Muhammad Iqbal’s Vıews on the Turkısh Revolutıon

Abstract

Muhammad Iqbal was one of the leading Islamic thinkers of the 20th century and an important figure in the struggle for independence in the Indian subcontinent. The proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 and the subsequent radical reforms not only transformed Turkey internally but also profoundly influenced the political, intellectual, and cultural orientations of the entire Islamic world. In this context, Muhammad Iqbal adopted a unique approach toward the Turkish Revolution, viewing it with both admiration and criticism. Although Muhammad Iqbal's political thought has been extensively studied, his comprehensive interpretation of the Turkish Revolution has received relatively limited scholarly attention. This study employs a qualitative historical research design based on document and textual analysis to address this gap. It argues that Iqbal adopted a balanced approach toward the Turkish Revolution and contributes to the literature by offering a comprehensive assessment of his views on Turkish modernization. Iqbal closely followed the Turkish Revolution, particularly in the context of the abolition of the caliphate, the secularization process, and Western-style modernization policies. Iqbal regarded the revolutions led by Atatürk as an important awakening for the Islamic world to discover its own internal dynamism. According to Iqbal, the Turkish people courageously sought ways to stand their ground against the West within their own historical context and, in doing so, presented a new model for independence and progress. However, Iqbal criticized the fact that the reforms were based entirely on a secular foundation and emphasized that Islam’s role in building civilization should not be overlooked. In this study, Iqbal’s assessments of the Turkish Revolution are interpreted based on primary sources, primarily his poems, articles, and letters. The effects of these views on the Islamic society of the period are examined. Thus, an intellectual perspective is presented in the context of the international reflections of Turkish modernization.