ALLAMA IQBAL

Men like Allama Iqbal are born but in centuries. He was conscious of significance of Islam in lives of the
Muslims. His first public appearance was in 1899 at the annual session of Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam in
Lahore when he presented the poem, Nala-i-Yatim.
In his early age Iqbal preached nationalism and said, ‘Hindustan Hamara, Chine-u-Arab Hamara’. Iqbal
was a man of integrity and believed in intellectual honesty so as he grew, he changed his thoughts. In fact,
Iqbal was a poet of evolution. The historians believe that Iqbal conceived the idea of Pakistan and Quaid-
e-Azam matured this idea into reality. Iqbal elaborated his thoughts about independent Muslim state
(Pakistan) in his famous and historical Allahabad Address of December 1930.
Dr Iqbal was a nationalist by ideas and his poetry contained verses like Tarana-i- Hind. His poetry was a
critique of the existing societal conditions. Being educated from Europe, he knew all weak aspects of the
Western culture. He criticized capitalism, materialism and lack of spiritualism.
On his return from Europe in July 1908, Iqbal took up the post of Professor of Philosophy and English
Literature at the Government College in Lahore, and also began his law practice. In 1911 he gave up his
teaching career because he felt that he had a message to deliver and could do it better if he adopted an
independent profession such as law. However, he always remained interested in education and was
associated with the Oriental College, the Government College and the Islamia College in Lahore, and
with the Jami'a Millia in Delhi. During the sessions of the Round Table Conferences in London he
worked on the various committees connected with educational reforms. In 1933 Iqbal, along with some
others, was invited by the Afghan government to visit the country and advise the government and Kabul
University on educational matters.

Iqbal also took an interest in the workings of the Muslim League, but did not participate actively in
politics. During the period 1910-23 he tried instead to create political consciousness and bring about an
awakening of Indian Muslims. In 1924 Iqbal became a member of the National Liberal League of Lahore;
in 1926 he was elected a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly, and in 1930 was elected president
of the All-India Muslim League.
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1) improvement in the economy of Punjab
2) grants-in-aid to the poor
3) transfer of taxing authority to the provinces
4) grant-in-aid to Muslim educational institutions
5) ban on defamatory statements against the founders of religions.
Thus, the protection of Muslims’ rights and interest remained his prime concern.
Iqbal gained political prominence in 1930 when he delivered Muslim League Presidential Address at
Allahabad. For the first time the idea of separation was propounded from the platform of the Muslim
League. He stated:
I would like to see the Panjab, North-West Frontier Province, Sindh and Baluchistan amalgamated into a
single state. Self-government within or without British Empire, the formation of a consolidated North-
West Indian Muslim State appears to me to be the final destiny of the Muslims, at least of North-West
India.
Iqbal also participated in the Second and Third London Round Table Conferences (1931, 1932). These
conferences were held to seek the constitutional avenues for India towards its eventual self-determination.
Iqbal’s participation in the II Round Table Conference (RTC) was not active due to his disagreements
over the proceedings in which delaying tactics to grant were being adopted to grant constitutional right of
self-determination to the Muslims. In the III RTC Iqbal elaborated upon his solution to communal
problem i.e., the establishment of Muslim state in northwest India. Lord Lothian stated that Iqbal’s
solution seemed to be viable but it would take at least another 25 years to realize. Iqbal’s advocacy of his
concept of Pakistan was recorded during III RTC which negates the notion that he had abandoned this
concept of Pakistan after Allahabad Address.
Edward Thompson, who was a professor of Bengali language at Oxford University, wrote in his book
Prepare India for Freedom (1940) that:
There is some dispute as who started the notion (of Moslem State in India – Pakistan. It is often said to
have been Sir Muhammad Iqbal, the poet. In the Observer I once said that he supported the Pakistan plan.
Iqbal was a friend and he set my misconceptions right.
Iqbal did not ever slip away from his concept of Pakistan but could not effectively propagate after
presenting it owing to the internal crisis in the Muslim League. He worked to convince Jinnah to return to
India and worked for the Muslims of India to cherish their goal. The correspondence between Jinnah and
Iqbal during May 1936 to November 1937 provided Jinnah the political conditions of India and a need for
the protection of Muslims. Jinnah also got a clear conception of Iqbal’s thoughts and motivated him to
come back to India with new energy. He preferred Jinnah over other Muslim leaders as he had
confidence in his competence. He wrote to Jinnah:
I know you are a Busy man but I do hope you won’t mind writing to you often, as you are the only
Muslim in India to whom the community has right to look up for safe guidance through the storm which
is coming to North-West India, and perhaps to the whole of India.
On the other hand, he also appealed Muslims to join hands with Jinnah. He believed that “a united front
can be formed under the leadership of Muslim League. And the Muslim League can succeed only on
account of Jinnah. Now none but Jinnah is capable of leading the Muslims”.
After the 1937 elections the Indian Congress established provincial governments. The Muslims were
persecuted by the Congress. The Muslim League leaders reached to the conclusion that Muslims cannot
coexist with Hindus and thought of independent Muslim state. At this stage, Allama Iqbal also change his
mind and wrote letters to Quaid-e-Azam in 1937 and suggested a separate homeland for the Muslims,
because it was not possible to prosper under Hindu domination. Iqbal wrote on June 21, 1937 to Jinnah,
‘A separate federation of Muslim provinces reformed on the lines I have suggested above, is the only
course by which we can secure a peaceful India and save Muslim from the domination of non-Muslims. ’
On May 18, 1937, he wrote, ‘At this juncture your genius will discover some way out of the present
difficulty. In another letter in 1938 Iqbal wrote to Jinnah, ‘I believe that a political organization which
gives no promise of improving the lot of the average Muslim cannot attract our masses.
The scheme demanded in Pakistan Resolution was almost similar to the concept expressed by Iqbal in
Allahabad Address in 1930. Thus, Iqbal’s concept of a separate homeland served as a foundation of
political demand for Pakistan in 1940. This was also affirmed by Jinnah in these words “Iqbal is no more
amongst us, but had he been alive he would have been happy to know that we did exactly what he wanted
us to do.

IQBAL- Focus on the conditions of the Indian Muslims

Islam can salvage the Muslims
Islam has always saved Muslim
Islam is a living and dynamic ideology that can meet modern challenges
Islam to help them to overcome their internal
discord and enable them to meet external challenges
With spiritualism based derived from Islam
Ijtehad and Reinterpretation

Guidance & inspiration for constitution-making and Governance

He also talked of the modern notions of state, constitution, civil and political rights and democracy. He
assured that constitution of Pakistan would be framed by the elected assembly.
Modern democratic and Islamic State
He gave assurance of equality of all citizens and rights and freedom to religious minorities in the new
state