Re: Iqbal Poetry Contest
SIR DOCTOR ALLAMA MUHAMMAD IQBALhttp://img37.picoodle.com/img/img37/4/4/18/f_AlamaIqbalm_494c04c.jpg
After “Ghalib” had left the world and signed his name on the chair of poetry, few believed that there would ever be another poet of this level again. One can easily say that Ghalib’s emotions were so alive after his death that he reincarnated. From “Meer” to “Ghalib” there is a long path. When the sun went down for Urdu poetry for a while, it rose in a small city, many miles away from Dehli, the center of Urdu poetry then.
Sir Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal, born 1877 in Sialkot, started a revolution, with which a new era of Urdu poetry started. We count Iqbal for inheriting the throne after “Ghalib”. A small fire was lit in the age of darkness and will keep shining as long as the world will last.
If there is anyone who knew the value of Urdu, and if there was ever any, Iqbal would surely be the one
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A N I Q B A L C H R O N O L O G Y
1877 == Born in Sialkot, Panjab; father a tailor; large pious family, Kashmiri Brahman ancestry
1892 == Graduates from Scotch Mission High School, Sialkot
1892 == Parents marry him to Karim Bibi
1893 == Enters Scotch Mission College, in liberal arts course
c.1894 == Takes Dagh as his ustad, begins to send him verses by mail
1895 == Daughter, Mi’raj Begam (d. 1914), born to Karim Bibi
1895 == Passes Intermediate examination
1895 == Goes to Lahore, enters Government College
1897 == Receives B.A., second division; stands first in Arabic
1898 == Begins to study Philosophy with Prof. Thomas Arnold
1898 == After some study, appears for exams in law; but fails in Jurisprudence
1899 == Gets M.A. in Philosophy, third division; gets gold medal since he’s the only successful candidate in Phil. at all
1899 on == Becomes known in Lahore for his Urdu poetry
1899 == Son, Aftab Iqbal, born to Karim Bibi; later in life this son (who also studied abroad and became a lawyer) and his father were no longer on speaking terms
1899 == Appointed Reader in Arabic, Oriental College, Lahore
1901 == Baby boy born to Karim Bibi, dies soon after birth
1901 == Applies for post as Extra Ass’t Commissioner, rejected for eye defect
1900 == Recites, or “sings,” his poem Nalah-e yatim (Orphan’s lament) at Anjuman-e Himayat-e Islam; receives tremendous acclaim, becomes instantly famous
1901-05 == Publishes poems in 'Abd ul-Qadir’s new journal “Makhzan,” including the patriotic Taranah-e hindi (Indian song) (Oct. 1904), Hindustani bachchoñ ka qaumi git (Indian children’s national song) (Feb. 1905), Naya shivalah (New Shiva-temple) (Mar. 1905); becomes well-known as a nationalist
1903 == Becomes Ass’t Prof. of Philosophy and English Literature, Government College, Lahore
1903 == Publishes 'Ilm ul-iqtisaad, the first book in Urdu on economics. All his life, he makes a point of publishing his own books himself.
1905 == Goes to Europe: studies in London at Lincoln’s Inn (law), Trinity Colleg e (B.A.); simultaneously prepares doctoral dissertation on “The Development of Metaphysics in Persia” for University of Munich.While in England, he decides to give up writing poetry entirely, in favor of action–so he composes a Persian verse to say so: “Iqbal, let someone take my message to the Editor of the ‘Makhzan’ / Nations which are progressive and are doing constructive work attach no importance to poetry.”
1907 == Meets 'Atiyah Faizi, and begins close personal relationship with her
1907 == Awarded B.A. degree from Trinity College, Cambridge University
1907 == Awarded doctorate in philosophy by University of Munich
1908 == Qualifies as barrister-at-law, Lincoln’s Inn
1908 == Dissertation published in London
1908 == Elected to Executive Committee, London Branch, All-India Muslim League
1908 == Returns from Europe; makes his first speech in English (in Lahore); is offered academic positions, but gives up academia in favor of law for financial reasons
1909 == Marries(?) Sardar Begam; but has doubts about her based on anonymous letters; rejects her
1909 == Marries Mukhtar Begam
1909 == Takes a temporary professorship at Government College, in addition to law practice
1909 == In a letter to Munshi Ghulam Qadir Farrukh, he writes that contrary to his personal views, it may prove “too difficult for the Hindus and the Muslims to forge a common policy” because their “basic cultures” are different “and the Muslims would not like to submerge their identity among the Hindu majority” (M.ul-H. v.1, p. 94)
1910 == Composes Qaumi taranah (Song of the Religious Community)
1910 == Keeps the notebooks which become “Stray Reflections”; in them he writes that Wordsworth had saved him from atheism
c.1910 == Considers writing a long poem about Aurangzeb, his favorite among the Mughals; but doesn’t do so
1911 == Recites Shikvah (Complaint) at annual meeting, Anjuman-e Himayat-e Islam, Lahore; insists on speaking it taht ul-lafz, though the audience demanded singing in tarannum, because the subject is so important
1911 == Resigns from professorship, but continues to act as Examiner
1911- == Acquires an all-India reputation
1912 == 'Atiyah Faizi marries someone else (Faizi Rahman)
1913 == Recites Javab-e shikvah (Answer to the complaint) at a musha’irah in Mochi Gate, Lahore
1913 == Re(?)marries Sardar Begam; lives with both women
1915 == Publishes Asrar-e khudi (Secrets of the self) (P)
1916 == Karim Bibi begins to live separately, supported by Iqbal (d. 1946)
c.1917 == Considers writing the story of the Ramayana in Urdu verse; but never does
1918 ==Publishes Rumuz-e bekhudi (Mysteries of selflessness) (P)
1919 ==Elected General Secretary, Anjuman-e Himayat-e Islam
1920 ==“The Secrets of the Self” (trans. of Asrar-e khudi), translated by Reynold Nicholson of Cambridge University, published in England by Macmillan, with an introduction put together by Iqbal himself
1923 ==Publishes Payam-e mashriq (Message of the east), a response to Goethe’s West Östlicher Divan (P)
1923 ==Knighted by British Government
1924 ==Resigns from Secretaryship of Anjuman
1924 ==Publishes Bañg-e dara (Sound of the bell) (U)
1924 ==Mukhtar Begam dies of pregnancy complications and pneumonia
1924 ==Son Javed Iqbal born to Sardar Begam
1926 ==Elected to a Lahore seat in the new Punjab Legislative Assembly, begins active political involvement
1927 ==Publishes Zabur-e 'Ajam (Persian psalms) (P)
1929 ==Travels to Madras, delivers “The reconstruction of religious thought in Islam” lectures to Madras Muslim Association
1929 ==Schoolchildren greet him in Hyderabad singing Chin o 'arab hamara
1930 ==Daughter Munirah born to Sardar Begam
1930 ==Publishes “The reconstruction of religious thought in Islam” (English), in which he declares the “Bab-e Ijtihad” to be open again
1930 ==Giving his Presidential Address to the Muslim League in Allahabad, speaks of the possibility of a separate Muslim state
1931 ==Last known poetry recitation: Masjid-e Qurtubah, Jamia Millia, Delhi
1931-32 ==Revisits England for Second and Third Round Table Conferences, travels extensively in Europe; visits Bergson in Paris (and delights him by telling him a hadith in praise of the power of time); sees Spain; meets Mussolini in Rome; visits Egypt, Palestine
1931 == In a letter to the London Times (Oct. 12, 1931), Iqbal concludes, “A series of contented and well-organised Muslim provinces on the North-West Frontier of India would be the bulwark of India and of the British Empire against the hungry generations of the Asiatic mainlands” (B. A. Dar, Letters of Iqbal (Lahore: Iqbal Academy, 1978), p. 218).
1932 (?) == composes Masjid-e Qurtubah
1932 ==Giving his Presidential Address to the Muslim League, he declares his opposition to nationalism “as it is understood in Europe”
1932 ==Publishes Javed namah (The book of eternity) (P), perhaps his favorite Persian work, with Miltonic overtones
1933 ==Briefly visits Afghanistan, on commission for educational reforms
1934 ==Health deteriorates; ceases practicing law
1935 ==Publishes Bal-e Jibril (The wing of Gabriel) (U), his Urdu masterpiece
1935 ==Sardar Begam dies
1935 ==Granted pension by Navab of Bhopal
1935-36 ==Visits Bhopal several times
1936 ==Publishes Zarb-e kalim (The rod of Moses) (U)
1938 ==Publishes Armaghan-e Hijaz (Gift of the Hijaz) (U & P)
1938 ==Dies in Lahore; buried next to Badshahi Masjid
Poems and work
Most of Allama Iqbal’s writings were devoted to a revival of Islam. In his presidential address to the Muslim League in 1930, he first suggested that the Muslims of northwestern India should demand a separate nation for themselves. Although many compilations of Iqbal’s poetry also deliver his message very eloquently, his foremost book Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam was intended to secure a vision of the spirit of Islam as emancipated from its Magian overlayings.
He encouraged Muslims to embrace ideals of brotherhood, justice, and service. His masterpiece is ‘The Song of Eternity’ (1932). Similar in theme to Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’, it relates the poet’s ascent through all realms of thought and experience, guided by the 13th-century poet Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi. He also wrote poetry in the Persian language. He tried to free the Muslim mind from the prevailing colonial mentality and from Muslims’ own narrow self-interests, which is reflected in his classical work “Toloo-e-Islam” (Rise of Islam
Prose Works by Dr. Muhammad Iqbal
The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam (1930)
One of the great thinkers of this century, in this ground-breaking work, attempts to show a path back to the scientific and intellectual striving that Muslims once excelled in. Refuting the current methods of teaching as being from a generation of a cultural outlook different than that facing the modern mind, Iqbal calls for a reconstruction of thought, pointing to the fact that from the first to fourth century no less than nineteen schools of law appeared in Islam to meet the necessities of a growing civilization.
Religion vs. Philosophy-To Embrace or Exclude?
What is the character and general structures of the universe in which we live? Is there a permanent element in the constitution of this universe? How are we related to it? What place do we occupy in it, and what is the kind of conduct that benefits the place we occupy? These questions are common to religion, philosophy, and higher poetry.
The Development of Metaphysics in Persia (1908)
This was a thesis submitted to the University of Munich for his PhD. It was published in London in the same year. The book traces the development of metaphysics in Persia from the time of Zoroaster to Bahaullah.
Summary of Iqbal’s 1930 Presidential Address
“… I lead no party; I follow no leader. I have given the best part of my life to careful study of Islam, its law and polity, its culture, its history and its literature. This constant contact with the spirit of Islam, as it unfolds itself in time, has, I think, given me a kind of insight into the significance as a world fact.”
Essays of Mohammad Iqbal
Poetry
Baang-e-Dara (1924)
First written in Persian, Bang-i Dara (Caravan Bell) was translated into Urdu by popular demand. It is an anthology of poems written over a period of 20 years and is divided into 3 parts.
Baal-e-Jibraeel (1935)
Baal-e-Jibaeel (Gabriel’s Wing) continues from Bang-i Dara. Some of the verses had been written when Iqbal visited Britain, Italy, Egypt, Palestine, France, Spain and Afghanistan. Contains 15 ghazals addressed to God and 61 ghazals and 22 quatrains dealing with the ego, faith, love, knowledge, the intellect and freedom.
Zarb-e-Kaleem (1936)
This, Iqbal’s third collection of Urdu poems, has been described as his political manifesto. It was published with the subtitle “A Declaration of War Against the Present Times.” Zarb-e-Kaleem (The Blow of Moses’ Staff) was meant to rescue Muslims from the ills brought on by modern civilization, just as Moses had rescued the Israelites. English translation
Armaghan-i Hijaz (1938)
This work, published a few months after the poet’s death, is a fairly small volume containing verses in both Persian and Urdu. The title means “Gift from the Hijaz.” He had long wished to undertake the journey to the Arabian Peninsula to perform the Hajj and to visit the tomb of the Prophet, but was prevented from doing so by continuous illness during the last years of his life.
English translation
The Ideal Woman
The Materialistic Culture
The shrine of your street is my refuge!
The ultimate aim of Ego
The world of Body vs. World of Soul
Our thought is the product of your teachings
Profit for one, but Death for many
Communism and Imperialism
The Glory of a Woman
The Choice is yours
Articles by Others on Iqbal’s Works & Thought
Iqbal on the Material and Spiritual Future of Humanity
Iqbal’s world view is based on his deep concern with the future of humanity as well as of religion. On the future of humanity his thoughts are scattered in his poetic works and some of his prose writings. But on the future of religion he has elaborated his ideas in the last chapter of his book: The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, entitled “Is Religion Possible?”
Religion and Philosophy according to Iqbal
For Iqbal, religion is not something that is isolated from philosophy. He advocates an integration of the two, sometimes suggesting that the science of psychology has not reached an advanced enough level to be able to incorporate spiritual experience as part of a scientific theory of knowledge. Iqbal thinks, given adequate methods, the ultimate reality is within human grasp.
Iqbal, Quran and Muslim Unity
A reflection on Allama Iqbal’s beautiful classical poem, “Tolu-e-Islam” (Rise of Islam). Muslim misery and suffering is as common today as it was in the days of Iqbal. Every day that passes brings more death and destruction to Muslims, only at a much wider scale. Observing the present situation in which Muslims find themselves today, Iqbal’s soul must be feeling extremely restless!
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