Sir Muhammad Iqbal known as Allama (Scholar of Highest Rank) Iqbal was a philosopher, poet, politician and a social reformist. Born on Nov. 9, 1877, Iqbal is widely credited with inspiring millions of Muslims to demand a separate homeland from the British Empire in India. A religious scholar and Sufi master, Iqbal's literary works in the Urdu and Persian languages are largely based on teachings of the Holy Qur'an. He propagated self-respect and self-realization and reiterated the need to revert to Islamic values. Iqbal is officially regarded as National Poet of Pakistan, Shayir-e-Mashriq (Poet of the East), and Hakeem-ul-Ummat (Sage of Ummah). A Barrister from Lincoln's Inn, England with a PhD in Philosophy from Munich University, Iqbal was a strong proponent of the political and spiritual revival of Islamic civilization across the world for which he traveled and delivered lectures at length all over the world. His famous speeches have been collected and published under the title: “The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam,” a collection of esoteric lectures delivered between 1928 - 1930. Iqbal also encouraged the younger generation to search for a fresh interpretation of the Qur'an and Sunnah and discover mutual harmonies that would enable Muslims to learn modern science and use science and technology to improve their condition. Iqbal started writing poetry from his early school days and wrote a considerable number of poems at the time of the freedom movement in India. His fame started with his poetry which was written in the classical style for public recitation. Through poetic symposia, his poetry became widely known even among the illiterate masses. Almost all the cultured Muslims of his and later generations came under the spell of his poetry. His first book of poetry, Asrar e Khudi (Secrets of Self), appeared in Persian in 1915 and received instant popularity among the down-trodden Muslims of British India. Other great works of poetry are: Rumuz e Bekhudi (Secrets of Selflessness), Baal e Jibrael (Wings of Jibrael), Payam e Mashriq (Message of the East), Zabur e Ajam (Persian Psalms), Baang e Dera (Call of the Marching Bell), Zarb e Kaleem (Blow of Moses), and Javed Nama (Book of Eternity). In 1922, he was knighted by His Majesty King Georg V, giving him the illustrious title of “Sir”. Iqbal passed away on April 21, 1938 but to date millions of his fans remain mesmerized with the beauty and depth of his poetry. He simplified the philosophy of life, de-mystified the purpose of our human existence, and turned the teachings of Islam into an eternal message ready to be interpreted by the masses. For those unable to comprehend Urdu and Persian languages, a simple translation into English will certainly facilitate the understanding of Iqbal's poems. Like everyone, Iqbal dearly loved his mother. On her death in 1914, he became restless and expressed grief in the form of a eulogy. Who would wait for me anxiously in my native place, Who would display restlessness when my letter fails to arrive, I will visit thy grave with this complaint, Who will now think of me in midnight prayers, All thy life thy love served me with devotion, When I became fit to serve thee, thou hast departed! Muslim Youth's spiritual deterioration and distancing from Islamic teachings was of utmost concern to Iqbal. Youth being the architects of our future, he addressed the youth of Islam as follows: O Muslim youth! Have you ever used your prudence, What was that sky of which you are a fallen star, That nation has nurtured you on its lap of love, Whose feet had trampled the crown of Darius's head, Civilization's formulator, creator of rules of world government Your ancestors from the deserts of Arabia ruled the Universe, Even in poverty those men of God were so high-minded, That the rich could not avoid charity for beggar's fear, What should I tell you what those wanderers in wilderness were, They were world conquerors, world rulers, world administrators, If I wish to present their picture in words I sure can, But that scene is beyond the comprehension of your imagination, It's such a pity you have no correlation with your ancestors, You are talk, they were action, you are stars, they were planets, Alas we have wasted the heritage obtained from our ancestors, The sky has thrown us down from the Thurayyah to the Earth, Iqbal was of the firm belief that self-respect and self-realization can mobilize our inner energies and provide us with a path to success. His mesmerizing poems can still light a spark into the lives of the disillusioned and depressed. Sing O Nightingale so that with your modulations, The falcon's heart in the pigeon's frail body be produced, Concealed within your heart is the secret of life, Relate to the Muslim the traditions of pathos of life, You are the potent hand and the word of the Eternal God, O imprudent one! Develop Faith as you have been overcome with doubts, The Muslim's destination is beyond the azure colored sky, You are the caravan the dust of whose trail are stars, You are the Final Message of God and you are eternal, Your origin is from Ibrahim, you are the world's architect, Your nature is the custodian of all life's possibilities, So you are the touchstone for world's hidden jewels, From the material world to the Eternal world, The history of the Muslim nation reveals the secret, That you are the protector of the nations of Asia, Learn again the lesson of Truth, Justice, and Bravery, You are to be entrusted with the world's leadership, This alone is the creation's objective, this alone is Islam's secret, That there should be universal brotherhood and abundant love, According to Iqbal, Faith in Allah is divine enough to energize our conscious abilities and sub-conscious capacities. Through inner faith we can achieve the impossible. Sainthood, sovereignty, the universality of material knowledge, What are all these except unraveling of the secrets of Faith, When Faith is created in this earthly ember, Neither swords nor plans are of any avail in slavery, Chains are cast away when taste for Faith is created, Can anyone assess the strength of his arms? Destinies are changed by the believer's mere glance! Exploring the mysteries of life and purpose of human existence was of great interest to Iqbal. He solves this philosophy through impeccable simplicity. Human life is no more than a breath. It is alive only as long as it is flowing. In the same way human life is worth its existence only as long as it is active, man is the only secret in the universe. This secret is that though man apparently has humble origins — being created from dust — he has the potential of being Allah's vice regent on earth. The life of Man is no more than a breath, Breath is a wave of air, it is no more than a flow, The flower was depicting life as a smile but, The candle said it is no more than a cry of grief, The secret of life is a secret till there is a confidante', When it is open, it is nothing more than the confidante', Somebody should ask the pilgrims of Ka'bah, O Iqbal, Is the gift of the Haram nothing more than Zamzam? The last line is sarcastic and carries the lesson that the real gift of the pilgrimage to the Ka'bah is that the pilgrim should return only after sacrificing his arrogance, greed and jealousy after stoning the Satan and controlling the evil in himself and hence gaining the purity and innocence of a newborn child. Let us look at how he studied the relationship between intellect and the heart and described the controversy of “Aql o Dil”. One day Intellect said to the heart, A guide to the misguided ones I am, Being on the earth I reach up to the sky, Look, how deep in comprehension I am, Guidance on earth is my sole occupation, Like the auspicious in character I am, Interpreter of the book of life I am, The Manifestation of God's Glory I am, You are only a drop of blood, but, The invaluable ruby's envy I am, Hearing this the heart said, All this is true, But look at me as well, what I am, You understand the secrets of life, But seeing them with my own eyes I am, Concerned with the manifest order you are, And acquainted with the inward I am, Learning is from you, but Divine Knowledge is from me.
