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Iqbal’s JAVID NAMA Versified English Translation ARTHUR J. ARBERRY

Nadeem Shafique, Journal of Research (Faculty of Languages & Islamic Studies), Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
www.bzu.edu.pk

The English newspapers of Pakistan relate a comprehensive account of the celebrations of the Iqbal Day which became an event of great national importance during the early days of Pakistan’s existence. The views expressed by world dignitaries about Iqbal’s contributions and the extent of indebtedness shown to him by the national leadership are also worth mentioning. In fact besides Pakistan, Iqbal Day used to be celebrated at all the major capitals of the world under the auspices of various sociocultural associations in collaboration with the Pakistan’s diplomatic missions. In this connection, the functions used to be held at Delhi, Colombo, Tehran, Ankara, Rangoon, London, Baghdad, Damascus, and Washington are worth mentioning. Among the foreign admirers of Allama Iqbal, Pandit Jawalnarla Nehru, Thakin Nu, A. J Arberry, Malikul Shoora Bahar, A. M. A. Azeez, Syed Ziauddin Tabatabai, Dr. Kalilash Nath Katju, Freeland K. Abbot and Richard Nixon were the most prominent In reality, the personality of Allama Iqbal provided an opportunity to introduce the newly established nation-state of Pakistan into the international academic circles In the following pages, an attempt has been made to trace all such functions held throughout the world during 1952 as reported in the English newspapers of Pakistan. It is hoped that this endeavor would reveal to some extent the global appreciation of the great seer and statesman.

The English newspapers of 1952 published news about Iqbal Day celebrations observed throughout the world where Pakistan’s national poet was eulogized for having freed eastern nations from the intellectual bondage of the West. In different reports, which appeared in The Pakistan Times, The Civil and Military Gazette, Karachi, The Morning News and The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore, it was narrated that in Indonesia crowded meetings were held in all principal cities to commemorate ‘Iqbal Day’. The meeting held in Jakarta under the auspices of Indonesia-Pakistan Cultural Association on April 20, was addressed by Cabinet Ministers, diplomats, representatives of various political parties, parliament members and other prominent men. A message from President Soekarno was also read on the occasion, which while declaring Iqbal a hero of philosophy, literature, and religion, expressed the happiness that the people of Indonesia have grasped the greatness of Iqbal.1 All speakers in the meeting, paying tributes to Iqbal as ‘one of the greatest thinkers of Islam and the East’ urged Indonesians to study the poet’s works and teachings. The Indonesian Education Minister Dr. Bader Doha in his speech declared Iqbal a great man who had left invaluable heirloom of philosophical and literary treasures. He observed that Iqbal’s vision and energy were directed towards a concrete life and towards human beings struggling for truth.2

Dr. Sjaudding, President of the Association, expounding Iqbal’s philosophy of humanism deprecated ‘lust of nationalism,’ in Indonesia. He said that Indonesia could overcome all difficulties “if we are ready to study thought and teachings of the great Muslim poet, Iqbal who interprets the code of life in accord with the true principles of Islam. From his works, it is clear that to live in the Islamic way is to participate in the maintenance of peace both for national boundaries and wider sphere of peace for humanity.” He remarked that in a period of international crisis and tension, study of Iqbal’s thought and message was of great value for humanity.3

Adam Bakhtiar, Chairman of the Planning Board, Ministry of Education said that Iqbal had left behind flower of jasmine in the form of literature and teachings, which continuously filled the air with its sweet scents. Dr. Prijone, Dean of the Indonesia University, said that the poet did not limit himself to the field of poetry. Like all great Muslim thinkers, Iqbal made the most valuable contributions in the fields of philosophy, art, religion, and politics. Other speakers included Haji Anyus Salim and Dr. Hamadani, Pakistan’s charge d affaires.4

Sjafrudding presented a purse of Rs.500/- (Indonesian) to the Indonesia-Pakistan Cultural Association with a view to popularizing Iqbal’s works in Indonesia. That was followed by other donations including Rs.3,000/-(Indonesian) by Pakistanis and Indonesians. Leading dailies carried special articles with the photographs of the poet as well as of his mazar.5 At Tehran, Pakistan Embassy celebrated the Iqbal Day in a meeting that was attended by over 300 guests, which included prominent scholars, poets, and members of the Cabinet and the Press. The Radio Tehran relayed the entire proceedings lasting an hour and a half.6 Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Pakistan Ambassador in Iran, in a short speech, giving a comprehensive review of Iqbal’s contribution to the world, stated that Iqbal had realized that the only way that guaranteed a respectable life for Muslims was their unconditional allegiance to the Quran. He pointed out that there were very few examples in the world history of a poet who played the role of an effective reformer and fighter for freedom. However, Iqbal eminently combined those qualities in his person as he struggled and fought against his surroundings to carve out a world based on social justice as interpreted by Islam.7

Dehkuda, the greatest living scholar and encyclopaedist of Iran in his presidential speech paid tribute to poet’s versatile genius. He said that Iqbal felt like a poet, thought like a philosopher and worked like a practical statesman to set up an Islamic state. He added that Iqbal had brought Iran and Pakistan close together by inspiring real pride in their great and common literary, cultural, and religious traditions. He wondered that how a single man could rise against the West and revive faith and confidence of the eastern people in their own moral and spiritual values.8

Dr. Tara Chand, Indian Ambassador in Iran, associating himself with the tributes paid to the poet said that Iqbal was not only the poet of India and Pakistan but he belonged to the entire world as the character of his message was essentially universal, although it was clothed in Islamic phraseology. Saeed Nafisi, the renowned Persian scholar, Mujtaba Meenvi, the author of ‘Iqbal Lahori’, the first treatise written on Iqbal in Persian, Muhammad Moin and the wellknown poet Yegmai also paid tributes to Iqbal’s genius and pleaded for closer and more vital cultural cooperation between Iran and Pakistan, in order to achieve the goal visualized by Iqbal. Khalifa Abdul Hakim, who happened to be in Tehran, gave his personal reminiscences of Iqbal.9

Muhammad Mossaddiq, Prime Minister of Iran, while regretting his personal attendance at the meeting owing to illness, sent a message, which was separately reproduced in Dawn, The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore, The Pakistan Times, and The Morning News. In his statement while paying tributes to Allama Iqbal, Mossaddiq said that he was looking to the day when the East under the influence of the widespread movement, deriving its inspiration from Iqbal, would throw off the yoke of slavery and would uproot for ever the heavy shackles of imperialism, which was holding the East in bondage by giving it the vicious name of ‘backward countries’. Every nation would then discover its rightful place and would rule in its own name and merit through the medium of collective justice.10

Iqbal Day was also celebrated at Pakistan Consulate, Zahidan with Assadi, Governor General of Baluchistan and Seestan in the chair. While paying tributes to Allama Iqbal, the Governor prayed for the unity of the Muslim world. The Director Education followed him who spoke at length on Iqbal’s life. Muhammad Ayub, Pakistan’s Vice Counsel, then explained that what Iqbal conceived, the Quaid-i-Azam translated into reality. Three Iranian poets recited their poems on the occasion. About 200 guests, including Brigade Commander and heads of various government departments participated in the function.11

Iqbal Day was also observed in Turkey with great enthusiasm. The Pakistan Times and The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore reported that at Ankara, Iqbal Day was observed on April 21, at a crowded meeting under the auspices of Turco-Pakistan Cultural Association at Ankara University and attended by Pakistan Charge d’ Affaires, Iranian Ambassador, Syrian Minister and other diplomats and professors. After the opening speech of the Vice President Ali Vasfi Athan, messages of the Iranian Ambassador, the Finish Minister and the Rector of the Ankara University were read. Some members of the Embassy staff sang Iqbal’s poem. Speeches on the life, philosophy and services to Islam of Iqbal were delivered by Nurettin Artam, Danyal Bediz and Kemal Edip. Turkish poet Ali Ennjeli, who had translated Iqbal’s Piam-i-Mashriq into Turkish verse, recited some pieces amid cheers.12

Iqbal Day was also observed at Marmara Club Istanbul, under the auspices of Turco-Pakistan Cultural Association (Istanbul Branch). After the opening speech by Ali Fuad Bashgil, speeches were delivered on Iqbal by Professor Ali Nihat Tarlan and Ismail Habib Seruk. Tarlan also broadcasted a talk in Turkish on Iqbal from Istanbul Radio.13 The Khyber Mail and The Morning News reported that Iqbal Day was most befittingly celebrated at Baghdad in the spacious hall of the Higher Teachers Training College which was most tastefully decorated with coloured lights, flowers and flags. The function was presided over by the Iraqi Minister for Education, Khalil Kanna, and attended by five hundred persons with women including Cabinet Ministers, Ex-Prime Ministers, Senators, politician, leaders, heads, and members of Muslim missions, high ranking government officials, litterateurs, journalist and a very large section of the Pakistani community in Baghdad and Albaniya.14

Khalil Kanna in his opening speech declared Iqbal as one of very few scholars who changed the shape of things to come. In an especially composed qasida, the famous poet, Hussain Ali, described Iqbal as a fountain of poetry round whom every one clung for inspiration. Shiekh Muhammad Mahmood Sawaf, Muhammad Fahim Darwish and Shiekh Jalal Hanafi, the three popular speakers of Iraq who spoke on the occasion, praised Iqbal for the richness of his imagination, for a new life he infused in the shattered frame of the East and for the revolution which he brought about in the entire Muslim world. Amira Nooruddin, the young poetess already known for her translation of Iqbal, recited some of her new masterpieces. The highlights of the day were the photograph of the poet and articles front-paged by the Iraqi press and a special programme broadcasted from Radio Baghdad.15

As per reports appeared in The Pakistan Times, Dawn and The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul celebrated Iqbal Day on April 21 with great enthusiasm. All Muslims missions and their nationals, Pakistani citizens and a few Afghan officials participated in the function, which was presided over by the Saudi Arabian Minister.16 Inaugurating the meeting, he said that Iqbal was a pride not only for Muslims of Pakistan but also for the entire Muslim world. Other speakers explained various aspects of his poetry and his contribution to the establishment of Pakistan. In his concluding remarks, the charge d’ affaires of the Pakistan Embassy stated that the chief mission of Iqbal was to bring about revival of Islam and unity among the Muslims.17

The Pakistan Times, Dawn and The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore reported that Iqbal Day celebrations in Colombo commenced with a broadcast speech over Radio Ceylon on the evening of April 19, by Maulvi Khaleelur Rahman of the Memon Mosque. In his broadcast, he said that Iqbal’s poems made Muslims come out of their slumber and realize their position. No other poet of recent past wrought such magnificent transformation as Iqbal did in our own times. He made the degenerated Muslims raise themselves from the abyss, become true and sincere Muslims with enough creative impulse in them.18

On April 21, Iqbal Day was celebrated at Colombo in a public meeting held under the chairmanship of A. M. A. Azeez Principal, Zahira College. In his speech, Azeez said that a good Muslim according to Iqbal is one who develops his powers and strengthen his individuality through active contact with the material and cultural environments. This strong concentrated individuality sharpened and settled through the life of active experience is to be dictated to the service of the Lord in whose name he is out to conquer the world.19

Zulfiqar Ali, Pakistan Trade Commissioner addressing the gathering explained the difference between a dead and a living heart as explained by Iqbal. Making repeated references to the verses of Iqbal, he elaborated that the main attributes of a living heart are that it has cast out all fears except the fear of the Creator, has intense love for the Holy Prophet (SAW) which manifests itself by practicing the texts of the Quran, has the power to create, to invent, to explore and to discover, has an aim in life for the success of which it works, and that it continues to make progress spiritualy.20 There was half an hour relay of Iqbal’s songs over Radio Ceylon on the morning of April 21. Later in the evening, Radio Ceylon broadcast half an hour special feature programme in Tamil conducted by the students of Zahira College and a fifteen minutes talk in English by A. M. A. Azeez. A pamphlet of eight pages giving a short account of the life, work and mission of Iqbal edited by the Press Adviser to the Pakistan Trade
Commissioner was also issued free to the public. Earlier, Quran Khawani was held in the Memon Mosque.21

The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore informed that the Iqbal Day was celebrated at Stockholm by the Swedish Oriental Society at a reception held at the residence of the Minister of Pakistan in Sweden. Among the distinguished guests present were the Minister of India, M. J. Desai, the Charge d’ Affaires of Turkey, Kocamen von Hendernstorm, sometimes Sweden’s Minister to Iran, Widengren, Professor of History of Religion at Uppsala University, Prof. Kalagren, expert in Chinese language, Gustaf Munthe and Paul Mohn a well known publisher.22 In a short speech, welcoming the guests, the Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Mir Khan emphasized Iqbal’s role as the ‘poet of the East’ and the bringer of the message of the East. He underlined Iqbal’s importance in the history of oriental culture and pointed out that Iqbal belonged not to one country but to the whole of the eastern world.23Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Nyborg, Professor of Semitic Languages of Uppsala University and a member of Swedish Academy observed
that the Islamic world of today had not produced anything to compare with the depth and profundity of Iqbal’s thought or the sweep of his understanding. He has served as the creator of the conscience of his people and stands as the unquestionable national poet of Pakistan. Nyborg also drew a parallel between Iqbal and the Russian Berdyaev as for both of them the independence and the creative strength of humanity was the main problem of the world and for both of them divine nature was the only reality and the key to the riddles of the universe and of history. Radio Stockholm gave full coverage to the function on their short wave programme for their South Asian regions.24

Iqbal Day was also celebrated in Canada, which was reported by The Morning News. According to report, Iqbal Day was observed at Ottawa on April 22, 1952, in a meeting held at the National Museum of Canada under the presidentship of High Commissioner for Pakistan. The meeting was very well attended and among those present were members of Diplomatic Corps and Parliament, officials of Canadian government, representatives of the press, educational circles, and social elite of the city.25

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Wilfred Cantwell Smith, Director Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University, presented a lucid exposition of Iqbal’s thinking and his contributions towards the awakening of the Muslim world. He paid a tribute to the remarkable genius who expressed himself with poetic excellence in Urdu and Persian and presented a basis for the reconstruction of religions thought in Islam, in English. It was Dr. Smith’s contention that Iqbal was the greatest poet of his national language and certainly the greatest poet of his age. He described Iqbal as the real inspirer of the idea of Pakistan for he was responsible for creating the consciousness of a glorious destiny that belonged to the Muslims of India and indeed the world of Islam.26

Speaking of Iqbal’s works, Smith held ‘Shikwah’ as the most monumental work of Iqbal and suggested that the entire succeeding works of Iqbal were in the nature of an answer to the original complaint contained in ‘Shikwah’. He felt that the reaction of the impact created by Shikwah was a continuing one. Establishment of Pakistan was one of the most important answers to the Shikwah provided by his own people. He further suggested that the final answer was yet to come and would be when the Pakistanis would give the final shape to their aspirations and Pakistan would achieve the fulfillment of her ideal.27 Begum Shaista Ikramullah who spoke next, observed that Iqbal tried to resolve the conflict of a nation and found the answer to the torment of a whole people and this he did not in a cold, philosophically analytical manner, but with the ardour of a love poet. She went on to describe the condition of apathy, disillusionment and lethargy, the Muslims of the Indian sub-continent had sunk into when Iqbal began writing, how he revolutionized the accepted concepts of life and how his dynamic philosophy imbued them with a new vigour. Recitation of Allama Iqbal’s poems and their English translations was also presented at the function.28

The Pakistan Times, The Civil and Military Gazette, Karachi and Dawn, reported that Iqbal Day was observed in India with great enthusiasm. A meeting was arranged at Delhi by Muhammad Ismail, Pakistan High Commissioner in India and presided over by India’s Home Minister Dr. K. N. Katju and attended by about twelve hundred diplomats, government officials and prominent citizens of Delhi. The chief speaker was K. G. Saiyidain, Educational Advisor to Government of India, who paid liberal tributes to the contributions of the poet to literature and modern thought and while quoting liberally from Iqbal’s poems, declared him a great creative poet of the country. Paying his tribute of ‘affections, reverence and love’ to the poet, Dr. Katju referred to his celebrated poem ‘New Temple’ and said it was like a ‘beacon star’ for him in his younger days when he was a student in Lahore.29

Later in the evening a mushaira organized by the Press Attaché to the Pakistan High Commissioner in which over thirty Hindu, Muslim and Sikh poets participated. Over 600 persons including high officials of the Government of India and prominent citizens of Delhi attended the ‘mushaira’, which was presided over by Shankar Prasad, the Chief Commissioner of Delhi. Poets who recited verses on Allama Iqbal during the three hour function included Pandit Tribhavan Nath Zar, Arsh Malsiani, Jagan Nath Azad, Bekhud Dehlvi, Kanwar Mahendra Singh Bedi, Harichand Akhtar, Tilok Chand Mahroom, Anand Mohn Zutshi Gulzar, Dharmpal Gupta Vafa, Makhmoor Dehlvi, Munshi Gopinath Amn, Ram Prahasham and Sabir Hoshiarpuri.30

Dawn and The Morning News reported that Iqbal Day was also observed at Calcutta in the Pakistan High Commission with Dr. H. C. Mookerjee, Governor West Bengal in chair. Seyda Bazgha, a research scholar, Prof. P. R. Sen a well known educationist, Dr. Z. A. Siddiqi, head of the Department of Arabic and Persian, Calcutta University and H. L. Chopra, an old student of Iqbal, spoke at the meeting dealing with different aspects of Iqbal’s life and philosophy. The Governor giving a brief sketch of the life and works of Iqbal said that the poet had a message for all time and appealed for a serious study of his works.31

The guests included the elite of the city, headed by Nawab Bahadur of Murshidbad, Mahraja of Natore, B.C. Roy, Chief Minister West Bengal, members of Consular Corps, prominent litterateurs, and journalists. Several Calcutta dailies including Statesman, Satyayug, Azad Hind, Asre Jadid, published articles on Iqbal.32According to a report, which appeared in Dawn, an Iqbal Day meeting was also planned at Bombay on April 26 under the auspices of Iqbal Committee, in which speeches were planned to be made on life and works of the great poet.33

The Middle East Institute of Washington also planned to hold a special programme on May 1 at United Nation’s Club to be attended by representatives of major nations as per report appeared in The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore. According to schedule, the speeches were to be delivered dealing with the various aspects of Iqbal’s life, the significance of his work, the meaning to be found in his poetry and his contributions to the creation of Pakistan.34 Dawn informed that the VOA also relayed special Iqbal Day programme including recitations from Iqbal’s poems and a commentary entitled ‘Iqbal among the world’s great thinkers’.35

The Pakistan Times in its issue of June 4, 1952 informed that eminent French scholars spoke on Iqbal at a reception given by the Embasy of Pakistan on ‘Iqbal Day’. About 250 educationists, writers, and journalists were present on the occasion. Prof. Massignon, Director of the College de France and an eminent authority on Islamic philosophy, in his speech recalled his personal association with Iqbal and paid warm tributes to the poet’s contributions to literature. He was pleased that attempts were being made to translate Iqbal’s works into Arabic. Prof. Delacur, Secretary of the Men of Letters Society of France stressed the need for the exchange of literary ideas and cultural relations between France and Pakistan.36

End Notes

1 “Iqbal freed East from Intellectual bondage: World wide homage to Pakistan’s national poet,” The Pakistan Times, April 20, 1952. Also see “Soekarno & Mossaddiq pay homage to Iqbal: World wide tributes,” The Civil and Military Gazette, Karachi, April 23, 1952; “Indonesia pays homage to Iqbal,” The Morning News, April 24, 1952; “Iqbal Day observed all over Indonesia: Glowing tributes paid,” The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore, April 25, 1952.
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.
9 Ibid.
10 “World-wide tributes to the poet of East: He was beacon light, says Dr. Mossaddiq,” Dawn, April 23, 1952; Also see, “Iqbal: noblest examples of leaders of foresight: Mossaddiq’s message at poet’s death anniversary,” The Civil & Military Gazette, Lahore, April 24, 1952; “Iqbal was poet of entire Islamic world,” The Pakistan Times, April 24, 1952; “Iqbal Day in Tehran: Dr. Mussadaq’s inspiring message,” The Morning News, April 25, 1952.
11 Ibid.
12 “Iqbal Day in Turkey,” The Morning News, April 27, 1952; “Iqbal freed East from intellectual bondage: World wide homage to Pakistan’s national poet”, The Pakistan Times, April 28, 1952; “Foreign tributes to Iqbal,” The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore, April 29, 1952.
13 Ibid.
14 “Iqbal Day in Iraq,” The Khyber Mail, April 20, 1952; “Iqbal Day in Baghdad,” The Morning News, April 27, 1952.
15 Ibid.
16 “Iqbal freed East from Intellectual bondage: World wide homage to Pakistan’s national poet”, The Pakistan Times, April 28, 1952; Also see “Iqbal Day observed: In Kabul,” Dawn, April 22, 1952; “Iqbal Day in Kabul,” The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore, April 23, 1952.
17 Ibid.
18 Ibid.
19 Ibid.
20 Ibid.
21 Ibid.
22 “Stockholm observes Iqbal Day,” The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore, April 25, 1952,
23 Ibid.
24 Ibid.
25 “Iqbal Day in Canada: Dr. Cantwell Smith’s speech,” The Morning News, April 29, 1952.
26 Ibid.
27 Ibid.
28 Ibid.
29 “Iqbal Day observed in Delhi,” The Pakistan Times, April 23, 1952; “Iqbal Day mushaira in Delhi,” Dawn, April 23, 1952; “Iqbal Day mushaira in New Delhi,” The Civil and Military Gazette, Karachi, April 23, 1952; “Iqbal Day celebrated in New Delhi,” The Civil & Military Gazette, Karachi, April 23, 1952.
30 “Iqbal Day in Delhi”, The Pakistan Times, April 23, 1952; “Iqbal Day mushaira in Delhi,” Dawn, April 23, 1952; “Iqbal Day mushaira in New Delhi,” The Civil and Military Gazette, Karachi, April 23, 1952.
31 “World wide tributes to the poet of East: He was a beacon light, says Dr. Mossaddiq,”Dawn, April 23, 1952; “Indonesia pays homage to Iqbal,” The Morning News, April 24, 1952.
32 Ibid.
33 “In Bombay,” Dawn, April 24, 1952.
34 “Washington to pay homage to Iqbal”, The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore, April 27, 1952.
35 “Voice of America’s (VOA) special Iqbal programme today,” Dawn, April 24, 1952.
36 “‘Iqbal Day’ in Paris,” The Pakistan Times, June 4, 1952.

by Ghulam Sabir
Iqbal Academy Scandinavia

Nature gives birth to great philosophers and poets when the need arises. Natural calamities, wars, epidemics, storms and earthquakes etc causing human sufferings have always given birth to creative minds. Plato was born in 420 B.C. when his country had almost been ruined as a result of Peloponnesian war. Iqbal was born in 1877 A.D. when the inhabitants of India were suffering from miseries and deaths while struggling for the independence of their country from British rule. The people of Muslim community of India were the worst hit. They were being crushed ruthlessly. At that time Iqbal’s poetry played miraculous role. It awakened the people from slumbering hopelessness, made them stood on their own feet. They were united and then fought courageously for independence with the result that they achieved a free homeland for them within a few years time. The forefathers of philosophy came from a war-torn country Greece. The pioneers of the art of philosophy died but their works still providing guidance to the mankind. The world cannot forget Plato, Aristotle, Socrates and other Greeks thinkers of that time and those who followed them. Iqbal also is one of them. He is among the group of philosophers of 19th. and 20th. centuries, who brought revival and revolution in the thought of mankind. There is no doubt that all of them are as important for us today as they were at the time when they lived among us. As for Iqbal, his own teacher Professor Reynold A. Nicholson has written following words in the preface of his book, The Secrets of the Self, an English translation of Iqbal’s” Asrar-i Khudi”. About Iqbal’s poetical expression he writes: “….its (Iqbal’s poetry) logical brilliancy dissolves in the glow of feeling and imagination, and it wins the heart before taking possession of the mind”. Prof. Nicholson also expressed his views on Iqbal’s importance of ‘today’ and ‘tomorrow’ in these words, “He is a man of his age and a man in advance of his age; he is also a man in disagreement of his age.” Iqbal says for himself, “Mon Nawaa-i Shair-i Fardaastam” (I am the voice of the poet of tomorrow). Iqbal’s ‘tomorrow’ is our ‘today’ and also it will be our ‘tomorrow’. Indeed Iqbal is our need of the day. His teachings are the teachings of Qur’an of which most of us are ignorant. The teaching of Qur’an is never outdated. It is like a spring of fresh waters always flowing, always fresh, always transparent. The works of Iqbal cover Religion, politics, ethics, philosophy, morality and economics, all of which are the basics for the society of mankind. In particular Iqbal is the call for revival of Muslim nation, which was almost on the brink of death in his time. Thanks God that today we feel a little life spark in the body of Muslim society. As for Pakistan Iqbal wanted a separate Muslim land in order to make it a Research University for Islam which could provide the guidance and lead Muslim world. For this purpose a country named Pakistan was created and now exists on the world map; but unfortunately it has not yet achieved its status as a University of Islam, which could present the true face of Islam before the world as dreamt by Iqbal. In order to achieve the end that Iqbal wanted the only way is that the constitution of Pakistan should be rewritten to bring revolutionary change in the life of the people of Pakistan, so that the people of Pakistan could make their country a model Muslim State. After making Pakistan and naming it as an Islamic State the most important task for its people is still ahead and that requires “Ijtihad”, i.e. independent inquiry, as said by Iqbal. To Iqbal only this is the way to implement real democracy in a Muslim country. He has used the term of ‘spiritual democracy’ for such governance. By ‘spiritual democracy’ Iqbal means a state in which human freedom, human solidarity and human equality prevail. For this Iqbal provides a guideline in his “The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam”, which can help the people of Pakistan to make their country a genuinely Islamic state, in which people from all walks of life are equally free. In such a state’ according to Equable, every one irrespective of faith, sect, creed is tolerated, respected and accepted. As for Muslims residing in the West and having blood relations with the people of Pakistan, they have great responsibility to provide all possible assistance to our mother country in achieving their goal to make Pakistan a real and genuinely Islamic state. Equable says, “Waqt-i Fursat Hai Kahaan Kaam Abhi Baqi Hai”. (Do not relax, the task is not yet finished). To achieve the goal Iqbal tells us to acquire knowledge in all fields of life and complete the task, which was left unfinished by our ancestors. He warns us not to follow others blindly but instead learn the lesson from them as they had done earlier for themselves. They acquired knowledge from our forefathers and then marched onward with new ideas in all the fields of learning. The present glittering light of the West is the gift of Muslims of the past. Iqbal insists us to embrace modern knowledge and by entering into the main stream of advanced science and technology play our part towards welfare of the human society. Let us prove by our action that we are the custodian of the best code of life for mankind. Iqbal being a philosopher of the east is equally important for the west. He is a great preacher of humanity. Loving the ‘other’ is considered by him as an essential quality in a man. He comes from among the great philosophers of the world on humanism. His philosophy of existentialism and Understanding the ‘Self’ as well as his beautiful poetical expressions of love show exactly the place of man on earth. Speaking on the great qualities inculcated in man he says, ‘Teray Ilm-o Muhabbat Ki Naheen Hai Intaha Koi, Naheen Hai Tujh Sey Barh Kar Saaz-i Fitrat Men Nawa Koi.’ (The bounds of your knowledge and love are none, Melody sweeter than you in the Divine orchestra is none). Bang-i Dara, p.274 In one of Iqbal’s couplet in his famous Persian book ‘Javidnama’, he tells us the meaning of humanity in these words: ‘Admeeyat Ehtram-i Admi, Ba-Khabar Shau Az Maqaam-i Admi’. (Humanity is to respect the human being, you must be aware of the place of man).

The question, ‘do we need Iqbal today?’ The reply is a clear ‘YES’. It is a. need of the time, because the honour of humanity is at stake. The preachers of human rights are abusing humanity. Masses of men are being trampled ruthlessly under the heavy feet of the powerful. There is dearth of love in the world these days. Iqbal is a messenger of love. His message of love is universal…the humanity needs him…we do need him without any doubt.

by Ghulam Sabir.
Iqbal Academy Scandinavia

Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938) .

The Self is an integral part of a person. It is in one’s inner nature, which psychology does not grasp but it definitely exists and is real beyond any doubt. We can intuit Self; in fact only it is in intuition that the true nature of the Self is revealed. To Kierkegaard the Self is nucleus of our existence. Hesays that a person first learn to know himself before learning anything else. This single sentence of a great philosopher takes us into certain depth of the subject. He is not telling us to know the Self but wants us to learn how to know the Self before learning anything else. This particular knowledge i.e. how to know the Self is prerequisite towards knowing one own self. It is only after we acquire the required knowledge that we can move further on. After knowing the Self the man is able to proceed towards its development.

The development of the Self is a movement from temporal to eternal. But one must be careful enough to put the first step on this path, which is extremely difficult, full of riddles and risks. It demands personal sacrifices. Therefore Kierkegaard had to forego all the pleasures of his life before trotting on this difficult path. Iqbal says: Jigar khoon ho to chashm-i-dil men hoti hai nazar paida, (The inner gets vision only when the heart bleeds).

According to Kierkegaard the Self has its origin in God. It is a vital entity in the individual, which has deep insight and tremendous observing power. It has the power to see what remains hidden from human eye; it sees not only the object as it looks but can see the whole of it. Kierkegaard’s concept of approach to the Self is a movement from temporal to eternal (i.e. from Fana to Baqa). His movement from the beginning to the end is ethicoreligious, in which faith and Love are the most essential and central tools.

The faith guides the wisdom to adopt correct path and Love is the force, which provides strength to the person to destroy all the hurdles, all the risks and all the dangers on the way. It removes all the fears and doubts from the mind of the traveller. Love is the most sacred feeling in a person as it relates to one of the attributes of God. This is why Søren Kierkegaard gives utmost importance to the cleanliness of the heart for the growth of Love. To him purifying the heart from rubbish is the first and foremost step towards selfawareness. He says that trying to know the Self with impure heart is selfdeceit. Indeed such an effort is bound to end at tragedy. Kierkegaard says that ‘a person can damage his soul without anyone suspecting it, for this is not an external damage, it lies within the person’s innermost being. It is like the rot at the heart of fruit, while the outside can look very delectable; it is like the inner hollowness of which the shell gives no hint.’1

The inner rot is the rubbish of the heart and for its treatment Kierkegaard prescribes his formula of ‘upbuilding (edifying) belief’, and he says that ‘again it is Love that builds up belief.’ To him Love is the ground and foundation of the life of the spirit, which are to bear the building. He says ‘Love is the origin of every thing, and spiritually understood love is the deepest ground of the life of the spirit. Spiritually understood, the foundation is laid down in every person in whom there is Love. And the edifice which, spiritually understood, is to be constructed, is again love.’2 Indeed Love is Truth and is the very ground and foundation for constructing the building of the Self. It demands that the path that goes towards it must be first cleaned up and the rubbish and hurdles on its way must be removed. Kierkegaard says that a person must strengthen his/her inner being. He says that ‘only thoughtless soul can let everything around it change, gives itself up as a willing prey to life’s fickle, capricious changes without being alarmed by such a world, without being concerned for itself.’ It is faith that strengthens the inner being of a person. ‘Strengthening of the Inner Being’ as termed by him, is to make a person to occupy his place in this world. One must not abandon his soul to ‘worldly appetites’ as human being is destined to rule the world and not to be ruled by evil forces. Man being the servant of God and the master on earth when strengthened in the inner being comes to know his place and becomes aware of his duty that he has to perform. The Self that seemed before as an illusion now turned up to him as a reality.

A Sufi would say that the place of God is human heart. It is evident that an impure heart where ‘other’ than God also lives cannot be a place of God. For the sake of cleansing the heart from rubbish different methods have been adopted by different people at different times including meditation, Yoga practice, prayers, fleeing away from society and being a hermit etc. But to Kierkegaard love is the foundation material of everything and therefore love supported by faith is the best remedy. When love purifies the heart it becomes transparent. The transparency of heart resembles to the transparency of the sea, as maintained by Kierkegaard. This is why he stresses on the process of constant deepening of transparency of the heart. He says that ‘the depth of the sea determines its purity and its purity determines its transparency.’ According to him elevation of heaven can be seen in pure depth of the sea. Similarly when the heart is deeply transparent and calm it ‘mirrors the divine elevation’ of Reality in its pure depths.

Iqbal on this process comments, in one of his verse, that the journey to selfhood begins with love and ends at Beauty (i.e. the Real or God). We have seen that Kierkegaard also arrived on the same conclusion as stated above. He also believes that ‘the greater conception of God, the more Self.’ According to Iqbal the ego of man is deeply related to the Ultimate Ego, to which he also calls as All-embracing Ego. This All-embracing Ego is the fount of awareness of the higher consciousness of his relation with God. The ego of man when fully developed becomes deeply related with Ultimate Ego. This means that the man becomes in direct contact with God. At the same time he being a part of the Organic Whole does not lose his identity. While translating Iqbal’s Asrar-I-Khudi, his learned teacher Professor R.A. Nicholson asked him a question on the Self. The full text of the letter in reply received by him from Iqbal has been included in his ‘Introduction’ of The Secrets of the Self, the translation of Asrar-I-Khudi. I
quote hereunder extracts from the same letter of Iqbal, which shows wonderful similarity of his thought with Kierkegaard: He writes: “PHYSICALLY AS WELL AS SPIRITUALLY MAN IS A SELFCONTAINED CENTRE, BUT HE IS NOT YET A COMPLETE INDIVIDUAL. THE GREATER HIS DISTANCE FROM GOD, THE LESS HIS INDIVIDUALITY. HE WHO COMES NEARER TO GOD IS THE COMPLETEST PERSON. NOR THAT HE IS FINALLY ABSORBED IN GOD; ON THE CONTRARY, HE ABSORBS GOD INTO HIMSELF. THE TRUE PERSON NOT ONLY ABSORBS THE WORLD OF MATTER; BY MASTERING IT HE ABSORBS GOD HIMSELF INTO HIS EGO.”

To Kierkegaard the Self attains its highest goal by becoming deeply related to God and becomes a union of the temporal and the eternal. When one becomes aware of it, his knowledge leads him to know that ‘he has actual relation to this world’. He then knows that the world has been created for him and he is for the world. That follows the man marching onward and his Self-knowledge is transformed into action with full involvement into world’s affairs as vicegerent of God. This is actually the place of man, which he achieves after his real understanding of the life’s way. Kierkegaard says: ‘Therefore, just as soon as a person collects himself in a more understanding consideration of life, he seeks to assure himself of a coherence in everything and as the ruler of creation he approaches,…’3.

Dr. Annemarie Schimmel a well known German scholar and an authority on Iqbal’s philosophy maintains that the more developed the ego is, the better it can stand the heaviest shocks without being destroyed, and can even survive the shocks of corporeal death. Sufferings in spiritual struggle for development of the Self are inevitable and the farther away the goal, the more difficult the path. Love, however, makes the voyage beautiful and easy for the traveller. She writes: “To the problem of Love a large part of Iqbal’s poetical work is dedicated. Love is, in his terminology, the force, which brings man nigh to God and consolidates the ego, and which sometimes even corresponds to intuition. It is the fiery element, which enables the growth of the personality, and without which real life cannot exist.”4 I quote below Iqbal’s five Persian couplets and their English translation by his teacher Professor Nicholson:

“NUQTA-I NOOR-I KEY NAM-I-OO KHUDEEST
ZER-I KHAK-I MA SHARAR-I ZINDAGEEST
(The luminous point whose name is the Self,
Is the life-spark beneath our dust.)
AZ MUHABBAT MEE SHAWAD PAAINDATAR
ZINDATAR SOZINDATAR TABINDATAR
(By Love it is made more lasting,
More living, more burning, more glowing.)
AZ MUHABBAT ISHTA-AAL-I JOHARASH
IRTAQA-I MUMKINAAT-I MUZMIRASH
(From Love proceeds the radiance of its being,
And the development of its unknown possibilities.)
FITRAT-I OO AATISH ANDOZAD ZI ISHQ
ALAM AFROZI BEYAMOZAD ZI ISHQ
(Its nature gathers fire from Love,
Love instructs it to illumine the world.)
AZ NIGAHI ISHQ KHARA SHAQ SHAWAD
ISHQ-I HAQ AKHIR SARAPA HAQ SHAWAD5
(The hardest rocks are shivered by Love’s glance;
Love of God at last becomes wholly God.)”

Each and every above verse is coinciding beautifully with the ideas of Kierkegaard on the Self, the Love and the relationship between the two. In these verses we may also see the truth of the words of Professor Nicholson about Iqbal’s brilliancy of poetic expression that ‘it wins the heart before taking possession of the mind.’

1 Either/Or II, p222
2 Kierkegaard The descent into God p.34-35
3 Three Upbuilding Discourses (1843) p 84 (Translation by Howard V. Hong and Edna H. Hong).
4 Gabriel’s Wing by Annemarie Schimmel p.128
5 Asrar-I Khudi (Poem showing that the Self is strengthened by love).

It had dawned on Iqbal that the undercurrents of Indian philosophical thoughts had immensely influenced the Persian Sufis. This understanding stands as the vital link between Islamic and Hindu mysticism. He saw the wonderful similarity in Ibu-u-Arabis’ concept of Wahduthul wujud (the oneness of God’s existence) and the Advaida, professed by Sankaracharia. In the preface to the ‘Asrar-e-Khudi’, he deals on this, and points to this astonishing relationship between the two widely different religious and cultural thought processes. Persian and Indian spiritual thought processes could have areas where they do intersect and have visible oneness.
He earnestly believes the Persian Sufis have travelled the same roads, along with the Indian Sufi saints to reach out to God, and to comprehend and attain Godhood. Wasn’t it possible that the Sufi idea of six light centres in the human body has its roots in the mighty insights of Kundalini Yoga?

It has been said that Iqbal did at times follow the style of Indian saints in some of his poems. Coming from a different religious and cultural background, yet to be able to do this with a seeming level of perfection, is in itself a marvellous achievement. For, it comes with the grandeur of being the profound bridge, not only between two widely different cultural fountainheads, and but also to an antiquity that reaches out to the boundless past.
India has cradled varying cultures, of many hues and shades. Even Islamic culture, which should have been of an exotic quality here, has been buoyed-up. The Sufis, who steadfastly stood for the cause of universal wellbeing, were the creation of this intermingling of Islam and the local Indian cultural inputs. No one can say that the Sufis are non-Indians. They remain an indispensable element of Indian historical evolution, existing as strong stepping-stones of Indian cultural landscape. What they stood for was not for any mean ambitions, but for the emancipation of the huge mass of people who were living in trampled social conditions. What they said has remained since, as illuminating messages for the whole of humanity. If they are gurus, well then, they are not for the Indians alone, but for the whole world to heed.
There was Kabeer, a poet, a mystic, and much more. There were many others like him, who cannot be contained in a religious label. He had followers from both Hinduism as well as Islam. There is a strange story pertaining to his death. When he died, both his Hindu as well as his Islamic followers contested spiritedly to get to perform the rituals as per their own traditional methods. The Hindus want to cremate his bodily remains, while the Muslims argued for burial as per their custom.

The legend goes that his body turned into a bunch of flowers, which was shared between Hindus and Muslims. .

It is a fact that many non-Islamic saints and philosopher had been aware of the spell of Islamic mysticism. The celebrated Rama Krishna Paramahamsa was one among them. He did discern Islamic pathway as a means to reach God. The famous Sikh Guru Nanak travelled to Mecca on pilgrimage. There is a popular verse that speaks thus: ‘Guru Nanak, the king of fakirs, a Guru to Hindu and a pir to Muslims’.

In his lovely poem titled, ‘Nanak’, Iqbal sings:

‘Again from the Punjab the call of monotheism arose,
A perfect man roused India from slumber’
(Tr. By Mislansir Mir.)

In Iqbal’s poem, ‘The Secrets of the Self’, the influence of Indian Philosophy is quite apparent. The eminent Orientals Annamarie Scheimmel has delineated on the ever visible influence of the Indian philosophies on Iqbal. Iqbal was deeply impressed by the insights that Bhagavad Gita had on the concepts of Soul and deed (Atma and Karma). Gita calls of action in the face of inevitable events, without yearning for essential results or successes. One’s commitment to heed the call to action is the litmus test by which one’s commitment to God, and faith in Him is assessed. Gita does not condone idleness, when the time is to act. It exhorts ceaselessly against inaction and laziness. Divine support attends those who work and act. Divine retribution visits those who seek refuge in excuses. The industrious finds means to assuage the miseries of life, while the loafer gets his due.

Gita says. “Don’t refrain from work even for a moment Work incessantly and endlessly Act always without desiring any reward.” The Gita focuses on the importance of action. This remains the core of Iqbal’s poem, ‘The Secrets of the Self’. Prayers should go together with deeds. Otherwise prayers are in vain, says the poet in the ‘Pilgrimage of Eternity’. There was a striking difference between Iqual and the many other Urdu poets. While they eulogised the beauty of roses and tulips, and the sensual attractiveness of physical love, Iqbal talked about action, and ceaseless struggle against adversity.

Disinterested action is Gita’s theme song. There is Batruhari, the noted Sanskrit poet, who also sings about action, without concern for gains. Man must be act ceaselessly. There is a dream of a good society to be realised. This is to be achieved by hard work. Persons who can strive for such sublime goodness, alone deserve to be called a human being. Their minds are like glowing lanterns, and thus they remain as the soft lights that show the path in the crowding darkness.

The message dealt out here is really of wonderful magnitude.
Bhartruhari influenced Iqbal much. In ‘The Pilgrimage of Eternity,’ there is an imaginary interview with Bartruahari. It is the story of the imaginary travel along with his teacher Jalaluddin Rumi through the heaven. He chance to meet the enlightened souls of such persons as Prohpet Mohammad, Lord Buddha, Jesus Christ, Karl Marx, Bhartruhari, Viswamitra, Saint Sankara, Jamaludhin Afgani, Saeed and Haleem Pasha. Iqbal’s uses the theme to bring out his philosophy to its hilt. He is guided in his expositions by the great thinkers he meets over there. What comes out is the burbling passion of the poet to achieve the pleasantry of a unified mankind. He experiences an encompassing spirit of bliss. Writing this poetry was a rapturous experience for him.

In the winter of 1931, Iqbal went to London to participate in the Round Table Conference. He was felicitated there by ‘Iqbal Association’. Such personalities as Mahatma Gandhi, Aga Khan and Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru attended the function. N.M. Khan, one of the members of ‘Iqbal Literary Association’, interviewed the poet on Javidnama. At the end of the interview, Iqbal fell unconscious, purely due to the aesthetic frenzy which the poem caused. The spell lasted for 15 minutes.

He says:

The book opens with a Munajai. The poet is standing near the seashore. The soul of Rumi appears. The poet is in a mood of deep inquisitiveness. The Spirit is asked many questions. One major query was on how the Soul of man moves beyond the confines of Space and Time. The idea is to convey the philosophy of Mi’raj. The Spirit of Space-Time appears. This Spirit is depicted as a double-faced angel. One face is dark and sleepy. The other is bright and alert.
This Spirit casts a spell on the poet and he is lifted bodily to the upper echelons of the Space. Here the poet as well as the Spirit of Rumi and the Poet swim around. They do this till the towering mountains of the lunar landscape appear in their vision. A welcome song from the spheres of the stars reaches their ears. The song welcomes the human beings who dared to cross the boundless Space.

The poet and his companion reach the surface of the moon. They move to some caves. In one of the caves, they come across the Spirit of the great Indian saint Vishwamitra. The poet translates the Spirits name as ‘Jahan Dost’. This Spirit is in a state of deep contemplation. There is a white snake coiled around his head.

Vishwamitra recognises Rumi. He asks of Rumi, who the newcomer was. Rumi introduces his companion. Thereupon the poet is asked a few questions to so as to measure his spiritual attainments, and calibre. One of the questions asked was this: In what respect is man superior to God? The poet answers: ‘In his understanding of Death’. Vishwamitra is satisfied by the calibre of the answers. He shares a few profound insights to the poet.

The poet and his companion leave the cave. The move to the valley of the moon, where they chance to see a huge rock with four pictures carved on it. They are named as the Tablet of Buddha, the Tablet of Jesus, the Tablet of Zoraster, and the Tablet of Mohammad. In the poem, these tablets are vividly described.

After this, they move to planet Mars. Here they come upon a lady-Prophet, who had been kidnapped from Europe by the Devil. This lady was presently teaching a new philosophy of evolution. According to this, the world will eventually be ruled by the females. The lady-Prophet instructs the ladies of Mars not to marry. If at all they do marry and have children, they are to kill the male child and foster the female child. On hearing these views, Rumi gets the chance to criticise certain aspects of the modern world.

Moving from Mars, they reach Mercury. Here they find the spirits of Jamal-ul-din Afgani and Saeed Halim Pasha, who had lend leadership to the religious reform movement in Turkey. Afgani asks of the poet to convey his message to the people of Russia. He tells them that the spirit of Islam is contained in the spirit of Bolshevism, and Karl Marx is featured as a prophet without an angel.

Then they move to another planet, where they find three spirits. Mansur Hallaj, Ghalib, and Qurrat-ul-Ain. They had been offered a cosy place in the Paradise, which they had refused. For, they yearned for the freedom of movement through the length and breadth of the boundless Universe. They have a brief discourse here also. Hallaj explains his stand as a Muslim seer. There is some debate on the literary and religious aspects of Ghalib’s poetry. Qurrat-ul-Ain renders a song on her own.

When they reach another planet, they are to a see a contradictory scene. There are two spirits there, who sought earnestly for a home in the flaming hell. Hell refused to have them. They were Mir Jafar of Bengal and Mir Sadiq of Mysore.

In another planet, they find the spirits of Pharoah and Kitchener in deep conversation, at the bottom of a transparent sea. The themes attracts Mehdi Saoudani from Pradise. He comes down to depths and has a talk with Kitchner. After that the spirit of Mahdi, arouses itself up and addresses the whole of the Arabic world.
Once the various planets are over, the Poet enter Paradise. He meets saints and kings there. The palace of Sharaf-un-Nisa, the daughter of Abdu Samad Khan, Governor of Lahore is seen.
They meet many persons. One of them is Shah Hamdam, the patron saint of Kashmir. The history and people of Kashmir are discussed. He also meets King Nadir Shah of Persia, Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan, and Sultan Tipu.

When he was on the verge of leaving Paradise, the Houris of Paradise stop him, and insist that he stay with them for a while. The poet refuses. Here there is a symbolic meaning delivered. The Islamic paradise is not a final resting place, but rather a dynamic area of continuing spiritual development.

Yet, the Houris persevere and the Poet is compelled to make amends. The Poet should present them with a song. He does.

After Paradise, he continues his journey to reach the divine presence. Here Rumi has to leave him, for one can enter the divine presence only on one’s own. The poet poses a series of questions to God. He requests god to reveal the destiny of his own people. This is given to him.

The book is reaching its end. The finale is with one song from the spirit of the universe. (Thoughts and Reflections of Iqbal Ed. Syed Abdul Vahid).