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Chapter 8
Praises British rulers of India
Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal wrote poems in praise and adulation of the British
rulers of India. It is widely alleged against Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
that, as he expressed his loyalty to the British rule of India in his
writings, this implies that he was an agent and tool of British imperialism.
But the fact is that such expressions of loyalty were commonplace by almost
all Muslim political, religious and intellectual leaders in India, including
those like Dr. Iqbal who are revered as the greatest heros of the Muslim
people.
- Upon the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, Dr. Iqbal penned
an epicedium of ten pages, entitled ‘Tears of Blood’, from which we
give a few verses below. The Queen died on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr,
and Iqbal wrote:
“Happiness came, but grief came along with it, Yesterday was Eid,
but today came muharram [month of the year
associated with the deepest mourning for Muslims]
“Easier than the grief and mourning of this day, Would be the
coming of the morn of the day of judgment.
“Ah! the Queen of the realm of the heart has passed away, My
scarred heart has become a house of mourning.
“O India, thy lover has passed away, She who sighed at thy troubles
has passed away.
“O India, the protective shadow of God has been lifted from above
you, She who sympathised with your inhabitants has gone.
“Victoria is not dead as her good name remains, this is the life
to whomever God gives it.
“May the deceased receive abundant heavenly reward, and may we
show goodly patience.”
(Baqiyyat-i Iqbal, poem runs over pages 71– 90. Translator’s
Note: I have only translated here some of the verses quoted
by Hafiz Sher Mohammad in his original Urdu work.)
- In December 1911, on the occasion of the coronation of King
George V, Iqbal wrote and read out a poem entitled ‘Our King’:
“It is the height of our good fortune, That our King is crowned
today.
“By his life our peoples have honour, By his name our respect
is established.
“With him have the Indians made a bond of loyalty, On the dust
of his footsteps are our hearts sacrifced.”
(ibid., p. 206.)
- During the First World War, Iqbal wrote a poem at the request
of Sir Michael O’Dwyer, Governor of the Punjab, in response to an
appeal from the King. This was read out in 1918. In it, addressing
the King of England, Iqbal says:
“If there is freedom of speech and writing here, if there is peace
between the Temple and the Mosque here,
“If there is an organised system of business of the various
peoples here, if there is strength in the dagger and life in the
sword here,
“Whatever there is, it has been granted by you, O honoured
one, this land is alive only because of your existence.
“I am the tree of loyalty, love is my fruit, a just witness
to this statement are my actions.
“Sincerity is selfless, so is truth selfless, so is service,
and so is devotion selfless,
“Pledge, loyalty and love are also selfless, and devotion
to the royal throne is also selfless,
“But being human the thought which arises naturally is,
that your favours are manifest upon India.”
(Translator’s Note: Again, I have only translated
here some of the verses quoted by Hafiz Sher Mohammad in his original
Urdu work.)
This was published in the paper Akhbar-i Haq, the magazine
Zamana of Kanpur, and the book Hindustan aur Jang
'Alamgir (‘India and the World War’) by L. Ralya Ram. It
was then published in Baqiyyat-i Iqbal, on pages 216 to 219.
It was first read out by Dr. Iqbal himself at the Punjab University
Hall, Lahore.
- Not only in poetry, but in prose also Dr. Iqbal praised
the British nation. For example, he writes:
“Many among us, including myself, believe that England at this time
possesses the capability of leading the whole of mankind towards
this objective. The thinking of the people of that land, their political
understanding based on a deep study of human nature, their unshakeable,
serious, resolve, their moral superiority over others in many aspects,
their astonishing control over material resources, the existence
of many movements among them for the welfare and betterment of human
beings, and their discipline in every walk of life — all these are
things which no outsider can refrain from admiring.”
(Harf-i Iqbal, p. 167, from the year 1930)
- At the close of his life, Iqbal perhaps felt regret at having
praised British rule. It is recorded by his chronicler:
“The Allama said: ‘Ghalib was indeed a very great poet, but to write
poetry in praise of the British government merely to get an increase
in the stipend is to be greatly regretted. This tendency of Ghalib
pains one considerably.’
“He then said: ‘Slavery is a great curse. It causes one to say
things, deliberately as well as unintentionally, which one does
not want to.’
“The Allama was perhaps regretting that he himself had composed
verses of poetry in praise of the British government. Whether
this was under compulsion, or due to helplessness, whatever the
reason, it should not have happened. Perhaps with this thought
in mind, the Allama became silent. We too were silent.”
(Iqbal kay huzur nashistain aur goftaguain, vol. 1, p.
27, 6 March 1938)
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