Dr. Mohammad Iqbal - Philosopher ahead of his time

Today is 9^th of November, 2014. Most of us may have forgotten the importance of this day when exactly 137 years ago Iqbal was born in Sailkot, Pakistan.  Today is the 138^th birthday of Iqbal.  At the time of this birth who would have known that this child born today shall influence the world, specifically Muslims and his message and thoughts would become the basis for home to Muslims in sub-continent.  This article was written two years ago for the philosophy class during my doctoral program. 

        On this day remembering Dr. Iqbal, I dedicated this essay to Positive Pakistan Foundation, Islamabad an organization dedicated to the ideology of Pakistan and Iqbals ‘two nation theory’.  All positivists’: Congratulations on organizing 12^th Young Leaders Summit.

           Among thinkers, philosophers and poets that sub-continent is credited for, Iqbal can be considered as the prime jewel of all. Among the people subjugated by the colonial rulers in sub-continents, Muslims were at the lowest totem pole. Mentally depressed and lacking any will, Muslims were the downtrodden, not just in sub-continent but around the world after the fall of Ottoman Empire. During such times, Iqbal redress the religion of Islam, deconstruct the prevailing phenomenon and re-construct the identity of Muslims. In doing so he made every effort to alleviate the threat that Muslims feel from the modern education and advancement in science and technology by the West. Iqbal is a philosopher and thinker much ahead of his time, even the current times. His logical interpretation of Quran’s concept of time and space was finally affirmed by Einstein in his theory of relativity. Iqbal interpreted Quran and teachings of Islam in light of logic, and wanted to integrate these teachings with the advancements of science and technology as he believed that the only way to move forward and counter the change is to move with it but keeping his faith intact.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1xRw9uyKb8VZFN6aS1GT0lhSUU/view?usp=sharing
 

Silent Screams !!

Silent Screams ! !

As the War on Terror progresses to phase II – ‘Psychological War’, the Muslims remains in disarray and disintegrated in thoughts and actions to the point where they are forgetting long cherished concept of ‘Ummah’ and brotherhood. Even some mosques and Islamic center in North America have boarded the band wagon of ‘Psychological War’ by re-interpreting basic tenant of Islam.  The trend that being promoted through khutbas is ‘YES there may be causes dear to Muslim elsewhere in the world, but we need to be concern only of Muslims in N. North America. Some leaders of these Islamic centers have even stated that “there is no uniformity in Islam because of wide spread diversity of Muslims. However they forget that Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) unified numerous different tribes and brought them under uniformed way of Islam.  Ashura the 10^th day of Muharram reminds every Muslim the ultimate sacrifice that Imam Hussain offered by laying his life for the Ummah. Because of his sacrifice, Islam and concept of Ummah is alive today.

 

Psychological war – the second phase of war on terror also have the same objective i.e for Muslims to forget the concept of Ummah. Through continuous efforts using technology and modern marketing tools, Muslims are being led to believe that they are to be responsible for all evils of the world. So much so that the faith that promotes itself as the faith of peace, ‘Buddhism’ have started a hate campaign against Muslims around the world. Human Right Watch and Times Magazine have listed these Buddhist leaders of Burma as terrorist of the peaceful faith. Considering as opportunity of the century, RSS, the terrorist group of India is collaborating with Buddhist terrorist in state sponsored pogrom of Muslims.  Most of Muslim youth may have never heard of the state of “Arakan’ and ‘Rakhine’ where thousands of Muslims have been butchered with the world and Muslim Ummah watching helpless.  Attached article is a humble effort to increase awareness of our Muslim brothers and sisters in Arakan. This author had published a brochure in Seattle about 15 years ago highlighting the suffering of Rhogyngia Muslims as they are known today. Read details of atrocities being committed by the Buddhist regime of Mynamar/Burma while Ummah and the rest of the world watching silently.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1xRw9uyKb8VZUhSdlVDZzU3RkU/view?usp=sharing