Dear Arnold,
How are you? I was looking again at Iqbal's book Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam (the one online which you sent; my hard copy is in the book boxes in the basement of my Atlanta residence; all the boxes have not yet been opened after we moved from Houston) and I thought I should probably share some of the insights I could glean from two chapters of his book, which has a bearing on the controversy we had on some topics.
The Eastern Poet-Philosopher Muhammad Iqbal was an Islamic scholar of a high stature - one who can be considered a real architecht and precursor of modern progressive ideas on Islam. His seminal work Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam is a landmark contribution to modern Islamic thought that deserves to be read with the zeal of one who seeks to spiritually evolve. In a succint, scholarly fashion, Iqbal takes us to heights of thought that probably only a limited number of scholars have been able to do.
For outlining his ideas, he relies almost exclusively on the Quran. He lays out a conception of God that is consistent with human free will, innovation and progress. God's knowledge and power (omniscience and omnipotence) are beautifully described in a way that include His fore-knowledge of possibilities of future events, not of events as such as a fixed order of things - a notion that admits of freely exercised creativity on the part of humankind as participants in the divine course of events. "The future certainly pre-exists in the organic whole of God’s creative life, but it pre-exists as an open possibility, not as a fixed order of events with definite outlines", Iqbal notes. He continues:
If history is regarded merely as a gradually revealed photo of a predetermined order of events, then there is no room in it for novelty and initiation. Consequently, we can attach no meaning to the word ‘creation’, which has a meaning for us only in view of our own capacity for original action. The truth is that the whole theological controversy relating to predestination is due to pure speculation with no eye on the spontaneity of life, which is a fact of actual experience. No doubt, the emergence of egos endowed with the power of spontaneous and hence unforeseeable action is, in a sense, a limitation on the freedom of the all-inclusive Ego. But this limitation is not externally imposed. It is born out of His own creative freedom whereby He has chosen finite egos to be participators of His life, power, and freedom. (Cf, Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, Chapter III)
The phylosophy that Iqbal believes in, in light of the Quran, is that of meliorism, one that admits of improvement in human behavior over time, and man's eventual victory over evil.
With respect to worship and prayer he notes: "Religion is not satisfied with mere conception; it seeks a more intimate knowledge of and association with the object of its pursuit. The agency through which this association is achieved is the act of worship or prayer ending in spiritual illumination. ... [P]rayer is instintive in its origin. ... [A]ll search for knowledge is essentially a form of prayer. The scientific observer of Nature is a kind of mystic seeker in the act of prayer. ... Prayer, then, whether individual or associative, is an expression of man’s inner yearning for a response in the awful silence of the universe." He also notes that the form of prayer should not become a matter of dispute, but he also recognizes the importance and benefits of associative or congregational prayer.
Religious living, according to him, encompasses three phases: 'Faith', 'Thought' and 'Discovery'. Faith is blind obedience without understanding; Thought involves one's making out the meaning of what he calls the metaphysical understanding of what one believes and does. He suggests that it is the third phase where one embarks on a spiritual journey to develop his self or ego carries the most important meaning for an individual. It is with regard to this third aspect of religion that he asks the interesting question: Is religion possible? Here he shows with vivid clarity the immensity of the possibilities of the inner development of one's ego in its divine quest, what I have referred to as "spiritual evolution or develepment" in my book Exploring Islam in a New Light. Iqbal provides some idea of the many stages involved of spiritual development.
I have excerpted selective passages from two chapters of his book, and highlighted in blue what I thought are his key observations (Please see attachment). This is just to draw your attention to his great contribution. I would recommend reading of his full book.
With salam and warm regards,
Abdur
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Aleikum salaam dear Abdur,
It is a pleasure to hear from you again. I'm doing great as my marriage is coming up, the website is evolving and my studies and writings are steadily progressing. I hope you and your family are well and the move went without difficulties. Is it a better location?
Also thank you for sharing your thoughts. Iqbal is a genius and his poems are amazing in combining humor and morality and the idea of human progress. I have read his work and know his views on spirituality and God, which are a combination of his philosophical education and some Sufistic influence, which he both saw as the only vehicle in Islam that sustained the original humanistic spirit of Islam, but at the same time rejecting and attacking its idolatrous behaviour of many Sufi sects and the egocentric traps of the constant personal pursuit of spiritualism. His idea on God I partially agree with, as it is mostly based on the philosophical concept of God combined with Qur'anic thought. My own view of God is a combination of these two together with modern cosmological ideas.
As for spirituality, as said before, this is a subjective personal experience. And thus people must respond to this human need (as I certainly agree spirituality is a basic human need) in their own way. I get the spiritual experience, for example, when looking at images from Hubble, but also when I am walking in the old mosques in Istanbul. Spirituality, we can both agree, is the combination of awe and the feeling of oneness with all of reality. And there are different enviroments, moments and observations that can induce the spiritual side of us. As Einstein said:
"A spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe-a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble. In this way the pursuit of science leads to a religious feeling of sort"
I see the same reflection of aweness and humbleness through scientific understanding of the universe as portrayed in the Qur'an as it is directly linked to Dhikr:
3:190-191 إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ
Verily, in the creation and formation (khalqa) of the heavens (above and beyond earth/as-samaa) and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed sings mand evidences (ayat) for all who are endowed with insight and understanding (albab),
ٱلَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمًۭا وَقُعُودًۭا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَٰطِلًۭا سُبْحَٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
[and] who remember (yadhkuruna from dhakara/dhikr) God standing, and sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect/ponder/speculate/meditate (yatafkkaruna) on the creation and formation of the heavens and the earth: "O our Developer and Sustainer of our development towards maturity/perfection (Rabbanaa)! You have not created this without meaning and purpose (batil). Free and High are You above all things (subhanaka); Keep us safe, then, from suffering through the fire (as we burn away our potential for further development)!
For me, the problem with the idea of a spiritual quest as one of the purposes of revelation, comes when looking at the humanistic and very naturalistic way the Qur'an explains human development, creation and society. You ask the question; Is religion possible? But what is religion exactly? To me, the Qur'an constantly refers to human cooperation, sharing and social development which causes the development of the Self. We can get this idea already when reflecting on several verses:
18:7 We have adorned what is on earth so that We may let them test themselves as to who is best in conduct, and lives a balanced life. [Ahsanu 'amala includes 'best in conduct' and 'balanced life']
18:30 As for those who attain belief and do the works that help others, certainly, We never fail to reward such benefactors of humanity. (As-Salihati are the works that reform and improve society. Ahsana amala refers to conduct that is good to others and is balanced.)
23:61-62 It is those who race with one another to improve the quality of life for humanity, and it is those who are worthy of winning good things. We do not burden any human being with more than he or she is able to bear. And with Us is a Record that speaks the truth (about what you can and cannot do). And so, none shall be wronged.
41:46 Whoever does good to others, does good to his own 'self', and whoever causes imbalance in the lives of others, hurts his own 'self'. Your Lord is never unjust to His servants.
16:97 Whoever - male or female - does works that help others and is Muminun, a protector of others, We shall certainly cause them to live a good life, and We shall grant them the rewards considering the best of their actions.
Tazkiyah, or the growth of the Self, is linked to social cooperation and participation of the development of the world society:
92: 18 الذي يؤتي ماله يتزكي
Who giveth his wealth that he may grow
The Holy Quran says that for the development of human Personality man should:
- gain control over the forces of the physical world and keep open his achievements (3:190-191, 45:13), according to the laws of God, for the good and well-being of mankind at large (anything that benefits mankind remains on earth 13:17);
- should have all that is required to maintain life (20:118-119), and
- should lead a corporate life and establish a social order in which the physical needs of each and every individual shall be fully met and he shall have full opportunity and means for the development of his Personality (2:195, 92:18).
91:7-10 And the Self/Nafs and its perfection. He endowed it with the possibilities both of integration and disruption. He will indeed be successful who develops it. And he will indeed fail who stunteth it.
59:9 They prefer others before themselves although there be indigence among them; and whosoever is preserved from the covetousness of his own soul, these shall prosper.
These ideas where the human Self develops if it participates in the development of the human race is beautifully explained by philosopher Robert Briffault:
In the natural scale, that action is good which contributes to the process of human development, that act is evil which tends to impede, retard, oppose that process: that individual life is well deserving which is in the direct line of that evolution, that is futile which lies outside the course of its advance; that is Condemned which endeavours to oppose the current. That is the natural, the absolute and actual standard of moral values. Nature does not value the most saintly and charitable life which brings no contribution to human growth, as much as a single act which permanently promotes the evolution of the race. The only measure of worth of which nature takes any account– by perpetuating it–is the contribution offered towards the building tip of a higher humanity (Making of Humanity p. 352).
55:60 Is the reward of goodness that pleases others (Ihs’an) aught save goodness (Ihs’an)?
Thus as we had discussed before, spirituality will not develop based on rituals, meditation, seclusion, celibacy (something which I have shown you before is not part of God's system, humans invented it, not God 57:27, even Jesus was married 13:38). Even Itikaf during Ramadan is not spiritual seclusion as the words “Aakifoon” and “Aakifeen” from which the word Itikaf is derived appears in many other places in the Qur’an (e.g., 2:125, 7:138, 20:91, 20:97, 21:52, 22:25, 26:71, 48:25). The root of these words is ‘a-k-f which means to stop something from spreading, e.g., to string pearls or to comb hair in order to stop them from scattering. Therefore, Itikaf means to find ways to solve the problems of the Muslim community so that it remains bound together and does not get divided or fractionalized. It isn't just 'sticking' around in the mosques.
Hajj itself comes from the root Hajja which means: To intend to a certain target, aim at, repair, undertake, repaired/betook himself to or towards a person / place / object of veneration/respect/honour, went/visit frequently/repeatedly, pilgrimage. Overcome another by/in argument/evidences/proofs/testimonies, plead, contend/argue/dispute. Refrain/abstain. Year/ to probe a head wound to cure it. In the Qur'an Hajja is mostly used as to argue or dispute (see: 2:76, 139, 258; 3:20,65-66) It also means a year (28:27). In verse 3:97, all of mankind (Nass) is invited to do Hajj. In verse 9:5 it is ordered to have 4 months of global peace time where all wars are stopped so the issues can be discussed. As 12:106 says the majority on earth will follow different sorts of guidance and authority, which is their right (2:256), the Hajj must be a secular gathering. From this all it is clear that Hajj is no ritualistic gathering, but a Yearly Global Debate that is meant to stop wars and problems on Earth, by probing the issue and throughdiscussion and debate finding solutions and so curing the problems that has held mankind back.
Professor J.M.S. Baljon mentions: “An advantage Ahmad Al-Din wants to ascribe to it (Hajj), is that such an annual international conference ought to be of avail for prevention of wars.” [Page 80. Modern Muslim Koran Interpretation by Professor J.M.S. Baljon, 1968 quoting Khwadja Ahmad Al-Din in his Bayan li-l Nas, 1936, page 326.]
This is why I see spiritual awareness not just something we create through rituals, meditation or what not. But by the awareness of the immense force of development within the universe and that we can be part of this purpose of creation by developing our species and through developing can go beyond mere survival, but exploring the universe, going beyond earth (55:33) and such to be in control of our own evolution. This would be the perfect reflection of God's Attributes. As discussed before, faith itself is a very limited and even deceiving portrayal of the word Iman, as Iman refers to trust, but more so to protecting other human beings. Thus a Mu'min is a Protector of Life, and his Din, his obligation (Din literally means obligation) is Islam, the pursuit of peace and health (SLM=to be in security/peace/health).
So I gain my feeling of spirituality and the growth of my Self by being in harmony with the structure of the Universe, by constantly harnassing knowledge, sharing resources, benefitting mankind, to make sure mankind grows and develops as a species. In this, I get my feeling of Oneness with Reality, as my actions, thoughts and feelings are in accord with God's reason of creation:
11:119 Save him on whom your Developer of all your stages of evolution (Rabb) has given His Rahma, His continuous nourishment and development; and for that He did create them. (Rahma comes from RHM, meaning womb. And a womb protects, develops and nourishes the fetus and overlooks the small defects of the fetus)
84:19 That you shall most certainly enter one state after another, from one stage to the other, Tabiqan an tabiq.
66:8...."Our Developer, keep perfecting our light for us, and protect us; You are able to do all things."
As this discussion started with Iqbal, it is justified to end with him. Spirituality to Iqbal must not be understood as Mysticism, but of awareness of the deeper purpose to life combined with action. He expresses this beautifully in this comparison between a Prophet's experience of the Divine, and the result of this experience (i.e. action to develop the world society), and the subjective experience envoked by the mystic which he believes himself to be experiencing the Divine:
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"Muhammad of Arabia ascended the highest Heaven and returned. I swear by God that if I had reached that point, I should never have returned." These are the words of a great Muslim saint, Abdul Quddus of Gangoh. In the whole range of sufi literature, it will be, probably, difficult to find words which, in a single sentence, disclose such an acute perception of the psychological difference between the prophetic and the mystic types of consciousness. The mystic does not wish to return from the repose of 'unitary experience' ; and when he does return, as he must, his return does not mean much for mankind at large. The prophet's return is creative. He returns to insert himself into the sweep of time with a view to control the forces of history, and thereby to create a fresh world of ideals. For the mystic, the repose of 'unitary experience’ is something final ; for the prophet it is awakening, within him, of world-shaking psychological forces, calculated to completely transform the Human world. The desire to see his religious experience transformed into a living world-force, is supreme in the prophet. Thus his return amounts to a kind of pragmatic test of the value of his religious experience. In its creative act the prophet's will judges both itself and the world of concrete fact in which it endeavours to objectify itself. In penetrating the impervious material before him, the prophet discovers himself for himself, and unveils himself to the eye of history. Another way of judging the value of the prophet's religious experience, therefore, would be to examine the type of manhood that he has created, and the cultural world that has sprung out of the spirit of his message.
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[Page 118, reconstruction of religious thought in Islam.]
Aleikum Salaam, peace, health and security be on your path.
Arnold Yasin Mol