Martin Buber and Muhammad Iqbal: A study in the modernizing mind

Yasmin Lodi, Purdue University

Abstract

This work is a comparative study of two modern political philosophers, who were disenchanted with the prevalent ideologies and sought to create authentic nation-states for their displaced people. Buber and Iqbal were existential thinkers who belonged to the same generation and were influenced by the same Western philosophers, particularly Nietzsche, and Bergson. This work explores and compares the political thoughts, philosophies, and their contribution to the intellectual development of their communities. In particular, this work examines the philosophical grounds for the bi-national theory and the two-nation theory. While Buber presented the bi-national theory, that two peoples could live together in one state--Israel; Iqbal presented the two-nation theory, that Hindus were one nation and Muslims another and that they, therefore, required two states: India and Pakistan. This difference in political theory despite the similarity in their intellectual background can be attributed to their differing philosophies: Buber's philosophy of mutuality, and Iqbal's philosophy of self-hood. Finally, this work concludes that both Buber and Iqbal were transitional leaders who were bound to fail, even though they made a noble attempt to retain the values and culture of the traditional age so as to ennoble modernity.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Weinstein, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Political science|Philosophy

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