Allama Iqbal and Legislation

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s contribution to legal thought and legislative by situating his scholarly development within his educational, expert, and legislative experiences. Iqbal’s formal legal education in Europe particularly his bar at law qualification from Lincoln’s Inn played a formative role in shaping his understanding of constitutionalism, legal modernity, and the dynamics of state authority. His twenty six years of legal practice in British India offered him a unique vantage point from which to critically assess the colonial judicial framework and its implications for Muslim socio-political identity. Iqbal’s service as a member of the Punjab Legislative Council reflects his direct engagement with institutional lawmaking. His participation in legislative debates and his advocacy for educational, social, and communal reforms demonstrate his commitment to ethical, inclusive, and progressive policymaking. Central to this study is an analysis of his sixth lecture, “The Principle of Movement in the Structure of Islam,” in which Iqbal presents a modernist and dynamic theory of Ijtihad. He argues for the reinterpretation of Islamic jurisprudence in light of contemporary realities and emphasizes the role of representative legislative bodies in ensuring a democratic and evolving legal order. By synthesizing Iqbal’s European legal training, extensive professional practice, legislative involvement, and modernist jurisprudential philosophy, this article highlights his enduring relevance to contemporary debates on legal reform, constitutional thought, and Islamic legal renewal in the modern world.