The awakening thoughts of Allāmah Iqbal Lahori are full of wisdom. He was always thinking of reforming different classes of society. One of the points that Allāmah Iqbal emphasizes throughout his entire life and refers to in his poetry and speech is the edification of the young generation. Islam’s view of child rearing is very important and notable, as the child-rearing process begins before the parents’ marriage; it means being careful in choosing the right spouse.
In the next step, Iqbal considers the basis of raising a child to be the responsibility of mothers. Iqbal considers the existence of mother as the root of stability and strength of the system and foundation of a family. According to him, the first school that forms the basis and quintessence of a person’s thinking is the mother’s arms.
Allāmah Iqbal advises the young girls – future mothers – to keep their sights clean. There is something thinner than hair in this speech. Protection of the sight is at a higher level than the veil, and this is the complete modesty which exists in a person. Pudency is centered on the heart and is transmitted from the heart to all organs. Iqbal asks the Muslim girl not to show her beauty, but to consider herself as the light of truth, which, although not seen, but its manifestations are obvious everywhere.
In the next step, Iqbal addresses fathers and tells them to teach religion and knowledge to their children, because a child who enjoys faith and knowledge, his fortune and destiny will shine like a jewel.
Allāmah Iqbal considers three steps to properly train a person. The first step and stage is obedience. Iqbal recommends that a person should develop a spirit of obedience by performing the duties and observing what the Shari’ah has prescribed.
The second stage from Iqbal’s point of view is self-controlling; it means avoiding sin and keeping the soul and spirit free from evils in the path of life. In the self-controlling stage, human certainty matures and any kind of fear of other than God comes out of the heart.
In the third stage, a person becomes qualified to be the caliph and vicegerent of God on the earth. The very important point that Iqbal recommends son, Javid, is moderation and sobriety in all things.
In fact, Iqbal recommends the growth and reform of both physical and spiritual dimensions of man together so that the person can go forward on the path of perfection in the best way, and his human personality becomes more perfect so that society moves more towards reform and growth day by day.
In order for a person’s education, edification and growth path to be better and more complete, Iqbal recommends a few principles: 1. Teaching knowledge should be accompanied by inner cultivation and purity; 2. Having hope and avoiding despair; 3. Having high magnanimous spirit; 4. Tolerating difficulties and hardship in the way of seeking knowledge; 5. Controlling the youth emotions.