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Allama Iqbal’s love and for the Prophet ﷺ went beyond mere admiration; it was an intense spiritual passion, referred to as ishq. Iqbal yearned not only to understand and emulate the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ but to internalize his essence, reflecting the prophetic qualities of compassion, justice, and mercy. It was a lack of these qualities that Iqbal felt had caused the Muslims to become disunited and fall victim to the colonial forces. Through his poetry, he sought to reignite ishq for the Prophet ﷺ in the hearts of Muslims

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Introduction:

Near the conclusion of the poet-philosopher Allama Iqbal’s illustrious life, he was blessed with the opportunity to embark on a sacred journey to the revered city of the Prophet ﷺ, Madinah al-Munawwarah. When Iqbal’s sister conveyed to him the news of this blessed undertaking, he was inspired to write a series of heartfelt poems, intending them as a gift for the Prophet ﷺ. It seemed inconceivable to Iqbal to arrive empty-handed in Madinah, as it would be considered impolite to visit anyone without a token of appreciation. Unfortunately, Iqbal was never able to go on his trip due to illness. After Iqbal passed away, Armaghan-e-Hijaz (Gift from the Hijaz) was published, containing his poetic offerings, such as:

بایں پیری ره یثرب گرفتم

نواخواں از سرور عاشقانہ

In my twilight years, I chose Madinah’s embrace,

A passionate lover, to Madinah, I race.

چوں آں مرغےکہ درصحراسرشام

کشاید بہ فکر آشیانہ

Like a bird when the desert sun dips out of sight,

Wings stretched out, with delight.

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Ishq:

Many of the verses Iqbal penned regarding the Prophet ﷺ revolve around the theme of ishq. In English, ishq is merely translated as an intense and deep love, but this inadequate translation fails to capture the essence of the term. In Arabic, the word isqh is derived from the noun ‘ashaqa, which refers to a vine that tightly wraps around a tree, such that the two become inseparable. In Iqbal’s own words:

عشق ہے اصلِ حیات 

موت ہے اس پر حرام

Through ishq, life finds its treasure,

Even death cannot steal this pleasure.

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For Iqbal, no one deserved this kind of love more than the Prophet ﷺ. In the quatrain above, he describes himself as an ashiqana, an impassioned lover eagerly propelling towards his Beloved ﷺ. The exceptional magnitude of affection that Iqbal exhibits towards the Prophet ﷺ sets an example for us to cultivate within ourselves.

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Loving the Prophet ﷺ:

Undeniably, ishq for the Prophet ﷺ is a core Islamic teaching, as reflected in the famous hadith: 

"لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَلَدِهِ وَوَالِدِهِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ."‏

“None of you have complete faith until I am more beloved to him than his children, his father, and all of the people” (Muslim 44). 

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On the face of it, this command may seem impossible. The Egyptian polymath, Imam Suyuti (d. 911/1505), in his commentary on Sahih Muslim, explains that this hadith does not refer to the natural love we have for our family and friends. Instead, it refers to the love that we choose to give. Chosen love is demonstrated through following the Prophet’s ﷺ path and sacrificing our own desires to the satisfaction of the Prophet ﷺ. This spirit of sacrifice is summarized in Imam Suyuti’s statement: “Whoever completes their faith knows that the right [to be obeyed] of the Prophet ﷺ upon them is more certain than the right of their parents, their children, and all other people because the Prophet ﷺ saved us from the Fire and guided us from misguidance” (Sharh Suyuti ‘ala Muslim 60/1).

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The Blessings of Salawat:

Allah ﷻ has bestowed upon us numerous ways to increase our love for the Prophet ﷺ, and one of the most efficacious ways is by sending salawat upon him. Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751/1350), a scholar with profound insight into spirituality, eloquently delineates forty benefits of engaging in salawat. The thirty-second benefit he states is: “Sending salawat is a means to elongate, intensify, and multiply our love for the Prophet ﷺ. Indeed, love for the Prophet ﷺ constitutes a knot among the knots of Iman, and one’s Iman is incomplete without this knot. Whenever a servant increases in mentioning the Beloved ﷺ, evokes his presence within their heart, and reflects upon his splendid qualities and noble attributes that elicit love for him, their love for him blossoms and flourishes, and their yearning for him surges, eventually enveloping their entire heart. However, when one neglects the remembrance of the Prophet ﷺ and fails to evoke his beauty within their heart, their love for him wanes. Nothing satiates the eyes of a lover like beholding their Beloved ﷺ, and nothing gratifies the heart as remembering him and invoking his exquisite qualities” (Jala’ al-Afham 447). 

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In summary, Ibn al-Qayyim’s reflection reminds us of intricate connection between the intensity of our affection and the regularity and genuineness of our remembrance of the Prophet ﷺ. It is through the consistent invocation of his noble presence within the depths of our hearts—and through studying his noble life—that our adoration for him flourishes. May Allah ﷻ write the love of the Prophet ﷺ in our hearts, may He grant us his intercession, and may we drink from his blessed hands at the pond of Kawthar.

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