Iqbal’s Response to the Notion of ‘My Lineage My Pride’:
Kya khoob Emir e Faisal ko, Sanusi ne paighaam diya,
Tu naam o nasab ka Hijazi hai par dil ka Hijazi ban na saka
Many people have a superiority complex on the basis of their lineage. Despite having several Islamic injunctions, these diseases have made their way into the Muslim world. Arabs, being from the land of the Prophet, regard non-Arabs as inferior to them in terms of their Islamic status. By virtue of originating from the land of Islam, they have subconsciously developed a superiority complex. Not just Arabs, but people who can trace their lineage to the Prophet and his companions also suffer from the same disease. In the Indian subcontinent as well, it is fairly easy to observe that ‘Syeds’, ‘Siddiquis’, ‘Faruqis’, ‘Hussainis’, ‘Quraishis’ etc. look down upon others. Here, it has crossed all limits and has entered the domain of casteism.
The Islamic stance on this issue is very clear. The Quran, in explicit terms, states:
“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.”[1]
The Prophet (SAW) said:
“All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has superiority over white except by piety and good action.”[2]
This presses home the truth that Islam does not entertain any form of racial superiority. Furthermore, no one has a birthright over the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet. Being universal in nature, the Islamic call is for each and every person transcending the boundaries of race, nationality and religion.
Iqbal’s couplet succinctly sums up this message and highlights the arrogance of the Arabs. Many people wrongly attribute this couplet to King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. It must be remembered that King Faisal became the king of Saudi Arabia only in 1964.[3] The couplet refers to Emir Faisal, the son of Hussain ibn Ali, who was the Sharif of Mekkah in the early twentieth century. During the same time, the Sanusi order was prevalent in Libya which was fearlessly opposing the French and Italian colonisation.[4]
Hussain ibn Ali and his son Emir Faisal were of Hashimi origin. Despite their prophetic lineage, they sided with the Britishers against the Ottoman Empire and played a crucial role in the Arab Revolt. Emir Faisal, who was under the influence of Lawrence of Arabia, assisted the Britishers who helped Faisal to accede the throne of Iraq.[5] Hussain ibn Ali, the Sharif of Makkah worked with the Britishers and facilitated the British occupation over Al-Aqsa.[6] Hussain and Faisal did not realise the long-term consequences of their moves and instead of trying to defend the weak empire, they led a rebellion against it which furthered the cause of Israel.
It’s sad to know that the land of Hijaz witnessed such a dismal state of its own people. Long ago, a Hussain ibn Ali arose from the same land of Hijaz in order to safeguard the essence of Islam, and years later another Hussain ibn Ali did exactly the opposite. Soroor Ahmad writes, “What sounds outrageous is the fact that of all the persons, the British utilized the service of the Sharif of the holiest city of Islam to occupy the third most important shrine, Al Aqsa. Sharif’s men did not hesitate a bid to trap and kill fellow Muslim Ottoman army personnel in Madinah.”[7]
Iqbal contrasts the attitude of the so-called Hashimis with that of the Sanusis who inhabited parts of North Africa especially in Cyrenaica (a Libyan province). The Sanusis called for an Islamic revival by revisiting the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah. They were against Western imperialism, innovations and against the Westernization of the Muslims.[8] Omar Al Mukhtar was a prominent figure who played a crucial role in resisting the Italian colonisation of Libya under the Sanusis. The Sanusis, though not directly Arabs of pure descent, were more loyal to the Prophetic mission. They fought against the colonizers and did not surrender to their demands.
This shows how the Sanusis of North Africa were better off in their faith to the Hashimis of Hijaz. Iqbal compares the two and through his poetic brilliance, conveys the message that Emir Faisal was a Hijazi only by name and descent but he was not a Hijazi at heart.
[1] Quran [49:13].
[2] Yvonne Ridley, ‘Love, Nay Social Justice: The Core of Muhammad’s Message’ in The Messenger of Peace 60 (Board of Islamic Publications, New Delhi, 2011)
[3] ‘Faisal of Saudi Arabia’, available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Faysal (last visited on January 21, 2025).
[4] ‘Islam in Libya’, available at: https://libyanheritagehouse.org/religion/islam-in-libya-1 (last visited on January 21, 2025).
[5] Soroor Ahmad, The Jewish Obsession 64 (Global Media Publications, New Delhi, 1st edn., 2004).
[6] Ibid.
[7] Id. at 65.
[8] ‘Sanusiyyah Movement’, available at: https://nou.edu.ng/coursewarecontent/ISL805%20Revivalism%20and%20Revivalist%20Movements%20in%20Islam.pdf (last visited on January 21, 2025).