Call to reinterpret Iqbal’s poetry to counter societal malaises, extremism

Published November 10, 2018
(L-R) Prof Jalil Aali, Riphah University Vice-Chancellor Dr Anis Ahmad, Parliamentary Secretary for National History and Heritage Ghazala Saifi and Dr Mohammad Iftikhar Khokar at the national seminar at Pakistan Academy of Letters on Friday.
(L-R) Prof Jalil Aali, Riphah University Vice-Chancellor Dr Anis Ahmad, Parliamentary Secretary for National History and Heritage Ghazala Saifi and Dr Mohammad Iftikhar Khokar at the national seminar at Pakistan Academy of Letters on Friday.

ISLAMABAD: Writers and academics have called for reinterpretation of Allama Iqbal’s poetry and thoughts to counter societal malaises and extremism as well as meet modern challenges.

They also emphasised the need for revival of Iqbal’s message of Ijtihad (reasoning) to shun extremism, sectarianism and theocracy.

They were of the view that only parliament and scholars who have a thorough knowledge and the capacity for legal reasoning can initiate Ijtihad.

“Iqbal was a staunch proponent of people’srule and against monarchy, and aristocratic systems of governance as well as theocracy,” said Prof Fateh Mohammad Malik, an eminent scholar, researcher and expert of Iqbal studies, while addressing separate events organised by literary bodiesin connection with Allama Iqbal’s 141stbirth anniversary.

The first event was held at the National Language Promotion Department (NLPD) on Thursday evening which was presided over by Prof Fateh Malik who spoke in detail about different features and aspects of Pakistani culture in the light of Iqbal’s poetry and philosophy.

Prof Malik said that Iqbal had diagnosed and identified the causes of backwardness of the Indian Subcontinent’s Muslims and held colonialism, outdated traditions and lack of modern scientific education for the sorry state of affairs.

“Ironically the same ills are afflicting almost all Muslim societies in the world, in general, and Pakistani society, in particular,” he said.

“Even in the 21stcentury we are living under subjugation of neo-colonialism, dictatorships, monarchies and capitalism,” he added.

Prof Malik’s views were echoed by noted poet Iftikhar Arif who described Iqbal as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century and the last great Muslim thinker.

Iqbal’s vision for an egalitarian society can be understood from his famous book The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, which clearly rejects theocracy and outlines a social and democratic state. He also quoted Iqbal’s 1937 letter to Jinnah urging him to lead Muslims and strive for dreamland.

Iqbal had never dreamed of a country where religious minorities were not safe and mullahs were dictating the state and society, he said.

“Today the Pakistani society has been turned into talibanisation and ‘turbanisation’ identifying themselves with different colours of turbans,” commented Mr Arif, referring to rising tide of religious extremism and sectarian divide.

Dr Najiba Arif said that Pakistan was a combination of different cultures and civilisations. There may be points of difference but there are also commonalities that need to be promoted.

She urged thinkers and writers not to highlight differences for political ends rather promote commonalties.

Akhtar Usman said that Iqbal embraced and appreciated the common humanist values of different civilisations but also critiqued both ‘western’ and ‘eastern’ civilisations. He sees civilisation through the prism of dignity of humanity.

PAL Director Dr Rashid Hameed said our literary, religious and civilisational history was incomplete without Iqbal.

A national seminar on Iqbal was held at the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL).

In the first session Shahid Hamid in his keynote speech spoke about different phases of Iqbal’s poetry, the poet’s ‘anti-imperialist’ phase in particular.

Mr Shahid said Iqbal emphasised on change which keeps nations aliveciting his famous poems like Lenin Khuda kay Huzoor Main, Naya Shivala, Khizar-e-Rah and Farman-e-Khuda, which depict his egalitarian vision for the subcontinent andthe Muslim world. But at the same time he also stressed on spiritual values.

The second session of the seminar was presided over by Jalil Aali, the panelists included Akhtar Usman, Dr Arshad Mahmood Nashad, Dr Naheed Qamar, Dr Safdar Rashid, Dr Abdul Karim, Dr Fakhrul Islam and Baqir Waseem.

The horizon of Iqbal’s thoughts and poetry was beyond time and space, said Jalil Aali and stressed on reinterpreting his thoughts according to the needs of modern time.

The speakers presented divergent views and interpreted Iqbal’s poetry through their own convoluted lenses adding to the confusion of the audience mostly students.

While most of them acknowledged the socio-economic backwardness, rising extremism and violence in Pakistani society but attributed them to alienation from religion.

The third session of the seminar was presided over by Riphah University Vice-Chancellor Dr Anis Ahmad and Dr Iqbal Afaqi whereas Dr Mohammad Iftikhar Khokar, Fareeda Hafeez and Qasim Yaqoob participated in the discussion.

The academy’s quarterly magazine Adabiyat Atfaal was also launched.

Ahmed Hatib Siddique and Akhtar Raza Saleemi expressed their views on the aims and objective of the publication. A documentary film Bachon Ka Iqbal was also screened.

At another event held at the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU)speakers urged the youth to follow Iqbal’s philosophy of self-respect and play leading role in society.

The speakers, including Prof Fateh Malik and acting vice chancellor Prof Dr Nasir Mahmood, advised the students to understand and followthe message of the great poet inits true spirit.

In Kalam-e-Iqbal’s competition, Aleena Noor of AIOU’s Islamabad regionwon first prize, Wasim Bashir (AIOU) second and Eshamul Hasan of Islamabad Model College for Boys F-8/4 won third prize.

The first, second and third prizes in the ‘Bait Bazi’ went to Fatima Jinnah Women University, Islamabad Model College for Women I-8/3 and Gordon College, Rawalpindi respectively.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2018

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