Yearning Beyond the World: A Reflection on Allama Iqbal's Desire
"دنیا کی محفلوں سے اکتا گیا ہوں یا رب
کیا لطف انجمن کا جب دل ہی مٹ گیا ہے"
(I have grown weary of the gatherings of this world, O Lord
What joy is there in the assembly when the heart itself is dead)
These few lines from the great poet Allama Iqbal reveal an appeal to something deeper inside the soul for that urge for something higher beyond common and ordinary, which can afford satisfaction eluding all fleeting pleasures of worldly gatherings.
It is the poet-philosopher of the East so off expressing this longing for spiritual fulfillment, the contact with the divine that could satiate the soul in a manner which no attainment of material pursuits could do.
The couplet above diarises a feeling which some of us would have gone through once or another in our life. One finds himself amidst human bustle, noise, and action yet inside him there is hollow as if something is missing that no amount of social interaction can fill. Restlessness, a dissatisfaction based on the realization that something alive and vital in one's heart has lost its sparkle.
What does the heart want? Iqbal had in mind that the satisfactions of the heart can't come through merely these passing pleasures of this world but with association with something great, something immortal. He wants us not to lose sight of the fact that the only true "assembly" we must aspire to isn't of this world; it is of the divine itself-within which the aspired heart would take repose and find gratification.
Having to live in a world disposed towards material success and social status, these words by Iqbal enlighten us convincingly to delve deep and find meaning in life. While others would go through satisfaction with the superficial aspects of things, it's striving for communion with the Sublime in order to find our true selves that are eternal, the permanent, and above worldly pleasures.
Iqbal's poetry is thus an invitation and not a description of the way he has trodden spiritually; rather, it is that of all our souls, each one of us, in pursuit of meaning and fulfillment in the repletion of purpose and in relationship with the divine. This is a call to heart, thrilled spirit, and enjoyment in the gathering that matters, really.
So, as we navigate through the gatherings and the noise of the world, let us remember Iqbal’s words. Let us strive to keep our hearts alive, to seek out the true assembly, where the soul can find the peace and the joy that it so deeply craves.
So, as we navigate through the gatherings and the noise of the world, let us remember Iqbal’s words. Let us strive to keep our hearts alive, to seek out the true assembly, where the soul can find the peace and the joy that it so deeply craves.
Regards ,
artist1111
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