Shikwa and Jawab-i-Shikwa

Poets have long employed provocative language that divides their audience, generating both admirers and critics. What is particularly intriguing about this skill is that poets often withhold the true meaning of their work, allowing readers or listeners to construct their own interpretations. In this duality of meaning and interpretation, both the poet and their poetry become subjects of controversy. Allama Iqbal’s work is no exception. Shikwa and Jawab-i-Shikwa are arguably the most controversial poems he ever wrote. These works significantly shaped and, to some extent, divided his legacy. The  Complaint and Answer, the English translation of Shikwa and Jawab-i-Shikwa by the renowned scholar Khushwant Singh, who rendered the poems from Urdu into English. It is this translation that concerns us here.

Reading Shikwa and Jawab-i-Shikwa in translation inevitably diminishes the power and profound emotional depth of Iqbal’s work, thereby limiting the present reviewer’s ability to fully grasp the essence of Iqbal’s message. Shikwa and Jawab-i-Shikwa constitute a two-part poem, composed during two separate sittings. Shikwa was written and first recited in 1909 at a gathering of the Anjuman-i-Himayat-i-Islam. The central theme of Shikwa is a complaint directed towards Allah, accusing Him—according to the poem—of having been unjust to the Muslims. It is highly controversial to even suggest that a Muslim—one who acknowledges the Lordship of Allah—could lodge a complaint against Him, particularly when Allah states:

لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ

“He is not to be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.”

 Such an act may be regarded as blasphemous in the eyes of many orthodox Muslims. Iqbal was fully aware of this potential perception, both in the Muslim world and beyond. It was precisely this awareness that led him to anticipate a strong reaction. Yet it was through this reaction that his message was amplified, compelling the Muslim audience to reflect deeply upon the ideas expressed in his poem.

In Shikwa, Iqbal presents, in various forms and expressions, how Muslims have fulfilled their covenant with Allah—by glorifying Him, establishing His faith in the world, and inviting others to embrace Islam. He recounts the sacrifices Muslims have made in their devotion to promoting the knowledge and worship of Allah. It is as though Iqbal is reminding Allah of the favours that the Muslim community has bestowed in His cause. The central complaint, therefore, arises from the perceived lack of divine reciprocation, which Iqbal brings forth with powerful rhetorical force.

 It is understood that Iqbal, being both a philosopher and, by all accounts, a deeply religious man, was fully aware of the implications of his words. He was conscious of the weight his statements carried, and yet he chose to express them nonetheless. Therefore, when reading the text, one must recognise that there is more to his complaint than a purely literal interpretation. There exists another layer of meaning—an underlying philosophical or spiritual dimension—that calls for deeper analysis and interpretation. There is a certain aggressiveness in the manner in which Iqbal references the favours that Muslims have rendered in the cause of Allah. For example, he writes:

“Did we abandon You or Your Arab Messenger forsake?
Did we trade in making idols?
Did we not idols break?
Did we forsake love because of anguish with which it’s fraught…?”

When one reads these lines, two contrasting human emotions are evoked. On one hand, there is a sense that Iqbal’s complaint is justified—for Muslims did indeed make the sacrifices he describes. On the other hand, there arises a feeling of discomfort, as it seems inappropriate for a servant (the human being) to raise a complaint against the Creator. Iqbal deliberately cultivates this tension between devotion and defiance. In doing so, he appears to awaken the Muslim consciousness from a purely dogmatic and ritualistic worldview, guiding it instead towards a more human and emotional engagement with faith—one that may, at times, push the boundaries of what is traditionally deemed permissible to express.

Iqbal continues throughout Shikwa to present, from various angles, the favours that Muslims have rendered to Allah. He employs a range of examples, metaphors, and historical references to emphasise a central theme: that Muslims have fulfilled their part of the divine covenant, whereas it appears that Allah has not upheld His. It seems that Iqbal is compelled to adopt such a bold and impassioned tone due to the dire circumstances in which he finds the Muslim world at that particular moment in history. At the time, the vast majority of Muslim countries—with few exceptions—were under colonial rule. The Muslim community was internally fragmented, divided into various factions that debated how best to confront the reality of colonisation. On one side stood the religious authorities, who deemed virtually everything introduced by the colonisers as unlawful, irreligious, and antithetical to Islam. Some even went so far as to argue that the English language itself was un-Islamic. On the other hand, there were figures such as Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, who openly embraced European modernity, viewing the West and its colonisers as models to be emulated—at times even mocking Islamic civilisation and its historical figures.

Amidst this ideological polarisation stood Iqbal—a man of profound intellect and religious conviction—endeavouring to chart a middle path. He sought to recognise and appreciate the virtues of Western civilisation while rejecting its moral and spiritual shortcomings. Yet, in pursuing this balanced position, he found little support. His frustration, borne out of isolation and the condition of the Muslim ummah, appears to have been directed ultimately towards Allah. It is within this historical and intellectual context that Shikwa must be understood. When interpreted in this light, the deeper, more nuanced meaning of Shikwa becomes evident. There was, however, some appreciation from traditional scholars for Shikwa, and many praised the powerful language employed in the poem. Nevertheless, the vast majority of the traditional scholarly class were displeased with its content; some even went so far as to declare Iqbal a heretic. Iqbal was aware that such a reaction would occur, and it is likely that this anticipation was already in his mind when he composed Jawab-i-Shikwa (The Answer to the Complaint). In 1913, Iqbal publicly recited Jawab-i-Shikwa, offering a response to the themes and concerns raised in Shikwa.

Jawab-i-Shikwa is essentially Allah’s response to Iqbal’s complaint. It appears that Allah has listened to Iqbal’s grievances and is now responding in a manner that challenges the very foundation of his complaint. In other words, Allah is portrayed as saying to Iqbal: “You make numerous claims about your service and devotion to Me, but upon closer examination, your claims are hollow—lacking in both meaning and substance. Your faith is superficial and bears no resemblance to that of the early Muslims, who truly lived up to their responsibilities. It was for this reason that divine support was with them, enabling them to achieve greatness and rule the world. In contrast, today’s Muslims are preoccupied with complaints while failing to take any meaningful action.” This is the central theme of Jawab-i-Shikwa. In this response, Iqbal appears to critique his own earlier assertions. It becomes clear that the divine voice is not responding to him in a punitive or wrathful tone, but rather in a corrective and introspective manner. In Shikwa, Iqbal vents his frustrations and expresses deep anguish—an emotional outpouring reflecting the condition of the Muslim world. In Jawab-i-Shikwa, however, it is as if he pauses, takes a deep breath, and reconsiders his position. He reflects critically upon his own claims and, in effect, refutes them—acknowledging that one cannot rightfully complain to Allah when one has failed to uphold the very commitments upon which such a complaint would be based. In response to Iqbal’s lament in Shikwa, Allah replies in Jawab-i-Shikwa with verses such as:

“You have no strength in your hands;
In your heart, there is no place for Allah.
You have brought disgrace upon the name of My Messenger.
The destroyers of false Allahs are gone;
Only the idle idol-maker thrives…”

From verses such as this—and throughout Jawab-i-Shikwa—it becomes evident that Iqbal is directly addressing the very complaints he previously raised against Allah in Shikwa. This poetic dialogue offers a profound human insight into Iqbal’s frustrations, while also developing thoughtful responses to many of the concerns voiced in Shikwa. It ultimately conveys a message of hope. In other words, Allah offers reassurance and concludes with a series of highly optimistic verses, effectively granting Iqbal—and, by extension, the Muslim ummah—another opportunity.

It is entirely understandable that, upon reading Shikwa and Jawab-i-Shikwa,  it is not an art or poem for Pure entertainment rather it can be assumed the iqbal wrote it for activism, something that is desperately needed in our time for Muslims to wake up to realize that every smile and every call to democracy and every handshake are not in the intrested of us Muslims.  one might initially form a critical or unfavorable opinion of Iqbal and his motivations. If this is the case, it is reasonable to ask: why would a man of such profound religious conviction as Iqbal compose Shikwa and Jawab-i-Shikwa—and why in such a provocative manner? Perhaps Iqbal’s deep concern for the fate of the Muslim world at that time compelled him to employ powerful language and craft the Shikwa and Jawab-i-Shikwa was intended to awaken a dormant and passive Muslim community. It is inconceivable that Iqbal, a devout Muslim, would genuinely complain against God in a literal sense. Rather, his use of provocative language should be understood as a deliberate poetic and rhetorical strategy—intended not to blaspheme, but to rouse the conscience of Muslims and inspire them to action.

The complaints voiced in Shikwa were not meant as irreverent defiance, but as a call to self-reflection and renewal. His ultimate goal was to rekindle a sense of purpose and to restore the lost glory of the Muslim ummah. This intention is further evidenced by the fact that, after reciting Jawab-i-Shikwa, Iqbal collected funds and sent them to the Muslim ruler in Turkey to assist in resisting the Bulgarian forces. His efforts were part of a broader vision to re-establish Muslim strength and unity, and to revive the hope of restoring Muslim political and spiritual power. It seems that while the physical colonisation of Muslim lands may have come to an end, the mental colonisation of the Muslim mind persists. In many ways, the cry for awakening is now even more urgent than it was during Iqbal’s time, for the colonisation of the mind is more insidious and far-reaching than the occupation of land. Therefore, the relevance of Shikwa and Jawab-i-Shikwa is arguably even greater today than when these works were first composed.

If Iqbal were with us today, witnessing the genocide unfolding in Gaza and the deafening silence of both Muslim rulers and segments of the scholarly class, it is conceivable that he would be reciting Shikwa and Jawab-i-Shikwa in every corner of society—as a desperate attempt to awaken the soul of the Muslim ummah. Perhaps his language would be even more provocative, and his tone even more urgent, given the gravity of our present circumstances. It must be recognised that true liberation—whether of land, leadership, or influence—will only be realised if Muslims return sincerely to Allah and to the path of His Messenger, as practised by the early generations of this ummah. As Iqbal powerfully reminds us, revival begins not with protest alone, but with a renewal of faith, unity, and purpose. The message is clear: if Muslims remain faithful to the Prophet, uphold his tradition, adhere sincerely to the principles of Islam, and act in unity as a cohesive body of believers, then divine support will once again be bestowed upon them. Allah will, once more, entrust them with leadership and restore their prominence in the world.