Whatever Iqbal has thought he has thought through the brains of the Qur'an and what-ever he has seen he has seen through the eyes of the Qur'an. Truth and Qur'an were for him, one and the same, and in this one thing he was so absorbed that among the theologians of his century it's almost impossible to find any person who may have lived such life of 'Fanafi'i Qur'an' (annihilation [of the self] in the Qur'an).
Iqbal grew up believing that the Qur'an has to be recited as if it had been revealed upon him and this had a profound impact on him. Iqbal used to analyse the meanings and messages of Qur'an from the depths of his soul. He advised people to recite the Qur'an in a manner that it should cultivate the relationship which Nabi Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) had with the Qur'an.
He says, "Tere Zameer Pe Jab Tak Na Ho Nuzool-e-Qur'an Giroh Kasha Hai Na Razi Na Sahib-e-Kashf"
Meaning, unless the Quran's each verse and part be revealed unto your heart; You cannot be benefitted with Razi [or any other Mufassir] nor by any man of insight.
In another Farsi (Persian) couplet he writes, "Zarazi Maani Qur'an Che Pari? Zameer Maabaa Aayaatish Daleel Asth."
Tu Qur'an ke maane tafseeron se kya poochta hai? Khud hamara dil iski aayaton par daleel hai. (urdu)
Meaning, why ask of Razi (mufassir) what the Qur'an means? By each man's own heart is it best construed.
Implying, be not dependent on any Mufassir of the Qur'an to understand what the Qur'an means, because Allah has blessed our hearts with the ability to interpret and understand it.
As the Qur'an says, 75:18-19
So when We have recited it [through Gabriel], then follow its recitation.
Then upon Us is its clarification [to you].
In order to understand and interpret the Qur'an we must first recite it the way Allah recited it i.e. 'to complete the Qur'an every lunar month [Bukhari]'. Then Allah says that He, Himself will explain the Qur'an to us, meaning bless our hearts with its understanding.
Iqbal's poetry as Sheikh Imran Hosein says was like a sword that was aimed at restoration of true doctrine of Islam which he felt had been corrupted or distorted elsewhere. According to Iqbal, the Muslim Scholars who are responsible for the development of Islamic Theology, Fiqh, and non-canonical law have distorted the original message of the Qur'an through inauthentic, non scientific, and biased interpretations and explanations.
The statement of the Prophet which is narrated as follows explains the situation we are in today "Indeed, Islam began as something strange (unrecognized) and it shall soon return as it did occur earlier (meaning the true Islam will be seen as a strange thing, even to the Muslims). Thus, there is good news for the strangers (unrecognized)" - Muslim
And complementing the Hadith quoted in the previous slide comes the Hadith in Tirmidhi
"The example of my Ummah is that of rain, it is uncertain if the first or last of it is better"
This implies that the true Islamic doctrine will be brought back in the latter days and will dazzle the world again as it dazzled it back then. Iqbal believed that original Qur'anic doctrine cannot be possessed with the help or assistance of prevalent Islamic educational curriculum, knowledge of Qur'an, and Islamic educational system.
Iqbal admonishes the Muslims, and says:
Thou art the prisoner of Sufi and Mulla thou does not gain life from the wisdom of the Qur'an.
Meaning, unless you break free from that prison you won't be benefitted from the knowledge and wisdom that the Qur'an has in store for you.
Iqbal used poetry as a device for communicating Qur'anic commandments to mankind.
Iqbal's faith in "Qur'an as the best guide" can be well explained by the fact that while proceeding to attend the Second Round Table Conference, he was questioned by the Hindustan Times correspondent with what special thing he was attending the Conference?
Iqbal replied: "I have nothing except Qur'an. I will present the same"
O Allah make us fall in love with the Qur'an and make us see and judge everything with the lenses of Qur'an.
Aameen
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