Twenty years before
Iqbal’s birth, in 1877, occurred
the great uprising of 1857 against the
British. In its aftermath, the Muslims
were marginalized and targeted in that
the British had marked them as the nucleus
of anti-British resistance.
The Muslims were in a state of tumult
and were discriminated against by the
ruling colonial establishment. Iqbal’s
genius was to identify two key responses
to the challenge. First, he advocated
raising the battered self-esteem of
the Muslims. Second, he proposed instilling
in them the fervor and faith to boldly
face the challenges ahead. Iqbal’s
message, presciently, was not just for
the Muslims of India but indeed for
the whole Muslim world.
Today – in the aftermath of 9/11,
the occupation of Muslim lands and the
pervasive climate of general hostility
against Muslims – the appeal of
Iqbal is relevant as never before.
While solutions to today’s challenges
are sought, the problem is equally of
misdiagnosis of the malady. Indeed,
the maladies may be deeper than previously
imagined. Education is often listed
as the key to a solution, but many times
the educated are themselves full of
anxieties, insecurities and complexes.
The issue may be more of how to restore
self-esteem. The remedy to restoring
self-esteem has been narrowly focused
on economic development. Up to a point,
that may be the need of the hour but
even more crucial is the question of
character development. Students may
get an ‘A’ in academics
but that achievement can be nullified
if they get a ‘C’ in character.
The Muslim bazaar is inundated with
talk of a lack of leaders. While there
is no shortage of leaders who are presumed
to be leaders because of their being
office-bearers, what seems in short
supply are leadership qualities such
as integrity, competence and daring.
Negation of servitude is one of the
hallmarks of leadership along with the
striving for fairness.
Iqbal was a man of many dimensions.
He thought conceptually. He understood
that the crux of Islam was two-fold:
i. Submission before the sole superpower
of the Almighty Allah; and
ii. Defiance against Zulm (tyranny).
By pursuing Lakshmi (goddess of wealth)
and Lore/zerooret (goddess of pragmatic
need), Muslims may have lost sight of
the one and only everlasting Superpower.
Iqbal also had the gift of foresight.
In his letter of October 21, 1937, exactly
six months before his worldly departure
on April 21, 1938, Iqbal warned the
world about the perils of Palestine
and expressed his desire to agitate
and to court arrest for the Palestine
cause. He was also swift to pick the
Quaid as a harbinger of Muslim hopes
after setting out the parameters of
the idea of Pakistan during his Allahabad
address of December, 1930.
His own lifestyle was a classic example
of simple living and lofty thinking.
He did not even own a car. Today’s
social milieu unfortunately provides
many examples of lofty living and low
thinking.
Iqbal’s dervish-type values have
stood the test of time. How many of
his wealthy contemporaries/peers are
remembered today?
Iqbal exhorted the Muslim youth to emulate
the high-flying falcon (shaheen) and
to shun the low-flying crow. More significantly,
Iqbal recognized that, in order to be
a good Muslim, one has to be a good
human being.
The present political culture is loaded
with schemers but has few serious thinkers.
For example, conspiracy theories are
often an easy substitute for the hard
work involved in serious thinking and
for the concentration required in applying
the mind. Iqbal pinpointed the need
for homework and teamwork.
Iqbal also recognized the dignity of
teachers. When he endorsed his esteemed
teacher, Maulana Meer Hasan, for the
title of ‘Shams-ul-Ulema’,
he was asked what were the contributions
of the Maulana. Iqbal simply replied:
“I am his creation.”
Iqbal’s message can be judged
by the fact that he has tremendous international
appeal. Iranian personalities Ayatullah
Khamenei and Dr. Ali Shariati, as well
as Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic,
were inspired by Iqbal. The great Egyptian
diva, Um-e-Kulsum, sang Iqbal’s
kalam. India’s greatest living
writer, Khushwant Singh, has translated
Iqbal’s Shikwa-Jawab-Shikwa. When
I met the Chief Minister of Himachal
Pardesh, Vir Bhaddar Singh, at Simla
he told me that his inspiration is Iqbal
and that he has made a course in Urdu
compulsory in his state.
Meeting today’s challenges requires
ilm (knowledge) and teqva (piety). It
also requires a minimum consensus among
Muslims of what are their common interests.
For example, the West has a clear-cut
consensus that no Muslim country should
become too powerful, no Muslim country
should be nuclear-armed, and Israeli
interests should not be disturbed. In
contrast, Muslims are in a state of
disagreement on key issues, thereby
opening the doors for infighting and
outside incitement and exploitation.
Iqbal’s message of self-empowerment
remains the guiding light for the youth
for the muqabla (challenge) of tomorrow.
Iqbal has left behind a powerful message.
The message remains credible today because
of the caliber of the messenger.
