The Republic Of Rumi: Book Review

The Republic of Rumi Iqbal's poetry and influences in a modern day novel

The Republic of Rumi Khurram Ali Shafique I. GENERAL OVERVIEW

There was a particular train of thought of the pre-partition Indian Muslim community. This thought is apparent in Jinnah and Liaqat Ali Khan's speeches but also comes through in the poetry of Allama Iqbal. Thus, any study in the culture of Pakistan must trace back on this poet's thought. For the purpose of a brief glimpse into the many influences that shape our society and to study a man who represents these influences, a book about Iqbal's life and works will be reviewed. In addition, this paper is also a study of modern literature that breaks free from traditional forms of structure because the book under review does so. The book is called 'The Republic of Rumi' and is written by Khurram Ali Shafique. It is an important work in Iqbaliat because it explores the architecture of Iqbal's poetry and in doing so takes the reader on a guided tour into Iqbal's work. Only a thousand copies of the book have been printed and the structure of the book is very modern, full of phrases, allusions and randomness that make reading it a daunting task. The title of the book makes immediate sense to people who know Iqbal was deeply influenced by the Persian poet, Jalaludin Rumi. II. STRUCTURE

'The Republic of Rumi' is an examination into the architectural world of Iqbal's poetry. The book is a work of fiction because it gives voice to figures like Rumi, Goethe, Hegel and the Poet (that is Iqbal). The setting is a proverbial garden that is Iqbal's poetry and we journey through it. The writer constructs entrances, enclaves, forests, exits and museums each representing a different part of Iqbal's poetry. There are also journeys, questions and stages that trace developments of Iqbal's thought. We start in a chronological fashion, going through the themes and ideas in his early works to his very last. All of it is tied together at the end through presenting the links between Iqbal's poetry and his lectures. Thus, the reader is taken on a sort of journey that starts at the entrance of the garden and ends at its exit. There are three main categories of characters: you (the reader), the poet (Iqbal) and people who influenced him (Rumi, Goethe, Hegel, and Shakespeare, to name a few). People that influenced Iqbal are present in real time in the book and converse with him. There are also characters like Khizr and Joseph who are largely meant to symbolize other ideas in the book. Joseph is a mystery that cannot be told (and so we are in search for him) and Khizr is the guide on the road. There is a heavy reliance on words to the extent that sentences and paragraphs are short but the headings and subheadings also carry meaning and weight. This effect creates an aura of mystery and is typical of modern literature that has broken away from conventional form. The headings also serve to build up the kind of architecture the author has in mind; a world full of mystery and wonder. Also present, is an element of pure randomness that disregards reason.

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Through this, the author says exactly what he wants, exactly how he wants. Lastly, there is a heavy use of allusions, so much so that someone not well acquainted with Iqbal will be lost. There is a narrative, but it is not a story. It is essentially a description but it does not read like a normal one. 'The Republic of Rumi' is a modern book that is unashamedly random and obscure. It will tease and pinch but also be amazingly familiar in points. Nevertheless, it is an addictive read because it actively appeals to our urge to explore. III. THEMES/ INFLUENCES

The basic work that is examined is that of Iqbal. So now, we will revert to exploring Iqbal's themes and influences as they appear in the book. The influences are traceable and can be accounted for but the themes are numerous and only the main themes will be presented here. First we'll discuss the influences: 1. Rumi Rumi is a well-known Sufi poet who wrote in Persian. The sphere of influence Rumi wields is huge because his poetry really is poetry. The musicality is refined and the messages are direct. In the book and in actuality, Rumi is one the greatest inspirations for Iqbal. Many of the ideas and themes are borrowed from Rumi and the will to transform and convey in Iqbal are results of this influence. However, while Rumi believed that the goal of love was to drown oneself in the sea, Iqbal differs here and believes in the building of the self. Both meanings are nevertheless intrinsically the same. 2. Quran The Quran shapes a huge part of Iqbal's philosophy and indeed even a large part of Rumi's philosophy because the book is central to both their lives. Many references and stories are directly borrowed. For example, the stories of Khizr and Hazrat Yusuf are directly borrowed. On another level, the Quran shapes much of Iqbal's work because it is a profound influence in itself. 3. Colonialism/ Imperialism Iqbal does not believe in a mad strain of nationalism. However, he does know that the East should not bow down or sell itself into slavery. This is a reaction to Imperialism and a muchneeded crucial one because a tendency remains in our society to be awed by accents. Iqbal was also very critical of the underlying motives of Imperialism. Other influences include Western philosophers like Hegel and Goethe and the English playwright, Shakespeare. Secondly we'll discuss the major themes: 1. Joseph This is a Quranic reference. Joseph appears in Iqbal's poetry often but there are many references. Out of all these, the most important one is when Iqbal says his Joseph is not for the market.

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2. Plato's Doctrine Iqbal inherited the dislike for the philosophers. In particular, Plato is actively refuted. The main contention being that perception does not always equal reality. Hence, the theories made in the mind with the eyes closed are no use and solve no problems. Inherent in this is a dislike for theories of the mind that do not correspond to reality. 3. The Self As discussed earlier, it is characteristic of the Iqbalian train of thought to lay importance on the Self. This is an important, recurring theme and was instrumental to conveying Iqbal's message. Philosophy, the doctrine of Plato, sucked the life out of people so that they became no more than sheep with eyes closed in front of lions. Action is hence, important to Iqbal and it is important for him that people do not annihilate the Self but that they burn their books and boats and destroy their foundations so that love can reconstruct. However, this is not an action that should turn people to sheep. Other themes are Khizr, Sufism, the Mind of Europe, early Islam, Destiny, Beauty, Love, a Caravan, a tulip, a rose, the nightingale and the garden among the many others.

IV. MESSAGE

Iqbal's messages are not going to be discussed here though important themes of his work have. This is because the book under review has reinterpreted Iqbal and woven him with his influences. Therefore, the book has a message in itself. This message is essentially a very simple one that has been carried forward for centuries; it is the meaning of life everyone is familiar with. This is presented in a mysterious way sometimes and a in a very forthright way at others.

V. CONCLUSION

There are no easy interpretations for Iqbal's work or this book. It makes for a hard demanding read partly because of its subject matter and partly because of the heavy use of allusions. However, it manages to expose much of the architectural world of Iqbal and that too in a very fascinating way. On a more critical note, though it traces back Iqbal's thought, the logic of the book itself becomes a little too hard to grasp at times. It is not easily understandable because it can become too convoluted producing tables at instances and playing with words. To me, it is an important work because it illustrates to a great effect that modern writers need not breakaway from their roots or the deep, beautiful influences that characterized Sufi poets. Urdu writers have carried a hopeful strain forward but the Pakistani writers who have written in English are most times susceptible to either a heavy form of hopelessness or have produced works that fail to explore more profound meanings. This book proves it does not have to be so. In addition, the experimentation with form is a welcome change.

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References Allana, G., First Edition 1969, Our Freedom Fighters, Paradise Subscription Agency Shafique, Khurram Ali, 2007, The Republic of Rumi, Iqbal Academy Pakistan

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