An analytical study of Iqbal's Letters

Abstract

This article offers a critical study of the private letters of Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, focusing on their intellectual, ethical, emotional, and artistic aspects. These letters, addressed to family members, close friends, contemporaries, and female acquaintances, go far beyond ordinary personal communication. They reveal the depth of Iqbal’s philosophical reflections, his spiritual experiences, and his deep concern for the moral and political state of the Muslim world. The letters shed light on important themes such as selfhood (Khudi), character building, religious thought, and socio-political awareness. Through a careful selection and close reading of ten representative letters, supported by full references, the article analyzes Iqbal’s stylistic richness, rhetorical elegance, and didactic purpose. The study highlights how his private correspondence mirrors the same intellectual force and emotional intensity found in his poetry and prose. It argues that these letters are not only a significant part of Iqbal’s literary and philosophical legacy but also a vital contribution to Urdu prose. Moreover, they offer an intimate, humanized view of Iqbal, the thinker and reformer. The research concludes that Iqbal’s letters hold enduring value for scholars of Urdu literature, Muslim intellectual history, and those interested in the evolution of modern Islamic thought.