Muhammad Iqbal has taken the Qur’an as his centric reference and in a series of scientific conferences and written works has drawn attention for the urgent need for experiencing the developing trends of both the human mentality and intellectuality, encompassing the Muslim milieu. With his Reconstruction of Religious Thought the latter intends to reconstruct the Islamic philosophy and mentality by simultaneously remaining faithful to the Islamic philosophical tradition and by relying upon the scientific developments from various fields. The author considers deed making of high remark, for he believes that the Qur’an accentuates more on action than theory. Such a constellation of Iqbal’s thought has been influenced by a number of historical and sociological factors. Through actions Iqbal could awaken and recover the population of his living milieu. In his almost entire opus of writings, Iqbal, with a very influential method speaks of strengthening of the self and the regain of confidence among Muslims.

Research and discoveries made in the social and naturalistic sciencies at the end of the 19th and 20th century have given special ackowledgment to the matter of change, development and reconstruction. Alongside they have presented a dynamic mindset in the social planing, universal and that of religious. This particular state has granted access to the understandings, updated elaboratings and analysis on the essential religious concepts.

The one who sought to perform an intellecual synthesi of the human inherited intellegece, both from the East and West, and who strived to endorse the phylosophical teism in the Islamic world and thus broaden the limitations of the apprehension on religion and the perennial tradition in progression with time, is indubitably the distinguished Muslim, Muhammad Iqbal  (1877-1938).

The West, beginning from the second half of the 20th century, succeeded to neutralize the military forces, as well as the intellectual and political force of the Muslim territories. The  engaging cooperation among the Western countries and the isolation of the Islamic world from these domains, disrupted the flow of Muslims and left them foregrounding total destruction. The Eastern devises of individual sacrifice and cleric inactivity  influenced in such fashion that this transient world would remain under the political and cultural pressure of the West. The passive system of the East, in that period, instead of enabling man to confront with the problems and concerns of life, it oriented him towards escaping the social reality and it withdraw its strength for confronting the material and semantic challenges.

In such experience of the Islamic world, Muhammad Iqbal as a knowledgebale man on the surroundings of both West and East of his time  sought to seek the saviour path of the Islamic world from the intellectual and social chaos.

The reconstruction  of the Islamic mindset is demanding…

Muhammad Iqbal , in his integrated critical mindset on the actual mindset of the Muslims of his time, has taken the entire Qur’an for an preliminary reference, and through a scientific convension and  written works has idenitified the urgent need for experiencing both the contemporary developing mindset and the human intellect, encompassing the Muslim domains.  Above all, Iqbal was advocating the rethinking of the religious mindset. By “The reconstruction  of the religious mindset: as he alone claims, he means that by standing loyal  the Islamic philosophical tradition and by taking for reference the scientific developments in various fields, the rebuilding of the philosophical and Islamic mindset shall be enabled”. [1] The developments in the scientific fields influenced Iqbal’s mindset resulting in a dynamic character rather than a static one.

Iqbal affirms that the time of the analyses and objective observation of the basis of Islamic religion have come and been swept away. Despite the fact that in several occasions we might be contradicted by our prior generations, this reality is inevitable (Iqbal 2006b:89-95). The past ought to be seen as a period of knowledge and in under no circumstances as a matter of doctrine (Iqbal: 2006c: 163-168).

Muhammad Iqbal, analyses the intellectual and religious reconstruction of the Muslims in two divisions.

The initial part, acknowledged as the period of diagnosing, is the degree of analyses of the consequences of both the historical and contemporary factors, which have led Muslims to this current position. Whereas, the second period acknowledged as the healing period, is dictated by the changes and the renewal of the Muslims from the doctrinal and social point of view.  In other words in means that the reconstruction of the Islamic mindset for Iqbal takes under account the social changes and renewal of the Muslims. What mostly led Iqbal to consider the social reconstruction was the degraded physical and essential state of the Muslims in the world. The primary aim of religion, says Iqbal, stands in integrating the individualism of man and the society which the person shares (Iqbal 2006d: 127). As a consequence, Iqbal’s strive is not merely to seek God, but simultaneously the comfort of life people can obtain in this world. The entire corpus mindset of Iqbal is focused on strengthening the confidence and the self of man, both among the Muslims and the human kinship.

Iqbal and the dynamics of the XX Century

In the XX century, “change” and “development” were key terms for research and studies, both in the natural and social sciences, and as a consequence to this, the dynamic world perception of the world and the society led to the dynamic world perception of God. Such a state has caused for reanalyzing and forth brining comments on the primary theological and religious concepts. In the West, Whitehead and Hartshorne, and in the Islamic world Iqbal, have been the scholars who have opened the doors to these analyses and gave new integrated understandings to the philosophical theism (Aydın 1985:84). 

In the process of revitalizing the dynamic standpoint of the world, Iqbal was additionally clearly influenced by the world’s plight at that time especially the appalling perception of the Islamic world. The philosophy of the self, in Iqbal’s point of view, has greatly suffered from this reality. The author by also taking for reference the Qur’anic verses[2] speaks of the continued changes and developments of the universe and the world. A systemized and predestined world cannot possibly incorporate independent elements, those of responsibility and ethics. There is no greater abstract thought for the Qur’anic mindset, claims Iqbal, that that of the fatalist theory on the world and the deed making within it.

The thought on the world which follows and acts upon the predestined details, abstains man’s work within it and thus for man the universe grows into a prison. Man in the logical and esthetic constellation of the Qur’an is beyond the universe. [3] He has demonstrated an unparalleled courage and has avowed the trust, which even the skies, the mountains and earth refused to embrace.[4] Ensuing, everything which the sky and earth possess has been granted to serve man. [5] Man created in the outmost perfection is capable to give shape and functionalize the forces and physical states around him. In such state, it has been given him the power to drive his life and actions, for which he shall be called upon. If people initiate the first step towards this drive, Allah, shall support them by changing things which are in their outmost benefit.[6] On the other hand, if they do not trigger the initial step and do not cultivate the inner treasures within their inner self in order to grow part of the rising developments of the world, then their soul hardens, their heart shrinks and turns into an inorganic substance which shares only a limited stay in the universe. Man’s life and the cultivation of his soul is only enabled when setting a relationship with the reality which he confronts in the surrounding which he shares. This link can be established only through knowledge and by the proceedings of the contemporary world processes.[7]

Iqbal strongly believes that the changes which occur in the universe, for which he was assured that there stood a profound and determined reason why it had been created, drive humans in new actions, thus persons ought to take heed of them and meditate profoundly around them. The Qur’anic calling for studying and researching on the universe has for aim to remind man that the universe is one of the symbols of truth.[8] Only in such manner, claims Iqbal, humans have the occasion to control the space and time of their life. Furthermore, the latter is of the thought that “man occupies the universe, whereas the universe cannot occupy him” (Iqbal 1989a : 201).

With these thoughts, Iqbal from one angle, borders and accelerates several theological concepts in the religious philosophical domain, and yet from another view, through poetry he seeks to awaken the mass Muslim population from the dogmatic sleep, which have surrendered themselves to their fate and have led a life outside the contemporary time and space of the developed world. Such a state taking place among the Muslims, alienated them from the surrounding world  and it matured them into a lethargic state of the last calling.

The self and man’s freedom

The philosophy of the Self embraces a special distinction in the philosophy of Muhammad Iqbal. In the development of this philosophy, Iqbal has relied on the classical sources yet again has simultaneously taken for reference the contemporary philosophy and thought. The Self, could claim Iqbal,is the truth which we learn through our intuit, for which the Muslim scholars have used the term nefs (Aydın 1987a:91). Everything which has been presented in the existential area, beginning from the atoms and all hither God, from humans hither the universe, Iqbal considers them as a special self, whereas in the central of this thought he has inserted man. The discussion on the philosophy of the self is not a newly proclaimed matter to the Islamic philosophy whatsoever, albeit Iqbal motioning with the contemporary thought, he has given this perception a new leap. To Iqbal, in every existential scope there is a designated self and their sublimity is measured based on their personification. As a consequence, in each self which grows to be ideal there are immense held hidden opportunities. The human self is the highest rank to which the relative self can approach, excluding the Absolute Self. As one can see in Iqbal’s point of view, each self takes the path hither its person-ation (Malik 2005:91). In the process of person-ation, man is granted ceasing opportunities, yet assigned challenges do appear. From this stand point, the leading and controlling element in one’s self ought to be the virtues of his genuine essence and personation. As a consequence of this mental structure of Iqbal, man in his philosophy contains a creative character towards his surrounding life (Aydın 1987b:89). The self, Iqbal would claim, is a participator in the life and freedom of the Absolute Self. The Absolute Self with His never seizing will, grants the occasion for the finite and temporary self to be created…[9]. Iqbal in his work Pejam-i mashkrim says the following:

Man:

I fashioned this world out of one and the same clay;
You made Iran; Ethiopia and Tartary.
From mere earth I made steel, pure and without alloy;
You fashioned sword and arrowhead and musketry.
You made the axe, with which you felled trees grown by me,
And fashioned cages for my singing birds, born free.

God:
You made the night; I made the lamp that lights it up.
You fashioned clay; I made of it a drinking cup.
You made the wilderness, the mountain and the steppe;
I fashioned garden, orchard, avenue and scape.
I change dread poisons into panaceas, and
I am the one who fashions mirrors out of sand (Iqbal 1977).

As one can observe from the above lines, Iqbal through the language of poetry voices his thought on man as a creature, who has power  to give a certain shape to the primary created substance from God and thus to make supplementary applicable tools in life with it. Man’s self, in Iqbal’s perception, differs from the rest of the self found in other creatures, precisely due to the ability of production. Man is made valuable through his creativity.

The conscience content of the human self

Man, according to Iqbal, is conscientious about his self and this conscience of his has several enclosed stages which are in close dependency among each other. From the viewpoint of the divided self, each person is a being which is capable of thinking, believing, experiencing pain, and has a certain aim and can judge the choices before him. Namely, humans are creatures with a certain spiritual and intellectual platforms. The experience of the self is an experience which is in a never ending integration, it changes and motions from one platform onto another. The self, or the ego appear as a union of the intellectual states or of our spiritual comprise. These embodiments cannot possibly exist in separation from one another. Each one either influences or clarifies the other. The intellectual encompassment differs from the physical encompassment. As long as the human’s physical state is dependent on the universe, the intellect does not share the same fate.  The essential virtue of man’s self is unification and the unification of his comprises.

The human intellect, in addition, differs from the temporary self on certain matters. In order to reach one designated conclusion, the intellect ought to equally trust all the premises of the logical analogies. Namely, until both premises do not emerge from the identical intellect, the conclusion is not right. As a consequence, bliss, taste, woe and feelings are of one intellect or conscience, and under no circumstance of another intellect, and as such they conclude as various drives found within the same self. Precisely to this, no one can decide on behalf of another. No one can undergo the experience of another self. Iqbal, on defining the essence of the self has referred to William James’s point of view. W. James values the conscience’s state as the “river of thought”. In the flow of this river there exist links which join the flowing of the intellect’s actions and thus form a chain. At this particular stage the self becomes affection of the individualism and presents a portion of the system of our view point. The never ending steps and activities of the self consist the inner experience, whereas then the inner experience engages the self in the daily involved activities. When one recognizes a certain substance, when that person expresses his thought towards a certain matter or when he uses his will, he is fronting his self.  The self for Iqbal, is an orienting energy which has taken shape and is systemized by the inner experience (Iqba; 1956a: 135-136). The Qur’an in regards to the incentive duties and shape of the self, as Iqbal would say, has used the following words to portray : “And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, “The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little.”[10]

Iqbal, when commenting the above verses uses the terms “halk” (creation) and “emr” (duty, direction). “Halk”, as Iqbal would say, means creation, occurrence; whereas “emr”, direction, orientation.

The Qur’an, both for the creation and orientation says that they belong to God.[11]

By relying on the 85th verse of the Al-Isra Surah, Iqbal would say that the genuine essence of the soul is the virtue of incentive and of orientation. This virtue makes it inevitable for the soul  to be a modest and simple creature (not compound) and with its own uniqueness (Iqbal 1956b:136). Whereas in the comment of the Surah Al-Isra verse 84[12], the author comprehends the word ya’melu (takes action, behaves) as an essential virtue of our creation, and thus concludes that the truthful person within man, is not “something” but rather “an action” (act). It is this which is an action in continuum. An action, influenced and influencing, has a will and also a particular aim.  As a result, you ought to judge my self by the decisions which I take, the conscience actions and upon my aims, says Iqbal (1956c:137).

The faithful one, according to Iqbal’s dynamic stand point, is to the outmost extent remarkably determined even in the matters of this world. Iqbal, shows how the lethargic behavior leads society hither destruction and astray from the centric matters of this world by conveying deity as an aim, satirizes it in the below poem of his known as the “The Prayer of the Slaves”:

“The Turkish Knight said to me at prayer’s end.
“Why do your Imams prostrate for long and bend”
That simple manly knight and Muslim free,
Knew not at all what such prayer be.
Free men have thousands of pursuits in life,
Nations progress through great zeal and strife.
In slave’s body beat for deeds is nil,
Always his days and nights are at stand still.” [13]

It is very apprehensible that in Iqbal’s mindset there is an unparalleled dynamics. Aside from the importance of thought, Iqbal gives high remark to deed making, since he believes that the Qur’an gives priority and greater importance to actions rather than theory. Such a constellation of Iqbal’s thought, has been influenced by several historical and sociological factors. Actions were the mere tool which enabled Iqbal to awaken and recover the mass population of his living milieu.  Before speaking of other matters, Iqbal recognized a need to speak to the man who had lost his self in order to be able to regain it. Almost in all of his writings, Iqbal, by using a very influential tool speaks of strengthening the self and the regain of confidence among the Muslims.

The self, can integrate its opportunities and its essential virtues, merely through love. With the lack of love, the self cannot establish its virtues (Iqbal 1958:33-35).  Through love, the self endorses the open path towards the rest of self-s. Hence as a result of this open path, companionship is introduced. Through love, man integrates beyond the biological structure and upon his essential strength, draws towards himself the sacred reflections. In the author’s point of view, the latter concludes the absolute love is found in the love for God. The love for God commits the person to being intelligent and exceptional and thus transforms him into an active member of the society.  In Iqbal’s viewpoint love is a creative and active element (Iqbal 1987c:95).

When dissertating the strengthening of the self Iqbal uses the term “fakr” (essential destitute). According to him, man without detaching himself from the excess in his life, cannot possibly pertain to this stage, and yet anew it cannot even elude from being only characterized as a slave. With the lack of courage there is no success neither in the physical nor the essential dimension. Courage is not associated with forwarding into danger; instead it means consolidation of the self in difficult times and in agony (Iqbal:2005). In addition to love being applicable for building a healthy companionship, the person is also in need for the other person’s understanding.

The author has encountered fear, the state of being enslaved, imploring and impersonation and so on, as a weaknesses of the self (Iqbal 1956d: 138).

Muhammad Iqbal, in the history of the Islamic thought has encountered the concept for the reconstruction of the mindset, the dynamics of theory and action, and the open gated future of humans. The author, the relationship between God and man has understood as an ethical link subject to the free will. The sacred attributes, as Iqbal would say, give people great freedom for the articulation of their rights and responsibilities. Yet what is of most importance is that Iqbal has composed the theological platform for social changes and developments, as a process which shall be integrated by humans themselves.

References:

Aydın, S. Mehmet. 1985.“Surec Felsefesi Isiginda Tanri-Alem Iliskisi”. Pp.84. A.U.I.F Dergesi, Vol. XXVII, Ankara: AUIFD

Aydın, Mehmet, 1987a.“Ikballin Felsefesinde Insan”, Vol. XXIX. pp. 91. A.U.I.F Dergesi. Ankara: AUIFD

Aydın, Mehmet, 1987b.“Ikballin Felsefesinde Insan”, Vol. XXIX. pp. 89. A.U.I.F Dergesi. Ankara: AUIFD

Aydın. Mehmet 1987c. “Ikbal’in Felsefesinde Insan”. Pp. 95. Vol. XXIX. Ankara: A.U.I.F Dergesi

Iqbal, Muhammad. 2006a. ”Ripërtëritja e mendimit fetar ne islam”. Pp. 10. translated by. Nexhat S. Ibrahimi, Skopje: Logos-A

Iqbal, Muhammad. 2006b. “Ripërtëritja e mendimit fetar ne islam”. pp. 89-95. translated by Nexhat S. Ibrahimi. Skopje: Logos-A

Iqbal, Muhammad. 2006c “Ripërtëritja e mendimit fetar ne islam”. pp. 163-168. translated by. Nexhat S. Ibrahimi. Skopje: Logos-A

Ikbal, Muhammad. 2006d, “Ripërtëritja e mendimit fetar ne islam”. pp. 127. translated by. Nexhat S. Ibrahimi. Skopje: Logos-A

Iqbal, Muhammad, 2006e. “Ripërtëritja e mendimit fetar ne islam”. pp. 193. translated by. Nexhat S. Ibrahimi. 2006e. Skopje: Logos-A 

Iqbal, Muhammad. 2006f. “Ripërtëritja e mendimit fetar ne islam”. pp. 27. translated by. Nexhat S. Ibrahimi. Skopje: Logos-A

Iqbal, Muhammad. 2006g “Ripërtëritja e mendimit fetar ne islam”. pp. 27 translated by. Nexhat S. Ibrahimi. Skopje: Logos-A“

Iqbal, Muhammad. 2006h. “Ripërtëritja e mendimit fetar ne islam”. pp. 29 translated by. Nexhat S. Ibrahimi. Skopje: Logos-A

Iqball, Muhammad, 1989a. “Javidnamah”. Pp. 201. Translated in Turkish by: Annemarie Schimel, Ankara: Kültür Bakanlığ

Ikball, Muhammad, 1989b. “Javidnamah”. Pp. 159. Translated in Turkish by: Annemarie Schimel. Ankara: Kültür Bakanlığı

Iqbal, Muhammad. 1977 “Message from the East: Dialogue between God and Man.” Translated by Hussain, M. Hadi. Karachi: Iqbal Academy

Iqbal, Muhammad. 1956a. “Peyam-i Mesrik”. Pp. 135-6. Translated in Turkish by: Ali Nihat Tarlan. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi

Iqbal, Muhammad. 1956b. “Peyam-i Mesrik”. Pp. 136. Translated in Turkish by: Ali Nihat Tarlan. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi

Iqbal, Muhammad. 1956c. “Peyam-i Mesrik”. Pp. 137. Translated in Turkish by: Ali Nihat Tarlan. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi

Iqbal, Muhammad.1956d.“Peyam-i Mesrik”. Pp. 138. Translated in Turkish by: Ali Nihat Tarlan. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi

Iqbal, Muhammad. 1983. “The Rod of the Moses”. Translated by: Shah, Syed Akbar Ali. Lahore: Iqbal Academy.

Iqbal, Muhammad. 1958. “Esrar-i Hodi.” Pp.33-35. Translated in Turkish by: Ali Nihat Tarlan. Istanbul: YENİLİK BASIMEVİ 

 Iqbal, Muhammad, 2005. “Esrar ve Rumuz” Prepared for publishing: Ali Nihat Tarlan. Istanbul: Sufi Kitap Yayinlari. Malik, Hafeez, 2005. “Iqbal Poet-Philosopher of Pakistan”. Pp.91. Lahore: Iqbal Academy

[1] “In these lectures, says Iqbal l, organized under the request of the Muslim Society in Madras and which are kept in Madras, Hajdarabad dhe Aligarh, I have sought to answer, yet only partially to this request under no delay, by seeking to renew the Islamic religious philosophy, and by having in mind the Islamic philosophical traditions as well as the most undated developments in the various fields of the humankind”. Iqbal, Muhammad. 2006. ”Ripërtëritja e mendimit fetar ne islam”. Pp. 10. translated by. Nexhat S. Ibrahimi, Skopje: Logos-A

[2] Ikbal, Muhammad, 2006e. “Ripërtëritja e mendimit fetar ne islam”. pp. 193. translated by. Nexhat S. Ibrahimi. 2006e. Skopje: Logos-A  “And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.” Surah: Al-Ankabut 29:69

[3] “We have certainly created man in the best of stature; Then We return him to the lowest of the low.” Surah: At-Tin 95:4-5

[4] “Indeed, we offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man [undertook to] bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant.” Al-Ahzab 33:72

[5] “Do you not see that Allah has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and amply bestowed upon you His favors, [both] apparent and unapparent? But of the people is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening Book [from Him].” Surah: Luqman 31:20

[6] Ikbal, Muhammad. 2006f. “Ripërtëritja e mendimit fetar ne islam”. pp. 27. translated by. Nexhat S. Ibrahimi. Skopje: Logos-A. “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” Surah: Ar-Ra’d.

[7] “Man’s destiny is such that it will take part in higher aims of the universe which surrounds him and shall give shape to his egoistic destiny and of the universe, at times by accommodating to the universe’s forces, and at times dedicating the entire energy to it in order for it to be in use by this energy, according to his personal aim. Whereas in this process of progressive alternation, Allah becomes the transmitter of man in his duty, under the condition that man becomes the initiator.”  Ikbal, Muhammad. 2006g “Ripërtëritja e mendimit fetar ne islam”. pp. 27 translated by. Nexhat S. Ibrahimi. Skopje: Logos-A“

[8] “Indubitably the Qur’an has for centric aim in the process of the reasonable viewpoint of nature, is to awaken in man his conscience,  in order for nature to be perceived as a symbol. It is crucial to highlight the Qur’an’s general empirical standpoint, which among its devotees develops the sense of respect towards the testimonials and decisively makes them the establishers of the modern science.  It has been of great importance to awaken the empirical soul within one era, which has left behind the physical substance, accounting it for unimportant for man in his seek for God.” Ikbal, Muhammad. 2006h. “Ripërtëritja e mendimit fetar ne islam”. pp. 29 translated by. Nexhat S. Ibrahimi. Skopje: Logos-A

[9] “Man always motions further him in order to accept new enlightening, which arise from the Unending Truth, which ‘which always emerge in greater praise’! Thus, the one who accepts Sacred light is not solely only a passive accepter. Each singe deed of the free self / ego, creates a new surrounding and thus brings into shape more opportunities for creative development.” Ikball, Muhammad, 1989b. “Javidnamah”. Pp. 159. Translated in Turkish by: Annemarie Schimel. Ankara: Kültür Bakanlığı

[10] Qur’an. Surah: Al-Isra, 17:85

[11] “Indeed, your Lord is Allah , who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He covers the night with the day,

chasing it rapidly; and [He created] the sun, the moon, and the stars, subjected by His command. Unquestionably, His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah , Lord of the worlds.” Surah: Al-A’raf, 7:54

[12] “Say, “Each works according to his manner, but your Lord is most knowing of who is best guided in way.” Surah: Al-Isra, 17:84

[13] Muhammad Iqbal wrote this poetry as an answer to the commission of the Red  Semi-circle-moon of the Republic of Turkey, which in the year 1935 had visited Lahore and together with Iqbal had gone to pray the prayer of namaz in one mosque of the town. The Imam of the mosque had spoken little more than usual, and at the end of the prayer the leader of the delegate had asked Iqbal for the reason of the prolonging of the namaz prayer and Iqbal had answered with this poem.  See: Iqbal, Muhammad. 1983. “The Rod of the Moses”. Translated by: Shah, Syed Akbar Ali. Lahore: Iqbal Academy.