Iqbal's concept of Love

A poet, philosopher, lawyer, mystic, and Sufi – Allama Muhammad Iqbal ؒ stands unique in his explanation of love. According to Iqbal ؒ, love is not a passive force of assimilation. It is an active agency instead. Love is the force that provides energy to traverse a path and continue on it against all odds.

Khudi is crucial to understanding Iqbal’s concept of love. Iqbal ؒ defines Khudi as self-recognition and estimation. Khudi is the recognition of man’s abilities, man’s place in this universe, and man’s duties. The realization of Khudi is the placement of man as the vicegerent of God in this world. Love is the force that makes a man tread on this journey of self-recognition.

A person will experience difficulties in recognition of Khudi. Inwardly factors like greed, cowardice, and laziness, and external factors like threats and enemies will pave stones in the path. To work through all difficulties and to continue action on this path requires love. Without love, a person will lose himself to doubts and low confidence.

Iqbal ؒ compares love with intellect and Ishq with Aql. Intellect has to create doubts and questions; it is its duty. Love, on the other hand, focuses on action. Consider the example of the prophet Ibrahim AS. Intellect required that he run away from the fire or do some deal to save his life. Love demanded that he trust God and jump into the fire fearlessly.

Imam Hussein ؓ  is the peak of bravery and sacrifice. Intellect demanded that he do a deal with Shimr to save his life. Love asked for the hecatomb of his family. It was not wise to offer Asr when the attack was certain. But love demanded the prostration be made. He ؓ chose the latter and wrote a tale of courage that guides humanity.

The deeds of the Godly, therefore, radiate with love. Love is the guiding light for the men of God. Intellect tells the way but does not guide us through it. At times, it gets foggy and blinded. It is love that grants man the courage to embrace all challenges. In the roar of battle, love keeps a man upright. Thus love is not a thing but an act. It is the act that is love.

Love manifests itself in different ways. At times, it manifests as sleepless nights. At times, it manifests as courage on the battlefield. At times, it manifests as a political stance. Regardless of how love manifests itself, its essence does not change. Every act of love is a step towards the self-recognition and actualization of Khudi. All the acts devoid of love are either neutral or negative towards Khudi.

Any act guided by love becomes appreciable; an act devoid of love becomes deplorable.

Yet another feature of love is that death cannot touch love. Love is a tide that time cannot touch. Fourteen hundred years have not been able to dull the brightness of the sacrifice of Imam Hussein ؓ  in Karbala. The sacrifice of Hazrat Ismail and Hazrat Ibrahim AS live bright today. The courage and generosity of Sultan Salahuddin Ayubi are still alive. Defeat has not been able to dull the shine of Sultan Jalal-al-Din Khwarizm Shah.

Since love is an act, it affects society too. A man of God acts through love as the vicegerent of God in this world. As a vicegerent of God, his actions influence the society. Love is social, political and reformatory.

Social and political life is an essential part of Islam. What is politics without love and God in mind? Love should be the guide, not intellect; intellect must serve love in all aspects of life.

Thus, Iqbal ؒ  brings love out of monasteries and prayer rooms. Iqbal ؒ grants love a central role in life; he considers love a master of intellect. Iqbal ؒ uses love to recognize the self and achieve the purpose of man in this world.