Abstract
Iqbal’s is the unique flowering of poetical, mystical
and philosophical genius in recent Islamic history.
What makes him truly modern and gives him a
permanent places in the annals of modern history is
his largely forgotten gospel of religious modernism,
The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam.
Reconstruction makes Iqbal the most important
intellectual of modernist Islam. His unique
contribution in appropriating modern science and its
methodological and philosophical premises in Islam
has however not been duly appreciated. He has
attempted to write a prolegomena to new kalam.
Reconstruction is the boldest ever critique of traditional
religious thought in the light of modern episteme. It
is the most frantic and intellectually advanced
attempt to reconcile the cognitive and epistemic
universe of traditional Islam with that of modern
scientific and philosophical thought. It attempts to
reorient or restructure traditional hierarchy of power
relations. One can safely assert that the Muslims have
not realized the significance of this Iqbal who wrote
Reconstruction. This book has either not been read or
understood or reckoned with seriously by the
Muslims.
The significance of Iqbalian insights for modern
Islam however can’t be overemphasized. If modern
thought needs to be respectfully approached and if
Islam is to appeal to modern sensibility, then Iqbal’s
significance and relevance can’t be doubted and his
contribution needs to be highlighted. This article is
an attempt to point out importance of this ignored
and forgotten treasure. Providing a consistent theory
for modernist Muslim approach to science, Iqbal is
undoubtedly worth reckoning for not only the
student and historian of modern Islam but also for
anyone interested in the field of philosophy of
religion and modern science in general.
Dr. Muhammad Maruf Shah , Dr. Ibtasam Thakur. (2012) THE FORGOTTEN TREASURE OF IQBAL’S RECONSTRUCTION, Iqbal Review, Volume , Issue 1.
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