HM211 Pakistan Studies

Course Instructor:
Mahboobul Rahman Khan

Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal - I

(9 November 1877 - 21 April 1938)
Education: Scotch Mission High School, Sialkot Government College,
Lahore Trinity College CambridgePh.D. from Munich, Germany.
Iqbal was a man well-versed in Eastern and Western thought and
philosophy.
His times: Muslims in India and the world were under Western
ColonialismA phase of confusion and uncertainty quest for identity
and search for independence and progress Iqbal showed the way. The
process which began with Sir Syeds mission reached it highest mark with
Iqbals idea of Muslim culture and the role of Islam in the lives of the
Muslims.
Iqbal as a poet: Three phases of his poetic development (a) an Indian
patriot (b) a Muslim nationalist (c) an Islamic internationalist and
humanist. Iqbals poetry was a clarion call for the Muslims. Philosophy of
Khudi/self. Condemned the philosophy of passivism and inaction and
preached the gospel of action and struggle. His poetry captured the
minds and hearts of the Indian Muslims and served as a source of
inspiration to them. Iqbal created a climate favorable for intellectual
regeneration, self-affirmation and national consolidation. He created a
sense of nationhood among the Muslims of sub-continent.

 Iqbals contribution as a politician: Iqbal became involved

in politics early in life. He was elected a member of the committee

of London Muslim League formed by Syed Ameer Ali. He was
opposed to non co-operation, became a member of Punjab Khilafat
Committee but later resigned and distanced himself from the
movement. Opposed Lucknow Pact, weightage joined Shafi
League and supported co-operation with the Simon Commission.
Took part in All India Muslim Conference on first January 1929 and
presided over the annual session of the conference held at Lahore.
Attended Second Round Table Conference in London (September 31
to 1 December 1931) and the Third Round Table Conference (17
November to 24 December 1932). Worked as a member of Punjab
parliamentary board for Muslim League fought against the
Unionists lead by Sir Fazal Hussain and Sir Sikandar Hayat. Helped
Jinnah to get a foothold in Punjab.
Iqbals letters to Jinnah: Iqbal wrote thirteen letters to Jinnah
in 1937-38 advising him to lead and reorganize the Muslim League
on popular basis and include economic uplift of Muslims in Muslim
League policy.

 Iqbals presidential address (Allahabad,1930):

Iqbals political philosophy as outlined in his Allahabad address
(December 1930) centers on the creative role of Islam in the
evolution of Indian Muslim societythe structure of Indian Muslim
Society almost entirely due to the working of Islam as a culture
inspired by a specific ethical, ideal. Iqbals Muslim Nationalism was
based on positive thinking and he was not communal in the
ordinary sense of the word. Iqbal demanded endorsement of
Muslim Conference resolution of 1929 and declared: personally I
would like to go further than the demand embodied in it. I would
like to see the Punjab, NWFP, Sindh and Baluchistan amalgamated
into a single state. Self-government within the British Empire or
without the British Empire, the formation of the consolidated
North-West Indian Muslim State appears to me to be the final
destiny of the Muslims at least of North-West Indian Muslims.
Iqbal was not the first to suggest a division of India but he was the
first leader to do so from the platform of the All-India Muslim
League.

 From his deathbed he organized elections to the Punjab Council on

behalf of the Muslim League in 1937. Till the end he continued to
advise the Quaid-i-Azam in all political matters.
Jinnahs tribute to Iqbal: On Iqbals death Quaid-i-Azam paid the
following tribute in a message to his son:
To me he was a friend, guide and philosopher and during the
darkest moments through which the Muslim League had to go he
stood like a rock, and never flinched one single moment
After the Pakistan Resolution was passed by the Muslim League in
its Lahore session, on 24th March 1940, the Quaid-i-Azam said to
Matlub Sayyed (his secretary):
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

Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal - II

Iqbal did not mention Bengal in his scheme.
Controversies about the Address.
He did not suggest the division of India, as is popularly believed.
Iqbals reply to the letter of Edward Thompson (The Times 12,
October 1931). Iqbal says that he suggested a Muslim India within
India.
In the original text of Allahabad Address the word state is spelt with
small s. Indicating that Iqbal did not envisage an independent
Muslim State.
Iqbal did not use the word Pakistan.
Iqbal did not take up the matter in the Round Table Conference.

 The All India Muslim League did not adopt it as its official
creed.
Hindu reaction to the address suggests that Iqbal talked of the
division of India.
Iqbals proposal contained the seeds of separation. Once the
northwest province had come into existence it could have
been easy to demand sovereign status if the plan for All-India
Federation failed.
Iqbal captured the hearts and minds of the Muslims of India.
Through his philosophy and poetry he created among the
Muslims of India a sense of separate destiny. This new spirit
made the establishment of Pakistan possible.