Comparison between Russel And Allama Muhammad Iqbal

1. Presented by: Muhammad Munsif
munsifsal@gmail.com
Presented to:
Dr. Naima Qureshi
M. Phil Education (Evening)

2. Allama Iqbal and Bartend Russell’s
philosophy about religion, aims of
education and political thoughts

4. Theological Aspect
 Iqbal’s concept of Allah is rooted in the Quranic
diction. He is the First (nothing is before Him) and
the Last (nothing is after Him), the Most High
(nothing is above Him) and the Most Near
(nothing is nearer than Him), and He is the All-
Knower of everything.
 Absolute reality is Allah who is the creator of
whole universe and the Unity of God (Tauhid).

5. Cont…
 Personality of the Last Prophet (SAW) is the
eventual role model of an ideal character towards
the holistic development of man and the entire
humanity for all time and space.
 The attributes of the Creator (Khaliq) demands
that there is a life hereafter (aakhria). This belief
makes the individual and the society responsible
and accountable in all spheres of life.

6. Cosmological Aspect
Cosmology:
It is a science of how the universe started and how
it is structured.
Allah created the universe and natural laws with
definite purpose.
 An important characteristic of the dignity of caliph
(khalifah) is to conquer the whole universe in order to
surrender before the will of Allah in all matters both
individual and societal.

7. Anthropological Aspect
Anthropology:
The study of human societies and cultures and
their development.
 Man is the best creation of Allah. He has been
entrusted purpose of His worship in both individual
and collective life systems. Man is composed of
soul (ruh), intellect (aql) and body (jasad).
 The proper education of this composition makes a
balanced personality which distinguishes man from
other creatures.

8. Cont…
Man is free to make choice and for that he is
responsible and accountable before the Creator and the
whole humanity. Man with his responsible attitude and
continuous struggle must unfold his hidden potentials
and use those towards seeking the pleasure of Allah.
Man has a specific entity called the good will
(khudi). This concept of khudi (al-nafas) has to be
related with the holy Will of Allah.
 The individual has meaning only if exists in relation
to community and nation. Alone he is nothing. “The
wave exists in the river. Outside the river, it is
nothing”.

9. Implications for Education
Ilm-ul-kitab
Devine Revelation
Quran and Sunnah
Epistemological
Beliefs
Ilm-ul-asma
Empirical and
rationale sources
Observation Knowledge
Scientific Knowledge

10. Axiological View
Axiology to Iqbal is rooted in the metaphysical outlook.
With this perspective, the ultimate or root value is
unconditional surrender before the will of Allah. All other
values e.g. social, political, education, economic, ethics,
aesthetics etc are subordinated to the ultimate value.
For leadership development, other values like contentment,
passion, action, power & dynamism, trust, honesty,
tolerance, courage, sense of honor, discipline, and supreme
holy effort in the cause of Allah (jihad) are also required to
be inculcated among individuals right from the beginning.

11. Khudi / Self
Man has a specific entity call the good will
(khudi). This concept of khudi (al-nafas) has to be
related with holy Will of Allah.

12. Aims of Education
The ultimate goal of education is should be to strengthen
and reinforce the individuals. So that, they may be aware
of all the possibilities that could have happened to them.
To achieve this goal of education, everyone should be
focused on the overall development of human potential
that covers the intellectual, physical, and willingness to
move forward.
 The purpose of education should be to able to solve new
problems in conditions of individuals and communities
or to adjust to the conditions.

13. Cont…
 Develop an everlasting attachment and great love
with the last Prophet (SAW) and to practically follow
him (SAW) as a role of ideal character in every
domain of life.
 Produce such intellectuals in all fields who reflect and
interpret sciences on the belief that Islam that is a
complete code of life; and finally regain leadership of
the world having insight and vision for the future to
establish world peace, justice and overall welfare.

14. Curriculum
Curriculum
Quran and
Sunnah
Other:
Religion
Philosophy
Art
History
Natural
Physical
Sciences
Humanities and
Social Sciences

15. Methodology
 The appropriate educational methods according
to Allama Iqbal are:
 Self-activity
Its an open method that students can develop their self by
doing something according to their self. It means that self-
activity is to looking for their potential and develop it.
 Learning by doing
Experiment method of teaching is needed to develop
knowledge, knowledge is not only theoretical but also it
needs authentication and actualization.

16. Cont…
 Question and answer
It is the theory of unfoldment, all knowledge is within the
child, teacher cannot teach any ting from outside.
 Allama Muhammad Iqbal states, teaching must be
according to the mental ability of individuals and it should
be in free environment.

17. Role of Teacher
Teacher
Spiritual
Mentor
Personality
Developer
Architect
of Soul
Role
Model

18. Cont…
 In the teaching-learning process, Iqbal considers teacher
as a central and unique figure in shaping students’
personality towards moral development. To him, teacher is
a man of character, a role model, and architect of the souls
of men.
 The essence of humanity is respect for man. Iqbal asserts
the manifestation of above concept in education, that
teachers should respect their students, and students should
accordingly respect their teachers. Mutual respect is the
key to effective teaching-learning process.

19. Cont…
 Iqbal condemns those teachers using such instructional
methods having no relevance with character building.
Teacher’s role is to diagnose, polish, and activate the hidden
potentials of the students in order to channel those towards
goodness.
 With teacher’s overall guidance, the students acquire
knowledge gradually and then finally shift to reflective and
critical thinking. However, the teacher should be cautious
about the type of critical thinking which creates disbelief about
eternal truths.
Cooperative Learning discipline. (Lab pe aati hai dua ban ke
tamanna meri)

20. Role of Student

21. Cont…
Gain best knowledge i.e. Knowledge of Quran
 As Khalifa of Allah.
Students have freedom to develop their personality and
their talents.
They need guidance and direction towards optimism
consistently.

22. Political Philosophy of Allama Iqbal
 Introduction
Allama Muhammad Iqbal is a great poet, philosopher and
thinker. He has keen interest in political matters during his
stay in Europe, where he got the opportunity to study
European political thoughts. He studied different
problems and tried to explain them. He did not focus
these problems, but also studied nearly all of the social
issues which man has to suffer.

23. Iqbal and Politics
Islamic ideology
Iqbal’s philosophy of politics is based on Islamic ideology as he
has discussed the problems and tried to find their solution from
the Islamic point of view.
He relies on the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and
regards it as his final word. The Muslims all over the world are
members of the society founded by the Prophet of Islam (PBUH).
Islamic conception of nationality
Iqbal’s Islamic conception of nationality is different from that of
other communities of the world. Islam does not believe in such
material limitations as language, color and territory. He believed
that the message of Islam is eternal and universal.

24. Cont…
According to Iqbal politics cannot be separated from
religion. If politics is separated from religion then it
changes itself into tyranny (cruel and oppressive
government or rule).

25. Iqbal’s Ideal Individual and State
The state and individual are made interdependent. He
maintains the balance between the two, and regards the
both as equally important. Individual cannot realize his
self spiritually without the help of state and state cannot
maintain itself and cannot make any progress without the
inner worth of individuals. Individual depends on society
for his survival and society plays a supportive role.

26. Cont…
“This self is personality woven of individuality and
sociality both of which develop side by side.”
Iqbal pointed two terms individuality and sociality.
Individuality – composed of wishes, desires, passions and
intentions. All of these things are self-directed and self-
determined which an individual can utilize only in society
because an individual can develop himself under certain
social condition. Living with other fellowmen is a natural
desire of an individual. Society contributes to improve and
fulfill individual aims and goals.

27. Cont…
 To Iqbal only a social man can utilize his abilities to full
extent by living in a society.
 In fact society sets rules and roles for individual; the
respect of individual is in obeying and adopting theses
rules and roles. Allama Iqbal address individual as a
member of society. Individual and society are reciprocal to
each other.

28. Iqbal & Democracy
 According to Iqbal individual life and destiny is
determined by form of government. Iqbal was great
promoter of democratic government which is based on
Islamic ideology. He believed that the message of Islam is
eternal and universal.
 The main reason of his views is the moral deprivation of
Muslims in sub continent due to loss of power.
 In his view, ideology of Tauhid is the basic principle of
Islamic state in which there is no discrimination on the
basis of race, color, language, education, and a Muslim
and a non-believer.

29. Cont…
 People have the Right of Election
Iqbal was of the view that, there was no doubt that people have
the right of election of their representatives but both people
and representatives have to work within the framework of the
law revealed by Allah called the Shariah law (Islamic law/code
for living). Allah is the ultimate authority and the state has to
create such law and order which is according to the commands
of Allah.
 Spiritual Democracy
Iqbal calls such democracy as “Spiritual Democracy” , which
should be governed by parliament members who strictly follow
the teachings of Islam.

30. Bertrand Russell
Introduction:
Bertrand Russell (May 18, 1872 – February 2, 1970) was a
British philosopher, logician, critical thinker
mathematician, historian, writer, essayist, social critic,
political activist, and got Nobel Prize in literature (1950).

31. Russell’s notion about Religion
Russell's books are notoriously blasphemous. He implies
that religion is a comfort we seek to excuse our terrible
acts. His message is that we should take responsibility for
our own actions.
Religious codes and strict rules are generally
mistaken/nonsense
Right and wrong concept probably find rational morality,
if drop irrational traditional taboo.

32. Cont…
Russell express in his book why I am not a Christian,
he examine that argument in the favor of the existence
of god and non of them seem to be logical.
Russell believe that there is no life after death

33. How to Live Happily in Industrial
Phase
According to Russell, three things are necessary for
happy life:
Word government
Approximate economic equality
Nearly stationary population

34. Fundamental of Russell’s Philosophy
The method of analysis
The theory of description
The principle of mathematic
The principle of logic constructions
The principle of acquaintance

35. The Method of Analysis
Russell gives importance of analytic philosophy and the
rise of logical positivism
Philosophy was to create logical language, in which
everything could be reduced and broken down themselves
into logical atoms
Analysis has two forms
Real definition
Contextual definition

36. Example: I went where I never wanted to go (vague)
I went to hospital where I never wanted to go.
Real definition:
Use of independent language
Find out relationship among various elements
Contextual definition:
 Focus on words and phrases
 Words and phrases use in sentence led to difficult philosophical
puzzles
 Words and phrases are intended to say when we use the original
words rather than unintended confusion

37. The Theory of Description
Russell theory of description dealing with phrases
of the form “the so and so’’.
Method of clarifying obscure situation through
language technique
Much more explicit than our original sentence
Help to find convenient relation logically

38. Logical language
Example : Yuri is the smartest would mean that for all
people, if someone is the smartest, the someone is Yuri.

39. Importance of Descriptive Theory
Developing a form of language which would be fully
explicit
Language as the instrument for revolutionary logic
To solve puzzles in the philosophy of language

40. The Principle of Mathematics
The principle of, mathematics deal with paradox. The
principle of mathematic contains statement that seem
impossible or difficult to understand which involves
opposite facts.
It raises important question ‘How far’ the theory has to
do with sentences and proposition.

41. Cont…
Russell’s theory of paradox
Bertrand Russell offered a famous paradox, it is often framed
simply as the paradox of barber.
Do you shave yourself? If not, come in and I'll shave you! I
shave anyone who does not shave himself, and no one else.
Does the barber shave himself?
Rules
Barber shaves those who do not shave themselves
Those who shave themselves do not shave others
All men must be shaved in the town

42. The Principle of Logical Construction
Substitution of symbol:
Denotation is given in sense experience
Replacing unempirical symbol to empirical
This process of replacement has two parts :
To determent what are the empirical entities
To define the empirical entities by means of logic and symbol
of science
Example:
If ⟨x,y⟩=⟨z,w⟩ then x=z and y=w

43. The Principle of Acquaintance
When we are directly aware of a thing, without any inference
 Things that can be known to us, things with which we have
direct acquaintance (our subjective sense-data).
Following two closely related features. First, it is a
nonjudgmental and non conceptual form of awareness
 Second, it is a form of awareness constituting a real, genuine
relation,
A relation that cannot obtain without its relata (the things or
items related). One cannot be acquainted with something that
does not exist.

44. Russell’s Conception of Critical
Thinking
Critical skills
Critical disposition
Critical attitudes
Impartiality and critical thinking
Feelings, relational skills and voice
The generalizability of critical thinking

45. Critical skills
The Ability to form an opinion for oneself
The ability to find an impartial solution
The ability to identify and question assumption
Critical thinking require
Critical judgement (weight evidence and argument).
Being critical about oneself
Constructive doubt

46. Critical Disposition
 The habit of impartial inquiry
 The habit of weighing evidence
 The habit of attempting to see things truly
 The habit of living from one’s own center
Russell readiness (person willingness)
 A readiness to admit new evidence against previous beliefs
 A readiness to discard hypotheses which have proved inadequate
 A readiness to adapt oneself to the facts of the world

47. Critical Attitude
A realization of human fallibility
An open-minded out look
A refusal to think that our own desire and wishes provide
a key to understand the world
Being tentative

48. Cont…
Russell critical outlook reflect an epistemological and ethical
perspective
How beliefs are held
The doubtfulness of all beliefs
The belief that knowledge is difficult but not impossible
Freedom of expression
Truthfulness
Tolerance

49. Impartiality in Critical Thinking
Russell believe that no one can view the world with
complete impartiality but we can try to appreciate the
alternative picture of the world presented in philosophy,
anthropology, history in order to recognize our own biases.

50. Feelings, Relational Skill and Voice
Russell believes that feelings and relational skill do not
open the mind and heart
What is needed is not merely intellectual ,feelings are also
important .
One should not be detached from emotions
But he should be detached from emotions such as, hatred,
envy, anger and so on.
The person who has no feeling does nothing achieve
nothing .

51. The Generalizability of Critical
Thinking
Russell thinks that only philosophy and logic may not
develop critical thinking subject knowledge is also
important to make critical thinking generalizable
Philosophy and logical thinking have role to play
Impartial sources of knowledge help develop critical
abilities.

52. Russell’s Political thoughts
 Pacifist
 Against war and nuclear weapon
 Public opposition to US policy
 Preserve democracy

53. Educational Thoughts of Bertrand
Russell

54. Principles of Education
Russell’s principles of education are based on knowledge of
human psychology, particularly child psychology. Russell
maintains that the first six years of child’ life are very
important from the point of view of development. By six years
of age all those important traits come up in children which
form their future personality.
Curiosity: is an instinct. It is the basis of mental development
and acquisition of knowledge. The mental development of
child is not possible in the absence of curiosity. The teacher
should try to create curiosity in the child and give it a right
direction and do it utmost to satisfy it.

55. Cont…
Faith in acquisition of knowledge: is an important step
towads acquiring knowledge. Russell urges that this faith must
be created in the child.
Freedom from prejudice: a person should be open minded.
He should be free from prejudice. If he does not have this
quality he cannot satisfy his thirst for knowledge. Therefore,
open-mindedness is necessary for acquiring knowledge.

56. Cont…
Exactness: Russell recognizes the important of exactness in
the process of learning. Devotion to truth may be guessed
through the degree of exactness which a person manifest in the
behavior.
Confidence: is essential for the acquisition of knowledge.
Confidence helps in making the child active for getting
knowledge. Nothing in the world can be achieved without
confidence and efforts.

57. Aims of Education
 According to Russell, The aim of education is to develop individuality
of child in such a way that he may adopt himself to the human society.
 Education should be according to the interest and aptitude of the
students. His aim of education relate to the duties of teacher. The
teacher should strive for inculcating fundamental qualities as the basis
of formation of character.
 Welfare of students should be the ultimate aim of education and they
should not be used for any other purpose. Only through education
conscious and superior types of individuals can be created. According
to Bertrand Russell, if the teacher is not affectionate and sympathetic
to students their intelligence and character cannot be developed. No
man can be a good teacher unless he has feeling of warm affection
towards his pupils.

58. Cont…
 Education is a process of self-development. But self-development is
possible only in and through society. Every individual has a social
self. Russell pleaded for education for good and creative citizenship.
Here also Russell has tried to make a happy blend of individualism
and socialism.
 The individual should mirror the world. The most vital need of the
near future will be the cultivation of a vivid sense of citizenship.
 Education must include human elements in simple manner. Human
elements like history, literature, music, painting, fine arts are no less
important than utilitarian subjects. These subjects help to develop
finer aspects of life.

59. Cont…
To know something of great literature, something of world
history, something of music and painting and architecture, is
essential if the life of imagination is to be fully developed.
Russell has emphasized enlargement of the mind and heart as
one of the aims of education. “It is one of the defects of
modern higher education that it has become too much a
training in the acquisition of certain kinds of skill, and too
little on enlargement of the mind and heart.”

60. Cont…
 Another important aim of education, according to Russell, is to
inculcate a spirit-of international peace and amity through
education. Without this human civilization cannot be saved. He
was against narrow, perverted and virulent nationalism.
 Internationalism should be fostered through education in
school. In this respect history teaching can help greatly. In
history, emphasis should be given on the fact that human
civilization has reached its present position not through
competition and war but through cooperation and peace.
 Russell has emphasized training of good conduct and
cultivation of healthy habits through education. True education
depends on true freedom. True freedom is inward.

61. Cont…
According to Russell, all-round development of an individual
depends on character formation. Hence character formation
should be the avowed aim of education.
Elements of character formation:
a) Vitality
b) Courage
c) Sensitiveness
d) intelligence

62. Cont...
Vitality depends to a great extent on sound health. Hence one’
of the aims of education is to form good health. Sound mind is
only possible in sound health.
Courage is another quality of character. Courage is nothing
but absence of fear. Many people suffer from fear — both
consciously and unconsciously — and without any reasonable
ground. Through education fear should be removed from the
mind of the children.
 Sensitiveness
The education producing sensitiveness to abstract stimuli would
wipe out a large proportion of the evils that exist in the modern
world today. Hence one of the aims of education is to create
abstract sensitiveness in the minds of the students.

63. Cont…
 Intelligence
Intelligence means acquired knowledge and ability to acquire
knowledge. Opportunities should be provided so that the students
can think.

64. Curriculum
Russell recommended a general and compulsory curriculum
for children up to the age of fourteen years. At this stage the
curriculum should include ancient literature, modern language,
mathematics, science, geography, music and dance.
Suggested that children should be educated in modern schools
where Montessori method is followed. In Montessori system
teaching is conducted from simple to complex.

65. Cont…
As regards religious education, Russell nourished a strong
view of religious neutrality as religion is a personal affair. In
European public schools religious education in favour of a
particular religious sect is prohibited. Russell was against
religious education in school.
Russell strongly favoured co-curricular activities in schools as
these greatly help total development of the individual,
particularly in developing self-control.

66. Methods of teaching
Those subjects should be taught to children to which they have
natural inclination.
Motivation is an important factor in learning.
For the education of children he has advocated Montessori
Method of teaching.
He has also pleaded for play-way-method.
He was in favor of using teaching aids such as maps, models,
charts etc. for effective teaching.