Iqbal (RA): The legacy of Muslim nations
Faheem ul Islam
The world has witnessed the great extraordinary personalities from the very beginning of life and also the work they did during their era. And it is the law of nature that one who inhales has to exhale. The great personalities about whom the world knows are the assets of nations in their respective fields but the man with Divine qualities and spiritual taste is beneficial for whole mankind.
Today it is my pleasure to write the few words about such a great physically mortal and literary immortal personality, Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal (R.A) {1877-1938}. The man of philosophy, politics, reformation and Islamic beliefs.
Allama Iqbal was the multidimensional personality. Apart from being a philosopher, lawyer, writer, social reformer he was a good and devoted practitioner of Islam. His love towards Islam and holy scripts can be easily seen through his words and actions and the love his writing reflects towards Prophet Muhammad (saw) and other Islamic scriptures.
When Allam Iqbal went abroad for higher studies western ideology was surrounding him everywhere but he never surrendered to the dominancy of that very ideologies but rather took an oath to get nectar of knowledge with all possible facilities and to use it to raise the flag of Islamic ideology. He conquered the western ideology and put forth the essence of Islam among the non believers.
It was his love towards Islam that he jotted all the verses of quran in such an amazing way that reformed the polytheism ideology. His work is known everywhere and is known as the great Islamic philosopher of 20th century which the world ever has witnessed. His philosophy of being “self” nurtured the Muslims especially youths with real spirit of Islam.
He always focused on being “self” as he was known that once you will believe on yourself and will try to explore the meaning of creation you will definitely dominant the world. A great verse from his ocean of knowledge symbolizes “Self”.
خودی کو کر بلند اتنا کہ ہر تقدیر سے پہلے
خدا بندے سے خود پوچھے بتا تیری رضا کیا ہے
اپنے من میں ڈوب کر پا جا سراغ زندگی
تو اگر میرا نہیں بنتا نہ بن اپنا تو بن
These are not only verses but the message of glorious history of Islam that how our ancestors used to be like. They were not even capable of having war tools but the name Muslim and the belief was enough to conquer the opponents.
His love for the holy quran can be felt by the life changing episode which Allama Iqbal once witnessed. He says “I was reciting quran and my father came and said ‘Iqbal what are you doing? I replied, Reciting Quran. And the same thing happened for two to three days and I dared now to know the answer of this repeated question .The Father replied Iqbal, I wish you recite the quran in such a way that it is being revealed to you then and there!. This was the moment which changed my mindset of reciting quran and I started to ponder in quran and read it with full understanding”.
Allama also said quran is not just the book but the divine message which possess the secrets of successful life.
Allama Iqbal was much more concerned about youth and he always tried to address them through the delicate words because nations can never prosper in the modern or spiritual fields without essence of youth as youth is the backbone of every balanced society.
The youth can be the bright future of nation or can lead the nation towards unending darkness. So Allama was afraid of western ideology which may inject the poison of man-made ideologies in Muslim youth which will destroy Muslim society in morality as well as will weaken the strengthen roots of monotheism.
So Allama tried to highlight the issues of young age and provide them with the solution in the light of quran and legacy of prophets.
Once iqbal said, افراد کے ہاتھوں میں ہے اقوام کی تقدیر
ہر فرد ہے ملت کے مقدر کا ستارہ
The more we will read his writings the more we will connect with him. Allama Iqbal considered the quran as a fundamental of Islamic infrastructure where a balanced society will breathe.
Also Iqbal mentioned that Muslims are same like other humans in the way of nature’s law, they take birth and die, it falls and grows up, etc but the thing which makes difference is meaning of creation. The Muslim is the object of creation. The world has been made for him but he has been made for hereafter he is here just to be a viceroy of Allah to guide them towards the way of Islam.
The noble soul breathed his last in the early hours of 21 April 1938 to follow the law of nature, but left us behind with the prints of legacy in the form of written scripts. Now our tribute to this nobly soul will be paid only when we will ponder and go through his writings to get the secrets of successful life. May his soul rest in peace with utmost blessings.
(The author is pursuing studies in political science at Aligarh Muslim University)
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