Encyclopedia of Islam

Iqbal, Muhammad

  

361  J

---

served for three years (1926–29). A close ally of 

m

Uhammad

 a

li

 J

innah

 (d. 1948), he became presi-

dent of the a

ll

-i

ndia

  m

Uslim

  l

eagUe

 in 1930. 

From this post, he moved from previous ideas 

about the coexistence of Islam and Hinduism in 

India and began to advocate the idea of establish-

ing an independent Muslim state to be carved out 

of Indian territory. For this idea, he is known as 

the “thinker of Pakistan” (mufakkir-i Pakistan). 

Inspired by the reformist legacy of the a

ligarh

movement, he also called for a “reconstruction” of 

Islamic thought, and the majority of his writing, 

including his poetry, was to this end. Although 

Iqbal opposed the secular nationalism of Europe, 

he believed that the formation of an independent 

state on the Indian subcontinent would somewhat 

reverse the disasters faced by the Muslims in the 

early years of the 20th century, including the fall 

of the Ottoman 

caliphate

. Iqbal did not live to see 

the realization of his dream, as he passed away in 

1938. His tomb is located in Lahore, Pakistan.

See also  h

indUism

 

and

  i

slam

; 

reneWal

 

and

reForm

 

movements

.

J. Gordon Melton