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1930
The Allahabad Address
Iqbal proposed and predicted
the birth of a Muslim state in North-West India as an initial
practical step towards the creation of the new world order
envisioned in his other works. He explained that the state
was going to be a means for realizing the organic unity
of humankind. In his opinion, it was threatened by two handicaps:
(a) dearth of leaders with insight into the spirit as well
as destiny of Islam and the trends of modern history; and
(b) a speedy decrease in the collective instinct in the
community. Against all odds, and under the able leadership
of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Muslim community
of the sub-continent created the state through a fair and
free election. Pakistan emerged on the map of the world
in 1947 – just as Iqbal had foreseen seventeen years
before, having the strengths he had promised and threatened
by the weaknesses against which he had forewarned. What
other possibilities lie hidden in the depths of Time is
yet to be seen but may be understood better by achieving
"a real collective ego." In English prose, originally
distributed as printed text of the presidential address
delivered at the annual session of All-India Muslim League
in Allahabad on December 29, 1930.
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