Iqbal’s Philosophy on Prophet Isa, Mahdi and Yazuz Mazuz: A Synthesis of Islamic and Western Thought

Iqbal was a Muslim poet and philosopher who explored various aspects of Islam, such as the Mahdi and the second coming of Prophet Isa (peace be upon him). He envisioned the Mahdi as a spiritual leader who would restore the true spirit of Islam and unite the Muslim world. He did not see the Mahdi as a specific person, but as a collective personality that would arise from the Muslim community. He also expected Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) to return to earth and support the Mahdi. He admired Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) as one of the greatest messengers of Allah and a symbol of love, compassion and sacrifice.

Iqbal rejected the Ahmadiyya claim that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was the promised Mahdi and Messiah. He regarded this claim as false and against the Quran and Sunnah.

Iqbal wrote about Yazuz Mazuz in his poem “Zabur-i-Ajam”, where he portrayed them as the forces of materialism and imperialism that endanger the spiritual values of Islam. He also associated them with the Western civilization and its global domination.

Iqbal believed that Yazuz Mazuz would be defeated by the Mahdi and Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) at the end of times. He also urged Muslims to resist Yazuz Mazuz by reviving their faith and culture, and by forming a united Muslim community.

Iqbal was influenced by both Islamic and Western sources in developing his philosophy on Prophet Isa and Mahdi. He was well-versed in the Quran, Hadith, Sufism and Islamic history, as well as the Western philosophy of Kant, Nietzsche, Bergson and others. He tried to reconcile the Islamic teachings with the modern challenges and opportunities, and to present Islam as a dynamic and progressive religion.

He applied the principle of ijtihad, which means independent reasoning and legal advancement, to reform the Islamic thought and practice according to the changing needs and circumstances of the modern age. He also advocated the principle of ijma, which means consensus and collective decision-making, to foster unity and cooperation among the Muslims.

He developed his own original concepts and ideas, such as the self (khudi), love (ishq), intuition (kashf), time (zaman), ego (ana), destiny (taqdir) and action (amal), which were influenced by both Islamic and Western sources, but also transcended them. He used these concepts to address the existential, ethical, social and political issues of his time.