'Spiritual democracy real focus of Islam'
Source: APP August 3, 2008 ISLAMABAD - Allama Iqbal’s concept of state is based on Islamic, democratic, welfare and humanistic values and the right of Ijtehad that he wanted to give to the Parliament to cope with changing needs.
Dr Javed Iqbal, former Chief Justice of Lahore High court and son of great oriental poet and philosopher Sir Allam Muhammad Iqbal, said this in his lecture on “Iqbal’s concept of Ijtehad”, arranged by Council of Islamic Ideology in connection with its Foundation Day here on Friday.
He said that Islamization done in the country so far does not fall within preview of Ijtehad, adding many laws have been implemented under presidential decrees with support of military dictatorship and conservative religious leaders and the parliament accepted all these laws without any rational deliberation or Ijtehad.
“But Iqbal’s concept of Ijtehad has no relevance with such idea of Islamization”, he said.
Dr Iqbal said the major criticism on Iqbal’s concept is inability of elected representatives of the parliament to conduct Ijtehad. But according to him it has been proved from sayings of Iqbal that even ulema and scholars having no familiarity with the modern knowledge could not meet challenges of present day and guide parliamentarians on Islamic legislation.
To achieve this goal, even lawyers and experts blessed with knowledge as desired by Allama Iqbal are not available, he said.
He said the real objective of Islam is formation of ‘Spiritual democracy’, in which not only different sects of Islam accommodates each other’s views but also gives full protection to rights of minorities.
Iqbal considered it imperative for the ulema of sub-continent to have a knack of the Islamic history, economy, sociology and study of national literature to perform their duties in efficient manner, he said.
He said according to his father, the parliament is not merely a consultative body, which only gives suggestions to another supra authority and accept or reject its suggestions.
Allam Iqbal was of the view that parliament being a consultative body is fully omnipotent to act as “ Ijma” and give complete right of Ijtehad to the elected parliament.