JAVID NAMA

Versified English Translation

by Dr. Muhammad Iqbal

Translated from the Persian with introduction and notes

ARTHUR J. ARBERRY INTRODUCTION

The bare facts of the life and career of the author of the work here translated may be summarized in a few sentences; more extended biographies are not far to seek, and for the English-reading public A. Schimmels Gabriels Wing, Iqbal Singhs The Passionate Pilgrim, and S. A. Vahids Iqbal, his Art and Thought, contain a wealth of detail and interpretation sufficient to satisfy the most exacting curiosity. Muhammad Iqbal was born on February 22, 1873, at Sialkot, a populous centre of West Punjab near the borders of Jammu, of a family hailing originally from Kashmir. In 1895 he moved to Lahore to complete his formal studies, and there began to write. In 1905 on the advice of Sir Thomas Arnold, at that time teaching in Government College, he proceeded to England and for three years at Trinity College, Cambridge he applied his great energies chiefly to philosophy under McTaggart. Graduating from Cambridge in 1908, Iqbal qualified for the Bar in London and did post-graduate work in Germany before returning to India to teach in Lahore and to practise law; later he resigned his appointment at Government College and concentrated on his legal and political work. In 1924. he became a member of the Legislative Assembly of his native province, and in 1930 he was elected President of the Moslem League of India; meanwhile in 1922 a knighthood had been conferred upon him. Taking part in the London Round-Table Conference on India in 1931-32, he spent 1933 in Afghanistan as adviser on education. In 1934 his health began to decline, and on April 21, 1938, he died. Throughout his extremely active life, in which he did so much to shape the destinies of the land of his birth and to mould the political future of the Moslem community (so that he has been called the spiritual founder of Pakistan), Iqbal maintained a steady and, towards the end, a torrential output of literature. Writing with equal facility in Urdu, Persian and English, and in his soaring range covering law, philosophy and religion as well as politics, it was as a poet that Iqbal made his greatest contribution to letters. On his death Rabindranath Tagore wrote: "The deatlh of

Sir Muhammad Iqbal creates a void in literature that like a mortal wound will take a very long time to heal. India, whose place in the world is too narrow, can ill afford to miss a poet whose poetry had such universal value." Iqbals first publication, in 1901, was a treatise on economics in Urdu, the earliest to appear in that language; his last, issued posthumously under the title Armughan-i-Hijaz (Present from Hijaz), contained his final collection of Persian and Urdu poems. The volume here translated, the Javid Namah, came out in 1932. Iqbals magnum opus, writes his biographer S. A. Vahid, is the Javid Namah. Within a few years of its publication the poem became a classic, and. one great scholar proclaimed that the poem will rank with Firdausis Shah Namah, Rumis Mathnawi, Sadis Gulistan and the Diwan of Hafiz. Nor was this tribute an exaggeration, as subsequent criticism showed ... In judging a poem we have to consider two things: the style and the substance. So far as the style is concerned, Javid Namah belongs to the very first rank of Persian verse. It is unsurpassed in grandeur of expression, in beauty of diction and in richness of illustration. As regards theme, the poem deals with the everlasting conflict of the soul, and by telling the story of human struggle against sin, shows to mankind the path to glory and peace. In every line the poet makes us feel that he has something to say that is not only worth saying, but is also fitted to give us pleasure. Thus, as regards style as well as theme the poem is a masterpiece. The Javid-nama, having been frequently reissued in lithograph the edition on which the present translation is based was published in 1946 at Hyderabad (Deccan) was first translated, into Italian, by Professor Alessandro Bausani under the title II Poema Celeste (Rome, 1952). A version in German verse, Buch der Ewigkeit (Munich, 1957), has come from the pen of Professor Annemarie Schimmel. A French version, by E. Meyerovitch and Mohammed Mokri, has the title Le Livre de lternit (Paris, 1962). In 1961 a translation in English verse was published in Lahore, The Pilgrimage of Eternity by Shaikh Mahmud Ahmad. The poem has thus reached a truly international public, and has already taken its rightful place amongst the modern classics of world literature. Iqbal composed three long Persian poems in which he gave artistic expression to his highly characteristic philosophical ideas. The first of these, the Asrar-i Khudi, was published in 1915 and on its first appearance took by storm the younger generation of Indian Moslems. "Iqbal," wrote one of them, "has come amongst us as a Messiah and has stirred the dead into life." So wrote R. A. Nicholson, whose prose version of this work, The Secrets of the Self (Macmillan, 1920), first introduced Iqbals writings to the western public. The second of the trilogy, the Rumuz-i Bekhudi came out in 1918, but it was not until 1953 that the first translation appeared, an English blank-verse rendering by the present writer entitled The Mysteries of Selflessness (John Murray). As their titles indicate, the central theme of both these poems is the Self, or human ego, in its relationship to society, more specifically the Moslem community, and the place of the Moslem community in the world at large. In common with all sensitive Moslems in India and elsewhere, Iqbal was deeply pained by the contrast between Islam in the days of its greatest power, and the status of colonial tutelage to use a mild euphemism to which most Moslem countries had sunk in modern times. He saw the only hope of reversing the process of decline to reside in the regeneration of every individual Moslem, and the working together of these regenerated

individuals in a united and purposeful Community of Believers, in Gods good time coextensive with the whole of humanity. Thus the Kingdom of God on earth, Iqbal wrote in a famous letter to R. A. Nicholson, means the democracy of more or less unique individuals, presided over by the most unique individual possible on this earth. For a developed philosophical exposition of his doctrine of the Self, in its maturest form, the reader is recommended to consult Iqbals Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam (O.U.P., 1934), and especially chapter IV, The Human Ego his freedmon and in mortality. Both the Asrar-i Khudi and the Rumuz-i Bekhudi were composed in rhyming couplets, following a very long tradition in Persian didactic poetry going back a thousand years. The metre chosen by Iqbal for these poems is the ramal-i musaddas-i maqsur, the same as that employed by the greatest of Persian mystics, Jalal al-Din Rumi (1207-1273), in the greatest didactic poem in Persian literature, the Masnavi. I have summarized the early history of this verse-form in the preface to my Tales from the Masnavi (Allen & Unwin, 1961), which the reader may wish to consult. One noteworthy feature of the convention is that the poet lightens from time to time the weight of formal exposition by the introduction of illustrative anecdotes; to this tradition Iqbal also conformed. When, however, he came to compose the third of his trilogy, Iqbal varied the pattern strikingly; the Javid-nama is conceived as a narrative poem, or rather, a poetic drama, in which the didactic is put into the mouths of the dramatis personae. A further remarkable novelty is the interspersing of lyrics, in various metres and in the mono-rhyme characteristic of the Persian ghazal, the effect of which is a very great enhancement of the poetic tension of the whole. The Javid-nama is a description of a spiritual journey made by the poet, from earth through the spheres of the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, to beyond the spheres and to the Presence of God. The antecedents of this heavenly adventure go back, within Islamic tradition, to the celebrated miraj of the Prophet Mohammed, that famous legend of his Ascension the germs of which are to be traced in the Koran. In his journey through the seven heavens Mohammed, mounted upon the winged horse Buraq, had as his guide the archangel Gabriel; in the course of his ascent he is said to have encountered and conversed with earlier prophets, from Adam in the first heaven to Abraham in the seventh, before enjoying the supreme felicity of colloquy with God. The Prophets miraj naturally formed a theme of meditation and as part of the imitatio Prophetae of emulation for many pious Moslems and mystics through the succeeding centuries, and so Iqbal did not lack for precedents and models when he came to adopt this very popular vehicle for the final expression of his doctrine of Moslem regeneration and self-realization. He nominated as his guide the poet to whose language, style and thought he felt himself rightly to be under a special obligation, the Sage of Rum, Jalal al-Din Rumi; whilst the personalities he encountered on his journey were drawn not from the hierarchy of the prophets, but from those who had played a leading part in the history of Islam, particularly in its later period. Iqbal presents the translator with all the usual problems connected with translating poetry, and with further problems, still more difficult of solution, posed by his elusive style and idiosyncratic vocabulary. That this elusiveness was deliberate is proved by a remark he jotted down in a notebook dating from 1910, and published by his son Javid in 1961 : Matthew Arnold is a very precise poet. I like, however, an element of obscurity and vagueness in poetry; since the vague

and the obscure appear profound to the emotions. In choosing Persian as the medium for conveying his universal message, Iqbal was not adding materially to the difficulties of interpretation; rather the contrary, for Persian had been preferred by Indian Moslem poets for centuries over the local idioms, Persian being the court language of the Moghul Empire. (The rise of Urdu, and the consequent decline of the knowledge of Persian, in fact happened during Iqbals lifetime; his own genius did very much to enhance its status and mature its style.) But Persian is a language almost ideally suited to deliberate vagueness, on account both of its grammatical and syntactical simplicity, and of its rich and at the same time somewhat imprecise philosophical vocabulary. Or rather, imprecision is not the crux of the matter; the case is, that the terms available for was are capable of a variety of meanings, and Iqbal, like every original thinker, not infrequently attached to quite simple words and clichs his own private signification. This last point has been well made by S. A. Vahid in his Iqbal, his Art and Thought. The remarkable point about Iqbals poetry is the sense of "newness", and the main reason for this is that although Iqbal was not actually anti-traditionalist, he uses certain words and combination of words to express his visions which are entirely original. Some of these words are coined by him; others represent old words used in an entirely new sense ... He is also a superb phrase-maker and has wonderful felicity of phrasing by which language acquires meanings beyond those formally assigned by the lexicographer. These words and phrases act as the keystone for the entire arch of the poetic inspiration. As the removal of the keystone is sure to cause the downfall of the entire arch, so if we try to substitute something else for the master word or phrase, the whole artistic expression is marred. The use of those words and phrases give to Iqbals poetry not only a sense of "newness" found in very few Urdu and Persian poets, but also the quality of surprise which characterises all great poetry. It has been said that the ideal at which the translator should aim is to produce a version as near as possible to what his original would have written, had he been composing in the translators language and not his own. It so happens that in the case of the Javid-nama, we have been provided with material, though all too scanty, enabling us to test this theory; in his Reconstruction of Religious Thought, Iqbal has himself translated into English two passages from this poem. The first of these passages represents verses 2733-2736, which in Iqbals own version become: The I am which he seeketh, Lieth beyond philosophy, beyond knowledge. The plant which groweth only from the invisible soil of the heart of man, Groweth not from a mere heap of clay. In the original Persian these lines read: khvast ta az ab u gil ayad birun khusha-yi k-az kisht-i dil ayad birun anchi u juyad maqam-i kibriya-st in maqam az aql u hikmat ma-vara-st

The poet thus not only reversed the original order of the two couplets, but also changed the tense of the main clause, itself in apposition to the immediately preceding sentence and having the same verbal construction, from the past to the present; nor, as will be seen, were these the only liberties he took with himself liberties which would surely be condemned in any ordinary translator. Iqbals second self- translation is more extensive, representing lines 239 to 266 of the Javidnama. Art thou in the stage of Life, death, or death- in- life? Invoke the aid of three witnesses to verify thy Station. The first witness is thine own consciousness See thyself, then, with thine own light. The second witness is the consciousness of another ego See thyself, then, with the light of an ego other than thee. The third witness is Gods consciousness See thyself, then, with Gods light. If thou standest unshaken in front of this light, Consider thyself as living and eternal as He ! That man alone is real who dares Dares to see God face to face! What is Ascension? Only a search for a witness Who may finally confirm thy reality A witness whose confirmation alone makes thee eternal. No one can stand unshaken in His Presence; And he who can, verily, he is pure gold. Art thou a mere particle of dust? Tighten the knot of thy ego; And hold fast to thy tiny being! How glorious to burnish ones ego And to test its lustre in the presence of the Sun! Re-chisel, then, thine ancient frame; And build up a new being. Such being is real being; Or else thy ego is a mere ring of smoke! The foregoing passage affords a very fair example of how close and how remote Iqbal was prepared to make his own version of himself; for comparison, in addition to the translation offered in the present volume, the reader may like to consider the verseparaphrase by Shaikh Mahmud Ahmad. Art thou alive or dead or dying fast? Three witnesses should testify thy state. The first as witness is the consciousness Of self, to see thyself by thy own light. The second is anothers consciousness

That thou mayst kindle thus to see thyself. And thy third witness is Gods consciousness, A light in which thou mayst see thyself. Before the Lords effulgence if thou standst Thou art alive like Him. For life is but To reach thy destined end, that is to see The Lord unveiled. One who believes Shall never lose himself in Attributes For Mustafa insisted on the Sight. The night to heaven means a longing for A witness who may testify thyself. Unless it be confirmed by Him, our life Is nothing but a play of tint and smell. No one can stand against His beauty bright, Except the one who has perfection reached. O grain of sand! thy lustre do not lose, Thy egos knot but tighten up. Thy gleam Increase, then test thyself against the sun, If thou canst thus reshape thyself and pass The test, thou art alive and praised or else The fire of life is smoke and naught beside. Other specimens of English versions of selected passages from the Javid-nama may be inspected in the general literature, by now extensive, which has developed out of studies of Iqbal. As for the translation here offered, the aim has been to adhere as closely as possible to the meaning of the original Persian; passages not immediately comprehensible, by reason of out-of-the-way references or otherwise, have been clarified in brief notes. Appended to the Persian text is an Address to Javid, the poets son after whom the poem was named: this appendix does not form part of the whole work, and the present translator has followed the example of his predecessors and has omitted it.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE
RUMI, the Sage of Rum, Persian poet and mystic ZARVAN, the Spirit of Time and Space JAHAN-DOST, an Indian ascetic SAROSH, a Mazdean angel GAUTAMA, the Buddha DANCING-GIRL AHRIMAN, the Zoroastrian Principle of Evil ZOROASTER TOLSTOY IFRANGIN, an embodiment of Europe ABU JAHL, an enemy of the Prophet Mohammed JAMAL AL-DIN AFGHANI, an Afghan religious reformer SAID HALIM PASHA, a Turkish statesman and reformer

ZINDA-RUD, title bestowed on the author MARDUKH, ancient idol BAAL, ancient idol PHARAOH KITCHENER OF KHARTOUM SUDANESE DERVISH, the Mahdi of Sudan MARTIAN ASTRONOMER MARTIAN PROPHETESS HALLAJ, Persian mystic and martyr GHALIB, Indian poet QURRAT AL-AIN, Babi poetess and martyr SATAN, a fallen angel called Iblis SPIRIT OF INDIA SADIQ, JAAFAR, Indian traitors NIETZSCHE SAYYID ALI HAMADANI, a Persian mystic known as Shah-i Hamadan TAHIR GHANI, a poet of Kashmir BARTARI-HARI, an ancient poet of India, Bhartrihari NADIR, eighteenth century Shah of Persia ABDALI, founder of modern Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Durrani NASIR-I KHUSRAU, an early Persian poet MARTYR-KING, Tippoo Sultan of Mysore HOURIS, maidens of Paradise BEAUTY, an Aspect of God

PRAYER
Man, in this world of seven hues, lute-like is ever afire with lamentation; yearning for a kindred spirit burns him inwardly teaching him threnodies to soothe the heart, and yet this world, that is wrought of water and clay how can it be said to possess a heart? Sea, plain, mountain, grassall are deaf and dumb, deaf and dumb heaven and sun and moon; though the stars swarm in the selfsame sky each star is more solitary than the other, 10 5

each one is desperate just as we are, a vagrant lost in an azure wilderness the caravan unprovisioned against the journey, the heavens boundless, the nights interminable. Is this world then some prey, and we the huntsmen, or are we prisoners utterly forgotten? Bitterly I wept, but echo answered never: where may Adams son find a kindred spirit? I have seen that the day of this dimensioned world whose light illuminates both palace and street came into being from the flight of a planet, is nothing more, you might say, than a moment gone. How fair is the Day that is not of our days, the Day whose dawn has neither noon nor eve! Let its light illuminate the spirit and sounds become visible even as colours; hidden things become manifest in its splendour, its watch is unending and intransient. Grant me that Day, Lord, even for a single day, deliver me from this day that has no glow! Concerning whom was the Verse of Subjection revealed? For whose sake spins the azure sphere so wildly? Who was it knew the secret of He taught the names? Who was intoxicated with that saki and that wine? Whom didst Thou choose out of all the world? 35 30 25 20 15

To whom didst Thou confide the innermost secret? O Thou whose arrow transpierced our breast, who uttered the words Call upon me, and to whom? Thy countenance is my faith, and my Koran: dost Thou begrudge my soul one manifestation? By the loss of a hundred of its rays the suns capital is in no wise diminished. Reason is a chain fettering this present age: where is a restless soul such as I possess? For many ages Being must twist on itself that one restless soul may come into being. Except you fret away at this brackish soil it is not congenial to the seed of desire; count it for gain enough if a single heart grows from the bosom of this unproductive clay! Thou art a moon: pass within my dormitory, glance but once on my unenlightened soul. Why does the flame shrink away from the stubble? Why is the lightning-flash afraid to strike? So long as I have lived, I have lived in separation: reveal what lies beyond yon azure canopy; open the doors that have been closed in my face, let earth share the secrets of heavens holy ones. Kindle now a fire within my breastleave be the aloe, and consume the brushwood, 60 55 50 45 40

then set my aloe again upon the fire and scatter my smoke through all the world. Stir up the fire within my goblet, mingle one glance with this inadvertency. We seek Thee, and Thou art far from our sight; no, I have erred-we are blind, and Thou art present. Either draw aside this veil of mysteries or seize to Thyself this sightless soul! The date-tree of my thought despairs of leaf and fruit; either despatch the axe, or the breeze of dawn. Thou gavest me reason, give me madness too, show me the way to inward ecstasy. Knowledge takes up residence in the thought, loves lodge is the unsleeping heart; so long as knowledge has no portion of love it is a mere picture-gallery of thoughts. This peep-show is the Samiris conjuring-trick; knowledge without the Holy Ghost is mere spellbinding. Without revelation no wise man ever found the way, he died buffetted by his own imaginings; without revelation life is a mortal sickness, reason is banishment, religion constraint. This world of mountain and plain, ocean and land we yearn for vision, and it speaks of report. Grant to this vagrant heart a resting-place, 85 80 75 70 65

restore to the moon this fragment of the moon. Though from my soil nothing grows but words, the language of banishment never comes to an end. Under the heavens I feel myself a stranger: from beyond the skies utter the words I am near, that these dimensions, this north and this south, like to the sun and moon in the end may set, I shall transcend the talisman of yesterday and tomorrow, transcend the moon, sun, Pleiades. Thou art eternal splendour; we are like sparks a breath or two we possess, and that too borrowed. You who know naught of the battle of death and life, who is this slave who would emulate even God? This slave, impatient, conquering all horizons, finds pleasure neither in absence nor in presence. I am a momentary thing: make me eternal, out of my earthiness make me celestial. Grant me precision both in speech and action: the ways are clear- give me the strength to walk. What I have said comes from another world; this book descends from another heaven. I am a sea; untumult in me is a fault; where is he who can plunge into my depths? A whole world slumbered upon my shore and saw from the strand naught but the surge of a wave. 110 105 100 95 90

I, who despair of the great sages of old, have a word to say touching the day to come! Render my speech easy unto the young, make my abyss for them attainable.

PRELUDE IN HEAVEN
On the first day of creation Heaven rebukes Earth
Life out of the delight of absence and presence fashioned forth this world of near and far; so snapped asunder the thread of the moment and mixed the hues of Times house of amazement. On all sides, out of the joyous yearning for habitude arose the cry: I am one thing, you are another. The moon and the stars learned the way to walk, a hundred lamps were kindled in the firmament. In the azure heavens the sun pitched its gold-cloth tent with its silver ropes, raised its head over the rim of the first dawn and drew to its breast the new-born world. Mans realm was a heap of earth, no more, an empty wilderness, without a caravan; not a river wrestled in any mountain, not a cloud sprinkled on any desert, no chanting of birds among the branches, no leaping of deer amidst the meadow. Sea and land lacked the spirits manifestations, 130 125 120 115

a curling vapour was the mantle of earths body; the grasses, never having known the breeze of March, still slumbered within the depths of earth. The azure sky then chided the earth, saying: I never saw anyone pass so miserable a life! In all my breadth what creature is so blind as you? What light is yours, save that drawn from my lamp? Be earth high as Alvand, yet it is only earth, it is not bright and eternal as the skies. Either live with the apparatus of a heart- charmer, or die of the shame and misery of worthlessness! Earth felt put to shame by heavens reproach, desperate, heavy of heart, utterly annihilated, fluttered before God in the agony of unlight. Suddenly a voice echoed from beyond the skies: O trusty one, as yet unaware of the trust, be not sorrowful; look within thy own heart. The days are bright of the tumult of life, not through the light thou seest spread in all quarters. Dawns light comes from the spotted sun, the souls light is unsullied by the dust of time; the souls light is upon a pathless journey, roves farther than the rays of sun, and moon. Thou hast washed from the souls tablet the image of hope, yet the souls light manifests out of thy dust! 155 150 145 140 135

Mans reason is making assault on the world, but his love makes assault on the Infinite; his thought knows the way without any guide, his sight is more wakeful than Gabriel. Earthy, yet in flight he is like an angel; heaven is but an ancient inn upon his way; he pricks into the very depths of the heavns like the point of a needle into silk; he washes the stains from the skirt of Being, and without his glance, the world is blank and blind. Though few his magnificats, and much blood he sheds, yet he is as a spur in the flanks of doom. His sight becomes keen through observing phenomena so that he sees the Essence within the attributes. Whoever falls in love with the beauty of Essence, he is the master of all existing things. 170 165 160

SONG OF THE ANGELS

The lustre of a handful of earth one day shall outshine the creatures of light; earth through the star of his destiny one day shall be transformed into heaven. His imagination, which is nourished by the torrent of vicissitudes, one day shall soar out of the whirlpool of the azure sky. Consider one moment the meaning of Man; what thing do you ask of us? Now he is pricking into nature, one day he will be modulated perfectly, so perfectly modulated will this precious subject be that even the heart of God 180 175

will bleed one day at the impact of it!

SONG OF THE ANGELS

The lustre of a handful of earth one day shall outshine the creatures of 175 light; earth through the star of his destiny one day shall be transformed into heaven. His imagination, which is nourished by the torrent of vicissitudes, one day shall soar out of the whirlpool of the azure sky. Consider one moment the meaning of Man; what thing do you ask of us? Now he is pricking into nature, one day he will be modulated perfectly, 180 so perfectly modulated will this precious subject be that even the heart of God will bleed one day at the impact of it!

PRELUDE ON EARTH
The Spirit of Rumi appears and explains the mystery of the Ascension
Tumulutous love, indifferent to the city for in the citys clangour its flame dies seeks solitude in desert and mountain-range or on the shore of an unbounded sea. I, who saw among my friends none to confide in, rested a moment on the shore of the sea: the sea, and the hour of the setting sun the blue water was a liquid ruby in the gloaming. Sunset gives to the blind man the joy of sight, sunset gives to evening the hue of dawn. I held conversation with my heart; I had many desires, many requests a thing of the moment, unsharing immortality, a thing living, unsharing life itself, 195 190 185

thirsty, and yet far from the rim or the fountain, involuntarily I chanted this song.

Ghazal
Open your lips, for abundant sugar-candy is my desire; show your cheek, for the garden and rosebed are my desire. In one hand a flask of wine, in the other the beloveds tress such a dance in the midst of the maidan is my desire. You said, Torment me no more with your coquetry: begone! That saying of yours, Torment me no more, is my desire. O reason, become out of yearning a babbler of words confused; O love, distracted subtleties are my desire. This bread and water of heaven are fickle as a torrent; I am a fish, , a leviathan-Oman is my desire. My soul has grown aweary of Pharaoh and his tyranny; that light in the breast of Moses, Imrans son, is my desire. Last night the Elder wandered about the city with a lantern saying, I am weary of demon and monster: man is my desire. My heart is sick of these feeble-spirited fellow-travellers; the Lion of God and Rustam-i Dastan, are my desire. I said, The thing we quested after is never attained. He said, The unattainable - that thing is my desire! The restless wave slept on the grey water, the sun vanished, dark grew the horizon evening stole a portion of its capital 215 210 205 200

and a star stood like a witness above the roof. The spirit of Rumi rent the veils asunder; from behind a mountain mass he became visible, his face shining like the sun in splendour, his white hairs radiant as the season of youth a figure bright in a light immortal, robed from head to foot in everlasting joy. Upon his lips the hidden secret of Being loosed from itself the chains of speech and sound: his speech was as a suspended mirror, knowledge commingled with an inward fire. I asked him, What is the existent, the non-existent? What is the meaning of praiseworthy and unpraiseworthy? He said, The existent is that which wills to appear: manifestation is all the impulse of Being. Life means to adorn oneself in ones self, to desire to bear witness to ones own being; the concourse on the day primordial arrayed desired to bear witness to their own being. Whether you be alive, or dead, or dying for this seek witness from three witnesses. The first witness is self-consciousness, to behold oneself in ones own light; the second witness is the consciousness of another, to behold oneself in anothers light;

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the third witness is the consciousness of Gods essence, to behold oneself in the light of Gods essence. If you remain fast before this light, count yourself living and abiding as God! Life is to attain ones own station, life is to see the Essence without a veil; the true believer will not make do with Attributes the Prophet was not content save with the Essence. What is Ascension? The desire for a witness, an examination face-to-face of a witness a competent witness without whose confirmation life to us is like colour and scent to a rose. In that Presence no man remains firm, or if he remains, he is of perfect assay. Give not away one particle of the glow you have, knot tightly together the glow within you; fairer it is to increase ones glow, fairer it is to test oneself before the sun; then chisel anew the crumbled form; make proof of yourself; be a true being! Only such an existent is praiseworthy, otherwise the fire of life is mere smoke.. I asked again, How shall one go before God? How may one split the mountain of clay and water? The Orderer and Creator is outside Order and Creation;

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we - our throats are strangled by the noose of Fate. He said, If you obtain the Authority you can break through the heavens easily. Wait till the day creation all is naked and has washed from its skirt the dust of dimension; then you will see neither waxing nor waning in its being, you will see yourself as of it, and it of you. Recall the subtlety Except with an authority or die in the mire like an ant or a locust! It was by way of birth, excellent man, that you came into this dimensioned world; by birth it is possible also to escape, it is possible to loosen all fetters from oneself; but such a birth is not of clay and water that is known to the man who has a living heart. The first birth is by constraint, the second by choice; the first is hidden in veils, the second is manifest; the first happens with weeping, the second with laughter, for the first is a seeking, the second a finding; the first is to dwell and journey amidst creation, the second is utterly outside all dimensions; the first is in need of day and night, the second-day and night are but its vehicle. A child is born through the rending of the womb, a man is born through the rending of the world;

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the call to prayer signalizes both kinds of birth, the first is uttered by the lips, the second of the very soul. Whenever a watchful soul is born in a body this ancient inn the world trembles to its foundations! I said, I know not what manner of birth this is. He said, It is one of the high estates of life. Life plays at vanishing and then reappearingone role is constant, the other transitory; now life dissolves itself in manifestation, anon it concentrates itself in solitude. Its manifestation shines with the light of the Attributes, its solitude is lit up by the light of the Essence. Reason draws life towards manifestation, love draws life towards solitude. Reason likewise hurls itself against the world to shatter the talisman of water and clay; every stone on the road becomes its preceptor, lightning and cloud preach sermons to it. Its eye is no stranger to the joy of seeing, but it possesses not the drunkards boldness; therefore, fearing the road, it gropes like a blind man, softly, gently it creeps along, just like an ant. So long as reason is involved with colour and scent showly it proceeds upon the path to the Beloved; its affairs achieve some order gradually

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I do not know when they will ever be completed! Love knows nothing of months and years, late and soon, near and far upon the road. Reason drives a fissure through a mountain, or else makes a circuit around it; before love the mountain is like a straw, the heart darts as swiftly as a fish. Love means, to make assault upon the Infinite, without seeing the grave to flee the world. Loves strength is not of air and earth and water, its might derives not from toughness of sinew; love conquered Khaibar on a loaf of barley, love clove asunder the body of the moon, broke Nimrods cranium without a blow, without a battle shattered Pharaohs hosts. Love in the soul is like sight it in the eye, be it within the house or without the door; love is at once both ashes and spark, its work is loftier than religion and science. Love is authority and manifest proof, both worlds are subject to the seal - ring of love; timeless it is, and yesterday and tomorrow spring from it, placeless it is, and under and over spring from it; when it supplicates God for selfhood all the world becomes a mount, itself the rider.

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Through love, the hearts status becomes clearer; through love, the draw of this ancient inn becomes void. Lovers yield themselves up to God, give interpretative reason as an offering. Are you a lover? Proceed from direction to directionlessness; make death a thing prohibited to yourself. You who are like a dead man in the graves coffer, resurrection is possible without the sound of the Trumpet! You have in your throat melodies sweet and delicate; how long will you croak like a frog in the mud? Boldly ride upon space and time, break free of the convolutions of this girdle; sharpen your two eyes and your two ears whatever you see, digest by way of the understanding. "The man who hears the voice of the ants also hears from Time the secret of Fate." Take from me the glance that burns the veil, the glance that becomes not the eyes prisoner. "Man is but sight, the rest is mere skin; true sight signifies seeing the Beloved. Dissolve the whole body into sight go to gazing, go to gazing, go to gaze!" Are you afraid of these nine heavens? Fear not; are you afraid of the worlds immensity? Fear not. Open wide your eyes upon Time and Space,

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for these two are but a state of the soul. Since first the gaze advanced on manifestation the alternation of yesterday and tomorrow was born. The seed lying in the soils house of darkness a stranger to the vast expanse of the sky does it not know that in an ample space it can display itself, branch by branch. What is its substance? A delight in growing; this substance is both its station and itself. You who say that the body is the souls vehicle, consider the souls secret; tangle not with the body. It is not a vehicle, it is a state of the soul; to call it its vehicle is a confusion of terms. What is the soul? Rapture, joy, burning and anguish, delight in mastering the revolving sphere. What is the body? Habit of colour and scent, habit of dwelling in the worlds dimensions. Your near and far spring out of the senses; what is Ascension? A revolution in sense, a revolution in sense born of rapture and yearning; rapture and yearning liberate from under and over. This body is not the associate of the soul; a handful of earth is no impediment to flight.

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ZARVAN: THE SPIRIT OF TIME AND SPACE, CONDUCTS THE TRAVELLER ON HIS JOURNEY TO THE SUPERNAL WORLD

My soul was convulsed by the words that he spoke, every atom of my body trembled like quicksilver. Suddenly I saw, between the West and the East, heaven immersed in a single cloud of light; out of that cloud an angel descended having two faces, one like fire, one like smoke one dark as night, the other bright as a meteor, the eyes of one watchful, the others eyes asleep. The hues of his wings were of crimson and gold, emerald and silver, azure and lapis-lazuli; his temper had the fleetness even of a phantom, he sped from earth to the Milky Way in an instant; every moment he was seized by another desire, to spread his wings in yet another sky. He said, I am Zarvan, I am the world-subduer, alike hidden from sight and manifest am I. Every plan is bound up with my determining; voiced and voiceless-all alike are my prey. Through me the bud swells upon the branch, through me the birdie bewails in the nest; through my flight the seed becomes a stalk, through my effluence every parting turns to union. I pronounce both reproach and exhortation; I render athirst, that I may offer wine. I am life, I am death, I am resurrection, 415 410 405 400 395

I am the Judgment, Hell, Heaven and Houri. Man and angel are both in bondage to me, this transitory world is my own child; I am every rose that you pluck from the branch, I am the matrix of every thing that you see. This world is a prisoner in my talisman, every moment it ages through my breath. But he who has in his heart I have a time with God, that doughty hero has broken my talisman; if you wish that I should not be in the midst, recite from the depths of your soul I have a time with God. I know not what it was that was in his glance, it snatched away from my sight this ancient world; either my sight opened on another world or this same world took on another form. I died in the universe of colour and scent, I was born in a world without tumult and clamour; my thread snapped from that ancient world, a whole new world came into my hands. My soul trembled at the loss of a world until another world blossomed out of my dust; my body became nimbler, my soul more adventurous. the eye of my heart was keener and more wakeful; veiled things became manifest uncurtained, the melody of the stars reached my cars. 440 435 430 425 420

CHANT OF THE STARS

Your reason is the fruit of life, your love is creations mystery; O form of dust, welcome to this side of the world of dimensions!
Venus and Moon and Jupiter are rivals on your account, 445

for one glance from you theres a great jostle of manifestations. On the road to the Beloved there are revelations ever fresh and new; the man of true yearning and desire yields not his heart to the All. Life is truth and purity, life is quickening and surging; gallop from eternity to eternity; life is the Kingdom of God. Unto the passion of minstrelsy give leave to clamour and riot, give wine again to profligate and censor, wine pitcher on pitcher. Syria and Iraq, India and Persia are accustomed to the sugarcane; give to the sugar-canes habituate the bitterness of desire! That it may enter upon battle with the high-billowed ocean give to the heart of the rivulet the joy of the swift torrent. The poor man is a fire, rulership and power imperial are straw; a naked sword is ample enough for the august pomp of kings. The drumming of the dervish, Alexanders clamorous vanity the one is the rapture of Moses, the other the Samiris conjuring. The one slays with a glance, the other slays with an army; the one is all peace and amity, the other is all war and wrangling. Both were conquerors of the world, both sought immortality, the one by the guidance of violence, the other guided by love. Bring the hammer-blow of the dervish, break the rampart of Alexander; renew the ancient wont of Moses, break the glamour of wizardry! 465 460 455 450

THE SPHERE OF THE MOON

This earth and heaven are the Kingdom of God, this moon and Pleiades are our patrimony; whatever thing meets your gaze upon this road, regard it with the eye of intimacy. Go not about your own dwelling like a stranger you who are lost to yourself, be a little fearless! This and that impose your command on their hearts; if you say Dont do this, do that, they obey. The world is nothing but idols of eye and ear; its every morrow will die like yesterday. Plunge like a madman into the desert of the Quest, that is to say, be the Abraham of this idol-house! When you have travelled all through earth and heaven, when you have traversed this world and the other, seek from God another seven heavens, seek a hundred other times and spaces. Self-lost to sink on the bank of the river of Paradise, quit of the battle and buffetting of good and evil if our salvation be the cessation of searching, better the grave than a heaven of colours and scents. Traveller! the soul dies of dwelling at rest, it becomes more alive by perpetual soaring. Delightful it is to travel along with the stars, delightful not to rest one moment on the journey. 490 485 480 475 470

When I had tramped through the vastness of space that which was once above now appeared below me, a dark earth loftier than the lamp of night, my shadow (O marvel! ) flung above my head; all the while nearer and nearer still until the mountains of the Moon became visible. Rumi said, Cleanse yourself of all doubts, grow used to the manners and ways of the spheres. The moon is far from us, yet it is our familiar; this is the first stage upon our road; seen must be the late and soon of its time, seen must be the caverns of its mountains. That silence, that fearful mountain-range, inwardly full of fire, outwardly riven and ravined! A hundred peaks, such as Khaftin and Yildirim, smoke in their mouths and fire in their bellies; out of its bosom not a blade of grass sprang, no bird fluttered in its empty spaces; clouds without moisture, winds swift and sword-sharp ever doing battle with a dead earth. A worn-out world without colour and sound, no sign of life therein, neither of death, no root of the palm tree of life in its navel, no events hidden in the thighs of its time; though it is a member of the family of the sun 515 510 505 500 495

its dawn and evening beget no revolution. Rumi said, Rise, and take a step forward, do not let slip this wakeful fortune. Its interior is fairer than its exterior, another world lurks hidden in its hollows. Whatever presents itself to you, man of sense, seize it in the rings of the eye and the ear. If the eye has vision, everything is worth seeing, worthy to be weighed in the glances balance. Wheresoever Rumi leads, there go; be estranged a moment or two from all but he. Gently he drew my hand towards him, then swiftly he sped to the mouth of a crater. 525 520

AN INDIAN ASCETIC, KNOWN TO THE PEOPLE OF INDIA AS JAHAN-DOST, WHO LIVES AS A HERMIT IN ONE OF THE CAVERNS OF THE MOON
Like a blind man, my hand on my companions shoulder, I placed my foot within a deep cavern; the moons heart was sore ravaged by its darkness, within it even the sun would have needed a lamp. Fancies and doubts made assault upon me, hung my reason and sense upon the gallows. I went along a road where highwaymen lurked in ambush, my heart void of the joy of truth and certainty; 535 530

presently manifestations met my gaze unveiled, a bright dawn without any rising of the sun a valley, whereof each stone was an idolater, a demons haunt thick with lofty palm-trees. Was this place truly compounded of earth and water, or was my sleeping fantasy painting pictures? The air was filled with the joy and gaiety of wine, the shadows, kissing its dust, were lights own essence. No cerulean sky spanned its earth, no twilight painted its margin crimson and gold; there light was not in the chains of darkness, there no mists enveloped dawn and eventide. Under a palm-tree an Indian sage, the pupils of his eyes bright with collyrium, his hair knotted on his head, his body naked, coiled about him a white snake writhing, a man superior to water and clay, the world a mere image in the cloister of his fantasy, his time subject to no revolution of days, he had no traffick with the azure-tinted skies. He said to Rumi, Who is your fellow-traveller? In his glance there is a desire for life! 555 550 545 540

Rumi
A man who is a wanderer on the quest,

a fixed star with the constitution of a planet. His enterprise is more mature than his immaturities; I am a martyr to his imperfections. He has made of his glass the arch of heaven, his thought seeks to be boon- companion of Gabriel! He swoops like an eagle on the moon and sun, his prey, hot-foot he circumambulates the nine spheres. A drunkards words he has spoken to the people of earth calling the houris idols, Paradise an idol-house. I have seen flames in the billow of his smoke, I have seen majestic pride in his prostration. Ever he laments yearningly like a flute, separation and union alike slay him. I do not know what is in his water and clay; I do not know what his rank and station may be.

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Jahan-Dost
The world is a thing of colour, and God is without colour. What is the world? What is man? What is God? 575

Rumi
Man is a sword, and God is the swordsman; the world is the whetstone for this sword. The East saw God and did not see the world, the West crept along the world and fled away from God. True servanthood is to open the eyes to God; 580

true life is to see oneself without a veil. When a servant takes quittance of life God Himself calls down blessings on that servant. Whatever man is unconscious of his destiny, his dust travels not with the fire of the soul. 585

Jahan-Dost
Tied up in the knot of being and not-being the East has seen little into these secrets. The task of us celestials is only to see, and my soul does not despair of the Easts tomorrow. Yesterday I saw on the summit of Qashmarud an angel that had descended out of heaven; out of his glance the joy of sight distilled as he gazed solely towards our mound of dust. I said to him, Hide not a secret from your confidants; what is it that you see in this silent dust? Do you melt for the beauty of some Venus? Have you flung your heart into the well of Babylon? He said, It is the hour of the Easts arising; the East has a new sun shining in its breast. Rubies come forth from the stones of the road, its Josephs are issuing out of the well. I have seen a resurrection happening in its bloom, I have seen its mountains trembling and quaking; 600 595 590

it is packing up to quit the station of Azar at last to forswear forever idolatry. Happy is the people whose soul has fluttered, that has created itself anew out of its own clay. For the Throne angels that hour is the dawn of festival when the eyes of a nation at last awake! The Indian sage was silent for a little while; then he looked at me again, somewhat impatiently. He asked, Death of the reason? I said, Giving tip thought. He asked, Death of the heart? I said, Giving up remembrance. He asked, The body? I said, Born of the dust of the road. He asked, The Soul? I said The symbol of One God. He asked, And Man? I said, One of Gods secrets. He asked, The world? I said, Itself stands face to face. He asked, This science and art? I said, Mere husk. He asked, What is the proof? I said, The face of the Beloved. He asked, The commons religion? I said, Just hearsay. He asked, The gnostics religion? I said, True seeing. My words brought much pleasure to his soul, and he disclosed to me delightful subtleties.

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NINE SAYINGS OF THE INDIAN SAGE

1
This world is not a veil over the Essence of God; the image in the water is no barrier to plunging in. 625

2
It is delightful to be born into another world, so that another youth may thereby be attained.

3
God is beyond death, He is the very essence of life; when His servant dies, He knows not what is happening. Though we are birds without wings or feathers, we know more of the science of death than God., 630

4
Time? It is a sweet mingled with poison, a general compassion mingled with vengeance; you see neither city nor plain free of its vengeance its compassion is that you may say, It has passed. 635

5
Unbelief is death, my enlightened friend; how beseems it a hero to wage holy war on the dead? The believer is living, and at war with himself, he falls upon himself like a panther on a deer. 640

6
The infidel with a wakeful heart praying to an idol is better than a religious man asleep in the sanctuary.

Blind is the eye that sees sin and error; never does the sun behold the night.

8
Association with the mire makes the seed a tree; man by association with the mire is brought to shame. The seed receives from the mire twisting and turning that it may make its prey the rays of the sun.

9
I said to the rose, Tell me, you with your torn breast, how do you take colour and scent from the wind and the dust? The rose said, Intelligent man bereft of intelligence, how do you take a message from the silent electric ray? The soul is in our body through the attraction of this and that; your attraction is manifest. whereas ours is hidden. 650

EPIPHANY OF SAROSH
Thereupon the wise man ceased his discourse; self-intoxicated, he broke away from the world ecstasy and yearning snatched him out of his own hands. Then came into being, by the magic of divine vision when it is present the motes become like Mount Sinai, without its presence there is nor light nor manifestation a delicate creature in the talisman of that night, a star shining upon that starless night. 660 665

The hyacinth-curls of his two tresses reached his waist, mountains and foothills drew brilliance from his face. Wholly drowned in a drunken epiphany, drunken without wine, he chanted melodiously. Before him the lantern of the imagination span around, full of wiles as the ancient sphere of heaven; in that lantern appeared a form of many hues, hawk pouncing on sparrow, panther seizing deer. I said to Rumi, You who know the secret, reveal the secret to your companion of little vision. He said, This form like unto flashing silver was born in the thought of the holy God; impatiently, out of the joy of self- manifestation, he came down into the dormitory of existence, like ourselves a wanderer, exile his portion you are an exile, I am an exile, he is an exile. His rank is that of Gabriel, his name is Sarosh, he transports from sense, and restores to sense. It was his dew that opened our bud, the fire of his breath kindled the dead ember. The poets plectrum striking the chords of the heart is of him, and it is he who rends the veil shrouding the Kaaba. Within his melody I have glimpsed an entire universe. now take fire for a moment from his song. 685 680 675 670 665

THE SONG OF SAROSH

I fear that you are steering the barque into a mirage; born within a veil, you will die within a veil. When I washed the collyrium of Razi from my eyes I saw the destinies of nations hidden in the Book. Twist over field and avenue, twist over mountain and desert the lightning that twists upon itself dies within the cloud. I dwelt a while with the Westerners, sought much and saw scarcely the man whose musical modes turn not upon number. Without the anguish of battle that propinquity is not attainable; you who speak of scent in rose-water, , go, ravish the rose-bush! Superficial ascetic, I concede that selfhood is transient, but you do not see the whirlpool within the bubble. This delightful music comes not from the minstrels plucking, a houri exiled from Paradise is weeping within the lute.

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DEPARTURE FOR THE VALLEY OF YARGHAMID, CALLED BY THE ANGELS THE VALLEY OF TAWASIN
Rumi, that guide to passion and love whose words are as Salsabil to throats athirst, said, The poetry in which there is fire originates from the heat of "He is God!" That chant transforms rubbish into a rose-garden, that chant throws into confusion the spheres, that chant bears testimony to the Truth, bestows on beggars the rank of kings. Through it the blood courses swifter in the body, the heart grows more aware of the Trusty Spirit. Many a poet through the magic of his art is a highwayman of hearts, a devil of the glance. The poet of India-God help him, and may his soul lack the joy of speech! has taught love to become a minstrel, 715 710 705

taught the friends of God the art of Azar. His words are a sparrows chirp, no ardour or anguish; the people of passion call him a corpse, not a man. Sweeter than that sweet chant which knows no mode are the words which you utter in a dream. The poets nature is all searching, creator and nourisher of desire; the poet is like the heart in a peoples breast, a people without a poet is a mere heap of clay. Ardour and drunkenness embroider a world; poetry without ardour and drunkenness is a dirge. If the purpose of poetry is the fashioning of men, poetry is likewise the heir of prophecy. I said, Speak again also of prophecy, speak again its secret to your confidant. He said, Peoples and nations are his signs, our centuries are things of his creation. His breath makes stones and bricks to speak; we all are as the harvest, he the sown field. He purifies the bones and fibres, gives to the thoughts the wings of Gabriel; the mutterings within the hearts of creatures upon his lip become Star, Light, and Pluckers. To his sun there is no setting, none; to his denier never shall come perfection. 740 735 730 725 720

Gods compassion is the company of his freemen, the wrath of God is his impetuous blow. Be you Universal Reason itself, flee not from him, for he beholds both body and soul together. Stride then more nimbly on the road to Yarghamid that you may see that which must be seen engraved upon a wall of moonstone behold the four Tasins of prophecy. Yearning knows its own way without a guide, the yearning to fly with the wings of Gabriel; for yearning the long road becomes two steps, such a traveller wearies of standing still. As if drunk I strode out towards Yarghamid until at last its heights became visible. What shall I say of the splendour of that station? Seven stars circle about it unceasingly; the Carpet-angels are inly lit by its light, its dusts collyrium brightens the eyes of the Throne-angels. God gave to me sight, heart and speech, gave me the urge to search for the world of secrets; now I will unveil the mysteries of the universe, I will tell you of the Tawasin of the Apostles. 760 755 750 745

Javid-nama by MUHAMMAD IQBAL; A. J. Arberry

Heshmat Moayyad

Mahfil Vol. 7, No. 1/2 (Spring - Summer 1971), pp. 163-168

THE CREATIVE AND DIRECTIVE FUNCTION OF THE HUMAN EGO

IQBALS QURANIC HERMENEUTICS Dr. Ayesha Leghari Saeed
One of the great contributions of Allama Mohammad Iqbal to modern Muslim thought is his definitive concept of khudi or human personality as derived from an inspired understanding of the Quran. He uses the word khudi in Urdu and Persian to denote the ego, the self or individuality. His aim is to raise awareness regarding the special and prestigious position granted to human beings in the universe. Iqbal gives a dynamic interpretation to the concept of human personality viewed from the Quranic perspective. He quotes from the Quran in order to highlight his belief in the unique nature of the relationship between human beings and God: After his Lord chose him Adam for Himself and turned towards him, and guided him.[1] The word Adam is use by Iqbal as a generic term to mean humanity as a whole. The above words of the Quran express the special, unique and intimate relationship between God and human beings. Iqbals concept of khudi emphasizes this relationship between God and human beings as the chosen of God. Iqbals aim is to reiterates the integral Judaic Christian Islamic concept that human beings have been chosen by God for a special purpose. The Quran makes it very clear that the sole purpose for the creation of human beings is to worship none but God. Iqbal reveals the inner meaning of this concept when he emphasizes that in order to worship God in the true sense of the word, human beings need to reach the stage of khalifatullah or representatives of God on earth. It is good to be Gods vicegerent on earth, And to be a ruler over the elements.[2] Human beings can only achieve this position if they constantly strive for the growth of their egos or selves (khudi). Strengthening of the ego takes place when the ego is not embroiled in the pursuit of pleasure or deterred by the painful and challenging experiences of life. Life offers a scope of ego-activity, and death is the first test of the synthetic activity of the ego. There are no pleasure-giving or pain-giving acts; there are only ego-sustaining and ego-dissolving acts. It is the deed that prepares the ego for dissolution, or disciplines him for a future career. [3] It is through the performance of dynamic and creative deeds that the growth of the personality takes place. In fact Iqbal gives evidence directly from the Quran reiterating his revolutionary belief that not just the survival, but also the continuous growth of the personality can take place after death, only through the performance of ego-sustaining deeds. The verse of the Quran, which he chooses to elaborate this belief, is as follows: By the soul and He who hath balanced it, and hath

shown it the ways of wickedness and piety, blessed is he who hath made it grow and undone is he who hath corrupted it.[4] Iqbal emphasizes the Quranic statement that lays stress on the responsibility which human being have towards themselves, their Lord and the creation around them. And it is He who has made you His representative on the Earth, and hath raised some of you above others by various grades, that he may prove you by His gifts.[5] Despite all the weaknesses, a human being has been gifted with a nature, a consciousness and a soul that can enable him/her to become Gods greatest creation i.e. the representative of God on Earth. Iqbal writes in his Javid Namah: The brilliance of this handful of dust [man] will exceed that of the angels. Through the guidance of his destinys star, the earth will turn into heaven. He, whose mind is reared by constant adventures, Will rise above the whirlpool of the blue skies.[6] Iqbal believes that the representative of God on Earth is one who has developed his personality to such an extent that it maintains its uniqueness, strength, independence and immortality despite coming into direct contact with the Infinite Ego, meaning God. He explains the Quranic verse Verily there is none in the heavens and in the Earth but shall approach the God of Mercy as a servant. He hath taken note of them and remembered them with exact numbering: and each of them shall come to Him on the day of Resurrection as a single individual.[7] It is with the irreplaceable singleness of his individuality that the finite ego will approach the infinite ego to see for himself the consequence of past action and to judge the possibility of his future The unceasing reward of man consists in his gradual growth in self-possession, in uniqueness, and intensity of his activity as an ego.[8] In the Higher Sufism of Islam unitive experience is not the finite ego effacing its own identity by some sort of absorption into the Infinite Ego; it is rather the Infinite passing into the loving embrace of the finite.[9] The personality of such an individual is developed through correct action and egostrengthening deeds to such an extent that when he/she comes in direct contact with the Highest Personality, his/her personality is not effaced. In fact it is the Infinite Ego, which finds expression and symbolic representation within this personality, therefore rendering it immortal and infinite. Iqbal believes that growth of the human personality takes place as a result of the use of will power. Human beings have the power to choose between right and wrong and forge a path towards whatever goals they have set for themselves. Each and every soul will have to face its own resurrection, and no one will be able to bear anothers burden. In his lecture on The Human Ego His Freedom and Immortality, Iqbal states,

The Quran in its simple, forceful manner emphasizes the individuality and uniqueness of man, and has, I think, a definite view of his destiny as a unity of life. It is in consequence of this view of man as a unique individuality, which makes it impossible for one individual to bear the burden of another, and entitles him only to what is due to his own personal effort... [10] Iqbals belief regarding khudi includes the integral concept that a human being is the trustee of a free personality. Verily we proposed to the heavens, and to the Earth, and to the mountains to receive the trust, but they refused the burden and they feared to receive it. Man undertook to bear it, but has proved unjust, senseless.[11] Iqbal quotes the Quran to highlight the freedom of the human personality, which accepted the trust placed upon it by God. The mountains, the earth and the heavens refused to take up this challenge but human beings, being inherently aware of their true potential took up this trust. The question that Iqbal keeps asking us is: Have we taken up this challenge? Have we taken up this trust that raises our status to the highest of creation through a new birth of the spirit? He writes in his Javid Namah: O good man! You came into this world through birth. You can also leap out of it through another birth and can snap the strings that bind you. But this new birth is not a purely physical phenomenon, And a man of vision knows That the first birth was obligatory, while this second one is through your own efforts.[12] There is another Quranic verse which Iqbal quotes in order to elaborate the meaning of this trust that humans accepted at their own peril: By the soul and He who hath balanced it, and hath shown to it the ways of wickedness and piety, blessed is he who hath made it grow and undone is he who hath corrupted it.[13] Human beings accepted the challenge of this trust to become conscious of their own true nature, which has its roots in the Divine Life. Therefore they chose to take up the potential of becoming conscious participants in the creative unfolding of their own personalities. Human beings can raise their states of awareness from an animal-like existence to heightened spiritual states that have no limits. Human beings can make the soul grow and Iqbal uses the following verses of the Quran to explain how to make the soul grow and save it from corruption.[14] Blessed be He in Whose hand is the Kingdom! And over all things is He potent, who has created death and life to test which of you is the best in point of deed; and He is the Mighty and Forgiving.[15] Iqbal says that it is through actions and deeds that reveal a respect for oneself and for other human beings that the ego is prepared for dissolution or for future growth and evolution. The immortality that has been promised in the scriptures is gained through personal physical and spiritual effort that allows for the unleashing of the various divine qualities embedded within the human spirit.

The principle of the ego sustaining deed is respect for the ego in myself as well as others. Personal immortality, then, is not ours as of right; it is to be achieved through personal effort. Man is only a candidate for it.[16] Iqbal believes that human being have the potential for creative growth. Growth takes place through actions, deeds and personal effort. He is against the pessimistic doctrine of Materialism, which supposes that mans end takes place at death. For Iqbal ...death, if present action has sufficiently fortified the ego against the shock that physical dissolution brings, is only a passage to what the Quran describes as Barzakh.[17] The barzakh is a state of consciousness which experiences space and time differently from how they are experienced in this present spacio-temporal order. It is the isthmus that connects this realm of physical reality with the realm of the spirit. The realm of the spirit being so pure and powerful, that access to it is only possible through the intermediate realm of barzakh. The barzakh allows for the spiritual realm and the physical realm to find a meeting place where the qualities of both realms are integrated and amalgamated, as in the realm of dreams and the angelic realm. According to Iqbal, barzakh is not supposed to be experienced in a state of passivity. Instead it is supposed to be experienced as an active state of consciousness, which allows the ego to encounter, understand and interact with other levels of reality without losing its individuality. The time spent between death and resurrection is therefore a time spent in this intermediate realm of reality called the barzakh, where a strengthened ego does not face dissolution when faced with powerful forces from the barzakhi reality. Resurrection, according to Iqbal, is nothing more than an egos own self-assessment of its own past actions in the face of a comprehensive understanding of the actual and volitional potential for growth that it enjoyed while it was clothed in this earthly existence. The ego, therefore, experiences resurrection not as an external event but an internal self-evaluation; a resurrection of its own self from the ashes of its own past experience and the seeds that it sowed for its future growth. Iqbal believes in the possibility of the egos growth even after death.[18] He quotes the following verse of the Quran to substantiate this belief: What! When dead and turned to dust, shall we rise again? Remote is such a return. Now know We what the earth consumeth of them and with Us is a book in which account is kept.[19] The Quran has again and again reiterated the message that the end of human life is not death of the physical body. To Iqbal, the above message suggests that the nature of individuality is such that it is maintained even after the disintegration of the body, as we know it. Although we cannot gain any insight into the nature of the second creation i.e. life after death of the physical body, but the Quran clearly teaches that it is the nature of the human individuality to remain distinct and separate. It is due to its individual character that it experiences resurrection and punishment or reward according to what it deserves through its deeds, before death. Iqbal writes: Philosophically speaking, therefore, we cannot go further than this that in view of the past history of man it is highly improbable that his career should come to an end with the dissolution of his body.[20]

In order to grasp Iqbals understanding of the concepts of hell and heaven and the growth of the human individuality after death, the following passage has been quoted from his seminal lecture on The Human Ego- His Freedom and Immortality. It is important to keep in mind that Iqbal came to these conclusions after an exhausting analysis of the concepts of hell and heaven as are elucidated in the vast realms of Islamic Philosophy, the Quran and Sunnah. Iqbal believes that heaven and hell are not some physical locations outside the human ego but are states of the inner human consciousness. Hell, in the words of the Quran, is Gods kindled fire which mounts over the hearts (37:41-49) the painful realization of ones failure as a man. Heaven is the joy of triumph over the forces of disintegration.[21] Iqbal does not conceive of Hell literally as a pit of everlasting torture,[22] imposed by a vengeful God. Instead he understands it to be a place where an ego devoid of sensitivity to Gods Grace is kindled into a state from which he/she cannot but help respond to Gods Power and Glory. Heaven, on the other hand is conceived as a state where the ego becomes not a passive but an active participant in the creative process. And the recipient of Divine illumination is not merely a passive recipient. Every act of a free ego creates a new situation, and thus offers further opportunities of creative unfolding.[23] The creative unfolding of the human ego through a clear understanding of the doctrine of personal immortality is at the heart of Iqbals concept of khudi. The Creative and Directive Function of the Human Ego Allama Mohammad Iqbal delved into the realms of spirituality, philosophy and psychology to elucidate his concept of the creative and directive function of the human ego. After giving direct evidence from the Quran regarding the possibility of the egos growth even after the event of death, he went on to explain the nature of the human ego and how the movement and growth of the ego towards its higher self is possible through the directive function embedded within its very structure. Iqbal believes that Inner experience is the ego at work.[24] We can conceptualise or feel the ego at work in the very act of perceiving, judging and willing. [25] Iqbal describes the life of the ego as kind of tension which is due to the invasion of the ego in the environment and the environment in turn permeating the ego. According to him the ego does not have a life separated from this mutual relationship between the individual and the environment, instead, it is intricately connected to it as a directive energy and is formed and disciplined by its own experience.[26] He quotes the Quran to sustain his argument: And they ask thee of the soul. Say: the soul proceedeth from my Lords (Rabbi) amr (Directive Energy), but of knowledge only a little is given to you.[27] In order to clarify the distinction between amar and khalq Iqbal resorts to the Quranic distinction of these two concepts. The English language may not have a separate word to clarify the distinction in Gods relationship with his creation and Gods relationship with the human soul, but Arabic supplies us with these separate relationships. Iqbal writes: It has two words khalq and amr to express the two ways in which the creative activity of God reveals itself to us. Khalq is creation amr is direction. As the Quran says: To Him belong creation and direction. (7:54)[28] Therefore the real nature of the soul, its essence is directive as it proceeds from the amr or the Directive energy of God. Another word in Arabic used in the above quoted verse of the Quran,

which emphasizes this unique relationship between God and the human ego, is Rabbi (My Lord). This term is supposed to highlight the intimate level of the relationship between human beings and God. According to Iqbal, it is meant to clarify the individual, specific nature of the soul with all its variations and multiple facets, which balance out into a unique whole and which hold a separate and distinct relationship with God. The relationship with God and khalq or the rest of creation, is different and is based on God being the Creator and the creation being his subjects devoid of directive power. It is only and only human beings whose souls proceed from their Lords Directive energy and therefore, however insignificant, they do have a share in Gods creative power. The Quran informs that human beings have been given only a little knowledge of the creative power inherent within themselves. Iqbals intention is to raise awareness that despite the fact that only a little knowledge is granted to human beings regarding the mysteries of the human soul, yet the fact that the soul proceeds from Gods creative command gives human beings a powerful creative edge over the rest of creation. Iqbal considered personality not as a thing but as an act.[29] He wrote that, My experience is only a series of acts, mutually referring to one another, and held together by the unity of a directive purpose.[30] He lay great emphasis to action and activity rather than passivity, and He believed that Muslim suffered greatly because they did not recognize the necessity for ceaseless endeavour, ceaseless struggle in order to face the challenges of life in a creative ongoing manner. He believed that Muslims were not aware of their true nature which is: The soul proceedeth from my Lords Amr (Directive Energy).[31] If the soul comes directly from Gods amr, it contains within itself that very quality to direct itself towards the highest spiritual goals. Iqbals philosophy revolves around his intrinsic belief in human freedom and creativity.[32] It is through the God given, unique gift of will power i.e. the power to choose from many paths open to the soul, that human beings are given a position that is superior to that of the rest of creation. If the soul chooses to direct its energies only towards material ends then that is what it achieves at the cost of the spirit. If the soul chooses to neglect the body and only concentrate on the spirit, even that is possible but, the Islamic ideal as understood by Iqbal is, when the soul uses its directive purpose; its will-power to forge a path for the betterment both of the body and the spirit. It makes, shapes sculpts both the inner and the outer environment in a harmonious, beautiful manner through constant goal setting and constant action. He has the potential to direct his soul and moves his body toward higher evolutionary goals.[33] This is how the individual becomes a conscious participant in the process of evolution taking place within the various realms of reality. Iqbal critically analyses the theory of Descartes and Spinoza that the soul and its organism are distinct, independent of each other. Iqbal, unlike Descartes and Spinoza, is inclined to think that the postulate of matter having an independent existence is highly dubious. He states that even if we assume that the soul and body are two independent entities and the changes of both run on parallel lines, due to some pre-ordained harmony, as Leibniz believed, this would reduce the soul to a merely passive witness to the happenings of the body. On the other hand if we believe them to affect each other, then it becomes difficult if not impossible (to show exactly how, where and when) the soul interacts with the body and vice versa. Thus Iqbal criticizes both the theories of parallelism and interaction.[34]

Iqbal is opposed to the theory of soul being separate from the body. He believes that the human ego is a single unity, which acts as a whole. It is impossible to draw a line of cleavage between the share of the body and that of the mind in this act.[35] Iqbal quotes the following lines from Rumis famous Mathnawi Wine became intoxicated with us, not we with it The body came into being from us, not we from it.[36] Iqbals belief in the unity of the spirit and matter is supported by the importance he gave to the theory of Creative Evolution or Emergent Evolution.[37] According to this theory the Ultimate Ego manifests itself through the rising evolution of life from its lowest forms of matter to the highest evolutionary form i.e. the spiritually most advanced human personality. He says, Reality is, therefore, essentially spirit[38] yet he qualifies this belief by mentioning that there are degrees of reality reflecting degrees of spirit. In The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, Iqbal states very clearly that the evolutionary cycle of life demonstrates that, initially, the physical degree of reality dominates the mental, but eventually the mental starts to grow in such a way that it rises, to a position of complete independence...[39] He states: The Ultimate Ego that makes the emergent emerge is immanent in Nature, and is described by the Quran, as the First and the Last the Visible and the Invisible. [40] Here Iqbal is pointing to his belief that the Ultimate Ego or God is deeply and mysteriously connected to all degrees of reality and it is God who uses His creative command to ensure that there is an upward march in the evolutionary scale from the point of the lowest order of existence to that of the highest order. Human beings have been given a unique role because they are the only beings in creation that have a direct and active role to play in strengthening their own egos or individualities so that they can conscious take part in, as Iqbal says, the rising note of egohood [41] in the various realms of reality. Throughout the entire gamut of being runs the gradually rising note of egohood untill it reaches its perfection in man. That is why the Quran declares the Ultimate Ego to be nearer to man than his own neck-vein[42].....Only that is, strictly speaking real which is directly conscious of its own reality. The degree of reality varies with the degree of feeling of egohood.... Man, therefore, in whom ego has reached its relative perfection, occupies a genuine place in the heart of Divine creative energy, and thus possesses a much higher degree of reality than things around him. Of all the creations of God he alone is capable of consciously participating in the creative life of his Maker.[43] As an outstanding spokesman for contemporary philosophic thought in Islam, Iqbal was convinced of the importance of creativity and creative endeavour in all branches of knowledge ranging from philosophy to science and even jurisprudence. He was keenly aware of the necessity for a renewed, invigorating and action-oriented philosophy that could rouse the Muslims from their age old, mentally and morally debilitating state. Iqbals view of the Ultimate Reality being ever active and ever creative is in accordance with his dynamic philosophy. God is constantly adding to and changing a universe, which is unfinished. God is both purpose and will. Allah is the Ultimate Ego and He has created egos in ascending order. Human beings are the vicegerents of God on earth. As vicegerents and reflections of the Ultimate Ego, human beings contain infinite possibilities through their power of will and action. The free will granted to human beings is to be used creatively in order

to fight the evil and disintegrating force of the universe. Any action, thought or deed that weakens the integrity of the ego contributes to its disintegration and eventual dissolution. The aim for the directive and creative function of the human ego is to strengthen the ego to such an extent that human beings become co-creators and co-workers with God Himself, involved in the creative unfolding of the universe around them. Destroy whatever does not suit you, Create a new world out of yourself. A free man feels unhappy, To live in a world of others.[44]

NOTES AND REFERENCES

[1] Quran, 20:122, quoted by Allama Mohammad Iqbal in, The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam (Lahore: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, 1989), 95. [2] Allama Muhammad Iqbal, Rumuz-i-Bekhudi. Translation by A. J. Arberry, The Mysteries of Selflessness (London: John Murray, 1953) 49. [3] Iqbal, Reconstruction, 95. [4] Quran, 91:710. [5] Quran, 6:165. [6] Allama Muhammad Iqbal, Javaid Namah, Translated by A. J. Arberry (London: Allen & Unwin, 1966) 10. [7] Quran, 93-95. [8] Iqbal, Reconstruction, 117. [9] Ibid, 88. [10] Iqbal, Reconstruction, 76. [11] Quran, 33:72, quoted by Iqbal in ibid, 88. [12] Iqbal, Javaid Namah, Translated by A. J. Arberry, 10. [13] Quran, 91:710 quoted by Iqbal, Reconstruction, 95. [14] See above. [15] Quran, 67: 12 quoted by Iqbal, Reconstruction, 95.

[16] Iqbal, Reconstruction, 95. [17] Ibid. [18] Quran, 91:710. [19] Quran, 50:3-5 quoted by Iqbal, Reconstruction, 98. [20] Iqbal, Resurrection, 98. [21] Ibid. [22] Ibid. [23] Ibid. [24] Ibid, 82. [25] Ibid. [26] Ibid. [27] Quran, 17:85, quoted by Iqbal, ibid. [28] Iqbal, Reconstruction, 82. [29] Ibid. [30] Ibid. [31] Quran, 17: 85. [32] For further details on Iqbals central doctrine regarding human freedom and creativity see Latif Hussain Kazmis article, Iqbal and Sartre on Human Freedom and Creativity, Iqbal Review 41/2 (Lahore: Iqbal Academy, 2000) 43-70. [33] Please note here that the use of the word evolution is not drawn from Darwinianism, instead it is derived from the Bergsonian concept of creative evolution, which signifies the growth of the soul to wards its higher spiritual self. For more details regarding the influence of Henri Bergsons philosophy of creative evolution on Iqbal, read: Iqbal, Pragmatism and Allied Movements, in Dr. Muhammad Maruf, Iqbal and His Contemporary Religious Thought (Lahore: Iqbal Academy Pakistan, 1987) 145-153. [34] Iqbal, Reconstruction, 84. For further details regarding how Iqbals philosophy differs from that of Spinoza and Descartes see Bashir Ahmed Dars, Spinoza: A Great Western Pantheist, Iqbal 1/3 (Bazm-e-Iqbal, 1953): 56. [35] Iqbal, Reconstruction, 84.

[36] Jalaluddin Rumi, Mathnawi, Translation by Reynold .A. Nicholson, The Mathnawi of Jallaluddin Rumi (Lahore: Islamic Book Service, 1989) verse 1, 1812. [37] See Bashir Ahmed Dars, Iqbal and Bergson, Iqbal and Post-Kantian Voluntarism (Lahore: Bazm-I-Iqbal, 2000, 2nd ed.) 176-252. [38] Iqbal, Reconstruction, 57. [39] Ibid, 85. [40] Quran, I57:3, quoted by Iqbal in ibid. [41] Iqbal, Reconstruction, 57-58. [42] Quran, 50:15. [43] Iqbal, Reconstruction, 57-58. [44] Iqbal, Javaid Namah, Translated by A. J. Arberry, 225.

GLIMPSES OF IQBALS GENIUS IN THEJAVID NAMAH

Professor Dr Muhammad Riaz

Allamah Iqbals Jvd Nmah, first published in 1932, is an unprecedented book in eloquent Persian verse. The book contains about two thousand couplets. In this book, generally remarked as the poet-philosophers magnum opus, Iqbals vision has made a vivid conquest of the space. By scaling the heights and transversing the planets, the poet surpasses the spheres. Endeavouring hard to resolve the major problems confronting the Muslims and the people at large, the poet is seen seeking interviews with the great Muslim and non-Muslim spirits of many times on all the firmaments of his eternal pilgrimage. The profoundness as well as the variety of thought-content and literary artistry of the book is noteworthy. Late Muhammad Aslam Jairjpr, a scholar of repute, had once remarked[1] that Jvd Nmah ranks with the most splendid works in Persian Firdawsis Shah Nmah, Rms Mathnav, Sads Gulistn and fis Dvn. It is, no doubt, a big credit of a non-Persian poet to produce such a masterpiece. The book has been rendered in many important languages of the world, both in prose and poetry. It, however, still deserves more attention from scholars so interested in

Iqbals art and thought.

Impact of the Mirj Traditions. Jvd Nmah comes within the purview of those works which have been written under the influence of the famous traditions of Isr and Mirj the Holy Prophet Muammads (peace be upon him) nocturnal journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and later ascension to the heavens. The Truthful Prophets Ascension was a unique happening in world history, and had an immense impact on human thought. The Ascension has been referred to in the Holy Qurn[2] and its details are available in the orthodox collections of the Prophets traditions[3] and biographies.[4] The event had miraculously taken place, according to the belief of the general orthodox Muslims, in the twelfth year of the Prophets mission, in the physical form while the Prophet (peace of Allah be upon him) was awake.[5] Numerous Muslim thinkers and theologians have been widely elaborating the Ascensions event. Iqbals position as a reputed Muslim thinker is quite established. He has interpreted various Islamic topics in the perspective of modern thought; likewise Mir-js interpretations in lucid style are envisageable in almost all his works. Jvd Nmah, however, reflects deep influence of Mirj traditions both direct and indirect. Late Chaudhari Muhammad Hussain (d. 1950), the poets comrade, in his detailed article on Jvd Nmah, has stated[6] that Iqbal planned to versify a Mirj Nmah Jadd after the pattern of his Gulshan-i Rz Jadd (a part of the Zabr-i Ajam) in response to Shaikh Mumd Shabistar Tabrizis (d. 720 A.H.) famous Gulshan-i Rz. Later on, he changed his mind and created Jvd Nmah instead a long celestial mathnav in the literary form, not confined to any particular topic. As cited above, the traditions of the Prophets Ascension have been a source of inspiration for many mystics and others. Many works have been created under direct or indirect impact of these traditions. No doubt, people of different creeds have been longing to see the upper spheres from time immemorial. Many have recorded their dreams or visionary journeys, both mystic and literary, but as the late Spanish Professor Miguel Asia Palacios in his valuable research book entitled Islam and the Divine Comedy,[7] has also remarked, all the visionary journeys preceding the Prophets Ascension have little significance. Referring to the Hebrew, Persian and Christian legends of the Ascension of Moses, Enoch, Baruch, Isaiah, Ardaviraf, Jesus Christ, Saint Paul, and others, the researcher confesses that such legends are no match to the Prophet of Islams traditions of Mirj so widely apread among both learned and illiterate, seeing that it was accepted as an article of faith.[8] To make Asins remarks clear, it seems necessary here to refer to some works written under the impact of Mirj traditions. (1) Ardaviraf Nmah, in Pahlavi and Persian languages, relating to the visionary celestial pilgrimage by Ardaviraf, a Zoroastrian religious personality. Ardavirafs dream was compiled some-time between the third and eighth century A.H .[9] (2) Shaikh Taifr Byazd Bisms (third century A.H.) dream concerning pilgrimage to the upper firmaments. This mystic vision reflects[10] his desire for communion with God Wadat al-Shuhd. Bayazid was perhaps the first sufi to be influenced by the traditions of Mirj. (3) Abul-mir Amad (Ibn Shahid) Andaluss (d. 426 A.H.) Rislat al-Tawbi wal-

Zawbi in Arabic[11] which reflects the authors visionary ascension to the heavens in the literary style. (4) Abui-Al al-Maarrs (d...49 A.H.) Rislat al-Ghufrn. In this marvellous literary epistle,[12] the blind poet had replied a a letter of criticism written to him by his contemporary, Muaddith bul-asan Al of Aleppo, known as lbn ul-Qarih. He has praised al-Maarrs genius but indirectly criticised his impiety. Al-Maarr in this epistle refers to Gods infinite forgiveness and defends the men of letters in an interesting literary style. Ibn al-Qarih is narrated in the treatise to have ascended to the celestial spheres in his dream where he witnessed the affairs of Hell and Paradise. Many impious and heretic persons are shown by the poet in Paradise, whereas proud men of piety are placed in Hell. (5) Sni Ghaznavs (d. 535 A.H.) mathnav Sair al- lbd ilal-Mad in Persian.[13] The poem indicates the spiritual journey of the mystics leading to their perfection. The outward narration symbolises the pilgrimage to nine firmaments and reflects the impact of Mirj traditions. (6) Shaikh Ar Nshprs (d. 618 A.R.) famous mathnav Manaqat al-air. It is also a symbolic narration of spiritual ascension in which the birds (spirits) try to accede to Smurgh a state of communion with God (Wadat al-Shuhd). The poet has symbolised seven stages (haft maqmt) of the mystics. Earlier Avicenna (d. 428 A.H.) had also referred to the spirits journey in his Arabic treatise entitled Rislat al-air. (7) Muyuddn ibn Arabs (d. 638 A.H.) al-Futt al-Makkyah (Meccan Revelation) and other epistles which are so often quoted. Ibn Arabs vision has performed a nocturnal journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and then an ascension to the upper spheres. Perhaps no other allegory has recorded more impact of Mirj traditions than Ibn Arabs works. The writer has advocated here, just as in his other works, the idea of Wadat al-Wujd which implies selfannihilation in God. (8) Alighieri Dantes (d. 1321 A.C.) famous Divine Comedy is also written under the impact of Mirj traditions. Professor Asin, whom Iqbal had also seen during his visit to Spain in 1932, has proved at length that Dante was influenced by the Mirj traditions through the works of alMaarr, Ibn Arab and others. Besides these mystic and literary works, Mirj traditions have been widely verified and narrated in almost all the languages which the Muslims speak and write. In Persian poetry for example, Nm Ganjavs (d. 610 A.H.) five mathnavs are noteworthy. The lovers of Niams style like Amir Khusraw (d. 725 A.H.), Abd al-Ramn Jm (d. 898 A.H.), Shaikh Muhammad Yaqb Sarf Kashmr (d. 1003 A.H.), and others have also followed him suit in their respective five mathnavs and described the event of Mirj. The Jvd Nmah. It is an allegory representing the poets.ascension to six spheres (not to seven or nine generally adopted by others) and also beyond the heavens. This lucid Persian mathnav is unique in many respects. The supernatural phenomenon is rare. The book has no complex meanings. It is devoid of religious prejudice the poet rather condemns such mentality and advocates for the love of humanity. Non-Muslims are mentioned here with particular reverence.

Jvd Nmah provides an epitome of Iqbals thought on almost all the topics of his interest self, love, intellect, ascension, comparative religion, immortality of the Muslims based on Taud, philosophy, history, martyrdom, predestination and free will, womens status in the Muslim polity, the Orientalists biased interest in archaeology, good and evil, art and literature for life, blessings of freedom, Islam versus Western civilisation, Islamic universalism, patriotism and so on and so forth. A detailed appraisal of the book cannot be presented in such a short article. A short narration of the poets celestial journey, however, will help in appraising the genius of the Poet of the East. Contents in Brief. The book opens with a novel invocation. It is followed by a prologue in heaven between the sky and the earth. The poet gives convincing arguments in favour of the earthlings superiority. The actual pilgrimage of eternity of the poet, with Mauln Muammad Jalluddn Rm (d. 672 A.H.), his guide, starts from the hill of a riverside a scene common in Ibn Arab and Dantes works, too. The poet was lost in pensive mood, beside the edge of a river during an evening busy in reciting one of the loveliest lyrics of Rm, when his vision being invocated, Rms spirit appears before him. A dialogue begins between Iqbal and Rm in which the guide enlightens the poet-philosopher with the meanings of self-realisation, rebirth, good and evil, ascension and proceeding to Gods Presence. The essence of an ascension, according to Rm, is a revolution in senses which makes the soul soar high and the body doesnt come in the way. At this, the poets soul is stirred deeply for being ascended and thus his ascension starts. Zarvn, the spirit of the time and space, takes them to the upper spheres. The moon is their first stopover. Here, they encounter and talk to an Indian ascetic, Vishvamitra. He was a teacher and friend of Rama. Iqbal names him the friend of the world (Jahndost) On the valley of Yarghamd on the moon, they witness the testaments reflecting the basic teachings of Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ and Muammad. Next they move on to Mercury where they join prayers with Sayyid Jamaluddn Afghn (d. 1897) and Prince Muammad Sad alm Pasha (d. 1921). They talk to these best men of the East about the past, present and future of the world of Islam. Rm here names Iqbal Zindah Rd (living stream), Next they move to the firmament of Venus. Here the poet presents a comic scene like the one in the Divine Comedy. A rejoicing assembly of gods of the ancient nations is displayed here. The chief of gods is overjoyed to witness the present scepticism and irreligious conditions in the world. Pharaoh, contemporary of Moses, and Field Marshal Kitchner of Khartoum (d. 1916), who had been tyrant towards Muammad Amad Mahd of the Sudan (d. 1882) and his followers, are seen suffering on this very firmament. Next there is the sphere of Mars where things are seen quite opposite to those of the earth. The poets imagination creates here a splendid city named Marghadn. The people of this city are free from all bonds and enjoy an ideal social order. A Westernised damsel is seen advocating to the women for remaining unmarried. Zindah Rd, however, decries so much love for being bondless. In an earlier scene, a Martian astronomer pleads the idea of free will. He claims that the people of earth can also become the masters of their fates like the Martians, provided they abandon wrong notions. Here Zindah Rd (Iqbal) argues that man has no predestination and the Almighty God has gifted him with as many destinies. Mans destiny changes with his changing attitude. Let us quote here a few convincing lines from the Jvd Nmah (p. 123):

 If your heart bleeds on account of one destiny, Petition God to decree another destiny; If you pray for a new destiny, that is-lawful Seeing that Gods destinies are infinite. Earthlings have gambled away the coin of self hood, Not comprehending the subtle meaning of destiny; Its subtlety is contained in a single phrase If you transform yourself, it too will be transformed. Be dust, and fate will give you the winds; Be a stone, and it will hurl you against glass. Are you a dew-drop? Your destiny is to perish; Are you an ocean? Your destiny is to endure.[14]

Mars is followed by Jupiter. Here Zindah Rd and Rm encounter three spirits known for their courage usain b. Manr allj (d. 309 A.H.), Qurrat al-Ain hirah (d. 1852) and Mrz Asadullh Khn Ghlib (d. 1869). There is also a passing scene of Satan whom Zindah Rd entitles leader of the people of separation (Khwjah-i Ahl-i Firq). Thereafter comes the sphere of Saturn. Rm and Zindah Rd pass by the well and see a

dreadful sea of blood. It was the abode of non-patriot wretched people so hate-worthy that the Hell didnt accept them. The poet here displays two notorious persons of the subcontinent: Mir Jafar of Bengal and Mir diq of Mysore. The formers treachery resulted in Sirjuddaulahs failure in Plasseys War of 1757 and the latters perfidy caused Suln Fat Al Tipps martyrdom in the war of 1799. The spirit of India appears here and condemns the traitors, following the foot-steps of Jafar and diq, who strengthen the usurpers hands. With Saturn, the spheres end and the travellers reach beyond the heavens. They witness the station of Neitzsche and later proceed to Paradise. Here they see the palace of Sharfun Nis Begum (d. 1745 A.C) of Lahore a pious and courageous lady. Her father and grandfather Zakariy Khn and Abdu amad Khn, respectively, had remained the governors of the Punjab. Rm and Zindah Rds next visitation is to arat Mir Sayyid Al Hamadn, Shh-i Hamadn (d. 786/1385). Shh-i Hamadn was celebrated mystic, writer, poet and reformer and his services in the valley of Jammu and Kashmir and areas adjacent are particularly noteworthy. During Zindah Rds dialogue with the saint, MuII Muhammad bir Ghan Kashmr (d. 1079 A.H.) was also present. The poet here hints towards the glorious but sad history of Kashmir and inspires the Kashmrs for enhancing their freedom movement. Beyond the heavens, there are glimpses of Sanskrits poet Bhartari Hari (seventh century A.C.) and Nir Khusraw Alav (d. 481 A H.). The poet next sees three Eastern monarchs in their palaces in Paradise. They are Suln Fat Al Tipp, Nadir Shah Afshar and Bb Amad Shah Abdl. While conversing with the monarchs, the poet lauds Ra Shah the Greats efforts to enhance Irans progress. Rm and Zindah Rd had hardly taken leave of the houris to descend to the earth, when the poet is granted an epithany of the Divine Presence and gets the honour of listening to the voice of Beauty. Here he has been enlightened about immortality, blessings of union and exaltation of love, etc. In the radiance of Glory, the celestial poem ends with a lyric, originally from the poets Zabur-i Ajm. The first three couplets are as under: *** Be not enchanted by the West Nor on the East thou needest dote, For both this ancient and this new Together are not worth an oat... Full jealously life guards itself

Although it doth in company dwell; And ever in a caravan, Alone like thou, with all tread well. Than radiant sun that illumines The ancient sky thou art more bright, So live that every grain of sand May borrow brilliance from thy light.[15] The last part of the book Address to Jvd (Talking to the New Generation), is an appendix, though beautifully connected with the preceding chapters. It is notable that both Shaikh Mahmud Ahmad and Arthur John Arberry have not included this part in their respective English renderings.[16] The first edition of Jvd Nmah had a preface of two coup-lets which make a part of one lyric in Zabr-i A jam: My vision once surveyed the sky and rode The moon and in the Pleiades lap did rest, Regard not this earth as our only nest, Each stars a world or was one lifes abode.[17] From the second edition of the book, however, the said verses have been omitted. It is interesting to note that Iqbal planned to mention the services of Shaikh Amad Sirhind Mujaddid Alf-i n (d. 1034 A.H.) and Sayyid Amad Khn (d. 1898) on some suitable place of this celestial journey in a revised edition of the book, but he didnt get time to do so. A Few Salient Features. Jvd Nmah apparently resembles Dante Alighieris Comedia (Divine Comedy). but the differences of technique and presentation are significant. Divine Comedy has three parts Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso (i.e. Hell, Purgatory and Paradise). Jvd Nmah has six to seven parts, consisting of some of the popular spheres and also beyond the spheres. These coincide to some extent with the journey of Ibn Arab, as alreadyquoted. Iqbal, however, didnt describe the Hell; he just passed by it. He didnt enter purgatory even. The flight towards Beyond the Spheres is a new idea and this portion is particularly full of

unprecedented thoughts and meanings. Ibn Arab had two guides during his celestial journeya heavenly youth and a mystic. Dantes guide in Inferno and Purgatorio was Virgil. In Paradise, his beloved Beatrice guides him. Iqbal has only one guide from the beginning of his journey to the last scene in Paradise. In the Divine presence, however, he is seen alone and this is quite significant. lbn Arabs journey aimed at his doctrine of Wadat al- Wujdannihilation of the self in Gods infinity. Iqbal, as evident from almost all his works, aimed at self-affirmation. He wished to preserve self at every cost. The following couplets from Jvd Nmah (pp. 13-14) explain the poets outlook: *** Art thou in the stage of life, death, or death-in-life? Invoke the aid of three witnesses to verify thy Station. The first witness is thine own consciousness See thyself, then, with thine own light. The second witness is the consciousness of another ego See thy self, then, with the light of an ego than thee, The third witness is Gods consciousness See thyself, then, with Gods light.

If thou standest unshaken in front of this light, Consider thyself living and eternal as He!... No one can stand unshaken in His Presence: And he who can, verily he is pure gold.[18] Dantes purpose on the journey seems to see his beloved, Beatrice. Iqbal had no such limited purpose. He has shown an immense interest dealing with problems confronting humanity at large. Though demonstrably an impossible task, Iqbal dared to give his ideas on a number of problems and luckily his views have been convincing to many people. Iqbal has created much suitable and interesting mini-characters on all the spheres of his journey. Besides men and women, the poets vision has presented a number of angels and houris, etc., to make the scenes of his celestial drama more fascinating. In Persian poetry, lyrics are seldom seen in a mathnav. In Jvd Nmah, there are several lyrics at intervals. The poet has included his new lyrics and a few from his Paym-i Mashriq and Zabr-i Ajam. Also there are lyrics of Nir Khusraw, hirah, Ghlib and others. It may be added that, notwithstanding an extraordinary profoundness of Iqbals thought, his poetry also displays an amazing perfection. In Jvid Nmah, he creates wonderful scenery. For example, see the following five couplets (p. 106), describing the Sea of Blood on the sphere of Venus:

The sea opened to us its breast

Or was it air, that appeared as a water? Its depths were a valley without colour and scent, A valley whose darkness was fold on fold. The sage of Rum chanted the Sura of Taha, Under the sea streamed down moonshine. Mountains washed naked and cold, And amid them two bewildered men Who first cast a glance on Rumi, Then gazed one upon the other.[19] The foregoing lines make an epitome of some of the contents and features of Jvd Nmah. About this very book S A. Vahid has written: In every line, the poet makes us feel that he has some. thing to say that is not only worth saying, but is also fitted to give us pleasure. Thus as regards style as well as theme, the poem is a masterpiece.[20] To sum up, the Jvd Nmah of Iqbal is a unique Persian poem, from the viewpoints of art and thought both.

Notes and References

[1] Nawdirt (Urdu), Karachi : Idrah-i ul'-i Islm, 1951. [2] The Holy Qur'n, xvii. I (and to many also liii. 5-13). [3] In a Bukhr, Mishkt al-Mab, etc. [4] In Ibn Hishm, al-Srat al-Nabawyyah, for example. [5] T. P. Hughes, A Dictionary of Islam (London, 1885), p. 351. [6] ibghatullh Bakhtiyr, Shar-i vd Nmah (Lahore, n d.), p. 69. [7] Original text in Spanish appeared in 1919 in Madrid, and the rendering in English in 1926 (London).

[8] P. 76. [9] Majallah-i Danishkadah-i Adbiyat-i Meshhed, Spring 1344 H. Shamsi, p.4. [10] For text, see The Muslim World of April 1973, pp. 100-04. See also Dr. Muhammad Abdur Rabb's article in Iqbal Review (Karachi), of October 1975. [11] Beirut: Maktabatul Sadir, 1951. [12] A portion of the book has been translated into Persian and published in Tehran (1341 Shamsi) by Akbar Dana Sirisht. [13] Edited and published by Professor M.T. Modarris Razavi in Tehran (1341 Shamsi). [14] 14. English tr. by A.J. Arberry. [15] English tr., by Sh. Mahmud Ahmad. [16] B.A. Dars translation of this portion came out in Karachi in 1972. [17] Tr. by Sh. Mahmud Ahmad, p. xxvii. [18] Tr. by Iqbal: see his Reconstruction, p. 198. [19] 19. English tr. by A.J. Arberry. [20] Iqbals Art and Thought ( London: John Murray, 1959), Preface,