Book Review

The book I have chosen is Maqalat-e-Iqbal by Al Ahmed Sarwar and some work in this review is taken from another book Iqbal’s dream and today’s Pakistan. These books emphasize on Allama Iqbal, a well-known personality all over the world. His revolutionary poetry is used by many people to revolutionize countries, to gain freedom and equality, and to end discriminations. These books refer and enlighten his works as a mean of the ideal society as he had imagined.

The book contains three parts, first part focus on a biography of Allama Iqbal, second concentrate on poetry which gives motivation to Muslims in the oppressive rule of Britain and third is focusing on the ideal society. The autobiography of Allama Iqbal and his efforts like historical Aligarh Movement, which brought about a paradigm shift in the consciousness of the Muslims of India, and transformed their destiny. He explained to people the concept of “the good life” from religious scripture Quran.

Allama Muhammad Iqbal is the intellectual and spiritual founder of Pakistan. Allama Iqbal was one of that poet or philosopher in the history of the world who has motivated and thrilled millions of people; his poetry is still considered in many parts of Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, spiritual guidance. Although there is an enormous contribution of Allama Iqbal to Persian language, Hindi, his major works were in Urdu literature like Rumuz-i-Bekhudi and Zabur-i-Ajam, which were considered revolutionary.

The second part of the book can be regarded as a narration or explanation of Allama Iqbal’s poetry. The time of Allama Iqbal was November 9, 1877, to April 21, 1938, the British rule over the sub-continent and pitiable condition of Muslims. Once Muslims use to rule sub-continent, but corruption, manipulating rules for their desires and not caring about the kingdom became few reasons for their decline also known decline of Mughal Empire.

The only dream Iqbal imagined was a free country for people of sub-continent and equality and peace, but as politics of Britain rule and conspiracies lead to fighting between Hindu and Muslims, which molded his dream of a free, united country to free separate states for Hindu and Muslims. The poetry talks about awakening the Muslims and fight for themselves to over through the rule of British through peaceful means. Allama Iqbal himself contributed through political approach as well as philosophical approach. Though he died before he could see the uprising of a free nation, his dreams were carried by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan, and many other political personalities. 

The third part of the book focus on not only the present but also the future of Muslims and an ideal society which is having the best form of justice, peace, and equality. Pakistan was a thought at that time which was supposed to be a perfect country, but today it has become unstable because of same mistakes by rulers who are running for power and fulfilling their personal desire. The book Iqbal’s dream and today’s Pakistan tells the story said in the book Maqalat-e-Iqbal, but it focuses on today’s Pakistan that how this future and the imagined ideal country turned into a dystopian country.

The book Maqalat-e-Iqbal also warns Muslims that if they would repeat mistakes, then they will have to face same consequences as in past, but it may be in some different way. It mentions in a way “Slavery is a slavery whether it is like an animal in a cage or people following blind leaders which lead them to a dark era. The second book Iqbal’s dream and today’s Pakistan is the completion of the works in Maqalat-e-Iqbal. It shows the comparison of past thinking and today what that ideal society is facing.

In the second book, it clearly picturizes the reason of decline of Muslims and what were the consequences. Iqbal mentioned many times that if Muslims are not following the teachings of Islam and not bringing peace and equality, then they will suffer, and this book tells that how they are suffering. Muslims are facing the problem of terrorism just because they are not following the message of Islam which persistently mentions peace and justice for all Muslims and non-Muslims.

Iqbal vision about Islamic state was an ideal rule which includes the teaching of Islam. It teaches to do well to people and the concept of good life, which includes that even if somebody is doing bad to you, be patient and try to overcome his evil deeds by your good or in other words shine the light to darkness and bring every person in light. Iqbal also mentions the concept of Jihad which starts from you that first perfect yourself, then your family and friends and do not take it outside until you become perfect. To Iqbal human being could try to make them perfect, but cannot be perfect because there can be a slight mistake which makes them unqualified for Jihad.

The terrorism is compared to Islamic history when an evil ruler Yazeed tried to disrupt peace then Hussain ibn Ali took a stance against him and peacefully sacrificed himself and his family which is still considered an extraordinary example of jihad. The second book ends with a message that today’s Pakistan, which was thought to be an Islamic state, is not entirely Islamic because of people running after their desires instead focus on the big picture as the “Good Life” in Quran.