Iblees Ki Majlis-e-Shura explained

"Iblees Ki Majlis-e-Shura" (en|The Parliament of Satan) is an Urdu poem written by Muhammad Iqbal in 1936. It describes the meeting of the Devil and his advisers, and they discuss the current situation of the world. It was described as "a scathing criticism of the major socio-political and economic systems offered by the West."[1]

Structure

The poem is written as a meeting between Iblees (the first of the Devils, or Satans in Islam) and his five advisers. The first chapter starts with the Devil describing his accomplishments in taking over the world. His five advisers then discuss certain threats they conceive to the Devil's plans, which were explained as various aspects of the Western society such as capitalism, the rise of democracy and on the other hand socialism. The Devil completes the chapter by dismissing his advisers' concerns one by one. He completes the poem by speculating on a final threat, which he sees as most critical, the resurgence of Islam.[1] The parliament of Satan is written by Muhammad Iqbal in 1936.It describes the meeting of the Devil and his advisers,they discuss the current situation of the world..Detailed Summary:The poem begins with Iblis boasting about his role in inspiring imperialism in Europe and instillingthe pursuit of capitalism in the wealthy, while teaching the destitute to believe in destiny. He claimsto have broken the spell of religious institutions like mosques, temples, and churches.Iblis's first advisor praises the stability of the "Satanic system" and how it has reinforced slavishnessamong the common people, who have been ordained to prostration since the dawn of time. Theadvisor argues that their efforts have made even mystics and priests subject to imperialism.The second advisor questions the clamor for "Government by the people," but the first advisordismisses it as a mere masquerade for imperialism. They argue that imperialism doesn't depend onindividual leaders but on the desire to covet others' harvests.The third advisor raises concerns about a certain "Jew" (possibly a reference to Karl Marx orsocialist/communist ideology) who possesses a penetrating vision and threatens the establishedorder. Other advisors discuss how they have inspired the descendants of Caesar with the dream ofempire and how European politics have been exposed.Iblis declares his absolute command over the world and boasts that he can incite madness in theleaders of politics and the church. He dismisses the socialists as a minor threat but warns of thepotential menace from the Islamic community, which still retains a spark of ambition.Iblis acknowledges that the Islamic community is no longer the bearer of the Quran and hasembraced capitalism instead. However, he expresses apprehension about the potential revival ofIslamic law (Shari'ah), which he views as a threat to slavery, monarchs, and the concentration ofwealth.Iblis advises keeping the Islamic law hidden from the world and ensuring that believers remainentangled in metaphysical debates and interpretations of religious texts. He fears the awakening ofthe Islamic community, whose religion is about understanding the universe.(Sareer ul Hassan)

Translation

The poem has been translated to English by Abdussalam Puthige titled The Devil’s Advisory Council: Iblees ki Majlis-e-Shoora[2]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. The International Journal of the Asian Philosophical Association. Masood A.. Raja. Muhammad Iqbal: Islam, the West, and the Quest for a Modern Muslim Identity. 2008. 6 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110904123200/http://www.asianpa.net/ijapa/v-1-08/3.pdf. 4 September 2011. dead.
  2. Web site: The Devil's Advisory Council: Iblees ki Majlis-e-Shoora .