In his poem "Nanak," Allama Iqbal describes Guru Nanak as a beacon of monotheism and the spirit of social justice and equality. Iqbal believes that exploitation and deceit in the name of religion are disgraceful, as they undermine the very essence of life - social justice and equality. Let's examine how Iqbal portrays Guru Nanak in his poetry and the significance of his teachings.
Iqbal's poem focuses on four main themes - Gautama Buddha and his teachings, the essence of truth and monotheism, the spirit of social justice and equality, and Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Out of the eight couplets in the poem, the first six are dedicated to the first three themes, while the last two couplets are dedicated to Guru Nanak.
Iqbal begins by lamenting that India failed to recognize the value of Buddha and his teachings. Buddha's message emphasized spiritual growth by renouncing worldly desires, but the Indians were too preoccupied with pursuing prestige, power, and property. While Buddha tried to lead them towards spiritual salvation, they remained ignorant of his divine truth, much like a tree unaware of the sweetness of its own fruits.
Buddha's teachings revolved around the Four Noble Truths, which advocated freeing oneself from worldly attachments to alleviate suffering. However, the Indian society persisted with its discriminatory caste system, displaying reluctance towards accepting the truth and enlightenment shared by Buddha. India, according to Iqbal, remained barren despite the rains of Buddha's teachings falling upon it.
Iqbal then expresses anguish over the long-standing exploitation of the lower-caste Shudras in India. He points out that the absence of compassion and humanitarianism in Indian society perpetuated sorrow and suffering. The Brahmins, intoxicated with their self-made casteist dogmas, hindered the acceptance of Buddha's message. While foreign lands like China and Japan embraced Buddha's teachings, India failed to benefit from the divine light.
In the last two couplets, Iqbal shifts his focus to Guru Nanak and the concept of monotheism. He proclaims that India's illumination came with the birth of Guru Nanak in Punjab, where the spirit of monotheistic commandments would be rejuvenated. Iqbal highlights the broader perspective of monotheism, not confined to any particular religion, including Islam and Sikhism. He mentions that even Hinduism's Vedas contain references to its monotheistic nature. Crucially, Iqbal asserts that true monotheistic literature must promote social justice and equality.
Iqbal praises Guru Nanak as the "mard-e-kamil," the perfect man, who embarked on a mission to awaken the slumbering souls of India. For Iqbal, Guru Nanak epitomizes the vision of a monotheist, challenging exploitation, oppression, and submission of one human being by another. Guru Nanak's mission encompassed the pursuit of social justice and equality, aligning with the fundamental duty of a monotheist - to uplift the masses and end oppression.
In the context of contemporary India, Iqbal's poem "Nanak" carries high relevance. It calls for believers to understand and unravel the true tenets of their religions, focusing on the betterment of humanity and promoting social justice. In a time of rising religious differences, environmental issues, and a decline in rationality and scientific temper, Iqbal's message encourages people to embody the spirit of social justice and equality championed by Guru Nanak and other monotheistic leaders.
Iqbal brings Guru Nanak centre stage. The world is dark, all great teachings have been forgotten and migrated to distant land, and caste is crushing the oppressed. All of a sudden history repeates itself. Giving the analogy of Prophet Abraham’s father, Aazaar (a consummmate artist, maker of idols) in whose house Abraham, the Father of Wahdaniyat(One God) was born. Guru Nanak was thus sent to earth to spread this very Wahdaniyat. The soil of Punjab gave call for Unity and India was awakened from its deep slumber by a man who is Kamil or complete, the perfect Man, Guru Nanak.
Syeda Hameed in her essay ‘My Rama Secular Hindu Divine’ in The Little Magazine , Vol. VII : Issue 5 & 6, Page 33
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