriotism. It was the only motive of his life. He lived for only this work.

This work was to give message to the nation, which he gave in each and every way. He

provided it with a philosophical and spiritual content and drove it deep into peoples

consciousness.

To Allama Iqbal, we owe not only a poetry that stirs our soul and philosophy that serves

us a clarion call for a dynamic life, but a message to his countrymen to fulfill their

destiny as ordained for them in the Holy Qoran. For his exhortations, Allama Iqbal used

the vehicle of poetry that he weaved with prophetic vision, religious, historical,

psychological, social, cultural and political themes as if in a Kaleidoscope.


18/23

There are, indeed, countless facets of Iqbals message each replete with limitless truths,

each capable of blazing a resplendent trail. But the quintessence of his message is best

expressed in his own words in his lectures on The Reconstruction of Religious

Thought in Islam. Iqbal says, Humanity needs three things today Spiritual

interpretation of the universe, Spiritual emancipation of the individual and basic

principles of a universal impart directing the evolution of human society on a spiritual

basis.

Sir Abdul Qadir said, There are so many things which are alike between Galib and

Iqbal. If I were a believer in the transmigration of soul, I would have remarked that Mirza

Galib had great love for Persian and Urdu poetry. This love did not let his soul take rest

in paradise and compelled it to transmigrate again in someones body to irrigate the

garden of poetry and he was again born in Sialkot a city of Punjab. He was named

Iqbal.

The couplets of Iqbal symbolize the true teachings of Holy Qoran. He says, Know

Thyself. Everything in this world belongs to you. Remove fear and intimidation from

your hearts. Dive into seas. Fight with tides and strike with rocks, because life is not a

bed of roses, but a battle field.

Iqbal also made some very pertinent comments on the rising generation. The youth, he

said, had been largely captivated by western ideas and was impatient to put them into

practice in their immediate environment, little realizing the incalculable damage that

exotic ideologies had done in the land of their birth. In trying to evolve a nationhood of

the western pattern, the countrymen would be wiping out of the brightest achievements of

Islam. Iqbal led an unrelenting crusade against all forces of disruption from the beginning


19/23

to the end. Apparently coming from an overused pen and a tired mind, his last Urdu work

published in his lifetime, lashes out at all the major evils that would banish from the kind

of society he was advocating. What he branded as forces of disintegration including

colonialism, western education, indifference to religion etc. All of these are more or less

closely inter-related political slavery, in Iqbals reckoning, is the main spring of all evils;

it brings out the most sinister side of human nature warps and minds of the rulers and the

ruled alike and dehumanizes vast segments of humanity. Western education changes our

habit of thought and scale of valves, intellectual serfdom leads to indiscriminate adoption

of alien wonts and usages. Immitation kills initiative and discourages independent

thought and effort. Much of what he said constitutes the warp and woof of our thinking.

His idealism is a force that goes deep into our mental and moral make up.

Iqbal is not a poet of insurrection but a poet of mans awakening. With reference to Sir

Abdul Qadir, it can be said, with confidence and without doubt that except elementary

practice, he initiated writing in Urdu before beginning of the 20th century. In 1897-98, he

was seen in poetical symposiums. He attended a meeting in which the renowned literary

personalities participated. There, he recited his poem Himalaya that was published in the

first issue of MAKHZAN, after some days. When Iqbal started composing couplets,

Daag Dehlvi was in high esteems. By the efforts of Maulana Mohammad Hussain Azaad,

the base of new poetry was prepared. The Hexameter (a verse which consists of six

metrical feet) of Hali was becoming popular among the masses. Akbar Allahabadi, in his

special way, was criticizing social and political problems. The speeches and writings of

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan had done well in eradicating the darkness of minds and thoughts.

Several religious movements had breathed their last. The light of the teachings of Raja

Ram Mohan Roy and Shah Wali Allah was quite new. The struggle for independence of

1857 had not vanished from the minds. Fifteen to twenty years had elapsed in coming

into existence of the Congress. A great revolution was created in political and social life

with the efforts of Surinder Nath Bannerji, Dada Bhai Naoroji, Sir Feroz Shah Mehta and

Badr-ud-Din Tyabji. The roaring of Gokhale had shaken the foundations of the palaces of

the government. Such was the background of mind when our world was feeling the


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necessity of a new culture. This was the environment when the spokesman of reality

opened his eyes; he as totally of light saw the wall of India Himalaya. At that time, he

by making the Ganges a witness spoke lonely:

Jal Raha Hun Kal Nahin Parti Mujhe

(I am burning and find no peace and tranquility in anyway.)

Sone Walon Ko Jaga De

Sher Ke Aijaaz Se

Khirmane Batin Jalaa De

Shaula-o-Awaaz Se

(O poet! Rouse the people from sleep with the miracle of poetry. Set ablaze the internal

nest by the voice of flame.)

Lahore, the legendary city of united Punjab, blossomed at the turn of the century into a

new centre of knowledge and culture. A galaxy of writers, litterateurs and educationists

appeared on the literary scene. Among them were Mohammad Hussain Azaad, a first

rank writer known for the first authentic history of Urdu poets, Aab-i-Hayat; Tirath Ram

Ferozepuri, a noted translator; Lala Hans Raj, the saintly Principal of the local D.A.V.

College, who dedicated his services to the Arya Samaj and the cause of education; and

Principal Hakim Ali of Islamia College an embodiment of simple living and high

thinking. There were also Lala Lajpat Rai, the firebrand nationalist and Sir Abdul Qadir,

a legal luminary, philanthropist, humanist, editor and many more. They slowly but

silently brought about renaissance in thought and literature in the province. More or less,

it was the time when Home Rule League was founded. In the struggle of independence of

country, the Congress, in accordance with the demands of the circumstances, was

changing its own strategy. The day had not come yet, when from the platform of the

Congress, an open challenge should have been given to British Imperialism. Gokhale was

about to demand the reduction and annihilation of new colonialism. Our angel Poet,

Iqbal, warns us:

Yeh Khamoshi Kahan Tak

Lazzte Faryaad Paida Kar


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Zamin Par Ho Too Aur Teri

Sadaa Ho Aasmano Mein

(O man! How long will your silence continue? You should reveal your hardships and

create such a situation that your voice should go from earth to sky.)

Again,

Utho Meri Duniya Ke

Garibon Ko Jaga Do

Kakhe Umraa

Daro Deewar Hila Do

Jis Khet Se Dekhan Ko

Muyassar Nahin Rozi

Us Khet Ke Har

Khosha-e-Gandam Ko Jala Do

(Rise and rouse the poor of my world. Strike and shake the palaces of the rich. A field

that does not give bread to the farmer should be burnt completely.)

One of the great forums of literary and religious gatherings in Lahore was Anjuman-e-

Himayat-Islam, which had the avowed object of promoting the cultural, educational and

social interests of the Muslims. The Anjuman provided a ready platform to Iqbal to recite

some of his famous poems, like Nalaa-e-Yateem (orphan cry), a pathetic verse lamenting

the pitiable condition of the Muslims. Shikwa (the complaint) written soon after Italy

had grabbed Tripoli from the Turks, voices the grievances of the Muslims against their

God. Khizr-e-Rah (The Guide), a poem unmasking and dissecting the European

civilization and statesmanship and Talu-e-Islam (The Rise of Islam), in which the poet

glorifies the vision of the rebirth of Islam, of which Mustafa Kamaal Pasha coup in

Turkey, was in his opinion, the promise to flourish.

His verse invariably succeeded in generating the right atmosphere of emotional upsurge.

Hindustan Hamara his short poem of nine stanzas pointedly refers to the citizens of


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the sub-continent as Indians and India as their motherland. It chides communalists by

saying that Religion does not teach bigotry. (Mazhab nahin sikhata aapas mein bair

rakhna) One critic hails it as the best patriotic poem written by any Indian in modern

times. The last two stanzas of the poem require a special significance:

Yunan-o-Misr-o-Roma Sab Mit Gaye Jahan Se

Ab Tak Magar Hai Baki Naam-o-Nishan Hamara

Kuchh Baat Hai Ke Hasti Mitti Nahin Hamari

Sadiyon Raha Hai Dushman Daur-e-Zaman Hamara.

(The civilizations of Greece, Egypt and Rome are dead and gone but the glory of India

shines still. There must be something and some reason why we have not been wiped out

of existence, despite the fact that for centuries the horrible winds have been blowing

against us.)

Iqbal summed up for all times to come his and the nations emotions in lines of ineffable

beauty and splendour.

Iqbal, the poet of world celebrity, played an important role in the history of the Indian

Muslims. Though he supported the Liberal movement, he asked the liberal Muslims to be

on guard so that the broad human principle, which Islam stood for, was not thrown in the

background by emphasis on the nation and the race.

Iqbal described the European civilization as inhuman, rapacious, predatory and decadent.

He even quoted such writers as Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, Spengler and Karl Marx

holding conflicting views to denounce in different aspects. He passionately attacked the

European civilization in poems which are pearls of Persian and Urdu poetry. He was

essentially a humanist and considered Islam as a religion of broadest humanism.

The Aligarh Movement, started under the leadership of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, played a

significant role in bringing about awakening among the Muslims, especially among its


23/23

middle classes. Chirag Ali, Syed Mehdi, Mustafa Khan, Khuda Bakhsh, Hali, Nazir

Ahmed and Mohammad Shibli were the outstanding leaders and exponents of the ideas of

the movement. They exhorted the Muslims to imbibe the western culture to interpret

Qoran in the rational terms and in accordance with the needs of the Muslims in the

present period and to revise their social system on more or less modern and democratic

lines.

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philosphy of iqbal