Iqbal's legacy

WITH the revival of democracy in Pakistan the nation and its leaders need to be reminded of how Iqbal visualized the tasks before the Muslim community in general and the country that he wanted to be carved out of the united India in particular. Iqbal's legacy requires turning Pakistan into a society practising moderation and eschewing extremism in matters of religion. This also enjoins upon those in power to follow economic policies aimed at the betterment of the common man with the ultimate goal of turning Pakistan into a welfare stare. Pakistan also needs to develop close ties with brother Muslim countries.
Iqbal was the harbinger of change, a theme that permeates the great poem "Masjid-e-Qartaba" besides many others. This made him reject all expressions of rigidity, particularly among religious leaders. He advocated that a fresh outlook had to be brought to the interpretation of Islam. Iqbal believed that a moderate point of view was required to explain Islam correctly. This brought him into conflict with the conservative ulema particularly those subscribing to the Indian Congress. Iqbal also stood for a world free from colonial occupation and imperialist hegemony. The immortal poem "Fatima bint-e-Abdullah" written to commemorate a young girl who died in Tripoli while providing drinking water to compatriots fighting the Italian forces underlines one aspect of his anti-colonial aspirations. He chose Persian as a medium to oppose colonial forces as the language was spoken in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan and was understood by a significant section of population in India and the Central Asian states. His verses regarding Mehdi Sudani, a symbol of anti-British struggle, and the verses addressed to Faisal, Ibn-e-Saud and the young King Zahir Shah emphasise unity to fight the foreign oppressors. As long as the Palestinians and Kashmiris continue to be enslaved, Iqbal's dream of a world where Muslims are not subjected to oppression will remain unfulfilled.