Iqbal’s Philosophy of the Khudi as a Tool for Women’s Empowerment

Abstract

This paper examines Muhammad Iqbal’s concept of the khudi in relation to key Islamic principles, primarily, the inherent value and dignity of all human beings. It attempts to demonstrate that Iqbal’s empowering philosophy is applicable to women and can serve to liberate them from external and often internalized patriarchal mindsets that construe females as being intrinsically inferior and subservient to males. Although these misconceptions manifest in different ways in East and West, Iqbal considers them both to be equally problematic. The paper shows that Iqbal’s philosophy of the khudi and his views of women are both directly grounded in the Quran. Iqbal understood the Quran as valuing diversity in creation and viewed gender differences as part of nature’s beauty and grandeur. Iqbal asserts that women and femininity are not devalued in Islam, but on the contrary, are treasured and considered the heart of society. This paper also examines Iqbal’s harsh criticism of women’s status globally. He condemns the East for failing to uphold Islamic values and disapproves of the West for commodifying and masculinizing women under the guise of granting them “equality.” The consequences of the latter are the destruction of women’s nature and disruption of social balance. Based on Iqbal’s work, I argue that the Islamic Iqbalian approach can serve to empower women while allowing them to preserve their feminine qualities and essence, aims that are highly desirable to many women globally and that Western feminism has thus far failed to attain.