Poet Of Humanity: Dr Maqsood Jafri’s Global Vision For Peace And Justice

By Dr James Stephon

Toronto, Canada – Dr Maqsood Jafri is a contemporary Pakistani philosopher, poet, orator, political activist, author, and columnist, known for his work on Iqbal Studies, comparative philosophy, literature, socio-political thought, Islam and Kashmir. His writing bridges Persian and Urdu literary traditions with modern political philosophy.

Dr Jafri’s central philosophical project is the reinterpretation of Allama Iqbal for the 21st century. His book “The Message of Iqbal” (2022, Iqbal Academy, Lahore) argues that Iqbal is not merely a poet but a system-builder whose concepts remain urgently relevant.

Khudi vs. Übermensch:

Dr Maqsood Jafri rejects the claim that Iqbal’s Mard-e-Momin is derived  from Nietzsche’s Übermensch. He traces Khudi to the Sufi concept of Insan-e-Kamil from Abdul Karim al-Jili. For Jafri, Iqbal’s ideal man is ethical and God-centered, not biological or elitist — “a person of love, justice, action, and ceaseless striving, whose self is anchored in God.”

The “Believing Heart, Infidel Mind” Dialectic:

Following Iqbal, Jafri uses the line “قلبِ او مومن، دماغش کافر است” to analyze Western thinkers. He sees Nietzsche and Marx as men with a “believing heart” — a sincere passion for human dignity and justice — but an “infidel mind” — conclusions severed from Tawheed. Thus Nietzsche’s “lancet in the heart of the West” and Marx’s assault on capital are valid diagnoses, but their atheism makes their cures fatal.

Tawheed as Political Principle:

Jafri insists liberty, justice, and Inqilab must be rooted in Tawheed. Any system that denies God — whether fascism, communism, or unchecked capitalism — ends by deifying man or the state. His critique of Marx is precise: “Truth is hidden within his falsehood” — Marx saw oppression, but his historical determinism and atheism produced new tyrannies.

Labor and Social Justice:

Like Iqbal, Jafri gives centrality to the worker. He quotes “خواجہ از خونِ رگِ مزدور سازد لعلِ ناب” to expose exploitation, and ties Labour Day to Islamic ethics: “Pay the laborer before his sweat dries.” For him, Inqilab is moral before political.

Poetic Style and Method

Though primarily known as a scholar, Dr Jafri’s prose carries a poetic intensity. His writing on Iqbal and Nietzsche shows:

• Bilingual Scholarship:

He moves fluidly between Persian verses, Urdu couplets, and English analysis, preserving Iqbal’s original diction while explaining it for modern readers.

• Moral Urgency:

His style is not detached. Lines like “The split is exact: Nietzsche’s impulse was true; his conclusions were godless” show a thinker making judgments, not just summaries.

Contribution and Significance

Defender of Iqbal’s Originality:

At a time when Iqbal is either deified or misread through Western lenses, Jafri anchors him in Qur’an, Sufism, and Islamic tradition.

Bridge between East and West:

By engaging Nietzsche and Marx seriously, he refuses both blind rejection and blind imitation of the West. He practices what Iqbal called for: “Take what is good from the West, reject what is corrupt.”

Public Intellectual:

His columns, like the one on Nietzsche and Iqbal dated April 26, 2026 from Islamabad, show an effort to take high philosophy into public discourse, answering questions from lawyers, students, and activists.

In essence: 

Dr Maqsood Jafri’s philosophy is Iqbalian: dynamic, monotheistic, and justice-oriented. His poetry of thought seeks to awaken Khudi in an age of both materialism and despair. For him, the revolution we need is not just political — it is the revolution of the self, “anchored in God” and expressed through ethical action.

The main theme of the poetry and philosophy of Dr Maqsood Jari is intense love for humanity. He is known as the Poet of Humanity. He loves all humans irrespective of their differences of color, class, caste, creed or country. He abhors war and is a great stalwart of peace.

In his writings he has rejected feudalism, sectarianism, nationalism, monasticism, monarchy, priesthood, parochialism, and has strongly advocated democracy, humanity, justice, love and rationality. He is a harbinger of modern and scientific way of thinking. He rejects retrospective and irrational mode of thought. His progressive ideas are highly welcomed in the educated circles worldwide.

Categories: Literature, Opinion, Poetry

Tags: Allama Iqbal, English Literature, human rights, Humanity, Kashmir, Pakistan, Persian, Poetry, Urdu