Dated March 31st, 2023

Allama Iqbal deserves more respect than you choose to confer upon him. The verse of Iqbal that you
have quoted is totally out of context. Numerous literary and historical references are available that
reflect upon the relationship of Sultan Mahmood of Ghaznavi and his slave Malik Ayaz. Now, I don’t
claim that an element of carnality was non-existent in this relationship, because Muslim rulers were
no saints. But, at the same time, many sources have described that relationship as symbolic of
absolute devotion and subservience. Iqbal merely referred to this latter characteristic to epitomize a
more significant and universal truth in the verse that follows:

‫بندہ و صاحب و محتاج و غنی ایک ہو ئے‬

‫تیری سرکار میں پہنچے تو سبھی ایک ہوئے‬

“band-o-saheb-o-muhtaj-o-ghani aik huway

“teri sarkar mein punchay tu sabhi aik huway”

But these verses lead to something more profound in Iqbal’s poetry that comes much later in time
than he wrote his famous “Shikwa,” from which the above verses have been quoted. The interesting
thing is, that in these later verses, Iqbal implicitly brings in the love relationship between Mahmood
and Ayaz without actually broaching upon the ‘alleged’ sensuality. I quote:

‫نہ وہ عشق میں رہی گرمیاں' نہ وہ ُحسن میں رہی شوخیاں‬

‫نہ وہ غزنوی میں تڑپ رہی' نہ وہ خم ہے زلِف ایاز میں‬

“na woh ishq mein rahi garmiyan, na woh husn mein rahi shokhyan

“na woh Ghaznavi mein tadap rahi, na woh kham hai zulf-e-ayaz mein”

Now, there is an incident that actually transpired between the lover and the beloved. One evening,
the King got intoxicated with wine to an extent where lust began to dominate. At that point, his
inner voice relents his passion. He takes up a knife and orders Ayaz to cut up his beautiful tresses.
The next morning, the King wakes up, hung-up and depressed over the diminished beauty of his
slave.

Why have I brought up this entire narrative? The couplet that I have just quoted is a part of one of
Iqbal’s very famous poem driving his quest for spiritual enlightenment: “Kabhi ae haqeeqat-e-
muntazar, nazar aa libas-e-majaz mein.” Unfortunately, neither we have the collective intellect to
understand Iqbal’s philosophy nor the will to make any efforts. I am saddened by your casual and
disparaging remarks in quoting one of his verses just to emphasize the freedom of thought
Pakistanis seem to be enjoying in the West. As it is, you are complaining about our intellectual
deficit. Why not try to assimilate Iqbal’s ideas in our daily lives? And this is not merely an advocacy
for the revival of Islamic supremacy......rest assured. As for the politics, the same hype and the same
rhetoric for the last umpteen years.