Allama Iqbal Observed That a Class of Conformists Was Being Churned Out In Our Schools Who Didn't Have Courage to Ask Creative Questions
By
Showkat Rashid Wani
November 9,
2020
Today we see
lot of unrest in the society; still a clear demarcation line has not been drawn
between what is westernization and modernization, what is literacy and
education. Lot of intolerance and hatred around, social insensitivity,
attitudinal rigidity, ingratitude, statistical thinking, all this is eating
into the vitals of our society. There
is a missing link; what are the basic objectives of education and what we are
teaching in our institutions. The rate
of delinquency is increasing and an unconcerned attitude on the part of society
is deviating the youth off the track. Parents and teachers are mute spectators
as cyber-crimes are increasing. There
are cases of youth going astray; they lack compass and direction. Just like a
ship cannot reach its destiny without rudder same is the case with our present
system of education, without any sound educational philosophy we will not bear
fruits. The educational philosophy of Dr Allama Iqbal has answer fro us. It is
a compass which shall make our path auspicious and directional.
Dr Iqbal
observes that a class of conformists is being churned in our schools who do not
have courage to ask creative questions. They lack the courage to defend the
justified cause of the brethren in their absentia and follow the crowd with sheepish
mentality. He laments that the world is entangled in structured customs,
rituals and traditions. In the midst of this storm the role of the teacher was
expected to be of torch bearer, and change setter. But unfortunately these
blunt minded souls have become the blind followers of these customs and
traditions. In the contemporary times we have made hell of our lives amidst
plenty, people suffer from free floating anxiety. In one of the poems Iqbal
addresses Himalayas and tells it to relate the story of that simple life which
was free from the stain of a rogue formality. Dr Iqbal was particularly
dismayed at the deep rooted, incorrigible, servile and slavish mentality that
had crept in the minds of Muslim teachers and students. In the contemporary times
the voice of dissent is not tolerated and respected in a class. It breeds
slavish mentality.
Dr Iqbal
observes in slavery the heart dies within the body and spirit becomes a burden
on body. Slavery saps life from the body, what hope of any good can you have
from a lifeless body. A slave is ready to selloff both his faith and
intelligence at a cheaper price. The Holy Quran which teaches a believer to be
sovereign. Slavery corrupts the mentality of the nation to such an extent that
whatever was originally right has now been declared as wrong. These slaves of
the west are of the view that the Holy book is deficient as it does not teach a
Mumin the manners of slavery. Originality of imagination has died away to such
an extent that eastern people have turned into blind imitators of the west.
There is a numb culture growing up very rapidly. We are becoming stoically
selfish. Engrossed in our own images, we are building up a context that is so
overpowering with its cumbersome architecture of detachment and disregard. With
an indignant amazement we watch people suffering and even being eliminated but
we are not actually moved.
With a
disgraceful deception, we consume only information about everything horrendous
happening to others and later subtly settle down in a non-sensitive world as
sheer spectators with no genuine concern. Iqbal asserts that there is a dire
need to reboot our behavioral configuration and explore the sensitivity chip
afresh. For human beings sensitivity is deep embedded in their personality, it just
needs to be re-discovered. Taking pains to remove the pains of others is the
true essence of generosity. Righteousness is the ornament of knowledge.
According to Iqbal true education is an awakening of love of truth, social
justice and opening eyes of the soul to greater purpose of life. Dr Iqbal
impresses upon the younger generation to respect elders and take care of their
parents in their old age.
Iqbal
grieved like a little child upon the death of his mother Imam Bibi (November 9
1914). He wrote a detailed poem “In the memory of my late mother” in Urdu. The
poem ends with a brief prayer that has become perhaps the most common epithet
on tombstones after the Quranic inscription “Aasman Teri Lehad Per Shabnum
Afshani Karay—” (May the sky shower dew drops on the grave; may this abode
be guarded by ever growing blossoms). For the development of Khudi
(Self) man has to come out from the cocoon of self-centeredness and try to feel
the pain of others. What happens in the real world people think my universe is my
family, outside is none of my concern. Once there is a metamorphosis from
self-centeredness to other-centeredness
Almighty Allah rewards the person in unexpected ways for his unreciprocated and
unconditional approach for his fellow brethren.
Regarding
the evolution of soul to higher orbit in our youth (Akhabiri-Ruh) Iqbal
says that they have to think and act above the statistical plane of profit and
loss. Youth is an opportunity and you should not let that opportunity go waste
in spending your time in lethargy, day dreaming and chasing non-directional
goals. Dr Iqbal believes in a strenuous life because in toil we flourish.
Iqbal’s
main source of inspiration are the teaching of Islam and the life of the Holy
Prophet. The preface to the book ‘Reconstruction of Religious Thoughts of
Islam’ begins with assertion that The Quran is a book which emphasizes deed
rather than an idea.
Women
Empowerment is to conceptualize within Islamic prism, Iqbal says the
contemporary civilization has granted me liberty, which is liberty only in name
in reality it is nothing but captivity. Iqbal has a firm faith in perpetual
change. A static mind or a static society is un-imaginable for him. In his
delightful poem ‘Kinar-i-Ravi’ he says ‘the vessel of life of man is on the move,
in an ocean of eternity it appears and disappears but never suffers defeat at
the hands of death’. In another poem Chand aur Tare Iqbal says ‘every atom in
this universe is restless, our job every morning and evening is to be on the
move, there is a death hidden in static state, those on the move have gone
ahead and those who halted a bit have been trampled’. In Bal-i-Jibreel he says
‘every particle of the universe is palpitating, the caravan of the existence
does not halt anywhere. Life is only an urge to move on, it has experienced
many crests and troughs. Journey is dearer to it than destination. Journey is
the tool and equipment of life .Journey is reality while rest is unreal.’
Regarding
modern Knowledge Iqbal says ‘The power
of the west comes not from lute and dancing of the unveiled girls, its power
comes from science and technology; the turban is no impediment to science,
brains are necessary not European clothes, if you have a nimble intellect and
perceptive mind that is sufficient. Even if one studies under western education
system there is no risk provided unpunctuated faith in one Allah is embedded in
the very nature of student’.
Iqbal
stressed to revisit teacher-student relation rooted in gratitude and values.
Fear Psychosis is induced in present day teachers that if they confront
students on genuine grounds management will throw away them from their jobs.
“There were times when student were ready to offer even their hearts, the most cherished possession, in return to
the service of the teacher. But now times have changed to such an extent that
after the lesson is over the student asks his teacher to present his bill for
payment.”
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Showkat
Rashid Wani is Coordinator (Education), Directorate of Distance Education,
University of Kashmir
Original
Headline: Iqbal, education, and modernization
Source: The Greater Kashmir
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/allama-iqbal-observed-that-class/d/124307
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