The Devil's Council (Iblees ki Majlis-e-Shura)

After the first century of Mohammad P.B.U.H and his close companions, Islam started being wrapped by concepts that either were crafted or were borrowed by other religions. Unfortunately such concepts became exactly Islam in next centuries. This was the time when an attempt of conveying the real objective of Islam and removing the veils of mistaken and misinterpreted thoughts could make Muslims feel a drift from religion. Obviously it was an unmanageable situation but the world of Islam found an eye which could see real Islam hidden behind thousands veils and a tongue that knew the psychological state of his audience – Mohammad Iqbal. The centre of his thoughts was Qur’an. He never considered himself a poet but used poetry as a medium to deliver his message considering the circumstances and customs of the country. For him Qur’an was a book that emphasized “deed” rather than “idea”. Obviously, a person who understands Qur’an very well, understands the world very well and knows the real issues of the world and their solution.

Iblees ki Majlis e Shura is one of Allama Iqbal's final works. Sort of his last opinion on the world.

Iblees is sitting with his five advisors and starts a meeting with self-praising statements and explains what he has done so far to take the world at this stage. First advisor affirms his strategies and explains the state of people around the world. Second advisor reminds them about a threat. But first advisor corrects him and refutes his fear. Third advisor reminds them about another “serious” threat. Forth advisor provides the solution to that threat. Fifth advisor explains that “serious” threat again in more detail to let Iblees understand the seriousness of the matter. Iblees who is listening to all advisors refutes all of the fears that they have but discloses his own fear and considers it a “Real” threat to his satanic system. He explains why he is afraid of that threat and then he finally tells them what to do.


THE SATAN

An old game of needs this mean world’s tact,
To heavenly host hopes a cold blood act.

That Great Maker bent to wreck earth soon,
Who gave it a name of ‘KAF’ and ‘NOON’.

To Europe I gave the kingship’s dream,
I broke the spell of church and mosque’s team.

I taught to the poor a lesson of fate,
To the wealthy I gave the wealth’s craze great.

Who can put out that fire’s big blaze,
Of riots whome Satan had set ablaze.

To plants we watered, caused to be trees,
Who can bring that old tree to knees.


FIRST ADVISOR:

The Satan’s order is firm every where,
The masses too like the servitude snare.

The bows were writ for the poor in fate,
A pray without stay their nature’s trait.

Either in his heart a wish does not lie,
If wakes up ever, would be raw and die.

Isn’t this a marvel of constant push’ hence,
That Mullah is tied with kingship fence.

A best booze it was to Eastern nature then,
No lesser vice singing to ‘eloquence’ ken.

The Haj and Ka’aba Rounds yet a rite though,
The nude sword of Moniin is blunt I know.

On whose despair he formed a queer view,
"On Muslim war is banned in this age new"


SECOND ADVISOR:

Is this roar in goodness that masses are kings?
You know not new mischiefs of underlings.


FIRST ADVISOR:

A good point well, my seeing eye hails,
No danger too there from a kingship’s veil.

We gave to kingship the masses rule’s dress,
Self conscious now is man with self’s ingress.

The kingship science has a different sense,
It needs not a garb of a monarch hence.

May be Nation’s Council or Kaiser’s court,
A king’s eye craves a foreign land or port.

Didn’t you see western democratic track,
Whose face is shining but inner is black.


THIRD ADVISOR:

What is the harm if lives the royal soul,
What is the answer to that Jew’s wicked role.

That Moses sans vision! that Christ sans cross,
He’s not prophet, but, keeps Book for a gloss*.

How to show that heathen’s shameless eyes,
To East, West nations a doomsday lies.

No worst cancer looks than his nature’s bent,
That the slaves have toppled the. master’s tent.


FOURTH ADVISOR:

Its counter action see in Rome’s big halls,
We have shown his Sons, dream of Caesar’s call.

Who is now wrapped with waves of Roman Sea,
Like lute they weep oft, oft they grow like pine’s tree.


THIRD ADVISOR:

I can’t admire his prudence and care,
Who laid bare the Europe’s statecraft snare.



FIFTH ADVISOR:

Due to thy burning this world gets balance,
When you wished laid bare each hidden face hence.

Thy heat in his clay the world’s pomp and show,
You taught the heaven’s fool, a wisdom so.

Than thee He knows not the nature of men,
Who is famous as God, in the fool’s ken.

Whose duty was praise, rosary and round,
Due to thy envy, in shame ever bound.

All wise men of West are thy pupil though,
I have no faith yet in their wisdom so.

That mischief monger Jew, the Muzdak’s soul.
Each tunic gets torn from his crazy goal.

A crow looks prone to seize the hawk’s force,
How quick the time changes nature’s course.

Being restive she scanned the skies vast space,
Like fools we counted ‘dust’ of human race.

The horrors of future, looking so great,
With hills and vales shiver the brooks in spate.

My Master! that world is going to doom,
The world which looks to thy Leadership’s boom


SATAN
(To His Advisor):

Thus lies in my hold the world’s pomp an show,
This earth, the Sun and Moon, the Sky’s glow.

Shall see the East and West my game and roar.
As soon I warm up Western nation’s gore.*1

The pontiffs of church, the leaders of State,
My one din’s echoe for them a dread great.

To her a modern world if a fool espies;
This culture’s wine cups will someone break and sea?

The collars to whom the Nature has torn,
The logic of Muzdak*2 to them cant darn.

How can frighten me the Socialist lads,*3
Since long jobless, confused and loafing lads.*3

From that nation but I feel a threat grave,
whose heart yet holds hidden embers of crave.

A few of them I espy in this nation yet,
At dawn who take ‘Wuzu’*4 with tear drops jet.

He knows on whom hidden Times are bright,
The Islam, not Muzdak is the future’s fright.


CHAPTER 2

I know this nation to Quran holds not,
The old craze for wealth is the Momin ‘s thought.

In dark nights of East this point I behold,
The sleeves of Harem Sheikhs no white hand hold.

I am but afraid that modern age needs,
May not force this age to know Prophet’s creed.

Beware! hundred times from the Prophet’s Act,
It guards women honour, makes man perfect.

A death knell to those who made the mar, slave,
It ruled out kingship, no beggary it gave.’

It cleaned the man’s wealth from’ every stain,
It made the rich trustees of wealth’s wrong drain.

No bigger change could be of deeds and thoughts,
This earth owns to Allah, to a king not.

His Law be kept hidden from whole world’s eye,
To my solace Moumin lacks a faith high.

Let him be fastened in metaphysics lone,
In his own meanings of the Koran’s tone.



CHAPTER 3

Whose call God is Great*5 broke the world spell,
That conscious man’s night why not a bright deli.

Did the Christ died or alive from start*6?
Are God’s attributes His Part or apart?

Is the coming Christ Hindi Nasir’s dad?
Is he a mujaddid*7 like the Mary’s lad?

Are God’s words mortal or old like Him hence?
Which sect of the Ummah will have riddance?

Are’nt now enough for Muslims of this age?
His dogmas gods he found in his rummage.*8

From a practical life keep him away,
Get all his pawns beaten in this nice way.

He’s better a slave upto the dooms day,
Leave the mortal world for others hey-day.

The verse and mysticism suits for his ‘deen’.*9
Which hides from his eyes life’s vital scene.

I fear from this Ummah lest they awake,
Being his faith’s base, world account he would take.

In prays at dawn keep him rapt*10 and grave.*11
Make him zealot*12 fan of tombs and graves.

(Allama Iqbal)