Allama Iqbal, his dream and the need – By Maheen Aziz

Allama Iqbal’s personality is one of the greatest and charismatic personalities among the leaders of All India Muslim League who has different perspectives and whose personality, work and devotions are interesting enough to write repeatedly – if you do not go out of words by describing his greatness. He had a charming personality as a lawyer, he was a serious politician, he was an influential and soul healer when it comes to his poetries and last but not the least he was a philosopher whose philosophy wrapped the whole religion, Islam, in it.

No poet or philosopher could energise and provoke the nation as Allama Iqbal did. Today, 9^th November, is celebrated as Iqbal’s birthday all over the country through rituals and proclamations. Allama Iqbal holds the strongest position in the history of Pakistan as a poet, social activist and philosopher. Politics was secondary for Iqbal whereas the priority was to spread the message through his poetries and addresses that how an independent state through Islamic teachings can be attained. His belief was that everything should have a base of religion, which would surely guide to the straight and successful path. As Iqbal pointed out in his famous lines from Bal-e-Jibril:

“Whether it is the pomp of monarchy or democracy’s show, if religion is separated from politics, what results is the tyranny of Changez.”

Iqbal is known for the dream he had been living for and working for his whole life. The dream was about an independent state for Muslims whose structure was based on the teachings of Quran and Sunnah and so Iqbal’s philosophy is based on the learning of Quran and his all poetries gives a glimpse of religion which let us know that it is Allama Iqbal’s poetry.

Allama Iqbal was chosen by the Almighty Allah and blessed with nothing but brilliance, passion and devotion. His poetry was the divine voice from the sky that was channelised through Iqbal’s soul and injected the fair reflection of the message of Islam into the nation, who was lost and overwhelmed.

Iqbal was a leader of souls and minds. He and his poetry have an eternal power to trigger the burning passion in the hearts of the Muslims and his poetry was like a flame in the darkness, a path for the blinds and a life to the dead minds of the Muslims of the sub-continent.

Iqbal lived his whole life under the ruler ship of British. His audacity of creating a new country was so much on his nerves that from his words, speeches and patriotic poems he only delivered the message of enthusiasm for an independent country and a better place where Muslims can live freely without having a fear of the non-Muslims.

Allama Iqbal uplifted the Muslims at the times of darkness, when Muslims could see nothing but the rulers and tyranny at the level that the non-Muslim rulers were ready to stone Muslims to death. There was no peaceful place for Muslims to breathe and the enemies wanted to crush the bodies and souls of the ideological nation.

A nation has nothing to lose after losing hopes. Muslims were in deep pain and grief of living under the feet of the cruel rulers. In those times of misery, Iqbal made the Muslims realise what they actually are, what their dignity is and where do they stand. He brought the Muslims at a platform and made them understand the power of unity. He delivered the message through his poetries that the Muslims should not live in inferiority complex and under the fear of failure.

Iqbal’s poetries were a dose for the weak nation. His poetries were dearer to the nation than a letter from someone dear.

But what justice have we done to the leader of the souls, Allama Iqbal, and other founders and fathers that since our childhood, we have never taught to admire the founders of the nation or study them thoroughly and above all know them and their work, which is the key of Pakistan’s success. We all have been just studying them as a part of our school, college and university courses – which is too fading away with time from courses. Every student who is reading this should ask their hearts once, that how hard they have ever tried to take initiative to know something about their founders. But, sadly everybody gets rid of them by memorising the important poems they wrote, quotes they said, addresses and speeches they delivered, dates of births and deaths for MCQs and a short introduction to their lives to get good marks in their examinations. That is about it. Here the duty and responsibility of a good nation is finished, in whose hands these great leaders left the fortune and future of the country, Pakistan. This is all we could do for the leaders who blessed us with freedom, sovereignty and a home to live.

However, the question I have is today’s Pakistan bearing any resemblance to the dream of Allama Iqbal, which was the result of his imagination, study, loyalty and creativity? That is all the dream of a founder is lived in today’s Pakistan, in the same Pakistan for which that dreamer spent his life, put forward his speeches and blood warming poetries, which were strong enough to shake the existence of the nation. Not only Iqbal, but also all the founders and leaders contributed from their thinking to their lives, whatever they had, to create Pakistan.

Today on 9 November, let us know Iqbal from a different perspective, apart from studying him in the courses and knowing him just as a person who dreamt about a nation, who was a lawyer and a poet. Let us analyse that Iqbal’s dream did not get over with the creation of Pakistan, but there is a lot he (and other leaders of the nation) had left for us to keep walking on the path of success and achievements.

Iqbal’s personality is not limited as a lawyer, philosopher, poet, educationist, political activist, social reformer; Iqbal is beyond one’s thinking in his versatility and the breadth of his knowledge and vision goes beyond what we could ever reach.

Most of the Pakistanis think that Pakistan was a dream of Allama Iqbal and some says (due to lack of knowledge) that he saw in his dream that Muslims need an independent country and he started working over his dream. This country is not created following a dream, which Iqbal saw at night and woke up the next morning in the independent country he dreamt about. This country is created after a heavy bloodshed; sacrifices of lives and families therefore, we all should know today that Pakistan was surely his dream, but not a dream that is seen in unconscious.

Pakistan is said to be his dream because of his deep study, interest, practice and above all concept of Islam and democracy, which was truly based on his Islamic ideology and Quran.

He understood the Quran and made it the basis of his philosophy, which is rich as it is in ideas and concepts, is fundamentally action-oriented.

Iqbal died in 1938, before the time he could see the fruitful results of his war for the country, which he fought, with the power of a pen and his imagination. No thinker, dreamer or poet has ever born yet who has inspired millions of people for such a cause. This would not be exaggerated if it were said that if there was no Iqbal and his enthusiasm then there would never a state like Pakistan existed.

There is an immense need to understand the concept of Pakistan through the vision of Allama Iqbal, which is the basis of Pakistan’s creation. In the Presidential Address at Allahabad session of All India Muslim League, December 1930, Iqbal crystallised his philosophical dimensions and spirit of his concept of Pakistan.

In his 1930 address, he suggested the states that should become a separate homeland for Muslims. He stated:

 “I would like to see the Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Sindh and Balochistan been combined into a single state”.

He presented his ideology of Islam, which was the base of his philosophy and demand of a separate country through presenting nationalism from the eyes of Islam, because Iqbal never believed in nationalism, which separates a nation so his formula was different about nationalism. His demand of a separate homeland was the basis of two-nation theory and in his session at Allahabad, he stated:

“India is a continent of human groups belonging to different races, speaking different languages and professing different religions. Their behavior is not at all determined by a common race consciousness. I therefore, demand the formation of a consolidated Muslim state in the best interest of India and Islam.”

Allahabad address is not the only contribution in the creation of Pakistan. He was a pioneer and a future analyst. His poetries and philosophies were predictive that if we read them today, it seems like he knew everything, even he died earlier and could not see his dream coming true.

Iqbal was aggressively against the idea of separating Islam from politics. He pointed out insightfully, “Nations are born in the hearts of poets, and they prosper and die in the hands of politicians”. Today the politicians have crushed the nation that prospered and grew in the heart of Iqbal. This could be taken as a part of evil conspiracies, which eliminated Iqbal from the minds of the generation. They might have a fear that Iqbal’s poetry and words, which are louder than voices, is still strongest weapon to break their evil agendas and harmful politics.

Allama Iqbal’s poetry, philosophy and political guidance are an open book for the nation. Even after his demise, he still has not stopped helping in the cause of peace and unity. He knew that his nation would need him and he would not be there at that time, so he left a lot for the nation. Therefore, they do not blindly follow the darkness that is surely a demise of the nation.

Today, youngsters do not have much knowledge about Iqbal as they should have. We all just need to open our eyes and ears once, to shatter the nefarious purposes of all the two faced politicians who are not sincere with us to an inch rather they are scavengers. The only weapon to reveal them is the revising history.

It has been enough and now it is about time to again stand up for the rights we have, for the revolution we need. Iqbal does not need us, but we need Iqbal today. His vision is the only thing that would lead us to understand the purpose of the creation of Pakistan, which is very important to know today.

Just make yourself realise once that we have the vision, voice and guidance of the legend that changed the fortune of the depressed and overwhelmed Indian Muslims, who encouraged them to free themselves from the slavery and brutality of the non-Muslims. Then how Iqbal would not show us the way to finish the war the nation is fighting within them today.

Iqbal addressed the Muslim youth as ‘Eagles’ because of eagle’s specific sharp characteristics. It was for a reason. He was a writer of the future, he foresaw the future and he knew that only the youth would help this nation to achieve the purpose of the creation of Pakistan. The youth brings revolution. No country in the history has faced revolution without the powerful youth.

Now, once again, after the independence of 69 years of sacrificing many lives, facing injustice, cruelty, involvement of external hands over internal peace and fighting many wars within and for the sake of peace, the country need the same young blood who brought independence to the fate of the Muslims of India. As Iqbal says in one of his messages:

“Tundi Baad-e-mukhalif Say Nah Ghabra Aye Uqaab,

  Yeh Tu Chalti Hai Tujhay Uncha Uranay Kay Liye.”

(Do not get afraid by these furious, violent winds, O Eagle! These blow only to make you fly higher).

The writer is a freelance content writer and a journalist.