The Profound Influence of Mawlānā Jalāl al-Dīn Balkhī on the Thought and Poetic Works of Muhammad Iqbal Lahori

چکیده

Abstract

Mawlānā Jalāl al-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī (Rūmī) is regarded as one of the greatest poets and mystics in Persian mystical literature, Islamic culture, and even in global literary heritage. This mystic poet gained widespread renown not only during his lifetime but also posthumously, through his profound mystical works—both prose and poetry—which have left a lasting legacy in world literature. The findings of this study indicate that one of the most significant values of Rūmī's oeuvre lies in the extensive following he has garnered among scholars, mystics, and intellectuals. His magnum opus, the Mathnawī-yi Maʿnawī, widely recognized as the greatest encyclopedia of Islamic mysticism in the Persian language, has inspired hundreds of brief and comprehensive commentaries. Many poets have drawn deeply from his spiritually rich and love-centered mystical philosophy (ṣulḥ-i kull, universal peace). This descriptive study specifically explores the depth and nature of Rūmī’s influence on the thoughts and literary works of Allama Muhammad Iqbal Lahori, one of the foremost contemporary Muslim thinkers and poets of the Indian Subcontinent (modern-day Pakistan). The article analyzes various dimensions of Iqbal’s intellectual admiration for Rūmī, as well as the praise and references found throughout Iqbal’s Persian and Urdu poetry regarding Mawlānā Balkhī.

Keywords: Iqbal, Balkhī, Mysticism, Mawlānā, Lahori