The station of Love, ‘Ishq, and Intuition, Kashf, with Iqbal
vis-à-vis Intellect, ‘aql, and Knowledge, ‘ilm.

Excerpts from a speech by Allama Rasheed Turabi
(Translated by Syed Hyder Mehdi)

Allamah Rasheed Turabi was famous for quoting the couplets from some of the great poets in Persian and Urdu languages, for instance, Rumi, Ghalib, Mir Taqi Mir, Iqbal, and Yagana Changezi. During one of his speeches on the topic of decisive and allegorical or ambiguous verses of the Holy Qur’an he happened to touch upon the philosophy of Dr. Iqbal as reflected in his poetry.
In his opening remarks Rasheed Turabi says: In Islam, between the juxtaposed pairs of a) Intellect (‘aql) and Love (‘ishq), b) Knowledge (‘ilm) and Intuition (kashf) and c) Obedience to the Apostle (it’teba’e Rasul) and absorption (or Self-Abandonment ) and madness (jazb and junoon), the second of the pairs (i.e., ‘ishq, kashf, jazb wa junoon) have no precedence over the former entities. However, Iqbal has always preferred ishq, kashf and jazb in his contemplations. In the line of his thinking Iqbal has followed Jalaluddin Rumi whom he considers as his spiritual mentor. Rumi’s work, the famous mathnavi is thought to be Qur’an in Persian.  Mawlana Rum was an advocate of love from the beginning and his poetry is replete with the description of the struggle between Intellect and Love. Iqbal followed the same school of thought and has distilled the accounts of the battle between Intellect and Love in his works; such as Armghan’e Hijaz, Zarb’e Kaleem, Baal’e Jibra’il, Javid Nama etc. Iqbal was also influenced by Nietzsche, who was a wrapped up (majzoob) philosopher who preached total absorption and madness (jazb wa junoon) to the entire nation. Love hurls itself in the field of action while Intellect remains debating the cause of the causes and the means (to act). Thus Iqbal finally concluded that the engagement at Karbala is in fact a battle between Intellect and Love. Iqbal commits a minor mistake in misunderstanding; he says that it was Love (of Truth) pitted against the worldly-wise greedy Intellect.  On the other hand, it is no doubt a battle but it is not between Love and Intellect but it is between Intellect and Ignorance. Anyhow, what we recite from the poetry is what we like and according to Logic, a couplet does not constitute an argument.

A study of the poetry of Iqbal shows that he has chosen to portray certain personalities; this in short is the summary of the ideas presented in his message: a true believer (mard’e mo’min), an untiring fighter (rajul’e karrar), a consummate soldier (mujahid’e kul), authoritative providence (dast’e qudrat), and the real (quwwat’e Islam) power of Islam, he assembled such terms and dispensed these all on Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.).
In general, when the writers on Iqbal’s poetry come across the juncture where the portraits of Ali, Fatima and Husain (a.s.) come to the fore, they abandon their explanatory notes or speeches. Therefore it is our intellectual obligation to show to the world what is being left out or who is being ignored. This is the reason why I have made it a practice to recite these couplets so that these do not turn into mere supplemental addendums just as it is alleged that some traditions, ahadith, were added up during the Safavi reign. I do recite these again and again so that these couplets are preserved in the memory of every child. Anyway, the words Khuda (God) and Namaz frequently used by Iqbal are not found in Qur’an because these are Persian words. On the contrary, Ishq and Jazb, the three words commonly used by him, are all Arabic words, frequently used by Arab poets when the Qur’an was being revealed; some Arab poets discussed love, some tackled intuition while some others advocated absorption. One may wonder why the Holy Qur’an does not use the words ishq and jazb! However, there are some words used by Qur’an which are repeated with great force and delimitation, warningly, and emphatically, for instance, ‘aql, the intellect: “Beware! Be wary of withdrawing from intellect.” Thus it is declared,  : Had we used our intelligence after listening we should not (now) be among the Companions of the Blaze! Thus stupidity is shown as a cause to land someone in Hell. The Holy Qur’an praises the intellect at many places. In Surah al-Imran, it is said, (3:7), , Allah has revealed the Book to you,  therein are verses that are decisive, which are the basis of the Book and others are allegorical  then as for those in whose heart there is a perversity they follow the part of it that is allegorical, , seeking discord and thus seek their own interpretation,  but no one knows its correct interpretation  and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge,  they say, we believe in it, it is all from our Lord;  but no one takes heed except the men of understanding. The men of understanding, , are the men with intellect, and not the men of Love, Ishq.  And who are these people of intellect? These are those who say, , O Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and bestow Your mercy on us… and what is this Mercy?  … His Knowledge is Mercy and His mercy is knowledge! These two comprehend everything.
            The men of intellect, ulu’l al-baab, pray that their hearts are guarded against swerving. The ulu’l al-baab are again those,  who find Allah’s signs in the creation of heavens and earth and in the alternation of night and day. Further, (3:191),  They are those who remember Allah standing, sitting and lying on their sides and ponder on the creations of heavens and the earth and say,  Our Lord, You have not created this in vain. Therefore remembering and reflecting, both come under Intellect. It is strange how the people who consider pondering as intellection declare remembrance as love? 
The Holy Qur’an demands that the Muslims should follow the intellect and defines intellect as comprising of reflection as well as remembrance. And then there are many verses (75 instances) that ask you to use the intellect;  there are indeed signs in that for a people who apply reason or intellect. If the Qur’an says  the true believers are more unyielding in their love for Allah, it means intellect is true belief, imaan, and intellect is itself love. Therefore for Qur’an love is not without intellect; love should not be insanity hence the Book uses the wordmeaning love rather than Ishq that implies craze or insanity, Junoon. Now consider another verse, so give good news to my servants who listen to the advice  and follow the best (sense) of it. They are the ones whom Allah has guided and it is they who possess intellect! This is a very important verse. Listening is the first means of learning or knowledge, the second stage is for eyes and on the third stage is the heart that gathers the hearing and seeing at one place. Therefore the Qur’an warns against talking without knowledge. The ears shall be asked, the eyes are answerable and the heart shall be questioned why did you speak in ignorance. It means the senses of hearing, seeing and the heart (that is endowed with the ability to accept the Truth) are ever engaged in obtaining knowledge. Therefore Qur’an gives glad tidings to those who listen to what is told and follow the best thereof and it is emphasized that these are those whom Allah has guided and they are the people of intellect. Further, only listening is not intellectfollowing is also intellect. Otherwise what is learned through hearing is of no use. Hence, Amir al-Momineen says  knowledge is of two kinds; one is impressed in the heart and the other is learned through hearing.  The one that is heard does not benefit unless it is absorbed, that means what is learned through hearing is obeyed or followed and it is the sign of intellect. The stage of obedience belongs to the people of intellect. However, Iqbal says, obedience is true but it has to accompany absorption or self-abandonment, jazb. But this is a pointless issue because how can one ask a wrapped up or enchanted person, majzoob, what is the basis of his actions or adherence or obedience? Anyway we are not duty bound to analyze his absorption, jazb. We cannot show how did he reach this condition. But Qur’an is clear that even for a moment if anyone deviates from the Messenger’s directive, then absorption and love, jazb wa ishq, are useless; there is a Divine admonition, Allah turns away from him who turn away from the Messenger,  whoever defies the Apostle after guidance has become manifest to him,  and follows a way other than that of true believers,  We shall abandon him in the path he has chosen and make him enter hell. The adherence to the Apostle’s command is inclusive of following the path of the true believers.
Iqbal does not discuss philosophy he discusses personalities; in my opinion Iqbal is devoted to personalities. Of course, intellect itself requires that men live in harmony with each other; man is not like an animal that can live an isolated life. Thus Qur’an lays emphasis on love; the love of wives, of children, love with business and even love of horses. But warns that these attachments (loves) should not exceed the love of Allah, and for His Messenger and the struggles in His path. The Holy Book is the Book of wisdom and intellect and announces that nothing is possible without love. Love is essential because influence works through love.
The duty of intellect is to decide between good and bad, between the righteous and the evil. The duty of knowledge is to distinguish … where is light and where is darkness, where is a pitfall and where lies the straight path. But intention is not under intellect and knowledge. The intention or will to act owes itself to influence (the influence of the parents, the friends, the school and the society etc.); as the influence changes so does the intention. Therefore the intellect decides that since intention is not under the former and because deliverance is not possible without action it was necessary that the intention, which accepts the influences, should be brought under some control. Therefore the task of the Book of Intellect, the Qur’an, was to subjugate man’s intentions to someone’s love and under such an ardent love which cannot be displaced from the heart and mind, come what may, whether a man is alone or in some company. Therefore the Necessary Being wanted that man should be attached to such a love that encompasses man in the privacy of his heart, in any assembly or in total solitude. The intellect would praise such a love as essential. I am alone but my actions are governed by my intentions and my intentions are subjected to love and hence to the influence. Now it is for the intellect to decide if this love is good or bad. And it is the job of the knowledge to make out how is the beloved. The intellect covers varied situations and all the time we are linked to the intellect. In case intellect is absent, worship of the Lord ban’dagi, is also waived off. The basis of worship is intellect. The necessary condition for prayer, fasting and Hajj is sanity. However, if someone preaches ban’dagi, servitude of Allah’s commandments in junoon or insanity, it is a different matter. Islam demands servitude of the Devine with ‘aql, the intellect. Therefore it is said that  the first creation by God was ‘aql. The moment it was created the intellect bowed in prostration. Then it prayed to the Creator to be allowed to intercede for him who follows it. Now, the intellect decides what is good and what is bad but if someone chooses to act and desire otherwise the intellect becomes helpless.
Hence the Intellect itself decides that human intentions are subordinated to Love. If it is only a temporary situation it may be love in the ordinary sense muhabbat, but if it is a permanent condition then it is mawaddat and this is the love of a true believer for Ahl ul Bayt (a.s.).  The permanent love, mawaddat, is itself a companionship when alone and an assembly in solitude; it controls the intentions that those whom I love are watching. How wonderful would be that society where the intellect submits (to this love) that I am being looked after, I am being observed. This love is therefore emphasized in the Qur’an,  !
Please always remember that Intellect itself is Love. The intellect demands of you to love someone, keep someone as your friend. And in your submission to Allah, choose Him as the Necessary Being to be loved such that none is dearer to you than His commandment so that God too loves you. This love is nothing but ‘aql, the intellect. If you love a man like Ali a.s., who gave up everything for the love of Allah you are not only with Ali but you are with the Intellect. Some people may be deceived by our repeated use of the word “Love” that it is some thing removed from the intellect. On the contrary, one without intellect cannot engage in love because he cannot discriminate who should be loved. Loving the Messenger could never be opposed and none could find fault in his par-excellent person. While none could say that there happened to be a teacher for the ummi Prophet, none can say this for Ali that he was a disciple of anyone. But we do find a tradition that the Prophet said: "`Ali is part of me and I am part of `Ali! Finally, it may be said that a true believer, mo’min is from love and love is from the Mo’min.