Allama
Mohammad Iqbal
Poems & Works
Most of
Allama Iqbal's writings were devoted to a revival of Islam. In his presidential
address to the Muslim League in 1930, he first suggested that the Muslims of
northwestern India should demand a separate nation for themselves. Although many
compilations of Iqbal's poetry also deliver his message very eloquently, his
foremost book Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam was intended to
secure a vision of the spirit of Islam as emancipated from its Magian
overlayings.
He encouraged Muslims to embrace ideals of brotherhood, justice, and service.
His masterpiece is 'The Song of Eternity' (1932). Similar in theme to Dante's
'Divine Comedy', it relates the poet's ascent through all realms of thought and
experience, guided by the 13th-century poet Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi. He also wrote
poetry in the Persian language. He tried to free the Muslim mind from the
prevailing colonial mentality and from Muslims' own narrow self-interests, which
is reflected in his classical work "Toloo-e-Islam" (Rise of Islam).
Prose Works by Dr. Muhammad Iqbal
The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam (1930)
One of the great thinkers of this century, in this ground-breaking work,
attempts to show a path back to the scientific and intellectual striving that
Muslims once excelled in. Refuting the current methods of teaching as being from
a generation of a cultural outlook different than that facing the modern mind,
Iqbal calls for a reconstruction of thought, pointing to the fact that from the
first to fourth century no less than nineteen schools of law appeared in Islam
to meet the necessities of a growing civilization.
Religion vs. Philosophy-To Embrace or Exclude?
What is the character
and general structures of the universe in which we live? Is there a permanent
element in the constitution of this universe? How are we related to it? What
place do we occupy in it, and what is the kind of conduct that benefits the
place we occupy? These questions are common to religion, philosophy, and higher
poetry.
The Development of Metaphysics in Persia (1908)
This was a thesis submitted to the University of Munich for his PhD. It was
published in London in the same year. The book traces the development of
metaphysics in Persia from the time of Zoroaster to Bahaullah.
Summary of Iqbals 1930 Presidential Address
"... I lead no party; I follow no leader. I have given the best part of my life
to careful study of Islam, its law and polity, its culture, its history and its
literature. This constant contact with the spirit of Islam, as it unfolds itself
in time, has, I think, given me a kind of insight into the significance as a
world fact."
Poetry
Baang-e-Dara (1924)
First written in Persian, Bang-i Dara (Caravan Bell) was translated into Urdu by
popular demand. It is an anthology of poems written over a period of 20 years
and is divided into 3 parts.
Baal-e-Jibraeel (1935)
Baal-e-Jibaeel (Gabriel's Wing) continues from Bang-i Dara. Some of the
verses had been written when Iqbal visited Britain, Italy, Egypt, Palestine,
France, Spain and Afghanistan. Contains 15 ghazals addressed to God and 61
ghazals and 22 quatrains dealing with the ego, faith, love, knowledge, the
intellect and freedom.
Zarb-e-Kaleem
(1936)
This, Iqbal's third collection of Urdu poems, has been described as his
political manifesto. It was published with the subtitle "A Declaration of War
Against the Present Times." Zarb-e-Kaleem (The Blow of Moses' Staff) was meant
to rescue Muslims from the ills brought on by modern civilization, just as Moses
had rescued the Israelites.
English translation
Armaghan-i Hijaz (1938)
This work, published a few months after the poet's death, is a fairly small
volume containing verses in both Persian and Urdu. The title means "Gift from
the Hijaz." He had long wished to undertake the journey to the Arabian Peninsula
to perform the Hajj and to visit the tomb of the Prophet, but was prevented from
doing so by continuous illness during the last years of his life.
English translation
The Ideal Woman
The Materialistic Culture
The shrine of your street is my refuge!
The ultimate aim of Ego
The world of Body vs. World of Soul
Our thought is the product of your teachings
Profit for one, but Death for many
Communism and Imperialism
The Glory of a Woman
The Choice is yours
Articles by Others on Iqbal's Works & Thought
Iqbal's 'Preface' to His
Lectures on the Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam
Iqbal's "Preface" to his Lectures
on The Reconstruction of Religious Thought
in Islam is a very compact statement, the point of which is not easy
to grasp. However, after one has gone through the
Lectures themselves, much of its
obscurity disappears.
Iqbal on the Material and Spiritual Future of Humanity
Iqbal's world view is based on his deep concern with the future of humanity as
well as of religion. On the future of humanity his thoughts are scattered in his
poetic works and some of his prose writings. But on the future of religion he
has elaborated his ideas in the last chapter of his book:
The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in
Islam, entitled "Is Religion Possible?"
Religion and Philosophy according to Iqbal
For Iqbal, religion is not something that is isolated from philosophy. He
advocates an integration of the two, sometimes suggesting that the science of
psychology has not reached an advanced enough level to be able to incorporate
spiritual experience as part of a scientific theory of knowledge. Iqbal thinks,
given adequate methods, the ultimate reality is within human grasp.
Political Philosophy of Sir Muhammad Iqbal
Iqbal was essentially a poet and a political philosopher. Whether he was a
greater poet than a philosopher can hardly be determined. His
politico-philosophical and poetical utterances became a mixture of the two
blended into a political mysticism transcending them both.
Iqbal, Quran and Muslim Unity
A reflection on Allama Iqbal's beautiful classical poem, "Tolu-e-Islam"
(Rise of Islam). Muslim misery and suffering is as common today as it was in the
days of Iqbal. Every day that passes brings more death and destruction to
Muslims, only at a much wider scale. Observing the present situation in which
Muslims find themselves today, Iqbals soul must be feeling extremely restless!