JAGGAN NATH AND IQBALEAN STUDIES

 Dr. T. C. Rastogi

Despite its being common knowledge among the people belonging to the Urdu circles that the measure of success attained by 'Azad' in rehabilitating Iqbal's works, and for that matter respectability for Urdu Literature and Persian Literature, in post-partition India exceeds in worth and esteem-valuation of the awards and medals presented to him in India and Pakistan no one has said a word touching on this point. In post-partition India traumatic experience and emotions generated by in-human treatment meted out to the persons migrating from and into India, Urdu Literature tended to fall on evil days. The very name of Urdu, not to say of Iqbal, became a bete noire; it came to be associated with anti-Indian elements. It was in that dark and dismal environment that Japan Nath Azad, who himself had been compelled by the conditions then obtaining to leave his hearth and home and seek refuge in India, rose above his bleeding psyche to speak in behalf of Urdu as well as Iqbal's poetic worth. His was the first voice, he began writing articles in English and in Hindi besides in Urdu of which he is a poet of no mean merit and a critic worthy of attention. His article on Iqbal, the one he contributed to esteemed Hindi Weekly Dharma Yuga (Time of India Publication), came a day none too soon; the article, not accessible to me now and yet its contents well-stored in my mind, did a yeo­man's service. The misconceptions generated in the majority community were a little allayed. Urdu was once again put into the path. Had there been no-Azad, and a few other persons including myself who continued writing in Urdu, I do not think there would have been any respectability for Urdu and a soft corner for Iqbal's poetry; the first person running the gauntlet was Azad and Azad alone.

It was at this stage that Azad began to be described as Hafiz-e-Iqbal; doubtless he is such a Hafiz, not only in the sense that Iqbal's poetry is stored in his memory but also in the sense of Protector/Saviour of Iqbalean studies in India. Why and how have we so far refrained from making an avowal of the role played by him? I am pained beyond measure to pose this question to even myself. Against this background he gains in esteem and stature the more. Anyway, this role, though very important and epoch-making, should not be allowed to cast a halo round his literary and critical potentialities. An artist, whether a creative writer or poet, and also a critic, has a wide cultural perspective well-grounded in more than one language and at home in several disciplines including philosophy, sociology, anthropology, comparative religions, psychology and such others. Knowledge in true sense of the term is indivisible; various subjects are its categories. In addition to all these qualities a creative writer/poet or critic should be endowed with 'Intellectually calibrated acceptability', 'emotional potentiality' and 'moral honesty'. And, 'Azad' has all these concomitants in abundance. Born and brought up in the best traditions of Urdu and Persian poetry, he inherited poetic culture and also 'Urdu Culture.

(Urdu Culture, in true sense of the term, symbolises secular-get-together and non-communal sentiments and emotional responses); his father Munshi Tilok Chand Mahrum was a prolific poet of no-mean excellence. Thus, Urdu and Persian literatures have been 'Azad's hier-loom. His criticism is therefore informed by all that poetry calls for and consequently he can best get to first base. Besides innumerable articles written in Urdu and in English including the papers presented in the seminars he has written full-fledged books on Iqbal:

1. Iqbal Aur Uska Ahd (Urdu) Idara-e-Anis-e-Urdu Allahabad (1960).

2. Iqbal: Mind and Art (National Book House, Lahore: 1981).

3. Muhammad Iqbal: Ek Adabi Sawaneh-e-Hayat (Modern Pub. House New Delhi: 1983).

4. Iqbal Aur Maghrabi Mufakkarin (Jamia Islamia).

This first book, Iqba/Aur Uska Ahd, is a collection of three extension lectures delivered at the University of Jammu. The first lecture is entitled She'r-e-Iqbal Ka Hindustani Pasmanzar, (Indian Background of Iqbal's poetry); the second is captioned Iqbal Ke Ka/am Ka Mutasawwifana Lab-o-Lehja (Sufi trends and strands in Iqbal's poetry); and, the third deals with Iqbal Aur Uska Ahd (Iqbal and His Times).

Before reading out his first lecture Prof. Azad observed inter alia that"… Iqbal's poetry is almost an ocean of philosophy and meanings… Iqbal's poetry is read with interest outside Indo-Pak subcontinent and has been rendered into a number of foreign languages. Indo-Pak subcontinent which has the pride of cradling Iqbal has been leading in the number of books written about Iqbal and a good many scholars have appraised his poetic worth and have paid tribute to the genius and Iqbal was… Since my attaining maturity in studies I have been drinking deep at the fountain of Iqbal's poetry, and I have been going through the books written about the poet… After the partition Iqbal, who was acknowledged as National Hero in Pakistan, began to be neglected in India on account of misconceptions born of the writings and utterances of the lovers of Iqbal's poetry; the process still continues. Iqbal loved Islam from the depths of his heart and this is palpably discernible in his entire poetry from beginning to end. But on this score there seems to be no reason why Iqbal should not be cared for and his works read. Milton and Dante were devout Christians; Hinduism surges along in the writings of Tulsidas and Rabindranath Tagore. The love of religion is in fact a healthy source for loving mankind… Iqbal suffered a set back because the lovers of his poetry read his poetry alone, leaving aside his prose-works which are in no mean number. Without keeping in view his The Development of Metaphysics in Persia and Reconstruction of Religious Thought in /slam one can hardly understand that Iqbal stood for. Again, there are his letters written by him from time to time to the distinguished scholars; a study of these letters goes a long way towards an understanding of the evolution of Iqbal thought. Whereas he never parted with any healthy tradition he never regarded any tradition as his faith:

If conformity would have been good demeanor

Iqbal's Letter to Tilok Chand Mahrum

Mr. Tilok Chand Mahrum has produced an excellent little volume of Urdu poems. His translations from English as well as original poems are equally good. I have' no hesitation in recommending of this little collection of Mr. Mahrum's poems to the general public and to the Text Book Committee. I suppose the Committee can make selections from this volume for the purpose of school text books.

23rd Sep, 1915

Mohammad Iqbal Advocate, Lahore.

(With the courtesy of Prof. Jagan Nath Azad)

Even the messenger would have followed in the foot-steps of the foretatners.

(Payam-e-Mashriq)

Iqbal's poetry is both conformist and non-conformist at the same time… He confessed to his having studied Islam in the light of Western Philosophy of which he had been a life-long scholar."

(Harf-e-Awwal... tr. mine)

Azad describes Iqbal's personality, perhaps poetic personality, as `multi splendoured' which deserves to be studied without mental reservations, and placed in the historical perspective. Since 1857 Urdu poetry and Persian poetry started assimilating political conscience which is palpably discernible. Iqbal had high regard for Indian culture and philosophy. The first poem HIMALA in Bang-e-Dara bears out the poet's feelings and sentiments. The poem `Aftab', which is a versified translation of Gayatri Mantra, and the prose-introduction prefacing the poem point out the depth of study that has gone into the poem. Another poem, ."Tasvir-e-Dard" brims with patriotic sentiments. Iqbal's poems on Lord Rama, Guru Nanak, Swami Ramtirth and a few others too in the same collection are replete with patriotic zeal. Payam-e-Mashriq, Bal-e-Jibriel, Bandagi Nama and others show love for the things dear to all Indians. In Javid Nama Iqbal shows himself meeting Vishvamitra, Bhartrihari, Ghalib, Tipu, among a good many Islamic personalities. In Zarb-e-Kalim and Armughan-e-Hijaz Iqbal as usual emerges as a poet of universal values. After his return from England, Iqbal of course began criticising pettifogging and 'chauvinistic nationalism; Iqbal faults patriotism that draws upon such a nationalism. Despite this his love for India and Indians did never wane.

The second lecture contained in the book being talked about so far deals with Tasawwuf (Mysticism). Azad has given a full description of the storm of opposition following the publication of Iqbal's Asrar-e-Khudi. Iqbal was a Sufi but a Sufi abhoring renunciation and a cloistered living; he stood for a dynamic life for the welfare of the society and Muslim community. He cried a halt to shying away from the problems facing the community and the mankind Azad has devoted thirty five pages to the controversial issue which at one time spat fire and embittered relations; given the full hang of the appropriate arguments he concluded saying that "Iqbal's poetry is a vast ocean of surging mysticism" (p-85). One may join issue with Azad on a number of points here and there but none can doubt Azad's sincerity and depth of the study. The lecture merits reading between the lines.

The third lecture throws light upon the times Iqbal appeared on the scene. Azad has given an account of the conditions prevailing in post-mutiny India, and the establishment of the British Empire. India's response and reaction began reverberating even in literature. Urdu poetry and also Persian poetry written by Ghalib and Iqbal have a sharp note of social protest. Iqbal was against the alien rule; from the core of his heart he desired the extinction of Western influences eating into the vitals of the countries in Central Asia and India. Iqbal's poetry, in the light of the argu­ments advanced by Azad, begins to look like a Testament of a New Age. The book containing these three lectures ends with a bibliography running into a many as four pages containing useful suggestions for further reading.

Azad's lqbal: Mind and Art (Edited by Dr. Mohammed Maruf, and pub­lished by Na..jnal Book House, Lahore: 1981) is a collection of articles contributed to leading journals and seminar-papers written by Prof. Azad. In the Foreword, Dr. Maruf describes Iqbal's thought as 'multilateral'; I add 'multinuclear and multilocular' as well. But, why? one may well ask. Iqbal was a eclectic genius. Being eclectic is neither derogatory nor does the quality detract from one's merits either. There are critics who attribute every thought of Iqbal to Islamic sources, labouring under a notion that pointing to other horizons of thoughts would lower Iqbal's position as a poet. Besides, a great many scholars why away from admitting any impact or influence other than that of Islam's. No genius is a 'windowless monad' rather; he takes in what attracts his attention with open arms. In addition to this, not many a critic knows what is really meant by 'Influence of Impact'. An influence or impact, if analytically appraised, is a process of reactive thoughts manifesting itself in "ac-quiescence, total or partial, or even in revolt" a criterion worked out by me while working on Western Influence in Iqbal which earned me a doctorate in English Literature. This very important point was missed by even Dar and Vahid as is borne out from their writings which otherwise fare of very high standard. This opposite remark is almost a digression from the topic in hand. Dr. Maruf deserves congratulations for his penetrating observation that Iqbal's thought "shows a multifarious influences, both Oriental and Accidental, classical and Modern". He has acumen and live critical sensibility to infer that Azad's approach to Iqbal is satisfactory enough in as much as he does full justice to the 'multi-dimensionality' of Iqbal's works. The Foreword is followed by a well-written Introduction covering as many as twelve pages of the book. By and large, Dr. Maruf has acquitted himself quite creditably by looking through the works of Azad's touching upon the poet of the East, Iqbal.

The first paper contained in the book deals with the date of Iqbal's birth, which had-been once quite a burning issue. Azad's role in the controversy was in-deed construction based as it was on his having ransacked almost all the sources. Azad proved to the hilt that November 9, 1877 was the date of Iqbal's birth. Since it was accepted both in India and Pakistan it is needless to go into the question once again. Now we have shambled up to the date the issue should be regarded as settled. Nevertheless Azad's efforts made towards the end deserve to be complimented.

The second paper deals with Indian Background of Iqbal's Poetry. The arguments advanced by Azad are perspicacious and all told they constitute an improvement upon what he has put forward in Iqbal Aur Uska 'Ahd. Iqbal's approach to religions other than Islam was never hostile; the poet did welcome with open arms the thoughts not violative of Islamic spirit. In this connection I should recommend for close perusal of paper entitled Iqbal and Religions other than Islam and His Excellency S.M.R. Burney's lecture entitled Iqbal and National Integration (published by Haryana Sahitya Academy, which has been translated into Urdu, Hindi and Tamil; it is going to be translated into Assamese and Bengali too). Azad, it may be mentioned has been a pioneer.

Iqbal: Poet and Politician is one of the most controversy-invoking subjects. Azad quotes Iqbal: " …I have tried to meet, even though partially the urgent demand by attempting to reconstruct Muslim religious philosophy with due regard to the philosophical tradition of Islam and the more recent developments in the various domains of human knowledge". (Preface to The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam.) And M.M. Sharif is quoted as observing that "Iqbal is the greatest thinker that the Muslim world has produced during the last six centuries". (p. 98) In About Iqbal and his Thought, Sharif writes: "Iqbal is undoubtedly a poet of Islam" (p. 37). Digressing a little from the arguments brought in by Azad, I tend to draw attention to the opinion held by Syed Abu! Hasan 'Ali Nadwi (popularly known as Hadrat 'Ali Mian') who is the topmost Muslim thinker of the present day Muslim world. 'Ali Mian, while holds Iqbal's poetry in great esteem for it awakens Muslims to the need of purposeful living as Muslims and does enthuse them to espouse Islamic ways, is of the opinion that Iqbal's The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in /slam, is not worth-paying attention to; he holds, better he should not have written the book. This is what Nadwa School of Muslim Thought has not been chary of acknowledging. The Zakir Hussain Institute of Islamic Research (Jamia' Millia) does 'not share Hadrat's views on the point; but, the views are concurred in by the 'Ulamas of Shibli Academy Azamgarh too. If I remember aright, Gibb too has observed that Iqbal's views regarding Heaven and Hell 'as mental states' brings Iqbal 'on to the verge of heresy'. As a matter of fact, Iqbal's views concerning Hell and Heaven seem to have been derived from Al-Kindi and I khwan-as-Safa' School of Thought; the Mu'tazilah thinkers too held similar ideas. Anyway, Azad's observations derive from all sincerity and he is very right to caution against confusing relation with communalism. Iqbal did have a clear-cut Islamic ideology which went into forming his political views too. Whether or not Iqbal's views corresponded to the ideology of Pakistan is quite beside the mark now in as much as Pakistan is now a sovereign state and master of her own destiny. K.L. Gauba, a friend of Iqbal, has described Pakistan as the 'Mausoleium of Iqbal' in his autobiography entitled Friends and Foes (New Delhi); Khalid Latif Gauba, in place of Kanhiyya Lal Gauba, was suggested by Iqbal and Mr. Gauba has a lot to say about Iqbal in the book which may be turned to by researching persons. Azad puts with acumen: "Iqbal's greatness does not lie in his political views but in his creative art, which derived inspiration from four sources: Islam, Western Thought, Hindu Philosophy and, Last but not the least, his own Self or Ego". (p-106). Azad has very pertinently referred to Iqbal's remarks, "It must, however, be remembered that there is no such thing as finality in philosophical thinking    Out duty is carefully to watch the progress of human thought, and to maintain an independent critical' attitude towards it... . (During) the last five hundred years religious thought in Islam has been stationary… With the reawakening of Islam… it is necessary to examine in an independent spirit, what Europe has thought and how far the conclusions reached.... can help us in the revision and, if necessary, reconstruction of theological thought in Islam".

(The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam) Iqbal is a poet of worth and human values. Azad has referred to Kalimuddin Ahmad's observation that Iqbal has no place in world literature. Besides, Azad makes mention of Baqar Mehdi's rancous outpourings against Iqbal. Azad has not evaluated he standpoints; but he expects his (Iqbal's) admirers to undertake writing about Iqbal as a poet. I venture to add that despite to so much of wrangling over Iqbal's place in world literature no one has as yet cared to examine what is really meant by world literature. To me, the term world literature is a beguiling literary term; for further elucidations, readers are re-quested to go through my articles captioned: 'Almi Adab… Ek Gumrahkun Adabi Istilah" (Sha'ir… Salgreh Number).

Then follows the paper entitled Iqbal: His Poetry and Philosophy which enlists, charges levelled against Iqbal and then it has Azad's arguing pro and con at length. Assembling the observations for and against Iqbal before refuting the constricted outlook of several critics has made the paper quite informative as well as keenly critical. Iqbal's multi-dimensional personality, his inquisite mind, Iqbal in the context of 'Mosque Cordova', his views on Islam and Modernism, his art and thought, his vision of a new era, his views with regard to the individual and the people and such others are the topics as have come in for a threadbare discussion; Azad acquits himself creditably enough, though not always with disarming arguments. To him, Iqbal is indivisible whole and his poetry and philosophical ideas are almost inseparable; he is a poet standing for human values; his poetry is rooted in realism. Azad maintains that "armed with a progressive world outlook, Iqbal, whose poetry has been a worthy reflection of great historical change, has shown the younger generation of Urdu poets how to weld into a single whole the beauty of ideals of art and the truth of actual life". (p. 139).

Azad then proceeds to discuss the topic Iqbal, Schopenhauer and Quran. What has been stated on the topic by Azad has been or seems to have been disputed by Dr. Maruf. There seems to be a 'mix-up' both in the views of Azad and those of Dr. Maruf. Meliorism, a doctrine opposed both to optimism and pessimism, implies that the world) is capable of improvement. It is not characteristically denied by any school that ours is an expanding universe, logic, philosophy, science and other disciplines are not exclusive of one another. Rather any one of these, if viewed critically, was not pessimist. Hegel, Fischte, and Schopenhauer were contemporaries. Gardinar Patrice in his work Schopenhauer describes that Schopenhauer exercised an influence upon the thinking of Nietzsche, Henri Bergson and William James; developing and analyzing a new conception as a dimension of human behaviour Schopenhauer led philosophy away from abstract idealism and concern with pure reason and directed the discipline towards realism and search for new conceptions. Pain is doubtless the cardinal idea' the philosopher assimilated from his study of Buddhism. Buddhism enjoins upon it adherent righteous living; cloistered life, penances and such practices lead us no where. The Holy Quran, in my humble opinion directs us to lend a hand to Mustad'aafin (oppressed and exploited, have-nots) and lead a life in obeisance to the commandments contained in the Quran. With regard to Azad's views it would have to be admitted that his arguments have weight enough to carry conviction.

Iqbal, Islam and the Modern Age brims over worth-taking note of quotes, which in view of their importance need not be lost sight of:

"In, my reading of 'Asrur-e-Khudi' (Sic) and 'Rumuz-i-Bekhudi' I felt that one or two places, which I cannot now recall, I came across some contradictory ideas. I availed myself of the opportunity of taking up these topics with him. He tenderly smiled and observed: My dear Sharif, Asrur and Rumuz are poetic works and not books of philosophy" (About Iqbal & His Thought, quot. 153).

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"I am afraid; I have no philosophy to teach. As a matter of fact, I hate system of philosophy, nor do I trust principles and conclusions of philosophy. No man has condemned the human intellect more than I i.e. as applied to the ultimate realities of religion. No doubt I talk of things in which philosophers are interested. But with me these things are matters, of living experience and not of philosophical reasoning" (Eminent Muslims, Madras, 1926).

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Stepanyants writes: "(Iqbal) was familiar with Western philosophy and sciences, and knew how to present the ideas of religious modernism with theoretical persuatopm (sic: persuasion). His desire to bring the teachings of Islam closer to Western Philosophy and the finds of modern science echoed the mood of younger generation of the national bourgeoisie and intellectuals, who wanted to cast off the burden of the old dogmas and adopt new ideals… Iqbal did take from the West whatever corresponded most to the basic premises of his philosophical conception. He made it his goal to create a system resting on modernized Islam, and tried to prove that the philosophy of Islam was not out-dated, but merely needed to have its principles expressed in the terminology and ideas of the new times. From that premise it remained for him to find points of contacts between Muslim philosophy and the modern theories of the West".

Azad takes cognizance of all these arguments and then proceeds to point out that Iqbal was well aware of the modern age and its demands. He was well-grounded in Western and Islamic philosophical viewpoints. He used philosophy as a touch stone of religion. He was impressed by the teachings of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan as well as Jamal-ud-Din Afghani. Iqbal is a poet of all times; his message is not 'cabined cribbed and confined'. His message is universal. His sufi-stance is dynamic and vigorous. Azad's way of writing in characteristically his own; his arguments seem to have been formed by his love for Iqbal's poetry.

It would be most unfair if no mention is made of the 'notes' written by Dr. Maruf; each chapter is followed by notes. Dr. Maruf's perspicacity and literary talent deserve not only praise but a full chapter; taken all the notes together, and analyzed critically, one can write about Dr. Maruf's stance as well. I wish I could have written touching this aspect as well.

Iqbal: Mind and Art has a good number of appendices dealing with a number of topics and issues. 'Thus Spake Iqbal' gives a few jottings made by Iqbal a few months before his death in 1938; Iqbal wanted to give them the caption "The Book of the Forgotten Prophet". Azad has very appropriately given a few jottings under the heading Thus Spake Iqbal, patterning it on Nietzsche's Thus Spake Zurthustra, Many of these jottings are available in note-book posthumously published under the title Stray Reflections; but Azad has not mentioned this point. Iqbal's views on Hinduism and Christianity and a few others seem to evoke further discussion and need not be regarded as a judgement delivered by the poet. Azad's three letters to the Editor, Hindustan Times add to the study of Iqbal and these are succinctly written. Then, there are two reviews — one on Iqbal Singh: The Ardent Pilgrim and the other on Dr. Yusuf Husain Khan's, Hatiz Aur lqbal. These reviews are informat­ive and thought-provoking. Appendix 'D' deals with Anand Narain Mulla's transla­tion of Lala-e-Tur into English. Had Azad given a few examples one would have benefited. I have not gone through Mulla's English rendering. Mention has been made of Arberry's translation too; despite many mistakes his translation remains quite English and he was grateful to those pointing out errors. His letter addressed to me acknowledging my interpretation better than his own is contained in my research-thesis Western Influence in Iqbal.

Muhammad Iqbal, written by Azad and published by Modern Publishing House: Delhi, contains five chapters: 1. Iqbal's Childhood and bringing-up, 2. Iqbal at Lahore, 3. Three years in Europe, 4. Twenty years: Iqbal's pre-occupations, 5. Last Eight years. There is no dearth of Iqbal's biographies including Hayat-e-Iqbal (Taj Company), Zikr-e-Iqbal, Roozgar-e-Fuqir and Zinda Rud. The one written by Azad stands out prominently especially because Iqbal's poetry has been always kept in view besides mentioning Iqbal's soft corners and soft-nothings too. It is labour of love and as such the book would have to be kept in view while appraising Azad's opinions centering on Iqbal.

Iqbal Aur Maghrabi Mufakkirin, published in India by Jamia Millia and in Pakistan by Maktaba-e-'Alia, centres on Iqbal's responses to Western thinkers. The book invites attention. Besides, Azad prepared Muraqqa'-e-Iqbal for Publications Division of Govt. of India, it contains requisite pictures and details about Iqbal. With a view to catering to the need of the children Azad wrote Bachoon Ka Iqbal, a book which evidences Azad's psychological insight into what children desire to know.

In the context of his writings on; Iqbal and connected topics Azad stands out as a critic with Encyclopedic erudition; he is Iqbal Academy incarnate; and, he is the first man who ventured to rehabilitate Iqbal and Urdu Literature in post-partition India. His strivings would continue to be appreciated and lauded for all times to come and his name would remain associated with Iqbal's.