Iqbal’s Point of view About Islamic and Western Civilization

Muhammad Asghar Javed ,Muhammad.Farooq Haidar

Abstract

In the middle of the nineteenth century, Islam was to face many challenges, especially to save its identity and culture was difficult. Among all these challenges, the main one was "Western Culture" which was prevailing rapidly upon the Muslims. That's why, Muslim Ummah, forgetting its identity, inspiration of one Allah, was getting materialistic whereas Islamic Culture is the one that has always rendered valuable services in the filled of knowledge and art. It is Islam that blessed the world with the identification of brotherhood, liberty, justice and equality and the very culture kept reigning supreme in the whole world for the long time. Then came the time, when the sun of the glorious culture of the Muslims began setting in which led to the downfall of the Muslims eclipsing the fair face of Islamic culture. It was the result of the role played by the Western and European culture. Studying the whole situation Iqbal declared Islamic culture the best of all. Iqbal gives message to the youth of the Muslim Ummah: to Study the western knowledge and art with keen interest, but never ignore your cultural heritage as Islamic culture is a model of supreme moral. So, Iqbal lays great stress on the Muslims to become one with Islam devotedly and then lead life to modern education, the call of time. In his thesis published in "Hindustan Review" Iqbal writes that Islamic Culture is based on two things:

1. i) Shariat-e-Ilahiya,
2. ii) Equality among all the individuals of "Millat".

He further, writes that Islam likes to see the country democratic based on unity of Muslim Ummahwhere as western culture is devoid of it.

            It does not prove at all that Iqbal was against the west. Rather, he wants to make advantage of the experiences of others, but not to follow them blindly. Only their positive aspects should be adopted as these have been given to them by Islam.