People / Religion

Moses: As in Kalam of Allama Iqbal

by Ravi Magazine · Published 21st October 2016 · Updated 14th February 2017

Moses led his people, the Israelis from Egypt to the Promised Land. As narrated in Quran, Israelists were able to cross the Red Sea, but the forces of the Pharaoh which pursued them were drowned in the sea. In the valley of Sinai, Moses had a vision of God and he was given Ten Commandments’. Moses is believed to have died at the age of 120, somewhere around 1200 BC

In ‘Bang-i-Dara’ the poem entitled ‘Kufr and Islam’ dramatizes a dialogue between Iqbal and the prophet Moses. Iqbal saw Moses in a vision and addressed him thus:

“O Ye, because of whose footprints the valley of Sinai became a garden, how is it that the fire of Nimrod is still burning in the world, but the vision that you saw of God is not visible.’

The implication of the question was that the evil was dominant in the world, and the good had been suppressed.

Thereupon Moses said:

‘The evil being something arising out of worldly fife is visible but the good which has its origin with God is invisible. If you are a Muslim, do not be attracted by the seen in preference to the unseen. If you wish to see the Unseen, you must have the faith of Abraham. Without such faith, your body is mere clay. If you arc really attracted by the Unseen, you should have no worry. You should have your camp in the valley of Faran, and await the Day of Judgment. What is seen is transitory; what is unseen is eternal. If you love the Unseen you should be conscious of this truth. If the fire of Nimrod is still burning, you should not feel worried. That is a transitory affair and will disappear just as the lamp is extinguished at the appearance of the dawn. The fire of Nimrod cannot endure; the invisible light of God alone will endure.”

The point brought out is that though in this world the forces of evil appear to dominate, this should not be a cause of concern for such domination would be for a short period only. Ultimately the Truth will triumph, and the evil will disappear. The Muslims should hold fast to the faith and have faith in God. What is seen is an illusion which cannot endure; what is Unseen is the Reality and that will endure.