Historical Background of Muslim Nationalism with Respect to Iqbal

Introduction
Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938) belonged to a Kashmiri family that later converted to
Islam in the fifteenth century. He was a great poet as well as a serious thinker, but poetry
preserved most of his ideas, which included peaceful and inspiring, provocative and
profound, dynamic and romantic. During his career, he admired ideas that were along a
variety of political, social, and philosophical planes. Therefore, sometimes he praised or
criticized nationalism; bred the idea of ‘Pan-Islamism’ and Muslim unity; condemned
capitalism while applauding the East for its spiritualism, and denounced the West for its
values, competition, and materialism. Meanwhile, he viewed rebuilding the law of Sharia on
modern thought and experience and attempted to reformulate the doctrines of Islam in
the twentieth century. All this he did through improvised Muslim Nationalism.
Although, it was his dedication to the cause of Muslim revival that led him to experience
intellectual growth and adopt various political philosophies at different stages in his life. The
most important is regarded the nationalistic, pan-Islamic, and Muslim-nationalism phases.

Adopting Nationalism
Iqbal had captured the eyes of many as a nationalist poet. In this phase, he gave moving statements
about feelings of patriotism and devotion and was deeply propelled by the spirit of nationalism
abroad. He sang of India’s glorious past and its cultural heritage. However, after Iqbal visited Europe
(1905-1908), this phase came to end. His deep interaction with western philosophy and thought
enabled him to recognize things in a bigger picture. From that point onwards, Iqbal could see that
advancement in nationalism had led to racism in many Muslim countries that were against the
Islamic concept of Ummah and were open to Western schemes, hostility, and exploitation to which
the only solution was Muslim being together - pan-Islam.

Iqbal discovered that not only Muslims were scattered from each other but Islam had become
uninteresting that it reached its lowest point which led to an easy target for Western designs.
Therefore, he called upon Muslims for being race-conscious and advised building a single
Ummah (Muslim Unity) and called for Muslims to unite for the defence of Buit-ul-Haram
from the banks of the Nile to the frontiers of Kashgar.
In 1905, the partition of Bengal was announced which was opposed by Hindu majority party
(Indian National Congress). From that point onwards, it was clear for the Muslims that they
had to fight on their own and even if British were to leave India, the Hindus would be taking
over the country as they were in majority and did not care for the views of Muslims. Hence in
1911, this decision was reversed. While commending Islam as the supreme bond between
Muslims, Iqbal denounced the concept of ‘Watniyat’ (nationalism) which, he felt, had
divided Muslims and riven the Muslim world. Nationalism and pan-Islamism, it may be
remembered, are competing ideologies - the one founded on the communality of race,
language and territory, and the other on the common legacy of a universal religion, and a
diverse culture. They do not represent the two ends of a field, but a separation. Hence Iqbal’s
abandonment of nationalism for pan-Islamism represents a radical shift in his position, and
not an evolution of his thought.
Adopting Pan-Islamism
Regardless of his zealous activism of pan-Islamism, he was a strong observer of Muslim
affairs. And so, he could not tolerate the harsh fact of remedy of pan-Islamism in its idealistic
and classical form was not promising to his own age, which was majorly nationalist. Muslim
countries had opted for nationalism and for politics based on racial and linguistic unity. Also,
they were seeking nationalist solutions to their problems. Hence, nationalism was a central
fact of life in almost all the Muslim countries, and the nationalist altar was supreme. Iqbal
could not have possibly ignored all this and stated in Allahabad League Session "True
statesmanship cannot ignore facts, however unpleasant they may be. The only practical
course is not to assume the existence of a state of things which does not exist, but to
recognize facts as they are, and to exploit them to our greatest advantage."
Thus, it was only logical that Iqbal was very concerned to see the Muslim community remain
firm to their pristine Islamic legacy and heritage, he tried to resolve the conflict between
nationalism and pan-Islamism which became the idea towards which he would like to see
them strive. Therefore, Iqbal, arrived at the concept of “Islamic” but, more accurately,
Muslim-nationalism. Keeping in view Iqbal’s deep attachment to the Islamic community and
the unfavorable actions of Indian National Congress towards the Muslims, the shift towards
nationalism to protect Muslim interests seems only correct.

Politics After 1930

Iqbal although continuing his literary works remained an active and integral part of Muslim
league, his address at Allahabad proved to be fruitful later as well because it was known to
have a forceful and logical presentation of the Muslim case in India. His address arises the
awareness why should Muslims be treated as a political entity rather than a minority;
territorial adjustments will enable the Muslims to develop themselves in accordance with
their ideas and serve the cause of Ummah and redistribution of territory developed later on
the concept of a Muslim homeland (Pakistan). He further expressed these ideas in letters to
Jinnah from May 1936 to November 1937. He talked of a separate federation of Muslim
provinces. The North Western India and Bengal can be considered as entitled to self-
determination like other nations in India and outside. Shariah's development is impossible
without a free Muslim state or states. He advised the Muslims to be above self-interest and
devote themselves to Islam.
The Two Nation Theory enabled Muslims to develop a consciousness of their identity and
forged a cultural and social solidarity which ultimately formed an ideological basis for the
creation of Pakistan. Islam and Iqbal’s concept of a separate nation caused a catalytic impulse
for a separate nation in the Indian subcontinent. The demand for the creation of Pakistan did
not imply the establishment of any specific kind of sectarian Muslim state. This can be seen
in Iqbal’s thought of sects amongst the Muslims resulting in divide and separation.
Conclusion
Iqbal embodied realism, statesmanship, and, above all, creativity of the highest order. Due to
this creativity, he came up with a viable concept like Muslim nationalism. Iqbal’s ideology
was derived from liberal humanistic and democratic, and devised workable solution to the
Indian constitutional problem. He was against to a nationalism that led to competition
between nations in the West, that led to the exaltation of the state at the expense of morality,
that became the spring-board for the Western exploitation of the East. When a nationalist
upsurge was exploited for the regeneration of Muslims in however specified a territory, or for
rehabilitating the power and prestige of mundane Islam, he applauded the venture
approvingly. Finally, it is equally interesting to note that Iqbal was as well informed by the
principle of eclecticism in the ideas he approved and in those he rejected at various times.
After all, Indian Islam had been guided by this principle in choosing or rejecting elements
from the Hindu cosmos for harmonizing with and eventual incorporation into its social-
heritage framework. Thus, it may be argued, in being informed by this principle, Iqbal was
responding in the same way as Islam had responded to the impelling need for adjustment in
the Indian environment, and carried forward the traditions set by Indian Islam over the
centuries, and previously presented powerfully by Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan and Amir Ali in
the nineteenth century.

Uzair Ahmad
1H1
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