November 9 is the birth anniversary of poet-philosopher and Hakimul Ummat Sir Mohammad Allama Iqbal (1877--1938). Kind teacher has presented interesting incidents from Allama's life as part of tribute to the great man whose poetry has inspired generations.
Here is the first in the series:
Though Iqbal's creative output was huge, he was never a rich man. His poor financial condition compelled Sir Syed's grandson and Iqbal's great friend Sir Ross Masood to intervene. In 1935 Ross Masood got a lifetime monthly scholarship of Rs 500 issued to Iqbal from Nawab of Bhopal. Ross Masood wanted similar help from nawabs of Hyderabad, Bhawalpur and Sir Agha Khan. But Iqbal wrote to Ross Masood that whatever he received from Nawab of Bhopal was enough to meet his expenses as he was not used to live like a royal. It was unbecoming of a Muslim to have lust for money, Iqbal added. In January 1938 when Iqbal was seriously ill he received a cheque of Rs1000 from the Hyderabad state but the state's high official Sir Akbar Hyderi in the letter indicated that the help had come because of his intervention. The poet who stressed so much on khudi and self-respect felt immensely hurt. He returned the cheque with some couplets for Akbar Hyderi. One lines goes:" Ghairate faqr maghar kar na saki isko qubool.
Jab kaha isne yeh hai meri khudaiee ki zakat".
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Iqbal began reciting poems quite early. An organisation in Lahore called Anjuman Himayate Islam gave him a good platform to exhibit his literary skills. His name and fame began spreading as more and more people began flocking to hear him. Reputed writers and poets began attending the Anjuman's functions. When in 1900 Iqbal recited his poem Naala-e-Yateem at the Anjuman function, it left the audience spellbound. The Anjuman had already published this poem in a booklet and began selling the copies to collect funds for educational purpose even as Iqbal recited the poem. Iqbal was stopped in the middle of recitations because the Anjuman first wanted to sell all the copies of the booklet. Many people bought it at Rs 50 per copy and returned it to the Anjuman for resale. This way a huge fund was collected. In 1904 Iqbal presented his another patriotic poem Tasweer-e-Dard at the Anjuman's function. This long poem impressed Altaf Husain Hali so much that he gave Rs 10 to the young Iqbal as an award. Iqbal denated this money to the Anjuman's fund. Another noted writer Khwaja Hassan Nizami got so excited at hearing this poem in Iqbal's powerful voice that he got up, took off his imama(headgear) and put it on Iqbal's head. That itself acknowledged Iqbal as an important poet. There could not have been a bigger endorsement of Iqbal's rising popularity. One couplet in Tasweer-e-Dard, penned over a century ago, is still relevant: Watan ki fikr kar nadaan musibat aane wali hai/Teri barbadiyon ke mashware hain aasmanon mein.
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Perhaps no other poem of Iqbal received as much popularity as Shikwa and Jawabe Shikwa. Shikwa is complaint to Allah about the miserable condition of Muslims and Jawabe Shikwa is Allah's answer to the complaints. When Iqbal first recited Shikwa at a meeting of Anjuman Himayate Islam in 1909 in Lahore, it created a stir. Many conservatives protested and even slapped fatwas of kufr on Iqbal. Iqbal's audacity to put questions to Allah was construed as indisciplined behaviour and a grave sin. However, when Iqbal produced Jawabe Shikwa after two years the same elements who had slammed him for Shikwa began giving him certificates of a pious Muslim. Many said the Jawabe Shikwa was basically ilhami or divine which Allah put in the poet's mouth.
Iqbal wrote Shikwa in the backdrop of the creeping crises in the Muslim world. Russia and Britain had begun meddling in the affairs of Iran while Sultan of Turkey Abdul Majeed was sacked. The Muslim world was in turmoil and Iqbal found no better and a bigger court than the court of Allah to take the case of Muslims to.
At the outset the poet explains that his act of complaining may be misunderstood as man is known to be loyal to his creator but he cannot help it: Hai baja shewae tasleem mein mashhoor hain hum/Qissae dard sunate hain ke majboor hain hum. The poet goes on to enumerate several steps that the Musl. ims took to establish the creator's rule on earth. He describes how the armies took risk, crossed deserts and seas just because they wanted to uphold the truthful rule and for the glory of God. Dasht to dasht darya bhi na chchode humne/ Bahre zulmaat mein daura diye ghode humne. Yet the Muslims remain deprived and are at the receiving end of calamities and crises while others who don't worship Him get the divine protection and patronage: Rahmatein hain teri aghyar ke kashanon par/Barq girti hai to bechare Musalmanon par.
However, the poet admits the mistakes that the Muslims have made and adopts a conciliatory tone and begs for divine blessings and strength:Mushkilein ummate marhoom ki aasan karde/More bemaya ko humdosh Suleiman karde.
In Jawabe Shikwa God, through the poet, answers all the questions that he had raised in Shikwa. God says that even the angels are shocked at the audacity of man to have complained so aggressively. Is qadar shokh ke Allah se bhi barham hai/Tha jo masjood malaik yeh wahi adam hai. And then God forgives the poet for his aggressive complaints. In fact, God praises the poet for connecting man directly talk to Him: Shukr Shikwe ko kiya husne ada se tumne/Hum sukhan kar diya bandon ko khuda se tumne. Such is the power of this poem that it mesmerises you as you recite it sher after sher. We will remain eternally indebted to Iqbal for such beautiful creations.
Source:
Written by:
Mohammed Wajihuddin, The Times of India Journalist.
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