Integrating Indian Muslims with the Indian Society

The father of slain terrorist Saifullah, Sartaj, has refused to accept his son’s body, saying that “a traitor cannot be a son.” Saifullah was killed in Lucknow’s Thakurganj after a 11 hour counter terror operation. He was suspected to be linked with the blast in the Bhopal-Ujjain train yesterday, police said. His father has now disowned him and has stated that he will not cremate his body. Speaking to reporters, Saifullah's father Sartaj emphasized, "We are Indian citizens. I was born here, my ancestors were born here." He said he had heard this morning about the death of his son in the encounter. He further said that his son left home two and a half months ago. He was not happy with his ways and then there was an altercation between us before he fled home. The last time I spoke to him was last Monday when he had said that his VISA was ready and that he was leaving for Saudi Arabia soon.

Mr Sartaj act is appreciable and is logically the best decision.However instead of talking about this singular incident we must address the larger issue of so called Islamic radicalization of Indian Muslims. It's easy to point out flaws and criticize government policies. The harder part is to offer an implementable road map to solve the delicate problem of Islamic radicalism in India. The policy solution, however, can only come once the right diagnosis has been made and the roots of radicalism understood. I feel that home-grown radicalization arises from an identity crisis, one that starts in the household and leaves some Indian Muslims unable to integrate into mainstream society. Such Muslims, I argue, are most likely to fell prey to radical Islamist propaganda through social media or through the physical networks of radical organizations.

The issue of countering radicalism, then, is really about how to integrate Indian Muslims into present mainstream society. My major criticism of the present Indian Government's counter-radicalization strategy has been its 'religious' nature. Trying desperately to find a religious solution to a problem that has social roots is likely going to fail. The Indian Government has been trying to fix Islam instead of fixing a small percentage of Muslims in India at risk of radicalization due to their upbringing and exposure to a misinterpreted violent ideology.
This unconscious Islamisation by the Indian Government, emerging from misdirected advice from Muslim community leaders, has led to an undue overdeveloped focus on religion. For instance, if the aim is to integrate Indian Muslims into society, then focusing on their personal issues and discussing nonstop in media just pushes and further traps Muslims into their own community, leaving them feeling more isolated in India than ever before. What, then, is the solution? 

For one thing, specialized campaigns and programs are needed for Muslim community leaders and parents whose very teachings their kids in their early years have a major impact on how well these kids fit into Indian mainstream society. Influencing Muslim parents' approach to raising their children will have a long-term sustainable impact on de-radicalization.

Second, having talked to young Indian Muslims, both men and women, I would argue that the permanent solution for India's growing Islamic radicalization problem is a non-religious response based on sports, entertainment, and exposure (SEE). Why these three areas? Because not only will they get the quickest integration and de-radicalization results, but most young Muslims will willingly participate.

Government investment in building sports facilities for Muslim youth to support integration with the larger Indian population would be a tremendous start. Spending on creating local Muslim cricket/Hockey/Soccer leagues, and having them play against universities or State and Central level tournaments is the sort of exposure that will go a long way to taking hundreds of Young Muslim enthusiasts away from the risks of radicalization. It will also help other Communities overcome their prejudices against Muslims.

Second, with the growing interest of youth in media, Government spending on providing a platform for Muslim youth who have a taste for such pursuits will get a great response. Recognizing Muslim talent through a film competition, for example, would generate far more involvement from Muslim youth, and better results.

Third and most important is exposure to government services. The majority of Indian Muslims come from financially poor background, where a government job is considered the most sought after job – a symbol of respect and acceptance in society. The British Empire in India offered government positions to locals in order to pacify any revolt against them, and it worked. Given the negligible presence of Muslims in government and law enforcement, will have an overwhelming and permanent impact on young Indian Muslims.

Two crucial factors underpin this SEE strategy, which together can have a major impact on de-radicalization: first, by focusing on non-religious solutions, it neutralizes the overdeveloped emphasis on religion; and second, it provides hope and acceptance to Muslims through programs tailored to their interests and culture – in short, it offers a chance to excel in Indian society.

If the Indian Government can create this sense of opportunity for Indian Muslims, it will go a long way to not just assimilating the Muslim community but making it a highly productive part of society and retain the plural fiber of the great country.

Value Education, Role Of Faculties

INTRODUCTION

Value Education: Need of the Hour

Mankind is passing through a crisis. The tremendous emphasis on the scientific and mechanical ways of life is fast reducing man to the status of a machine. Moral and religious values are being undermined. The fundamental principles of civilization are being ignored. Conflicts of ideas, manners and habits are pervading the atmosphere. Disregard for everything old is the fashion of the day. At this situation, the solution of all these social and global evils is through value education. Emphasis should be laid on such education through which moral values can be developed among the students so that they can conduct their life morally. They can decide what is right or wrong; what is good or evil; what is justice or injustice. If we can make a student as a good human being, the development of moral values within him is the prior task of education. They are the foundation of human existence. They make our life meaningful.

Due to dearth of values in the present generation the curriculum must give prominence to value education. Value education has never been out of style. It is very relevant in almost all the fields concerning human activity. We have outstanding doctors who are in to organ robbery, brilliant engineers whose bridges collapses soon after their bills are passed, accountants who rob government treasury by manipulation, civil servants who rule as emperors, politicians with fake promises. All of them are the best educated and trained but their intellectual dishonesty is horrifying. Hence, the need of development of moral values is very significant. Some important needs have been mentioned below:

1. Preparing Our Children for Future Roles in Society:

Knowledge gained in school is only one goal of education. The primary goals of education should be enabling students to gain knowledge and moral values. Our kids will need both in preparing themselves to be good parents and citizens in society.

2. Many Parents Aren’t Teaching Moral Values:

If all parents were teaching their children moral values in the home, it would not be necessary for the schools to do this work. The sad fact is that a lot of kids are not learning from their parents the difference between right and wrong. This is because most mothers and fathers in their busy work days spend only a few hours with their children. In many families there is only one parent and no other role models for kids to follow:

3. There is Too Much Violence and Dishonesty in Society:

Every day students are exposed to violence, dishonesty, and other social problems in the media and the real world. How many times have we heard about school shootings? What about other times when students are caught cheating on exams? Then, too, we read about bullying in school and fights between gangs. If moral values were taught in schools, we would have fewer of these problems.

4. To Counter Bad Influences in Society:

Unfortunately, many of the role models of young people are setting bad examples. These bad examples range from sexual promiscuity, degrading of women, advocacy of violence, and the condoning of dishonesty in order to succeed.

5. Moral Values Will Stick with You for Life:

The significant of moral values in our life is very important. Moral values teach us what is right or wrong. Thus, we can conduct our life in a right direction. We can understand what is good or evil. This type of learning helps us to conduct our life morally in this world.

SOME IMPORTANT MORAL VALUES IN CURRICULUM

If we want to make our students as a moral human being, college curriculum is one of the best ways to serve this purpose. Because he think that moral values can be inculcated among our students through a value based college curriculum. Therefore, following is suggested.

1. Unconditional Love and Kindness: In most cases, if you love someone, he or she will love you back in return. This, however, is not the real meaning of love. Love should be unconditional. With more love in the world, kindness will follow and replace cruelty.

2. Honesty: Students must be taught that dishonesty and cheating is wrong, and will get you nowhere in the future. As a student, one is only hurting himself or herself by cheating, because this action will eventually catch up to you in the end with bad consequences.

3. Hard Work: Nowadays, so many students want to cheat and cut corners in their studies, because they are lazy and don’t place any value on hard word. This thinking must change.

4. Respect for Others: Unfortunately, in our highly competitive dog eat dog society; many people will tread on others to get ahead in life. Respect for others should include respecting different religions, races, sexes, ideas, and life styles.

5. Co-operation: To achieve a common goal, it is necessary for all people to work together. If this is not done, a few people may profit, but the end result for everyone will be a failure. I still believe in the motto, “united we stand and divided we fall.

6. Compassion: Compassion is defined as being sensitive to the needs of people. If there were more compassion in the world, there would be less homeless, hunger, wars, and unhappiness.

7. Forgiveness: Anger in most cases is caused by unwillingness to forgive. There would be less violence and fighting in school if students could learn this moral virtue.

Role of Faculty in Imparting Value Education

Ordinary Teachers can bring about extraordinary transformation in the society. A teacher should practice what he preaches. Teachers are a role-model for the students. Their actions convey more than their words. Students learn values from what the teachers are rather than from what they say. Teacher makes a maximum impact on the personality of a student in the formative years. Students imbibe virtues and vices knowingly and unknowingly from theses role models. Teachers demonstrate the appropriate behavior of their students by their actions. Teachers must have healthy attitude and should possess rich values. Teaching is all about attitude-positive/ negative towards their job of imparting quality education. Teacher should act as a friend, philosopher and guide.

A teacher is not only a source of information but is also a mentor and guardian. For this teacher must respect the teaching profession, love her subjects and students, Students will seek inspiration from teachers who have high self-esteem. A decade back or so the role of a teacher was limited to being a source of information. But today this place is shared by books, coaching classes, multimedia technology etc. So the role of a teacher is marginalized. Role of a teacher has increased manifold. In modern times we are experiencing transition. A teacher can maintain values and nurture them. A teacher has an immense potential of bringing about a sea change in the society by demonstrating essential values of head and heart. Teacher can impart values in students by giving them instructions through discussion, experimentation and lectures and by the following mentioned ways:

Teachers can maintain a case-study register to closely observe the students and note down the positive and negative traits of their personality.

By organizing cultural and sports events values like team spirit, sharing, spirit of cooperation, patience, courtesy etc can be imparted.

National and religious festivals must be celebrated to foster a feeling of homogeneity.

“Thought for the Day” should be employed in assemblies. Moral thoughts trigger in them moral thinking.

Teachers should give importance to cooperative learning.

Skits, role plays propagating moral values can be performed by students under the guidance of teacher.

Teacher must tell the students to go to the libraries- the treasure house of knowledge. Classics available in the library are morally rich and inspiring.

Teacher must explain the students the importance of meditation& yoga practices for realization or the attainment of oneness with God.

Every day a Teacher must spent at least 5 minutes on moral lecturing.

Impart knowledge of foreign languages to make them know different cultures.

Organize games, excursions, visits to places of historical importance. Club activities like nature club, literary club, wildlife prevention club, social service camps, blood donation etc.

Suicidal tendencies in students should be curbed. They must be prepared by the teacher to face the challenges of life fearlessly and with courage.

The most important agent for building the character of the student is a teacher. Character is nothing but a bundle of habits formed through repeated acts. Character building can change the nation. As strong foundation is required for a strong building, strong character is required for nation-building.

CONCLUSION

When a problem arises, it needs to be recognized, addressed and resolved. Instead of blaming people or institutions for the results of a lack of morality in schools and colleges. We should focus our efforts on finding ways of successfully implementing character education into schools. Changes have to occur in parents, legislators, communities, and the media and educational system so that children are taught how to behave. Actualizing character education programs into schools is necessary in order to overcome this nation’s crisis of character. Thus Teachers play an important role in the nation building by character building of the students. The best and the greatest profession in the world is that of a teacher, because the future of a nation depends upon the type of teachers who shape the future generations. Every teacher plays the most important role in shaping the students as enlightened citizen. I have a simple message for all faculties, “Arise, Awake and Stop not till the goal are achieved”.

India of My Dream

A little more than 65 years ago, on 26 November 1949, we, the people of India, adopted, enacted and gave unto ourselves our Constitution, laying down, thereby, our solemn resolve to constitute our motherland into a sovereign socialist Democratic Republic and the secure to all its citizens Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. While elaborating the forms of these fundamentals of our Republic we left little out of view, perhaps as a wishful flourish of the principles on which we fought the struggle for independence ; or perhaps because we were too sure that the monolithic structure of our ancient culture will be fit to support the multifaceted edifice. 

Today, when the third generation of free Indians is about to hand over the reins of the country to a fourth, the cardinal question whether, and to what degree, we have realized our ambitious goals continues to remain unanswered. It is my considered belief that we are not leaving much hope for the next generation. Social, economic and political justice has been hogged by the privileged few. Liberty of thought, expression, faith and worship, which was supposed to widen the spiritual and intellectual horizons of the human soul, has become the most handy instrument of exploitation of human personality. Equality of status and opportunity is buried under the garbage heap of dishonesty and corruption. And fraternity, assuring the dignity of the individual and the integrity of the nation, has become a commercial exhibition reserved only for the Republic Day. 

We have perhaps yet to realize that our over-ripe culture is in an advanced state of decay.  What is good in it is no longer alive and has been overtaken by the destructive element of international trade winds. The mental frame that we adopted from our erstwhile rulers to sustain us through the teething times has developed grievous metal fatigue. We are the cross-roads and have to choose the straight and narrow path if we are to achieve our ambitions. 

If a statement of truth gets a man dubbed a cynic, call me so. I am not a cynic. I am not an escapist either. Nor do I deny the astronomical leaps taken by the country, particularly in comparison with those who gained freedom at the same time in history as India. We were at a starvation corner in 1947. Today we are not only self-sufficient in food but are among its exporters. And the fact that this green revolution was achieved by a totally uneducated peasantry and in a god forsaken underdeveloped hinterland is a miracle to be seen and believed. We had a wretched skeleton of an industrial base, mainly composed of agro-products, and a small number of textile mills, coalfields and ore mines. Today we are the eight largest industrialized nation of the world, manufacturing or at least assembling almost everything from a safety pin to a supersonic aircraft. From a nation which perforce, under an alien and self-seeking rule, produced only office clerks, we have now become a nation whose prowess as the third largest bank of techno-economic manpower is unquestioned. All this cannot be denied.

But the dignity of the individual, the inner strength of human character, and the courage to accept and do only that which a man in his conscience believes to be correct, that self-respecting mettle which is nurtured only by true education and persistent exercise, and “maketh a nation great and strong” in the true sense is as deplorable today in the age of the supersonic aircraft as it was in the age of the bullock cart.

The Indian of my dreams is not an India of high-tech economic advancement. It is a vision which perhaps died with the freedom fighters – “where the mind is without fear and head is held high’’ – it is that haven of freedom into which we still have to lead our ancient nation. The dignity of the individual which is at the heart of the cosmic concept of fraternity and national pride inalienable to my dream of a strong and free India. Justice, liberty, equality and fraternity- the hallmarks of a living democracy- are elusive ideals unless the individual gets his due.

A democracy is one in which the rule of law prevails. People are ruled by consent enshrined in the laws made by their chosen representatives, and have a right to dissent and challenge that which is illegal and underhand. Coercion of any kind, mental economic, political or intellectual, is a form of violence and should find no place in any democracy. Form a statistical point of view we have the largest number of laws covering and uncovering almost every aspect of human life. But the inside out of Indian democracy today is that law is obeyed more in circumvention and defiance than in effect. 

A democracy is one in which the true choice of the people gets reflected in the public representative. We have yet to make a beginning in that direction. Elections in India continue to yield to the manipulative tactics of the privileged few whether privileged by sheer dint of being in power at the sacred time of the poll or being privileged to be able to commandeer enough financial resources to influence and purchase the people’s choice. A third category of the privileged professional who are swarming the holy precincts of our legislatures are the musclemen who first worked for those who began to depend on them to browbeat the voters and then preferred to displace their erstwhile masters. Absence of purity in our election process is at the root of corruption in India.  

I dream of an India in which the voter shall be able to assert his true choice will be free and aware enough to indentify the appropriate man for the helm of affairs. Public awareness is the key to a vibrant and living  democracy- awareness of what ails the nation, what are our ills and what remedies are best under the prevailing environment, awareness of what are the rights and obligation of the citizens and what a faithful exercise of  these rights will contribute towards the general good and well-being of all.

And this awareness which has always been the proud possession of the vibrant Indian psyche has played second fiddle all through our recent post-Independence period. Our system of education is still limited in its approach. “Education”, said Hazlitt “is that which remains in us after we have forgotten what we learnt in books.” Educations in India is still only bookish and merely career-oriented. It does not train fully grown, aware and self- assured young men and women to swim confidently in the tumultuous ocean of the competitive and conflict- ridden society. Women who constitute half the mass of people are still by and large deprived.

The India of my dreams, though technologically keeping pace with the world and economically sound and self-sustaining, will be only an Indian of clay and mud if the foundations are not built on human character and honesty sustained by education which nurtures the human personality in its true sense.

My Take on Allama Iqbal

I have read many eminent people version on Iqbal and sometimes tends to get confused on the diverse understanding of such a great personality.  I have my own interpretation of what Iqbal stood for.  I have often described him as the prophet-philosopher for modern India. My view is based entirely on selective readings of his work and my personal revulsion against the widely prevalent interpretation of the Hindu ethics and way of life—the do-nothing attitude of meditation to cultivate peace of mind. Peace of mind is sterile concept productive of nothing but peace of mind. No great works of art, science or literature, no great discoveries or inventions have been made mind at rest but only by those in state of agitation bordering on insanity. Iqbal was first to revolt against an apathetic view of life and extol the virtues of the work- ethic and ceaseless striving for excellence. I deliberately chose the ignore his obsession with Islam and was instead inspired by his daring to talk to God on equal terms and lay a fair share of the blame for the downfall of Muslim glory on Him. While being a devout Muslim he never ceased to castigate the mullah and the maulvi for their backward looking interpretation of Holy Scripture.

            

Two pastimes which Iqbal indulged in lessened his image as a poet. These were law and politics. Although he qualified as a barrister and set up practice at the Lahore High Court, he did not take the profession seriously and very few briefs came his way. The then Chief Justice of the High Court, Sir Shadi Lal, quite rightly turned down proposals to make Iqbal a judge of High Court. His forays into politics were equally desultory and inconsequential. He made little contribution to the Round Table Conference to which he was invited more as a man of letters than as a politician and found it difficult to get on with Muslim leaders of the time.M. A. Jinnah soon discovered that he could not get Iqbal to toe his line. State leaders like Mian fazl Hussain and Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan did not take him seriously. Nor he them. It is unfortunate that more has been read into the few speeches he delivered at political conference than they deserved. It is ironic that while he strongly condemned nation states based on religion and refused to accept restricting Islam within geographical boundaries, he continues to regarded as the emotional basis for Pakistan. His vision was pan- Islamic – more in line with the ideas of Jamaluddin Afghani and Maulana  Maududi than those of Jinnah and the Muslim League.

            

Iqbal’s biographers have not been fair to him. They have tried to portray him as a paragon of virtue and above human failing. He was a full- blooded man who despite having a succession of wives at home, had a long love – affair with a Bombay socialite and a fleeting one at the time he was Heidelberg University. There is enough material on record in the way of correspondence between him and his lady friends to establish that these relationships were not platonic. Biographers have unfairly – in my view, dishonestly – tried to ignore, gloss over explain away these associations and create an image of an anemic, ascetic- like figure totally absorbed in philosophical speculation and writing poetry.

           

Iqbal’s massage can be summed up in the old adage, ‘God helps those that help themselves’. There is a constant refrain that man must strive with all that he has in him before he expects God to give him the fruits of his labour.  Perhaps the lines most often quoted are:

Khudi ko kar buland itna

Keh har Taqdeer say pahley

Khuda bandey say khud poochhey

Bataa, teyree razaa kya hai?  

Endow thy will with such power

That at every turn of fate it so be

That God himself asks of his slave

‘tell me, what it is that pleaseth thee?’

Khudi has been variously translated as self-hood, self-will, self-confidence and determination to succeed. God himself exhorts a man to determine his destiny.

Too apnee sar navisht khud apneey qalam say likh

Keh khaalee rakhee hai khana-e-haq nay teyree jabeen

Write your life’s story with your own hand

For God who is just has left a blank space on your forehead.

Another couplet frequently quoted convey the same massage:

Amal say zindagee bantee hai

Jannat bhee, jahannum bhee

Yeh khakee apni fitrat mein

Na nooree hai na naari hai

Its how we act that makes our lives,

We can make it heaven, we can make it hell.

In the clay of which we are made

Neither light nor darkness of evil dwell.

Iqbal makes it clear that man’s striving must be for a good cause and not for selfish or evil purpose:

            

            Yaqeen mahkam, amal paiham

            Mohabbat faatah-e-alam;

            Jihad-i-Zindagani main hain

            Yeh mardon kee shamsheeren

           

In man’s crusade of life, three weapons has he;

Faith that his cause is just;

Courage to wage eternal strife;

Love that encompasses all humanity.

For those who aspire to be leader of man Iqbal prescribes further reles:

            

            Nigah buland, sukhan dilnawaaz, jaan pur soz

            Yehi hai rakht-e-safar Meer-e-kaarvan kay liye

            

            Broad vision, heart-warming speech, a warm personality

            These are all the baggage the laeder of acaravan needs to carry.

Each individual has a role in making up the community to which he belongs.

Afraad kay haanthon hai aqvaam kee taqdeer—the fate of humanity is in the hand of every human being. He has to be conscious of his responsibilities to society because he cannot function alone: Fard Qaaem rabt-e-maillat say hai—an individual is sustained by society: tanha kucch nahin—by himself he count for nothing; he is like a wave of the ocean which ceases to exist if there were no ocean.

Iqbal did not believe in separating religion from politics because politics divorced from religion (ethic) would lead to tyranny. It is not quite clear whether Iqbal believed in democracy. He admired strong man and wrote in praise of dictators both communist and fascist. At the same time he believed in freedom and right to chalk out one’s own course of life. Perhaps he subscribed more to meritocracy than the kind of democracy we have today.

            

            Is raaz ko ik mard-i-firangi nay kiya faash

            Har chand kay daanaa usey khola nahin kartey;

            Jamhauriyat ik tarz-e-hakoomat hai keh jis mein

            Bandon ko ginaa kart ay hain tola nahin kartey

            A foreign gentlemen exploded the myth

            Which secret wise men have never betrayed

            Democracy is a form of government in which

            Heads are counted, men never weighed.

Iqbal had faith in man’s ability to rise to supreme heights, to reach beyond the stars provided his quest was constant and not debased by thoughts of petty, personal gain. His flight was to be like that of the golden edge surveying the earth beneath it, not like that of a vulture looking for carrion. It was not to compromise his principals matter what the consequences were. Manzur Qadir’s son, Basharat, chose the following lines from Iqbal for the epitaph on a friend of the family, Mohammad Anwar:

            

           Qaid-e-mausem say tabeeat Azaad uskee

            Kash! Gulshan mein samajhta koee faryaad uskee

            From the prison bars changing seasons he remained free

            Alas! There was none in the garden to lend ear to his plea.

A man must be committed to the truth, then only can he be courageous:

           

            Aaeen-e-jawan mardaan haq-goee-o-baby baakee

            Allah kay sheyron ko aatee naheen boobaki

            The aim of young man is to boldly uphold the trust

            The leonine sons of Allah know not the art of deceit.

Every setback in life to him was another opportunity to prove his worth:  az bala-o-tarse? – do you fear evil; Hadith-i-Mustafa ast --- it is a saying of the prophet; Mard ra roz-e-safaa ast—to a man a day of ill-luck is but a day of purgatory.

There is nothing hidden from man if only he strives to unravel the mysteries of life:

            

            Mard-e-har say naheen posheeda zamee-e-taqdeer

            Khwaab mein deykha hai aalam i-nau kee tasveer

            Aur jab bang-e-azaan beydaar kartee hai usey

            Karta hai khwaab mein deykhee hooi duniya taameer

            

            From a free man are not hidden the secret of destiny

            He sees in his dreams vision of the world to be

            When the morning call to prayer rouses him

            He strives to build the world of his dreams.

Not for Iqbal, the ideal of the Hindu ascetic sitting cross-legged in the lotus pose, controlling his breath, stilling his mind and trying to rouse the serpent power lying coiled at the base of his spine. He was the prophet of restless energy:

            

            Khuda tujhey kisee toofaan say aashna kar day

            Key teyrey behr kee maujon mein izhtiraab naheen

            

            May God bring a strom in your life!

            I see no vitality in the waves of the ocean of life.

Words like iztirrab and talaatum (restlessness) appear frequently in Iqbal’s writing.

What was ture of individuals was equally true of races. They rose in strife, had their ups and down and collapsed into decadence:

            

            Aa tujh ko battaaoon main taqdeer-i-umam kya hai

            Shamsheer-o-Sana avval, taoos-o-rhubaab aakhir

            

           Come let me tell you of the destiny of races!

 They rise with the sword and the dagger

 They end with the lute and the viol.

            But a people at rest were a people without life:

            

            Nishaan yahee hai zamaaney mein zinda Qaumon ka

            Key subhoh-o-shaam badaltee hain in kee taqdeeren

            

            The real signs of life in races in this age are

            That morn and eve their fortunes change.

In Iqbal’s scheme of things man came first, God had a secondary role. Many a time he chides God for breaking His word ti mankind. God created the universe but it is man who gave it meaning:

            

           Too shab aafreede, chiraagh aafreedam

            Saqaal Aafeedee, agaam aafreedam

            Biyaabaan-o-Kohsaa-o-raagh aafreedee

            Khayaabaan-o-gulzar-o-baagh aafreedam

            

            Thou madest the night, I the lamp to light it

            Thou madest the clay, I moulded it into a goblet

            Wild wastes, mountains and jungles were were mode by Thee

            Orchards, flower lands and gardens were laid by me.

No doubt that God did create the world for us but it was also God who threw Adam and Eve out of Paradise for daring to transgress His ordinances. Iqbal question God’s might to impose such dire punishment on the progeny of Adam and Eve and ask Him to accept a fair share of the blame for the downfall of mankind.