Discuss in detail all the qualities of a perfect man by Allama Muhammad Iqbal

and compare it with hawk?

Sir Muhammad Iqbal, also famously known as Allama Iqbal, was a famous poet, philosopher, lawyer and politician
from British India. He is regarded as the ‘Shair-e-Mashriq’ in most of Southeast Asia. He is also called ‘Muffakir-e-
Pakistan’ and ‘Hakeem-ul-Ummat’. He is Pakistan’s National Poet. He is also known as the poet of East. He wrote
poetry in Urdu and Persian. His poetry is considered to be a revolutionary. He took poetry as a major medium of
communication. Iqbal was known for his legal expertise and political ideologies, but it was as a poet that he is still
fondly remembered with books like, ‘Rumuz-i-Bekhudi’, ‘Zabur-i-Ajam’, etc. His contribution to Urdu literature is
immense.

Muhammad Iqbal is considered as a poet of logic and reason. The poems of Iqbal based upon contrast. Through
this process Iqbal has given the main sketch of the Murd-e-momin , servant of God and perfect men. Although,
Mosque of Cordoba has its own historical and Islamic significance but this poem deals with the different aspects i.e
death (fanna), birth and survival (baqqa), love (ishaq), significance of Mosque and qualities of a perfect man. The
Hawk deals with the most influential themes of struggle in life and vigilance to survive. Mosque of Cordoba and
The Hawk are considered to be most influential poems of Iqbal. Specifically these poems deal with the true
concept of Murd e Momin. Through these poems Iqbal has tried to revolutionize, transform and restructure the
younger generation.

Iqbal is encouraging a human that take yourself to the heights of glories and do those acts, which your God wants
you to do. When you get such a high standard that you become the friend of God then your God will ask you, what
you want me to do for you? Here, Iqbal is giving such a fascinating idea about the powers of a human.

Dyare ishq main apna makaam paida kar

Nai dunya naye subho sham paida kar

OR

Build in love’s empire your hearth and your home;

Build Time anew, a new dawn, a new eve!

Muhammad Iqbal has clearly defined the main nature of the perfect man in both of his poems. The life of the
Murd-e-momin passes through three stages; firstly, the immature age, secondly the mature age and lastly the
perfect age. M. M. Sharif writes, "the idea of the Perfect Man is an old one in Muslim Philosophy. It had its roots in
Plato’s conception of the philosopher king and Islamic idea of a prophet, but it found its highest development in
the speculations of Ibn-e-Arabi, Al-Jilili and Rumi. The Perfect Man is developed personality and has earned
complete and true freedom and immortality, true freedom belongs to him. Iqbal has defined the four fundamental
pillars of an individual life that are:
“To rout the foes, to grant them reprieve, do pious deeds and show great might:
Are four ingredients that make A Muslim devout who shuns not fight.”

OR

“Vengeance and forgiveness, Piety and power,

These are four things which make up a Muslim.”
Iqbal has compared the murd-e-momin with Hawk due to its vigilance, agility, decision making, hard labour and
struggle in life. He narrates that the perfect man wants the stillness of deserts and to join the life of struggle. The
perfect man has high dreams and goals in life. His destination and vision is beyond fourth wall of this word. He likes
to reside on high pedestal. Because his life is full of struggle and hard labor like Hawk as iqbal says:

“You don’t have to make your nest on the dome of Queen’s palace,

Oh Eagle, choose to reside on the peaks of mountains.”

Iqbal further narrates that the sky of the perfect man is limitless, his world is immeasurable, his horizon is endless,
his sea is huge, his days or time are fabulous and his heart is filled with love. Iqbal “lays great emphasis on the
value of love for strengthening the Self.” He uses the word in a very wide sense, and means by it “the desire to
assimilate, to absorb. Its highest form is the creation of values and ideals and the endeavor to realize them.”
According to Iqbal, the perfect man’s heart is filled with the true love of Allah and for His creation. Iqbal has
defined the different gradation of love as he says, “love is Gabriel’s breath” God has send His great messages
through high rank Angels, “love is Muhammad’s strong heart” inside his heart only resides the love of Allah. His
heart is filled with the basic teachings and blessings of Allah in the form of Holy Quran, “love is envoy of Good” the
great messengers’ of God send His message to humanity out of His love, “love is the utterance of God” His love is
reflected through His kalam, “love is new pressed wine” that wine filled your heart with the passion for God, “love
is the Goblet of King” because it is the main essence of kind and generous people, “love the priest of shrine” who
teaches the others, and “love the son of road” who shows us the right path in life. Love is considered to be as a
main instructor, motivator, stimulator and regulator for a mud-e-momin.

“Love’s the plectrum that draws music from lives’ taut strings,

Love is the warmth of life, Love is the radiance of life.”

A perfect man’s heart is indulged in the true love of God. His love for God is pure like flowing water. As a servant of
God, the perfect man narrates that my heart is filled with the blessing, emotions, passions, sentiments, desires,
love, longing, yearning and prayer of God. Then, he says only love of God runs in my veins; “God is God, like a
song, thrilling through every vein!” love is the main essence of Murd-e-momin.

Muhammad Iqbal narrates that the perfect man is the combination of Courtesy, Forbearance, Obedience, and self
discipline. His life is immortal due to the love of God and without any fear of death. He is considered as the
Vicegerent of God. Such men are the perfect follower of God as Iqbal narrates:

For a thousand years the narcissus has been lamenting its blindness;
With great difficulty the one with true vision is born in the garden.
He tries to help others. He is one who works hard o break the shackles of society by giving them the light of
knowledge. God likes the perfect man in the same way as God likes Moses and Ibrahim. Because he is the one who
glorifies and flourishes the teachings and ideas of the Prophets of God. As Iqbal says:

The secret of life is hidden in your breast—then tell it;

Tell the Muslims the account of the burning and re‐making of life.

He has highlighted the flight and tales of true men that includes: Hazrat Umar Farooq (R.A), Hazrat Ali(R.A), Ṭāriq
ibn Ziyād, Husanna bin Harisa, Hazrat Imam(R.A), Noor-u-dinn Zangi and Mahmood Gaznavi etc. He does not
depend upon anything else, he is the true follower of Allah Almighty.

Next, Muhammad Iqbal is comparing the strength and grace of mued-e-momin with the elegance, beauty, charm,
splendor and attractiveness of the Mosque of Cordoba. As he is narrating that your pillars are strong, numerous,
durable, powerful, vigorous, intense, forceful, long lasting and potent, similarly the servant of God is like you.

To Iqbal the other name of the Perfect Man is Faqir. Both hold that all the qualities of Faqr are found in him. He is
not an idle mystic, he is full of action. He earns lawful livelihood. He may be poor in appearance but he is owner of
countless treasure, there is no greed in him. He has a great social relevance. He is not segregated from community.
He contributes in bringing about a healthy social order. He combines in his behaviour Jamal (Divine beauty) and
Jalal (Divine Majesty) like a true Faqir. Iqbal sys in Bal-e-Jibril:

“He who saw is the leader of the world,

You and we are imperfect, he alone is perfect.”

In Zarb-e-Kalim, Iqbal says:

“He is the dew drop which cools the lives of the poppy flowers,
And he is that storm which makes the hearts of river shiver.”

The Perfect Man believes in higher religion. His message is universal and his love is for all the human beings. In
Tasbihat-e-Rumi he says:

“The slave of Ishq takes lesson from God,

He becomes kind equally, both with infidel and believer.”

He attains such power that his wishes and hands become wishes and hands of God: Iqbal beautifully says in Bal-e-
Jibril that:

“A Perfect Man’s arm is really God’s Arm,

Dominant, creative, resourceful, efficient.”

Iqbal is saying a Murd-e-momon have four attributes which makes it to understand and use those divine attributes
which he is blessed with. And then Iqbal says he can change the world, the culture, the society with the power of
His divine forces, attributes and qualities. Actually Iqbal is explaining the reality of a human being.Iqbal says, the
purpose of a murd-e-momin is to glorify the deen of God. Iqbal is saying that a Murd-e-momin is one who stands
on the high pedestal and finds solace in the company of nobblers.

“He is Reason’s last goal, he is the harvest of Love,

He in creation’s hall sets all spirits ablaze.”