Allama Iqbal’s Predictions for 21st century

Dr. Allama Iqbal wasn’t just a poet; he can be regarded as a great Mystical Visionary who can see way ahead of his time in future through his vast Islamic spiritual knowledge base. Let’s discover what Iqbal has predicted in his Books Bang-e-Dra, Zarb-e-Kaleem, Baal-e-Jibreel and Armaghan-e-Hijaz for the Rise and Renaissance of Muslims.
Read English translation below each verse

The lion who had emerged from the desert and had toppled the Roman Empire, is, as I am told by the angels, about to get up again (from his sleep)

Whatever the eye is seeing cannot be described by the lips, I am lost in amazement as to what the world will become!, The night will eventually disappear by sun’s appearance! This garden will be filled with Light of Tauhid (Oneness of God)

Events(incident) as yet folded(hidden) in the scroll of time, Reflect in the mirror of my perception

Tomorrow is still hidden in intention, but its dawn is flashing before my eyes.

Plans will be reversed, destiny will be changed; this is a fact with truth, not fiction of my thought.

My hearts mirror shows me both world’s secrets; I relate exactly what I witness before my eyes.

The same storm is raging today in the souls of Muslim, A Divine secret it is, Not for the lips to utter, Let us see what surfaces from the depths of the deep. Let us see what color, The blue sky changes into.

However the grief’s night gives the message of Eid’s morning, In the darkness of the night, the ray of hope has appeared.

The storm in the West made Muslims Muslims, Pearls are produced in abundance from the very buffetings (shaking) of the sea; The true believers are once more to receive from the court of God; the glory of the Turkamans, the intellects of the Indians (referring Great Muslim conquerors and Mystics of India ), and the eloquence of the Arabs.

Open your eyes and look at the mirror of my words; see a hazy picture of the age(time) to come.

Look into heart’s mirror for destiny manifestation;  The sky will shine mirror-like with the morning’s light; and the night’s darkness will be speeding away! The spring breeze will be so melody inspiring; The flower bed’s silent fragrance will become so melodious! The garden’s afflicted (suffered) ones will unite with other afflicted (suffered) ones.

By Men whose eyes see far and wide, new cities shall be founded;  Not by old Kufa or Bagdad is my thought’s vision bounded (seeing new cities better than old Kufa and Baghdad times).

The gardener should not be upset by seeing the garden’s state; Branches are about to appear from the bunches of buds; The garden will be cleared soon of the waste and trash; The red of the martyrs’ blood will be producing rose buds; Look a little the color of the sky somewhat red is; This the glowing of the horizon by the rising sun is!

No wonder if the Muslims gain, their ancient glory once again; Sanjar’s  Splendor pomp and state(sovereign authority), the piety(piousness) and faqar of mystics great.

From the heavens comes an answer to our long cries at last: the heavens break their silence, the curtains rise at last! The cloistered (shut off from world) hour is over, the arena’s(appear) hour begins;  The lightening comes to asunder(apart)  those cloudy skies at last! It was too hard to withhold (hold back) the flood of these truths, At last the Qalander revealed (told) the secrets of the Book.

O Zealous (passionate) Faqar, Now your time is going to come! This Frankish soul is stained with the greed of wealth and gold! If Muslim faith offends the West! Let West in its own anger burn; This faith is known by another name 'zealous faqar'

I gleaned (learned) from Jalal-ud-deen Rumi’s company, One ‘Bold Heart’ is worth of learned heads the whole tame pack.

The dream which Islam saw of general freedom - Oh Muslim see the interpretation of that dream today.

Your real worth is hidden, other people are yet to see whats true;The Lord of the worlds assembly has yet much need of you.; By your breath lives the world and is kept animate; You are its destined leader, you the star of fate; There is no time to relax, much still remains to be done;You have yet to fully spread the light of God, the only one.

Read again the lesson of truth, of justice and valor! You will be asked to do the work of taking on responsibility for the world.

My grave is like a shrine, for men of thought and courage; I taught poor dust to tower hill-high in air; The beauty of meaning need not be adorned by my craft. Nature does herself incarnadine (care and color) the tulip red(rose)

Though this voice has emerged from Iqbal’s lips, its source is unknown;  The assembly got hope’s message as well as became restless for activism.

Lamentation is necessary but now that is over; Now control your heart a little and see the effect of the lament.

Rise, for a new age dawns; Your era begins in East and West.

Allah has faith in Momin’s might and will; the machines of Europe Satan’s alliance; Who knows the nation’s fates?—but signs abound(enough), if Muslims are wakeful.

Intellect is your shield, Love is your sword; My dervish ! Your vice-regency (Khilafat) is world-conquering; Your Takbir like fire for Godlessness is; If you are Muslim your prudence your destiny is; If you are loyal to Muhammad (PBUH) we are yours; This universe is nothing, the Tablet and the Pen are yours.

Take not my rhymes for poet's art; I know the secrets of nature.

The secrets of life are exposed to my view: I cannot be said to have despaired of waging the struggle of life; How can I be frightened By the transient scene of sorrow? I believe in the destiny of my Ummah (Community)! Of the element of despair my life is free, The heat of the battle gives notice of complete victory; I keep in view that exciting age—In the mirror of the past I see the future.