Shikwa jawaab shikwa By Iqbal

When passion streaming from the heart turns human lips to lyres,

Some magic wings man’s music then, his song with soul inspires;

The two poems were written in 1909 and 1913 respectively. Shikwa, consisting of 31 stanzas, was presented by Iqbal in April 1911 to the annual session of Anjuman Himayat-i Islam held at Islamia College, Lahore. Jawab-e-Shikwa consists of 36 stanzas which Iqbal recited at a public gathering in 1913 outside Mochi Gate, Lahore. According to Professor Baqa, “when Iqbal saw the achievements in the West he had the burning desire to revolutionise the lives of his own countrymen.” When he emphasised knowing the ‘self’, he did not want us to glorify the self, nor kill it, said the professor. Rather, he wanted us to be self-aware so that we can perfect our own personalities and benefit society as a whole. “He wanted to create unique human beings”.