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The Devil’s Advisory Council: Iblees ki Majlis-e-Shoora
Iblees ki Majlis-e-Shoora is a conversation between Iblees (the devil) and the five members of his advisory council. It is one of the final works of Allama Iqbal. The work consists of 64 amazingly dramatized, well composed couplets. Here, Iblees presides over the clandestine session and leads the conversation. He boasts how successfully he has mislead Mankind throughout history by introducing ideas and doctrines such as Imperialism, Capitalism, Fascism etc., which have ultimately landed the human society in ruins. His advisers point towards a few emerging trends such as Western democracy and Marxism that they saw as potential threats to the evil regime of Iblees. Summarily dismissing all these apprehensions of his advisers, Iblees concludes, that the revolutionary spirit of Islam is the greatest threat to his evil empire and hence the most crucial task ahead was to stop the waves of Muslim resurgence. He instructs them to keep the followers of Islam totally preoccupied with vain spiritual rituals, complex philosophical debates and narrow theological intricacies.
Allama Iqbal, an advocate of universal human fraternity, envisaged the revival of the original Islamic civilization, globally. His works, exposed the limitations of the socio-political and economic concepts introduced by the West.
Allama Iqbal, an advocate of universal human fraternity, envisaged the revival of the original Islamic civilization, globally. His works, exposed the limitations of the socio-political and economic concepts introduced by the West.
66 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1935
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About the author
Muhammad Iqbal
284 books1,048 followersSir Allama Mohammad Iqbal also known as Allama Iqbal was born in 1877 in Sialkot, Punjab, in British Ruled India, now Pakistan, and was educated in the local school and college in Sialkot, before going on the university in Lahore. There he studied Arabic and philosophy as an undergraduate, then in 1899 did an M.A. in philosophy (being ranked first in the Punjab, and awarded a Gold Medal). He was appointed to a Readership in Arabic at the Oriental College in Lahore, and over the next few years became well known as a poet, as well as writing his first book (in Urdu), The Knowledge of Economics (1903).
In 1905 he travelled to Europe to continue his philosophical studies, first at Cambridge, then at Munich, where he obtained his doctorate with a thesis entitled The Development of Metaphysics in Persia. From 1907 to 1908 he was Professor of Arabic at the University of London; during this period he studied for the bar, becoming a barrister in 1908, when he returned to Lahore to practise law. While practising as an advocate at the Lahore High Court he continued to a part-time academic career as professor of philosophy and English Literature, being appointed Professor of Philosophy at the Government College, Lahore in 1911. He was knighted in 1923.
Despite his law practice, his philosophical work, and his gradual entry into politics, first as a member of the Punjab Legislative Council and later as president of the All India Muslim League, Iqbal was probably best known and respected as a poet. Nevertheless, his other activities brought him some measure of fame, especially six lectures that he gave at Madras, Osmania University at Hyderabad, and Aligarh, which were later published as The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam (1930). During the early thirties he travelled extensively in the Middle East and Europe, participating in international political conferences, meeting philosophers and politicians, and writing.
His political view was that in theory a Muslim state wasn't desirable, as he held to the ideal of a world-wide Muslim community; nevertheless, he held that, at least in the short and medium terms, the only way for Indian Muslims to be able to live according to the tenets of Islam was in such a state, and he campaigned accordingly. He died in Lahore in 1938, some nine years before the creation of Pakistan, where his birthday is celebrated as national holiday.
Iqbal's philosophical work involved bringing various philosophical influences, including Leibniz, Hegel, and Nietzsche, to his Islamic scholarship, thus holding out the promise of a revival of genuine Islamic philosophical thought — a return of Islam to its place in the philosophical world. That promise has yet to be truly fulfilled, though it remains in place.
"To exist in pure duration is to be a self, and to be a self is to be able to say 'I am'." (The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam p.56)
In 1905 he travelled to Europe to continue his philosophical studies, first at Cambridge, then at Munich, where he obtained his doctorate with a thesis entitled The Development of Metaphysics in Persia. From 1907 to 1908 he was Professor of Arabic at the University of London; during this period he studied for the bar, becoming a barrister in 1908, when he returned to Lahore to practise law. While practising as an advocate at the Lahore High Court he continued to a part-time academic career as professor of philosophy and English Literature, being appointed Professor of Philosophy at the Government College, Lahore in 1911. He was knighted in 1923.
Despite his law practice, his philosophical work, and his gradual entry into politics, first as a member of the Punjab Legislative Council and later as president of the All India Muslim League, Iqbal was probably best known and respected as a poet. Nevertheless, his other activities brought him some measure of fame, especially six lectures that he gave at Madras, Osmania University at Hyderabad, and Aligarh, which were later published as The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam (1930). During the early thirties he travelled extensively in the Middle East and Europe, participating in international political conferences, meeting philosophers and politicians, and writing.
His political view was that in theory a Muslim state wasn't desirable, as he held to the ideal of a world-wide Muslim community; nevertheless, he held that, at least in the short and medium terms, the only way for Indian Muslims to be able to live according to the tenets of Islam was in such a state, and he campaigned accordingly. He died in Lahore in 1938, some nine years before the creation of Pakistan, where his birthday is celebrated as national holiday.
Iqbal's philosophical work involved bringing various philosophical influences, including Leibniz, Hegel, and Nietzsche, to his Islamic scholarship, thus holding out the promise of a revival of genuine Islamic philosophical thought — a return of Islam to its place in the philosophical world. That promise has yet to be truly fulfilled, though it remains in place.
"To exist in pure duration is to be a self, and to be a self is to be able to say 'I am'." (The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam p.56)
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 17, 2018
Kritikan Allamah Muhammad Iqbal terhadap kelesuan dan kebingungan umat Islam dengan berlatarbelakangkan zaman imperialisme dulu masih relevan untuk dibaca, manakala bangkangan keras beliau kepada fahaman Barat yang dikelabukan dengan dakwaan tujuan untuk kebaikan manusia masih perlu diberikan perhatian kerana faham seperti kapitalisme dan komunisme masih terus membelenggu dunia termasuk umat Islam.
Bagaimanapun membaca terjemahan saja, tentu akan kehilangan keindahan bahasa puitis Iqbal dan Urdu. Walaupun buku ini menyediakan teks dalam bahasa Urdu, sayang sekali tidak dapat menikmati sepenuhnya.
Bagaimanapun membaca terjemahan saja, tentu akan kehilangan keindahan bahasa puitis Iqbal dan Urdu. Walaupun buku ini menyediakan teks dalam bahasa Urdu, sayang sekali tidak dapat menikmati sepenuhnya.
April 10, 2025
"Beware, a hundred times beware, of the law of the prophet,
It guards the honor of the woman, challenges the men's might and is the mentor of true men."
Karya -syair- Allama Iqbal berkenaan umat Islam yang masih terbelenggu dengan bermacam-macam hal. Lima syaitan dijadikan tukang pembicara dalam menyampaikan kebimbingan beliau. Bakal diulang baca di kemudian hari, dan semoga saya dikurniakan kemahiran untuk berbahasa (membaca dan berbicara) Urdu.
—Pembacaan ditamatkan ketika dalam safar menziarahi keluarga jauh; ibu saudara saya bertemu Sang Pencipta pada 8 April 2025. Mohon disedekahkan al-Fatihah buat sesiapa yang membaca ulasan ini. بارك الله فيك
It guards the honor of the woman, challenges the men's might and is the mentor of true men."
Karya -syair- Allama Iqbal berkenaan umat Islam yang masih terbelenggu dengan bermacam-macam hal. Lima syaitan dijadikan tukang pembicara dalam menyampaikan kebimbingan beliau. Bakal diulang baca di kemudian hari, dan semoga saya dikurniakan kemahiran untuk berbahasa (membaca dan berbicara) Urdu.
—Pembacaan ditamatkan ketika dalam safar menziarahi keluarga jauh; ibu saudara saya bertemu Sang Pencipta pada 8 April 2025. Mohon disedekahkan al-Fatihah buat sesiapa yang membaca ulasan ini. بارك الله فيك
February 20, 2022
"Iqbal's poetry and philosophy are integrally related. His poetry serves as a vehicle for his thought."
I really like the approach of this book. Very creative, a refreshing outtake/ alternative approach to saying "hey, these are the things that you should avoid doing as they are Satan's way of deviating yourselves".
My first book from Iqbal. Although I like the approach, I can't say I'd give it a 4 or 5.
I really like the approach of this book. Very creative, a refreshing outtake/ alternative approach to saying "hey, these are the things that you should avoid doing as they are Satan's way of deviating yourselves".
My first book from Iqbal. Although I like the approach, I can't say I'd give it a 4 or 5.
June 30, 2022
It is such a refreshing take on the world and its corruption throughout time. Like the Islamic Dante's Inferno it contextualise the devil and his strategies in corrupting mankind through mankind's weaknesses itself and it is only up to US to brace ourselves against it.
September 5, 2022
A masterpiece!!!
May 27, 2024
Sir Muhammad Iqbal’s "Iblees Ki Majlees-e-shoora" written in 1936, remains profoundly relevant today. It’s an invaluable resource for future generations. A must-read for its thought-provoking content.
December 22, 2021
A clear and simple translation with all the necessary references explained briefly in footnotes. It's a compact book that explains the poem fully.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews