A few days ago, a self-righteous made the claim: “What is Iqbal, after all? He can be derived from a single verse of Ghalib.”
In the world of scholarship, such a statement would not normally be surprising. Intellectual traditions often evolve through influence and continuity; one lamp lights another. However, when the same self-appointed authority goes on to suggest that “fortunately, only two or three beggars at Iqbal’s doorstep remain, and now our age begins,” the matter becomes much clearer. There is no need for rhetorical embellishment: this is simply an enterprise of diminishing Iqbal. Why this is happening is both an interesting and a cautionary story.
In contemporary times, Iqbal has often been associated exclusively with the political right or religious circles. The conduct of certain hardline clerics has, unfortunately, caused considerable damage to his public image. Yet Iqbal was not always so unfortunate. Poets such as Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ali Sardar Jafri, and, closer to our own era, Ahmad Faraz, all regarded themselves as admirers and beneficiaries of Iqbal’s intellectual legacy. These towering literary figures were not merely sympathetic to the political left; they were deeply committed to their ideological convictions and, when necessary, paid a personal price for them. In other words, they possessed clear and well-defined ideological identities. Yet none of them displayed hostility, resentment, or bitterness toward Iqbal. On the contrary, they paid him poetic tribute.
Faiz’s tribute, in particular, stands among the finest examples. He wrote: A melodious faqir came to our land, Came, sang his ghazals in his own tune, and passed on. Desolate pathways filled with people, And abandoned taverns found renewed fortune. This is part of a longer poem in which Faiz praises not only Iqbal’s poetry but also his thought. Reading it today, one feels that Faiz had already sensed what the future might hold. In the same poem he lamented: That kingly mendicant has long departed, And once again the pathways of our land are forlorn. Why are the pathways of our land forlorn? The poem itself provides the answer. Faiz observes: Only a few remember his distinctive style; Only a handful of cherished souls still possess that vision. Why did Iqbal’s distinctive intellectual style become confined to so few people? Why did a small circle of self-styled intellectuals begin speaking so recklessly about him?
Those who disparage Iqbal generally belong to two groups. The first consists of people who claim an affiliation with the political left. They may present themselves as ideological thinkers, but in reality many of them are not driven by coherent ideas. Rather, they belong to a tendency that seeks to undermine the very foundations upon which this country was established. Around them gather certain uninformed followers who neither understand leftist thought nor its intellectual traditions. They are driven largely by resentment and have polluted the intellectual environment with it. The second group consists of poorly informed individuals who believe that as long as Iqbal’s name and work continue to command respect, they themselves will never gain prominence. In their obsession, they forget an old Urdu proverb: what significance can a dwarf claim merely by making noise?
An important question is why hostility toward Iqbal has emerged. Its roots, at least in recent history, can be traced to the era of Pervez Musharraf. Under the banner of “Enlightened Moderation,” efforts were made to reshape Pakistan’s cultural and intellectual landscape and Iqbal became a target of neglect. During that period, the state stopped officially celebrating his birth anniversary as a public holiday. Although the holiday was restored when Nawaz Sharif returned to power, the atmosphere of indifference toward Iqbal persisted. The primary reason is that people gradually stopped reading and understanding his work. The remedy is straightforward: return to Iqbal’s writings and engage seriously with his ideas. Academic and literary institutions have contributed to this effort, particularly those dedicated to Iqbal studies. Among them, Bazm-e-Iqbal has played a notable role in promoting Iqbal’s thought and introducing younger generations to his intellectual vision.
Under the leadership of Professor Dr. Tahseen Firaqi, Bazm-e-Iqbal has produced special editions of Bang-e-Dara, other collections of Iqbal’s poetry, and his lectures. These editions aim not only to ensure accurate reading of Iqbal’s works but also to facilitate a deeper understanding of their meaning. The institution has also organized educational programmes and lectures on Iqbal so that younger minds may become familiar with his intellectual vision.
In a relatively short period of three years, Dr. Firaqi has accomplished a great deal. Yet much remains to be done. For this reason, the Board of Governors of Bazm-e-Iqbal recommended that his tenure be extended by at least one more year so that the projects he initiated may be completed successfully. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz comes from a political tradition with a strong ideological foundation. It is therefore reasonable to expect that she will provide whatever support is necessary for the continuation and completion of this important mission of promoting a deeper understanding of Iqbal and his thought.
—This writer is former advisor to the President of Pakistan, author & mass media theorist.
(farooq.adilbhuta@gmail,com)
