Allama Iqbal Part 3

If this were true, it would be a disgrace. It would be servitude and a means for the negation of power, freedom, and responsibility. It would be to submit to the status quo, to whatever will be, will be’, to accept any fate which is imposed upon the human being in this world and to admit to the futility and uselessness of life. As past, present, and future events have been and will continue to be dictated by fate, in this view, any criticism or objection, then, or efforts to attain our hearts’ desires or to change the situation, must be subjugated to “whatever has been pre-destined for us”. In this way, the human being’s attempts to change, convert, and amend the status quo become impossible, unreasonable, and ill-advised.

But in the philosophy of Islam, although the One God has Absolute Power and is Almighty and although for Him is the Creation, Guidance, Expediency, and Rule over the universe, “His is the Creation and the Command.” (7:54), at the same time, the human being, in this extensive universe, is considered in such a way that while one cannot dissociate oneself from the rule of God and from Divine Sovereignty, one can live freely. A Muslim has free will and the power to rebel and surrender. Thus, he or she is responsible arid the maker of his or her own image. “Every soul is held in pledge for what he earns” (74:38). “And the human being shall have nothing but what he strives for’ (53:30).

In his mystic journey with the Qur’an, lqbal’s described this principle, that is, the principle of authenticity of deed and responsibility towards human beings that which humanists, existentialists, or radicals endeavor to help humanity achieve by negating religion and denying God. These people; quite rightly, see the religion and the God conceived by the minds of human beings to be incompatible with human freedom, esteem, authenticity, and responsibility, whereas slam, without resorting to philosophical justification and interpretation, clearly declares “the thy when the human being shall see what his two hands have sent before” (78:40).

With his outlook, his orientation to faith and his Islamic mysticism, lqbal’s passed through all the philosophical and spiritual states of this age. It can be said that h was a Muslim migrant who appeared in the depths of the Indian Ocean and rose to the highest peaks of honour of the majestic European mountains, but he did not remain there. He returned to us to otter his nation - that is, to after us whatever he had learned on his wondrous journey. Through his personality, I see that once again Islam in the 20th century presents a model, an example, for the anguished but confused new generation which has some degree of self-awareness.

A shining spirit, full of Eastern inspiration, is selected from the land of. The heart of spiritual culture and illumination. The great thoughts of the West, the land of civilization, intellect, and knowledge with the power of creativity and advancement are placed in his mind. Then, with all of this investment, he becomes knowledgeable of the 20th century. He is flat one of those reactionaries and worshippers of the past who have enmity towards the West and whatever is new; who oppose new civilization without a sound reason. He is also not like those who imitate and are absorbed by the West without having the courage to criticize and to choose. On the one hand, he employs science and, on the other, he senses its inadequacies and shortcomings in meeting the spiritual needs and the evolutionary requirements of humanity. He offers solutions for its completion. lqbal is a person who has a world view, and he has devoted philosophical-spiritual interpretations based upon it which he otters to the world and its people. lqbal is a person who bases his social teaching upon his world view, and then offers his spiritual and philosophical interpretations of it.

Based upon the culture and history with which he is associated, he develops the concept of a person based on the standard of an “Ali”, to the extent that the material for developing such a human being in our century allows.This is why we wish to have a School of thought and action which both responds to our philosophical needs, and at the same time develops a thinking being that is accepted by the world, recognized by civilization and the new culture of the world, and not one alienated from us and our rich cultural resources. We wish for a School of thought and action which nurtures a human being who is closely aware of our culture and all of our good spiritual and religious assets, who is not lineated from the times, and who does not live in the 4th or 5th century. We long for it to develop a. human being who can think, who has a scientific mind, yet who does riot remain negligent of the anguish, life, captivity, and hardships of his people We desire the development of a human being who, even if he thinks about the real and material anguish of humanity and about the present confusions .

difficulties of human society or his own society, does not forget the ideal human being or the significance of the human being or the eternal mission of humanity in history, and does not lower all human ideals to the level of material consumption.

All that we seek in these various domains can be found in Iqbal, because the only thing that lqbal did - and this is the greatest success of lqbal as a Muslim in an Islamic society in the 20th century was that, based upon the knowledge he had of the rich new and old cultures, he was able to develop himself, based on the model which his ideological School, - that is, Islam, - gave. This is the greatest success of Iqbal in an Islamic society in the 20th century. We do not say that he is a perfect human being. No. We do not say he is a symbolic person. No. He is a personality who, after his disintegration, been reconstructed into a complete Muslim person and a perfect k personality in the 20th century.

This reconstruction is the point from which we Muslim intellectuals must ourselves we must feel our greatest responsibility to be in trusting ourselves and our society. As Easterners, we are ted to this part of the world. We are connected with this history. Are human beings confronted by nature and by the West? In fact when ideology is built into an organizational structure the popular force is mobilized, and then even the opposing and ‘19 factors come together in a disciplined movement. The independence movement is a very clear example of these penmen on, wherein all ethnic and racial groups participated and to ether they realized the common goal.

To conclude with, I believe that, given the fact that Islam is ‘ted as a practical way of life and not merely as slogan - a me which ensures justice, freedom and economic rights, in which these nationalities can grow smoothly and play their brotherly role with honour - then the Muslims in Pakistan have the capability to follow this just path, of course guided by a sincere leadership which stands above all prejudices and enjoys the confidence of the people and this is what lqbal emphasizes with a touch of distinction and exerts its staunch influence through his inspiring doctrine.