Sir Mohammed Iqbal, Ideologist/Poet/Philosopher/Spiritualist Options

[AzgarKhan]

Sir Mohammed Iqbal was one of the greatest poets of Indian History.
A great thinker who had significant role in freedom of India.
Personally he is one of my favorites.

Birth

Allama Iqbal was born in famous city of Sialkot in the Punjab province of Pakistan on November 9, 1877. His ancestors were Kashmiris. They had embraced Islam two hundred years earlier. Iqbal’s father was a devout Muslim with Sufistic bent of mind.

Primary Education

He received his early education in Sialkot. After passing the entrance examination, he joined Intermediary [Murray] College. Maulana Mir Hassan, a great oriental scholar, had a special aptitude for imparting his own literary taste and to his students. Under his influence, Iqbal was drawn towards Islamic studies, which he regarded to be an outstanding favor that he could not forget it all his life.

Higher Education

Passing on to the Government College of Lahore, Shaikh Noor Muhammad: Father of Allama Muhammad Iqbal (Passed away on August 17, 1930)Iqbal did his graduation with English Literature, Philosophy and Arabic as his subjects. At the college he met Prof. Arnold and Sir Abdul Qadir. Iqbal’s poem, Chand (moon) and other early poems appeared in the journal (which belonged to Sir Abdul Qadir) in 1901 and were acclaimed by critics as cutting a new path in Urdu poetry.

It did not take him long to win recognition as a rising star on the firmament of Urdu literature. In the mean time he had done his MA in Philosophy and was appointed as a Lecturer in History, Philosophy and Political science at Oriental College, Lahore. He then moved to Government College to teach Philosophy and English Literature. Wherever Iqbal worked or thought his versatility and scholarship made a deep impression on those around him.

In Europe

Iqbal proceeded to Europe for higher studies in 1905Imam Bibi: Mother of Allama Muhammad Iqbal (Passed away on November 9, 1914) and stayed there for three years. He took the Honors Degree in Philosophy and taught Arabic at the Cambridge University in the absence of Prof. Arnold. From England, he went to Germany to do his doctorate in Philosophy from Munich and then returned to London to qualify for the bar. He also served as a teacher in the London school of Commerce and passed the Honors Examination in Economics and Political Science. During his stay in Europe Iqbal not only read voraciously but also wrote and lectured on Islamic subjects which added to his popularity and fame in literary circles.

Back in India

Iqbal returned to India in 1908. The poet had won allShamsul Ulema Moulvi Syed Mir Hassan: Allama's Teacher & Guide (Passed away in September 1929) these academic laurels by the time he was 32 or 33. He practiced as a lawyer from 1908 to 1934, when ill health compelled him to give up his practice. In fact, his heart was not in it and he devoted more time to philosophy and literature than to legal profession.

He attended the meetings of Anjuman Himayat-I-Islam regularly at Lahore. The epoch making poems, Shikwa and Jawab-e-Shikwa, which he read out in the annual convention of it one year after another, sparkled with the glow of his genius and made him immensely popular. They became the national songs of Millet.

Iqbal’s other poems Tarana-e-Hind (The Indian anthem) and Tarana-e-Milli (the Muslim Anthem) also became very popular among masses and used to be sung as symbols of National or Muslim identity at public meetings.

The spirit of Change

The Balkan wars and the Battle of Tripoli, in 1910, shook Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1899) A snap after his MastersIqbal powerfully and inflicted a deep wound upon his heart. In his mood of anger and frustration, he wrote a number of stirring poems, which together with portraying the anguish of Muslims were severely critical of the West.

The spirit of change is evident in poems like Bilad-e-Islamia (the lands of Islam), Wataniat (Nationalism), Muslim, Fatima Bint Abdullah (who was killed in the siege of Cyrainca, Siddiq, Bilal, Tahzib-e-Hazir (Modern civilization) and Huzoor-e-Risalat Maab Mein (in the presence of Sacred Prophet).

In these poems, Iqbal deplores the attitude of Muslim leaders who lay a claim to Islamic leadership and yet are devoid of a genuine spiritual attachment to the blessed Prophet.

The turning point in Iqbal’s Life

Iqbal was shaken by the tragic eventsPortrait of the Poet as a Barrister-at-Law of World War-I and the disaster the Muslims had to face. The genius had passed through the formative period. He had attained maturity as a poet, thinker, seer and crusader who could read the signs of tomorrow in the happenings of today, make predictions, present hard facts and unravel abstruse truths through the medium of poetry and ignite the flame of faith, Selfhood and courage by his own intensity of feeling and force of expression. Khizr-e-Raah (The Guide) occupies the place of pride among the poems he wrote during this period. Bang-e-Dara (The caravan bell) published in 1929 has held a place of honor in Urdu poetry and world poetry.

Iqbal preferred Persian for poetic expression because its circle was wider than that of Urdu in Muslim India. His Persian works, Asrar-e-khudi (Secrets of the self), Rumuz-e-Bekhudi (Mysteries of Selflessness), Payam-e-Mashriq (Message of the East), Javed Nama (The Song of Eternity) belong to the same period of his life. And so is Reconstruction of Religious Thoughts in Islam, which was extensively appreciated and translated into many Allama Muhammad Iqbal - 1908 (In London)languages. Academies were set up in Italy and Germany for the study of Iqbal’s poetry and philosophy.

Politics

In 1927 the poet was elected to the Punjab Legislative assembly. In 1930, he was elected to preside over at the annual session of Muslim League. In his presidential address at Allahabad, Iqbal for the first time introduced the idea of Pakistan. In 1930-31, he attended the Round Table conference, which met in London to frame a constitution for India.

In Spain

While in England, Iqbal accepted the hospitality of Spain. He also went to Cordoba and had the distinction of being the first Muslim to offer prayers at its historical mosque after the exile of Moors. Memories of the past glory of Arabs and their 800-year rule over Spain were revived in his mind and his emotions were aroused by what he saw.

Meeting with Mussolini

In Italy Iqbal was received by Mussolini who had read sAllama (1929) The poet with his son, Javed Iqbal ome of his works and was aquatinted with his philosophy. They had long meetings and talked freely to each other.

The Universities of Cambridge, Rome and Madrid and the Roman Royal society organized meetings in his honor. On his way back he also went to Jerusalem to attend the International Conference of Motamar-i-Isalami.

In Afghanistan

At the invitation of King Nadir Shah, Iqbal visited Afghanistan in 1932. The king received the poet with great honor and met hi privately, as well during which he laid bare his heart. The two talked and wept.

Iqbal’s Death

The last phase of Iqbal’s life was embittered with constant illness. But as regards his creative activities this product was most productive. He kept in touch with every question of the day and continued composing beautiful verses.

A few minutes before his death he recited these touching lines:

The departed melody may return or not!
The zephyr from Hijaz may blow again or not!
The days of this Faqir has come to an end,
Another seer may come or not!

Although Iqbal’s was long and protracted the endAllama Muhammad Iqbal - 1931 (In London) was sudden and very peaceful. He breathed his last in the early hours of April 21, 1938, in the arms of his old and devoted servant, leaving behind a host of mourners all over the Islamic world.

There was a faint smile playing on his lips, which irresistibly reminded one of the last criterions, which he laid down for a truthful Muslim.

I tell you the sign of a Mumin-When death comes there is smile on his lips.

[AzgarKhan]

J A W A B - E - S H I K W A

Shikwa created a huge controversy and Sir Iqbal answered the controversy by penning Jawab-e-Shikwa.

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Dil se jo baat nikalti hai, asar rakhti hai,
Par nahin, taaqat-e-parwaaz magar rakhti hai.

Qudsi-ul-asal hai, rif-atpe nazar rakhti hai,
Khaak se uthti hai, gardoon pe guzar rakhti hai.

Ishq tha fitna gar-o-sarkash-o-chalaak mera,
Aasman cheer gaya naala-e-bebaak mera.

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Pir-e-gardoon ne kaha sun ke, kahin hai koi!
Bole sayyaare, sar-e-arsh-e-bareen hai koi!

Chaand kehta tha, nahin, ahl-e-zamin hai koi!
Kehkashaan kehti thi, poshida yahin hai koi!

Kuch jo samjha mere shikwe ko, to Rizwan samjha,
Mujhe jannat se nikala hua insaan samjha.

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Thi farishton ko bhi hairat, ke yeh aawaaz hai kya!
Arsh waalon pe bhi khulta nahin yeh raaz hai kya!

Taa sar-e-arsh bhi insaan ki tag-o-taaz hai kya?
Aa gai khak ki chutki ko bhi parwaaz hai kya?

Ghaafil aadaab se sukkaam-e-zamin kaise hain,
Shokh-o-gustaakh yeh pasti ke makeen kaise hain,

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Is qadar shokh ke Allah se bhi barham hai,
Tha jo masjud-e-malaik yeh wohi Aadam hai?

Aalim-e kaif hai, dana-e-ramuz-e-kam hai,
Haan, magar ijz ke asrar se namahram hai.

Naaz hai taaqat-e-guftaar pe insaanon ko,
Baat karne ka saliqa nahin nadaanon ko!

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Aai awaaz gham-angez hai afsana tera,
Ashk-e-betaab se labrez hai paimana tera.

Shukr shikwe ko kiya husn-e-ada se tu ne,
Hum-sukhan kar diya bandon ko khuda se tu ne.

Hum toh mayal ba-karam hai, koi saahil hi nahin,
Raah dikhlain kise rahraw-e-manzil hi nahin.

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Tarbiat aam toh hai, jauhar-e-qabil hi nahin,
Jis se taamir ho aadam ki yeh who gil hi nahin.

Koi qabil ho to hum shaan kayi dete hain;
Dhoondne waalon ko duniya bhi nayi dete hain!

Haath be-zor hain, ilhaad se dil khoo-gar hai,
Ummati baais-e-ruswai-e-paighamber hai.

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But-shikan uth gaye, baaqi jo rahe but-gar hain,
Tha Brahim pidar, aur pisar Aazar hain.

Bada ashaam naye baada naya khum bhi naye,
Harm-e-Kaaba naya, but bhi naye, tum bhi naye.

Who bhi din the ke yehi maya-e-raanai tha,
Naazish-e-mausam-e-gul lala-e-sahraai tha!

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Jo Musalmaan tha Allah ka saudai tha,
Kabhi mehboob tumhara yehi harjaai tha.

Saffah-e-dahar se baatil ko mitaya kis ne?
Nau-e-insaan ko ghulami se chhuraya kis ne?

Mere Kaabe ko jabeenon se basaya kis ne?
Mere Quran ko seenon se lagaya kis ne?

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They toh aaba woh tumhaare hi, magar tum kya ho?
Haath par haath dhare muntezir-e-farda ho!

Kya kaha? "bahr-e-musalmaan hai faqt waade-e-hur,"
Shikwa beja bhi kare koi toh laazim hai shaoor!

Adal hai faatir-e-hasti ka azal se dastur,
Muslim aaeen hua kafir tau mile hur-o-qasur;

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Tum mein hooron ka koi chahne wala hi nahin,
Jalwa-e-tur toh maujood hai, Moosa hi nahin.

Munfait ek hai is qaum ki, nuqsaan bhi ek,
Ek hi sab ka nabi, deen bhi, imaan bhi ek,

Harm-e-paak bhi, Allah bhi, Quran bhi ek,
Kuchh bari baat thi, hote jo musalmaan bhi ek!

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Firqa bandi hai kahin, aur kahin zaaten hain.
Kya zamane mein panpane ki yehi baaten hain?

Jaa ke hote hain masaajid mein saf-aara toh gharib,
Zahmat-e-roza jo karte hain gawara toh gharib.

Naam leta hai agar koi hamara, toh gharib,
Pardah rakhta hai agar koi tumhara, toh gharib.

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Umra nasha-e-daulat mein hain ghafil hum se,
Zinda hai millat-e-baiza ghurba ke dam se.

Shor hai ho gaye duniya se musalmaan naabood,
Hum yeh kahte hain ke they bhi kahin Muslim maujood?

Waza mein tum ho nisari, toh tamuddan mein Hanood,
Yeh musalmaan hain! Jinhen dekh ke sharmain Yahud?

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Baap ka ilm na bete ko agar azbar ho,
Phir pisar qabil-e-miraas-e-pidar kyonkar ho!

Har koi mast-e-mai-e-zauq-e-tan aasaani hai,
Tum musalmaan ho? Yeh andaaz-e-musalmaani hai?

Chaahte sab hain ke hon auj-e-surayya pe muqeem,
Pahle waisa koi paida toh kare qalb-e-salim!

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Ahd-e-nau barq hai, aatish zan-e-har khirman hai,
Aiman is se koi sahra no koi gulshan hai.

Is nai aag ka aqwaam-e-kuhan eendhan hai,
Millat-e-khatam-e-rasal shoula ba parahan hai.

Dekh kar range-e-chaman ho na pareshan maali,
Kookab-e-ghuncha se shaakhen hain chamakne wali,

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Khash-o-khashaak se hota hai gulistan khaali,
Gul bar andaaz hai khun-e-shuhda ki laali.

Rang gardoon ka zara dekh tau unnabi hai,
Yeh nikalte hue suraj ki ufaq taabi hai.

Nakhl-e-Islam namoona hai bro-mandi ka,
Phal hai yeh sainkron saalon ki chaman bandi ka.

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Qaafila ho na sakega kabhi weeran tera,
Ghair yak baang-e-dara kuchh nahin samaan tera.

Nakhl-e-shama asti-o-dar should dood resha-e-tu,
Aaqbat soz bood saya-e-andesha-e-tu.

Ki Mohammed se wafa too ne toh hum tere hain,
Yeh jahan cheez hai kya, lauh-e-qalam tere hain.

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This post has been edited by AzgarKhan: Apr 12 2008, 12:58 PM