TRANSFORMATION OF IQBAL'S THOUGHTS FROM WESTERN NATIONALIST TO PAN-ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHER

• Published date: 31 December 2021

When Iqbal in his famous presidential address of 1930 demanded a separate territorial homeland for the Muslims of India, it gave the critics a chance to spread misunderstanding about his transformation from an ardent nationalist of Western type to a universalist of the Islamic pattern. In order to grasp the transformation of Iqbal's thoughts, a brief account of historical circumstances and his stay in Europe 1905-1908 is very important. During this time Iqbal eye witnessed the international turmoil in world politics when European Powers had been involved in intensive rivalry to fulfill their nationalistic ambitions.

For students of Philosophy and History, it is intellectually stimulating to know the causes and circumstances which led to the transformation of Iqbal's thoughts. The problem apparently seems to be complex but a thorough study of Iqbal's poetry and other writings and an objective examination of the circumstances leaves no doubts about his perceptions about Quranic concept of Muslim universalism, when he had consistently advocated the unity of Islam as a world phenomenon but after his tour to Europe his attitude crystallized and took a more tangible shape. 1 The period of Iqbal's philosophy towards nationalism can be divided into two phases, before 1905 and after 1908. During 1910 to 1923 Iqbal had not actively participated in the political affairs as he many times asserted that politics is not my cup of tea, but on the other hand his primarily concentration had been on poetic and philosophic works. He wrote stirring poetry which created political and religious awakening among the Muslim communities. 2

In the esteem of Nationalism Iqbal was also helped by the Turkish experience. The abolition of Khilafat particularly convinced Iqbal that, “Islam is neither Nationalism nor imperialism but a league of nations which recognizes artificial boundaries and racial distinction for facility and reference only. “ There can be no denying that Iqbal's intellectual formulation of the idea of a separate Muslim state influenced largely the thinking of Jinnah which had consequently led to Pakistan while Iqbal abhorrently rejected European Nationalism which was based on Material considerations. Moreover it is a matter of great interest to realize Iqbal's bent of mind towards Persian writing during his stay in European. On one hand he is considered ‘Spiritual Father' of Pakistan. On the other his massage of Eastern revivalism placed him in the ranks of twentieth century's major intellectuals. In his times Iqbal was praised as much as Tagore in the level of intellectual capacities.

A man himself neither wrong nor inconsistent in his ideologies, but there might be some situation or external circumstances which convert his inner self. This was happened with Iqbal which changed Iqbal's political and philosophical thoughts and outlook. Therefore Muslim Nationalism was a heartfelt desire of Iqbal to secure the unity of religion and stat in Islam. 3

The initial phase of Iqbal's thought proved temporary and vanished after having seeing the European expansion and their highly destructive policies for the realization of their nationalistic ambitions. European powers in the name of ‘Nationalism' were using their influences to increase their hegemony over the weakened nations. And the basic scheme of Western imperialism was to dismember the unity of the Muslim World by popularizing the ideology of ‘Territorial Nationalism' among Muslim Countries. European antagonistic ambition to scatter the unity of Muslim Ummah through these tactics had disillusioned Iqbal. This was the transitional phase of Iqbal.4

Iqbal as an Ardent Nationalists

A man living in a country must shows his patriotism, affiliation and devotion with his country, same was the case with Allama Muhammad Iqbal. Iqbal too was very patriotic in his early phase of his life. During these days his poems in praise of Ram Chandra and Nanak and Ram Tirath are just tributes to religious teachers of their communities, as our Islam teaches to respect the creeds of other communities living in the same state. As a young poet, Iqbal had never taken any interest in the political affairs but many of those his poems show that he was an ardent supporter of nationalism and rejected territorial based nationalism which had often led to war and hatred among the human being belonging to different cultures and religions. In a poem Tarana-i- Hindi of this period he said,

“We are Indians and India is our motherland. “5 Between 1895 and 1905 he wrote poems in support of Indian Nationalism. He had made appeal for the union of different communities of India. He wanted to eradicate bigotry and fanaticism from India. He himself wrote,

“Very clearly from the writings of the European scholars I had come to know that the basic scheme of Western imperialism was to dismember the unity of the Muslim world by popularizing territorial nationalization among its various components”.6 In his another poem, Tasvir-i-Dard Iqbal laments over the miserable condition of his countrymen and warns them about the danger ahead. Disunity among the various faction of the country tortures him he resolved this problem by putting the various religious groups in India in a string and denotes them like beads in rosary. In this stage of life Iqbal's perceptions largely resembled with the early political thoughts of Quaid-e-Azam. When Quaid-e-Azam was hailed as the ambassador of Hindu Muslim unity. Both leaders of the Indian- Subcontinent were optimistic enough that by unity they can get rid from British rule in India.

Saare Jahan sa Acha ha Hindustan hamara

Hum bulbala ha is ka ya gulistan humara

Mazhab nahi sikhata apis ma ber rakna

Hindi ha hum watan ha Hindustan huamra

Younan-0-Misar Roman sab mit gaye jahan sa

Ab tak mager ha baqi ha namonishan hamra. 7

Iqbal thus during...