Allama Iqbal: Khudi versus Sycophancy

Allama Muhammad Iqbal's concept of Khudi (self) is a philosophy centered on developing a strong, conscious, and self-aware ego through which an individual can get closer to God. It involves self-understanding, self-organization, and self-control; and emphasizes values like self-reliance, self-dependence, and a commitment to truth and justice. Through this development, the self can achieve its highest potential, which is ultimately achieved through love and by taking action and asserting oneself for worthy causes.  

Iqbal’s famous book on Khudi in Persian language is “Asrar-i Khudi”. His learned teacher Professor R.A. Nicholson of Cambridge translated the book during Iqbal’s lifetime and named it as “Secrets of the Self”. He says, “Everyone, I suppose, will acknowledge that the substance of the ´Asrar-i-Khudi` is striking enough to command attention. In the poem, naturally, this philosophy (i.e.Self) presents itself under a different aspect. .............., its logical brilliancy dissolves in the glow of feeling and imagination, and it wins the heart before taking possession of the mind.” According to Iqbal, man is the care-taker of all possibilities of life; (in a verse he says: ‘Tiree fitrat ameen hai mumkinat-i zindgani ki,’  (Your nature is care-taker of the possibilities of life). In fact the human being is the master of both the seen and the unseen as well as capable of exploring what is still not known to the temporal eye. It is one’s self, which is capable of seeing and doing what apparently looks like a miracle. 

There are signs of God’s existence everywhere in the universe, even in man himself. God says to us: “ON EARTH AND IN YOURSELVES, THERE ARE SIGNS FOR FIRM BELIEVERS. CAN YOU NOT SEE?”..Surah Adh-Dhariyat (51:21). Your real-existence is your own self. If you want to understand God, you have to understand your 'Self' first. To understand and then awaken your self,  you have to pass through strenuous stages; and the most difficult task for you is to fight against yourself. Although it looks odd to fight against one’s own self, this fight is actually self control, for which Iqbal says: ‘Self control in individuals builds families; in countries, it builds empires.’ The self is not a ghost in you but it is you in real, it is your very existence, of which you are unaware. Your awareness about yourself is the discovery of self in you, and for that purpose you have to undergo a long fight against external forces. These external forces determine your actions as long as you are unaware of the power of your self. Once you are free of the grip of external forces you are the master of your destiny. There are different methods of achieving this including meditations and prayers. However faith and love play a major role in this direction. To Iqbal, life is a constant flowing river, it has no beginning and it has no end; its beginning is in eternity and the end also lies in eternity, the rest is not in its nature.

The role of the Self in this world is constructive and fight against destructive forces. In order to perform its role in entirety, the self must be a part of the society of mankind. Being individual and remaining individual it must nevertheless also be universal as a part of the Whole. The life of the self receives importance in relation to its practical involvement in the affairs of society. Besides the self being understandable through intuition, Iqbal firmly asserts that we can see the self, which is revealed as the centre of our activity and action. He says that ‘it is ego, which acts in our likes and dislikes, judgments and resolutions. Thus the ego is directly revealed to be existent and real’.

On the other hand, Allama Iqbal strongly condemned sycophancy (known as darbaniat in Urdu) as a destructive force that erodes personal dignity and national character. He viewed it as one of the "diabolical forces" that corrupted society and hindered the realization of the potential of a nation. The central theme in Iqbal's philosophy is Khudi, which emphasizes self-respect, individuality, and inner strength. Sycophancy directly opposes Khudi by making an individual dependent on others (usually those in power) for personal gain, thus compromising their independence and self-esteem, which may be termed as “Erosion of 'Khudi' (Selfhood/Ego)”. Iqbal believed that sycophancy, along with dictatorship (Malookiat) and other forms of moral corruption, were responsible for the decline of the Muslim world. He saw it as a ‘Social and Political Vice’ and a tool used by oppressive regimes to maintain power, while the wise were silenced or jailed.

Iqbal’s message consistently urged individuals to strive for excellence, self-reliance, and moral integrity. He advocated for a society where truth and justice prevail, fundamentally incompatible with the practice of flattery and insincere praise for personal advancement. Iqbal as an ideologue and as first dreamer of Pakistan used his poetry as a powerful medium to awaken consciousness and inspire generations to rise above limitations and shape their own destiny, implicitly rejecting the passivity and servility inherent in sycophancy. How far have we practically followed  the Great Philosopher in our individual and collective lives is vividly felt by the challenges faced presently in our social and State affairs.