پاکستان میں فنون لطیفہ کی صورتحال افکار اقبال کے تناظر میں

Abstract

Fine Arts serve as a crucial avenue for expressing a nation's worldview, aspirations, and lofty objectives. They include five core disciplines: music, painting, poetry, singing, and dance. This article, through an in-depth review of literature and narrative analysis of both primary and secondary sources on Iqbal’s views on art and literature, explores his interpretations of art. It also investigates the relevance of these ideas in today's world. Iqbal's perspective on art is closely tied to his philosophy of Khudi (selfhood). For him, art is a potent form of expression, and any artistic creation that lacks self-awareness or self-reflection is unsatisfactory. According to Iqbal, art that disconnects people from their true selves cannot be considered meaningful or creative. In both his Persian and Urdu poetry, Iqbal critically examines various art forms, identifying their merits and drawbacks. His reasoning is based on his philosophy of Khudi, where he classifies art as either acceptable or unacceptable depending on its influence on an individual's character and sense of self. Art that reinforces the self is considered constructive, while art that diminishes or dulls the self is deemed destructive and, thus, should be avoided. He argues that shallow art fails to reach the core of human personality, instead promoting disorder and confusion in society. Iqbal also acknowledges the historical connection between art and religion, highlighting that the highest forms of art, such as architecture, should embody both elegance and grandeur (Dilbari and Qahiri). Iqbal’s concept of Khudi provides a framework for guiding artistic endeavors, encouraging the creation of works that represent the distinct values of Muslim culture and civilization.