Sir Mohammad Iqbal , is best known as a eminent poet, Muslim philosophical thinker of modern times , a preacher and a great politician . Sir Mohammad Iqbal made concept of khudi, rationality / Intellect and Heart as a protagonist in his philosophy. According to Iqbal the purpose of the life is the development of the self . Iqbal maintains that there are three sources of knowledge : knowing One’s self , Knowing the reality of universe and knowing God. Iqbal believes that human beings are the makers of their own destiny and that the key to destiny lies in one’s character . He constantly refers to the Quranic verse, “Verily God will not change the condition of the people till they change what is In themselves ” . Iqbal regularly in his poetry hints towards it ; AGAR NAA HO TUJHAI ULJAN TOO KHOOL KER KAH DOO WAJOOD-E-HAZRAT INSAAN NAA ROOH HAI NAA BADAN (1) “If you don’t get much disturbed , to you this truth I may enroll that man, God’s image on the earth is neither frame of clay nor soul” In this couplet, Iqbal created a 3rd dimension of a human being and his real essence i.e. Khudi. As per Iqbal every corpuscle of human creation hold a huge secret of knowledge , Love, and wisdom in it and as such man is himself the biggest secret of universe; TAIRAI ILM O MUHABBAT KI NAHI HAI INTIHA KOYI NAHI HAI TUJH SAI BADH KER SAAZ E FITRAT MAI NAWA KOYI (2) “There is no limit to your knowledge and love , In the instrument of nature there is no sweeter song than you” Iqbal’s philosophy came in existence instead of Sufi “WAHDATUL WAJUD” . In this branch the Sufi’s strive to annihilate the sense of his own existence and being , In order to unite with the supreme being. Molana Rumi , The great Sufi philosopher and poet of 13th century mentioned this concept of WAHDAT UL WAJUD in his poetry: NAA MAAN BAIHUDA GHERDEE KOOCHA O BAZAR MII GHARDAM MAZAKAI AASHIQUE DARAM PAYAY DEEDAR MEE GARDAM “ My roaming in streets and bazars is not pointless , I whirl and destruct myself there to seek thee, beloved” But according to Iqbal man can attain the highest spiritual realization not by annihilating his self but by nourishing and developing his self on Islamic foundations . As Iqbal says; KHUDI KO KER BULAND ITNA KI HER TAQDEER SAI PEHAI KHUDA BANDAI SAI KHUD POOCHAI BATA TARE RAZA KYA HAI (3) “ Create your selflessness to such heights before creating each destiny God Himself will ask you “What pleases you?”” Iqbal’s main source, motivation, and inspiration of Philosophy were the Holy Quran and the History of Islam. The concept of Khudi has taken also from the verse of Surah -Al-Hashir (Verse 19); “And be not like those who forgot Allah , So He made them forget themselves” It is also truth that Iqbal was influenced by the thoughts of Friedrich Nietzsche (The muslim Greek philosopher) , Fitche (German philosopher ) , Rumi and Khushhal khan khattak ( Afghan and Pashtun warrior poet) . Iqbal believes that if one will know, analyze, examine and believe one’s self even death can’t Kill him; HOO AGER KHUD NIGAR W KHUD GHAR W KHUD GEER KHUDI YAY BHI MUMKIN HAI KI TOU MOUT SAI BHI MAR NA SAKAI (4) “If the ego is self – preserving, self creating and self sustaining: then its possible that even death may not make you die”.
Iqbal was of the perception that intellect has both its strengths and weaknesses. Iqbal’s poetry is against a person or community who are intellectually slave of western ideologies like Communism, Atheism, and Secularism etc. He even said that if a person had memorized the whole Holy Quran but is intellectually slave of diabolical / Satanic system don’t search in him the taste of Islam ; AZZ GHULAM E LAZZAT E EMAN MAJJAV GHER CHE BASHEYAY HAFIZ E QURAN MAJJAV (5) Iqbal in his significant poem Jawab- e-Shikwa (The answer to the complaint ) metaphored intellect as a shield ; AQL HAI TAIRI SIPAR , ISHQ HAI SHAMSHEER TAIRI (6) “Intellect is your shield , Love is your sword” Iqbal believes that the almighty Allah will not accept the heart of person who mentally slave; SUBAH E AZIL MUJH SAI KAHA GABREIL NAI JOO AQL KA GHULAM HOO WO DIL NAA KER QABOOL (7) “Gabriel on creations early morn, a piece of useful counsel gave; He bade me not to accept a heart enchained by mind of man like slave” Allama Iqbal believed that heart is also a mode of knowledge which pioneer Imam -E-Ghazali in many of his books mentioned as VIJDAAN (Intuition ) . Iqbal said that intellect or rational thought may be seen as that rational part of consciousness that assisted us in our practical life but intuition goes a step further. It provides thought with the flight it needs to discover the ultimate truth instead of remaining caged up within mechanical mental process. Throughout his works, especially his poetic works , Iqbal describes an ongoing struggle and tussle b/w intellect and intuition; ACHA HAI DIL KAI SAATH RAHAI PASBAAN E AQL LAYKIN KABHI KABHI ISSAI TANHA BHI CHOD DO (8) “ It’s good to guard intuition with heart but sometimes you should let it go alone also” As per Iqbal intellect is limited and heart is unlimited by through one can reach to destiny; GUZAR JAA AQL SAI AAGAI KI YAY NOOR CHARAJ E RAAH HAI MANZIL NAHI HAI (9) Rumi also said that if person is rational He will destroy his both worlds but person enthusiasm with love will conqueror both worlds ; AQL AMAD DAR DO DUNYA CHUD KHARAB ISHQ AMAD DAR DO DUNYA SHUD KAMYAB “Rationality ruins both this world and hereafter , love comes and makes the both worlds a success”. Iqbal was always praying to Almighty Allah, make me a person of lovable heart; KHERD KII GUTHYA SULJA CHUKAA MAI MERAI MOULA MUJHAI SAHAB E JUNOON KER (10) “The riddles of reason I have solved, but now, O Lord ! Give me a life of ecstasy” So, according to Iqbal’s philosophy make your decisions by your intellect, but, whenever one feels himself in matrix go towards your heart because heart is the true place of knowledge, Wisdom, Intuition and love. Now neuro scientists have quite recently discovered the heart to possess its very own nervous system, quite independent of the brain, and capable of not only making its own decisions but also of influencing the decisions by the brain. KHUDAYA AARIZO MERI YAHI HAI MERA NOOR E BASIRAT AAM KERDAI “This , my God, is my desire Let my vision spread allover”
Reference: 1) The rod of the Moses ( ADAM) 2) The call of the marching bell ( The renaissance of Islam) 3) Gabriel’s wing 4) The rod of the Moses ( Eternal life) 5) What should then be done O the nations of the East ( present day politics) 6) The call of the marching bell ( Answer to the complaint) 7) The rod of the Moses ( The testament of Tipu Sultan) 8) The call of the marching bell 9) Gabriel’s wing 10) Gabriel’s wing.
( The author is a freelancer. Views are his own)
