Allama Iqbal's 1931 letter to The Times, commenting on his 1930 Allahabad speech

[M Ali Khan]

A historical Letter Written By Sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal to Times, dated Oct 1931. We should not forget the history.

For Further Readings Please Consult K.K. Aziz, The Murder of History.

Text of Iqbals letter to The Times

"Sir, Writing in your issue of October 3 last, Dr. E. Thompson has torn the following passage from its context in my presidential address to the All-India Moslem League of last December, in order to serve as evidence of Pan-Islamic plotting:

I would like to see the Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Sind, and Baluchistan amalgamated into a single State. Self-government within the British Empire or without the British Empire, the formation of a consolidated North-West Indian Moslem State appears to me to be the final destiny of the Moslems, at least of North-West India.

May I tell Dr. Thompson that in this passage I do not put forward a demand for a Moslem state outside the British Empire, but only a guess at the possible outcome in the dim future of the mighty forces now shaping the destiny of the Indian sub-continent. No Indian Moslem with any pretence to sanity contemplates a Moslem state or series of States in North-West India outside the British commonwealth of Nations as a plan of practical politics.

Although I would oppose the creation of another cockpit of communal strife in the Central Punjab, as suggested by some enthusiasts, I am all for a redistribution of India into provinces with effective majorities of one community or another on lines advocated both by the Nehru and the Simon Reports.

Indeed, my suggestion regarding Moslem provinces merely carries forward this idea. A series of contented and well-organized Moslem 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 highlands."

If only such things were taught in our Pakistan Studies classes and remembered by all those "Nazariya-e-Pakistan" mard-e-momins ;)

HAPPY IQBAL DAY

 

[M Ali Khan]

SECOND OPINION: The persistent greatness of Allama Iqbal —Khaled Ahmed’s TV Review

Most significantly, Allama Iqbal favoured, in his Sixth Lecture, the concept of real ‘ijtihad’ (reinterpretation) on the ‘nas’ (clear edict) of the Quran. That is the only ‘ijtihad’ useful to the Muslims. Nothing has gone right with Islamisation, starting from ‘zakat’ to ‘diyat’ (blood money) and the ‘hudood’. When the Muslims have done ‘ijtihad’ on the ‘nas’ they have done ‘ijtihad-e-ma’akoos’ (retrogressive reinterpretation) as in the case of the Quranic ‘nas’ on the law of divorce

Few will disagree that Allama Iqbal was a great poet. But there is a reaction against him in some circles after the state of Pakistan adopted him as its founding philosopher and selectively hyped up his message. One has to be careful not to lose objectivity over Allama Iqbal. Self-serving politicians and ulema quote him to advance their dubious causes. Finally the greatness of the poet will rest neither in the hype nor in the angry reaction against him.

GEO (November 3, 2004) had Ghazi Salahuddin discussing Allama Iqbal with Dr Mubarak Ali on his Main Nahin Manta programme. Dr Mubarak Ali said that Allama Iqbal had no message for the world of today. He wrote poetry for the middle class Muslims and his objective was Muslim ummah which did not exist. He was not a supporter of democracy and it was an exaggeration to call him a national poet. One scholar present in the programme said that Allama Iqbal had defended democracy in his Lectures. Jinnah was finally to take the cue from Iqbal’s address of 1930. Dr Mubarak Ali said that Iqbal was a great poet but it was not fair to call him a national poet. He said his main aim was to create pride among Muslims whom he thought downtrodden at the time.

Dr Mubarak Ali’s rather intemperate opinion (to which he was entitled) was rebutted by the audience effectively. If he wanted to win over the audience he failed because he was so extreme in posture as to be inaccurate. In his famous Lectures, Allama Iqbal favoured democracy. Most significantly, he favoured, in his Sixth Lecture, the concept of real ijtihad (reinterpretation) on the nas (clear edict) of the Quran. Those who hold him up as the thinker of the fundamentalist state should be chastened by this. His 1930 speech in Allahabad has been completely misinterpreted through selective reading by the state. His diatribe against the fundamentalist ulema has also been ignored by the state, while his anti-West verse has been exploited by politicians and the ulema to create xenophobia in Pakistan. Allama Iqbal cannot be rejected out of hand. When the ayatollahs of Iran did it, Dr Ali Shariati arose to his defence and told them they were wrong.

GEO (November 3, 2004) programme Chchoti Khabar Bari Baat discussed the situation in Lyari saying the criminal mafias had taken over there and the police had become their informers. Lyari Town in Karachi had become impossible to control because of the fight between two rival mafias: Pappu Dakait and Rehman Dakait. In two and a half months 24 people had lost their lives there. The fight was over bhatta (protection money). The town had no water and no law and order. PPP MNA Gabol said that Lyari had fallen on bad times because it was traditionally a PPP constituency. The governments in the past were not interested in allowing any development there because of this factor. He said in 1996 when the PPP was in power there was no crime in Lyari. He said the police was on the payroll of the dacoits. He also said that ministers in Balochistan were backing the dacoits. When pressured he named chief minister of Balochistan, Jam Yusuf. He said many ministers in Sindh government, too, were taking money from the dacoits of Lyari. Police officer Imran Shaukat admitted police weakness but claimed that he was making headway. He said Lyari had only 100 criminals who could be taken care of. He said the dacoits had started ‘gate politics’ which was cutting off localities with no-go gates. He said every street had its small dacoits. He said he had brought 350 commandos and had deployed 240 policemen in the area. But Gabol said mukhbari (informers) was still going on by police and thana officers were changed on the orders of the mafia. And policemen also ran away. Police officer said Lyari could be normalised in one month.

Lyari is the microcosm of a state which has gradually surrendered its writ. The involvement of the feudal and tribal politicians in crime through patronage of dacoits is well known in Sindh and Balochistan. This is the alternative state in existence. Their alternative state is opposed by another class which has been empowered by the state through jihad and the consequent surrender of internal sovereignty: the religious parties and their militias. This is armageddon, the big war in which everyone is a satan.

GEO (November 5, 2004) had Aniq Ahmad in his Alif programme discussing dialogue among religions with Prof Manzur Ahmad, and clerics from sects plus a Christian priest. One cleric said that the Quran had said the Jews were firm enemies and so were the pagans (India) but the Christians were soft on Islam and there could be dialogue with them. Christians were not proud and were educated too. Prof Manzur said dialogue was not tabligh (proselytising) and Muslims should not approach a dialogue with other faiths in order to convince them to leave their religion and join Islam. Christian Father said that first one will have to decide what kind of minds had been developed in Pakistan. If the mind was inflexible then it will not dialogue with anyone. The Shia cleric said there was no ban on dialoguing with the Jews in the Quran. He said Quran was negative only about the Jews of Madina. Sunni cleric insisted that Quranic verse was daemi (eternal) therefore Jews were enemies even today. Aniq said the Quran ordained that both Christians and Jews were enemies of Islam; how could the Christians be good then? Christian Father said Muslims could do ijtihad whereupon Aniq asked could there be ijtihad on the verse of the Quran?

This was a most absurd discussion with Dr Manzur Ahmed alone talking sense. The clerics were unfit for any human dialogue (even with Muslims) because of their intellectual rigidity. The Sunni was divided with Shia over whether to talk to other faiths. If Islam is to talk to other faiths the ulema will have to be kept out of it. Finally, the discussion made shipwreck on the issue of ijtihad: whether a Muslim could reinterpret a clear verse of the Quran. One fallacy among Muslims is that they allow reinterpretation of faith. The truth is that they live in taqleed (imitation) of the fiqh (jurists) of later times. The only ijtihad useful to Muslims would be ijtihad on the nas of the Quran, as proposed by Allama Iqbal in his Sixth Lecture and rejected by General Zia and the clergy. That is why nothing has gone right with Islamisation, starting from zakat to diyat (blood money) and the hudood. When the Muslims have done ijtihad on the nas they have done ijtihad-e-ma’akoos (retrogressive reinterpretation) as in the case of the Quranic nas on the law of divorce.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_14-12-2004_pg3_5

 

[Ali raza babar]

This letter vs Khutba e ala abbad . Which has audio recording as well. Which one is right?

Listen up liberal scums . As long as people with eyes are here you cant corrupt our ideology

 

[PakZindaBad1]

Iqbal for sure was visionary..he forsaw an event at least couple of decades prior to it's happening...even more respect for only one of the 2 people who are recognised across the globe for their smartness(Dr.Iqbal and Dr.Adbus Salam)

 

[monh zorr]

مسلم لیگ،،جو ہندوستان کے مسلمانوں کی نمائندہ جماعت تھی، ان صوبوں پر مشتمل،جن میں مسلمان اکثریت میں ہونے کی وجہ سے پہلے ہی اسلامی اصولون کے تحت آرام سے زندگی گذار رہے تھے،ایک مسلم اسٹیٹ کی ڈیمانڈ کر رہی تھئ،، کچھ سمجھ میں آنے والی بات نہیں ہے، ہمارے بزرگ آخر کیا سوچ کر فیصلہ کررہے تھے، انکی نگاہ میں وہ کڑوڑوں مسلمان نہیں تھے، جو ہندستان بھر میں بکھرے ہوئے تھے، اور آزادی کی تحریک کے روح رواں تھے،
کوئی بتا سکتا ہے آخر کیا سوچ تھی، اور اس فیصلہ کے پیچھے کیا عوامل کار فرما تھے،

 

[alimohsan52]

There are some Indian Lickers on this forum who have huge regrets as to why Pakistan was created? For these lot Pakistan's creation was a mistake.They will go to any extent to prove this.

When Indian media and their generals were talking just a few months ago about Invading and breaking Pakistan. These dogs were begging people on the forum not to utter a word against India. LOL. Now you can judge for yourself what the Intentions of these people are!

 

[Believer12]

May I tell Dr. Thompson that in this passage I do not put forward a “demand” for a Moslem state outside the British Empire

It shows Allama was against the creation of a separate independent Muslim state. Even Allama sahib favouring the British rule.

 

[Star Gazer]

There are some Indian Lickers on this forum who have huge regrets as to why Pakistan was created? For these lot Pakistan's creation was a mistake.They will go to any extent to prove this.

When Indian media and their generals were talking just a few months ago about Invading and breaking Pakistan. These dogs were begging people on the forum not to utter a word against India. LOL. Now you can judge for yourself what the Intentions of these people are!

Will you please give names of those people on this forum? I think it is time to know who is who and what.

 

[Star Gazer]

May I tell Dr. Thompson that in this passage I do not put forward a “demand” for a Moslem state outside the British Empire

It shows Allama was against the creation of a separate independent Muslim state. Even Allama sahib favouring the British rule.

What it is saying is that he (Allama Igbal) had not demanded separate Moslem state but he was NOT against it either. More over to remain under the umbrella of common wealth as said in the letter,is exactly what happened.It was also an evolving idea in the letter at the time and Allam's idea of the solution to the problem, not a gospel which could not be improved upon. More over Allama passed away in 1940 and up until then what were his views is important to know also.
It is also a fact that British were not ready to stay in india any more after 1948 originally, which was changed to 1947 after the mutiny that happened on a naval ship in 1946 at Karachi, striking fear in the hearts of the Brits regarding their safety in the presence of so many trained soldiers after the WWII in India.

 

[Star Gazer]

@ Alikhan
You are doing exactly what Igbal said Mr Thompson did,"Tore the passage out of context"

Picking and choosing will help for a while but then it becomes a thorn in the side of the history.

from the passage:

May I tell Dr. Thompson that in this passage I do not put forward a “demand” for a Moslem state outside the British Empire, but only a guess at the possible outcome in the dim future of the mighty forces now shaping the destiny of the Indian sub-continent. No Indian Moslem with any pretence to sanity contemplates a Moslem state or series of States in North-West India outside the British commonwealth of Nations as a plan of practical politics.

You are suggesting with a wink:

"If only such things were taught in our Pakistan Studies classes and remembered by all those "Nazariya-e-Pakistan" mard-e-momins ;)"

is a Mr Thompson trick,it failed then and it will fail now Insha Allah.

 

[Night-Hawk]

Following is the excerpt of my debate with Mr Jury of MQM about the same letter -- the same forum on 20-10-2010.

http://www.siasat.pk/forum/showthre...-wife-Drinking&p=275664&viewfull=1#post275664


Mr Jury! I feel pity for your myopia, imprudence & stubbornness which are amazingly hallmarks of your whole mafia -- lock, stock and barrel. I deliberately wrote in Urdu in above passages to elucidate the concept of partition as perceived and discerned by the pioneers of freedom. Where did I say that Iqbal sought for conclusive & unequivocal division of India way back in 1930. Even Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah agreed to the maximum provincial autonomy within dominion of India (with reference to Cabinet Mission Plan). Both Quaid and Iqbal were not in favour of ethnic cleansing and demographic shifts.When creation of Pakistan seemed inevitable, Jinnah even requested the Sikhs to remain within Muslim sphere of influence and not to divide Punjab.

A unique thing in make up of a thinker & philosopher is his ability to prophesies & prognosticate. He makes his deductions on the basis of logics, reasoning and ground realities. While trailblazing Muslim cause through his poetry and Muslim League leadership, he felt reverberations of renaissance within Muslims of Subcontinent. His foresight compelled him to believe that Muslim state was an ultimate destiny of Muslims of North West whether within or without British Empire. He knew that if such state is not granted by the British, then at some point of time it will become a vehement demand by Indian Muslims. So he came up with a logical solution and may I quote his own words from his above letter to the Editor ;

I would like to see the Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Sind, and Baluchistan amalgamated into a single State. Self-government within the British Empire or without the British Empire, the formation of a consolidated North-West Indian Moslem State appears to me to be the final destiny of the Moslems, at least of North-West India.

Then he goes on to add that this "demand" is not his demand but a logical solution to contemporary build-up and for de-novo scenarios in days to come. He knew that for all practical purposes it is in the best interest of Muslims to remain attached with British commonwealth of nations (of which we still are a part). Let me quote him from the above letter ;

May I tell Dr. Thompson that in this passage I do not put forward a demand for a Moslem state outside the British Empire, but only a guess at the possible outcome in the dim future of the mighty forces now shaping the destiny of the Indian sub-continent. No Indian Moslem with any pretence to sanity contemplates a Moslem state or series of States in North-West India outside the British commonwealth of Nations as a plan of practical politics..

And then like a skilled lawyer & counsel he comes up with a convincing argument. He opposes communal redistribution as envisaged by Nehru (the same thing was stressed upon by Jinnah during final years of partition), but he hankers for a "well organized" autonomous or semi-autonomous Muslim state based on North West provinces, which in his own words would be front line defence against any invader from the North. Again quoting your posted text ;

Although I would oppose the creation of another cockpit of communal strife in the Central Punjab, as suggested by some enthusiasts, I am all for a redistribution of India into provinces with effective majorities of one community or another on lines advocated both by the Nehru and the Simon Reports. Indeed, my suggestion regarding Moslem provinces merely carries forward this idea. A series of contented and well-organized Moslem 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 highlands.

This depicts his tolerance , urge for mutual co-existence with other communities after securing a space guaranteeing Muslim rights. He knew potential insecurities for a minority under British Parliamentary Democracy. Therefore he argued ;

The principle of European democracy cannot be applied to India without recognizing the fact of communal groups. The Muslim demand for the creation of a Muslim India within India is, therefore, perfectly justified. The resolution of the All-Parties Muslim Conference at Delhi is, to my mind, wholly inspired by this noble ideal of a harmonious whole which, instead of stifling the respective individualities of its component wholes, affords them chances of fully working out the possibilities that may be latent in them. And I have no doubt that this House will emphatically endorse the Muslim demands embodied in this resolution.

This forms the basis of Two Nation Theory within or without the realm of British Empire. The "destiny" emerged from "desire" and became unyielding "demand" afterwards. After Lahore resolution in 1940, the future course was chalked out by British and Hindus themselves. Nehru outrightly rejected Cabinet Mission Plan and forced British to divide India, however both outcomes (within or without Indian dominion) were categorically mentioned in Allahabad address (Dec 1930) and Lahore resolution (March 1940).Though I must say that Jinnah had tilt towards former outcome (as evidenced by Jaswant Singh). But would you please explain your Pir's statement in this context ;


The slogan of two-nation theory was raised to deceive the one hundred million muslims of the subcontinent

Who raised this slogan and for whom in 1940 ? Who used it afterwards to create a new nation state? Muslims of which time-line he is referring to ?

 

[M Ali Khan]

This letter vs Khutba e ala abbad . Which has audio recording as well. Which one is right?

Listen up liberal scums . As long as people with eyes are here you cant corrupt our ideology

Yeh hai aap ki "ideology". Pak Studies ka ratta lagao gey tau yehi hoga

 

[M Ali Khan]

There are some Indian Lickers on this forum who have huge regrets as to why Pakistan was created? For these lot Pakistan's creation was a mistake.They will go to any extent to prove this.

When Indian media and their generals were talking just a few months ago about Invading and breaking Pakistan. These dogs were begging people on the forum not to utter a word against India. LOL. Now you can judge for yourself what the Intentions of these people are!

Aap ja kar Ghazwa-e-Hind ki tayyari karein. Pak Studies parhtey huay dimaagh ka yehi haal hota hai.

False sense of "supremacy" over others. No different than the typical right-wing Hindu.

 

[alimohsan52]

Aap ja kar Ghazwa-e-Hind ki tayyari karein. Pak Studies parhtey huay dimaagh ka yehi haal hota hai.

False sense of "supremacy" over others. No different than the typical right-wing Hindu.

What Gazwa Hind what are you talking about? Who is saying Invade India? Is this how you make up stuff about what others think? Standing up for an Independent state means superiority over others? A freak like you needs to get your head checked.

You Indian licker.

 

[M Ali Khan]

What Gazwa Hind what are you talking about? Who is saying Invade India? Is this how you make up stuff about what others think? Standing up for an Independent state means superiority over others? A freak like you needs to get your head checked.

You Indian licker.

Beta, you need to read history. You will realise that this whole "Nazirya-e-Pakistan" is a post-1947 construct by a select group of military, bureacracy, political, and mullah elites to fool the masses and discredit the people genuinely fighting for a Pakistan that accepts its social diversity and is a truly progressive state.

Kindly get your head out of the sand.

 

[alimohsan52]

Beta, you need to read history. You will realise that this whole "Nazirya-e-Pakistan" is a post-1947 construct by a select group of military, bureacracy, political, and mullah elites to fool the masses and discredit the people genuinely fighting for a Pakistan that accepts its social diversity and is a truly progressive state.

Kindly get your head out of the sand.

Chacha Jee,

Are you against the creation of Pakistan or not?

 

[alimohsan52]

Pakistan is a REALITY and I fully accept its creation

Are you saying that although you were not in favor of Pakistan's creation, nevertheless now that it has been created you accept that?

 

[Ali raza babar]

Yeh hai aap ki "ideology". Pak Studies ka ratta lagao gey tau yehi hoga

Again , Out of Reason Out of Logic out of Manners , A Perfect Recipe for a Brainless Liberal , Enjoy my Friend
Ignorance Really is a Bliss.

 

[Ali raza babar]

Pakistan is a REALITY and I fully accept its creation

regardless of how much f*ck ups were done in its creation, I fully ACCEPT Pakistan.

Do read Dr Ayesha Jalal's book "The Sole Spokesman: Jinnah, the Muslim League, and Demand for Pakistan" to understand why.

Also, do read Zahid Chaudhary's book series "Pakistan Ki Siasi Tareekh" (Vol 1-12) while you are at it.

My ONLY, yes ONLY, problem is straightforward:

We REFUSE to learn lessons from History and pretend to believe in bogus myths created by our selfish elites. Anyone who questions this false mythical narrative is declared "GHADDAR".

Unknown Authors , Bullock's Crap , Inserted by your Enemies , Read Maulana Asad if you wanna know what is the Base of Pakistan , Go to your Elders if you have any , Ask them , If they were there , They will tell you why Pakistan was Created. Mistakes ? The Only Mistake was Letting Kashmir go right after the Creation.

Pakistan is Task Accomplished , And Now , It can Never be UNDONE,

Try harder.

 

[alimohsan52]

Pakistan's creation was the best ever thing to happen. If you are against then get lost and cry!