Ulama Must Heed Allama Iqbal’s Idea Of Reconstruction Of Religious Thought In Islam: New Age Columnist Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi Addresses “National Sahiyotsav 2022” Organised By Sunni Students' Federation Of India

In his conclusive remarks, Mr. Dehlvi said: At a time when a new narrative of Islam is emerging in the Arab world with radical Islamists and extremists losing their appeal, it would be pertinent for Indian Muslims to look into the major theological overhauls that they need to introduce in full synergy with their multicultural society. They must chalk out a progressive, modernist path for the new generation of Muslims in India and thus contribute towards strengthening the cultural, religious and social fabric of the country, he said. --------------------- 1. Main Points: 1. A 3-day national cultural and educational festival “Sahiyotsav 2022” was organised by Sunni Students' Federation (SSF India) at the Garden College of Integrate Islamic Studies (Hadiqat-ul-Taiba) in Dakshin Dinajpur, West Bengal. 2. Mr. Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, Indo-Islamic Scholar and New Age Columnist was invited as one of the Juries/Judges to evaluate the cultural, educational and Sufi musical performance of the Madrasa students who participated in this festival from across the country. 3. In his reflections, Mr. Dehlvi highlighted the importance of Allama Iqbal’s idea of Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam for the madrasa graduates and Ulama (classical Islamic scholars). 4. He delved deeper into the profound religious thoughts of Allama Iqbal through the lens of his thought-provoking Urdu poetry and explained what he meant in his famous Urdu couplets revolving around the various precepts and postulates of Islam. ------ By New Age Islam Staff Writer 6 December 2022 Allama Iqbal—widely known as the Sage of Ummah or Hakimul Ummat—who called for the ‘reconstruction of religious thought in Islam’ in one of his famous Khutbaat or lectures which he delivered on re-examination of the intellectual foundations of Islamic theology in 1930: “If the aim of religion is the spiritualisation of the heart, then it must penetrate the soul of man, and it can best penetrate the inner man.…..” He went on to say: “We find that when Muhammad Ibn Tumart—the Mahdi of Muslim Spain—who was Berber by nationality, came to power and established the pontifical rule of the Muwahhidun, he ordered for the sake of the illiterate Berbers that the Quran should be translated and read in the Berber language and that the call to prayer should be given in Berber.” Thus, the Allama laid out a strong case for the reconstruction of religious thought in Islam which has been stagnant for centuries. And this, he viewed, was a great disservice to the essential message of Islam and universal and dynamic wisdom embedded in the Qur’an. New Age Columnist Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi ----- This was articulated in the reflections delivered by Mr. Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, Indo-Islamic Scholar and New Age Columnist in the closing ceremony of the 3-day national cultural and educational festival known as “National Sahiyotsav 2022” which was organised by the Sunni Students' Federation (SSF India) as part of the annual students’ function at the Garden College of Integrate Islamic Studies (Hadiqat-ul-Taiba) located in Dakshin Dinajpur, West Bengal. Mr. Dehlvi was invited as one of the Juries/Judges to evaluate the cultural, educational and musical performance of the Madrasa students who participated in this festival from across the country. They took part in an all-India level competition in various academic and extra-curricular activities around the Islamic and contemporary themes. In the closing ceremony of this festival which was inaugurated by Mr. Biplab Mitra (Minister of Consumer Affairs, Govt. of Bengal), Mr. Dehlvi shared the stage along with Shoukath Naeemi Al-Bukhari (Director of YES India Foundation), Dr. Farooq Naeemi Al-Bukhari (General Secretary, SSF India) and Mr. Zuhairuddin Nurani (Finance Secretary, SSF India). Referring to Allama Iqbal’s seminal work, “The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam”, Mr Dehlvi said in his remarks: “Madrasa students need to understand what Allama Iqbal meant by his “reconstruction” or reformation. It actually connotes the restoration of essential and universal values of the Qur’an. That is to say, when the Islamic postulates, precepts and practices became obliterated, he advocated restoring the true and original version of Islam. However, by ‘reconstruction’, Iqbal did not aim to change or alter Islam, but rather to change the religious attitude of the Muslims. For instance, he viewed that the Muslim religious thought in India was deeply entrenched in Riwayat (tradition) in place of the Haqiqat (truth). By the reconstruction of religious thought, he advocated the replacement of the Riwayat with the Haqiqat. This is the true spirit of Islamic reformation well-embedded in Iqbal’s religious thought. Mr. Dehlvi then delved deeper into the profound religious thoughts of Allama Iqbal through the lens of his thought-provoking Urdu poetry and explained what he meant in his famous Urdu couplets such as the ones in his poem titled as “Mard-e-Musalman” which goes like this: Har Lehza Hai Momin Ki Nai Shaan, Nai Aan. Kirdar Men, Guftar Men Allah Ki Burhan. This can be loosely translated as follows: A Muslim true gets grandeur new with moment’s change and every hour By words and deeds he gives a proof Of Mighty God, His reach and power. Mr. Dehlvi explained what Iqbal intended to convey through his conception of Mard-e-Momin. He said: Just as this universe is dynamic, so is God as the Creator who is constantly busy with His creation and their affairs. Similarly, God has given man complete freedom of choice and man is not restricted by his destiny. Therefore, man must constantly strive to achieve the best possible pursuits. He went on to say that Muslims today have committed a grave blunder with their continued state of stagnation when it comes to the evolution and restructuring of Islamic theology. More deplorably, they have rather confined their religious seminaries and madrasas to a narrow interpretation of their Fiqhi Mazahib (schools of Islamic jurisprudence), and various Masalik (Islamic sects) as well as Masharib (Sufi orders). Mr. Dehlvi then referred to another stimulating Urdu couplet of Iqbal as follows: Gala To Ghoont Diya Ahl-e-Madrasa Ne Tera Kahan Se Aye Sada ‘LA ILAHA ILLALLAH’ (The Madrasa-men have strangled your nascent soul, and stifled the voice of passionate faith in you). Commenting on the above, Mr. Dehlvi averred that even the mystical experience and practice of Islam is an incomplete way to find the Ultimate Truth if it is not viable with the influx of time. In an effort to reclaim the true mystical narrative of Islam, there is rather greater need for the reformation of Sufism in the modern age in the light of his book, The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, he said. In his conclusive remarks, Mr. Dehlvi said: The new year—2023—is around the corner. One of the resolutions with which Muslims in general and Madrasas must take in the New Year is: Rethink and reconstruct the Islamic thoughts in the light of the 21st century’s changing dynamics. He also pointed to the current development in the Arab world which he called the ‘Theological Arab Spring’, particularly in West Asia and North Africa. As a result, the West Asian Muslim population in general is turning less extremist and more multi-cultural and tolerant, he said. At a time when a new narrative is emerging in the Muslim world with radical Islamists and extremists losing their appeal, it would be pertinent for us Indian Muslims to look into the major theological overhauls that we need to make in synergy with our most multicultural society with an aim to chalk out a progressive, modernist path for the new generation of Muslims in India and thus contribute towards strengthening the cultural, religious and social fabric of the country. URL: https://newageislam.com/ijtihad-rethinking-islam/ulama-iqbal-reconstruction-religious-sahiyotsav/d/128572 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism