Allama Iqbal and Western Thought: A Critical Perspective on Modernity and Muslim Identity

Abstract

Allama Muhammad Iqbal, a towering intellectual, poet, and philosopher of the Indian subcontinent, critically engaged with the philosophical, social, and spiritual underpinnings of Western culture. While he acknowledged the West’s advancements in science, politics, and democratic thought, he simultaneously critiqued its spiritual void, materialistic worldview, and the erosion of moral and communal values through excessive individualism. Iqbal’s response to Western modernity was not a wholesale rejection but a nuanced and principled critique grounded in Islamic metaphysics, spirituality, and ethics. This study analyzes Iqbal’s engagement with Western paradigms in the broader context of colonial modernity, identity crisis, and the Muslim world’s search for a spiritually rooted and culturally authentic modernity. In an era of increasing globalization and ideological hegemony of the West, Iqbal’s vision offers a counter-narrative centered on the revival of selfhood (khudi), moral integrity, and divine consciousness. Drawing upon Iqbal’s poetry, philosophical works, and public lectures, the paper situates his critique within both historical and contemporary frameworks, illustrating its continued relevance to modern cultural, intellectual, and civilizational discourses. The study also delineates the aspects of Western culture that Iqbal deemed intellectually enriching, while identifying the dimensions he saw as detrimental to Muslim identity, spiritual autonomy, and ethical well-being.