The Poet of the East, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, had made following the Sunnah (tradition) of the Prophet his way of life. A unique and insightful incident is narrated in "Johar-e-Iqbal," which reflects Allama Iqbal’s intense passion, love, and obedience to the Prophet. It is written that a wealthy nobleman of Punjab invited Iqbal, Sir Fazl-e-Hussain, and one or two other renowned legal experts to his residence for legal consultation, and arranged their stay in his magnificent mansion.
At night, when Iqbal went to his room to rest, seeing the luxuries and comforts all around and finding an extremely soft and expensive bed beneath him, a thought suddenly crossed his heart: "The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), through the blessings of whose shoes we have achieved these high ranks today, spent his life sleeping on a straw mat."
As soon as this thought occurred, tears streamed uncontrollably. Lying on that bed became impossible for him. He got up, went to the adjacent bathroom, sat on a chair, and wept continuously. When his heart found some comfort, he called his servant, had his bedding packed up, and had a simple charpoy (traditional woven bed) laid out in that very bathroom. As long as he remained a guest there, he continued to sleep in the bathroom. This incident took place several years before his demise.
(Muhammad Hasnain Syed. Johar-e-Iqbal - p. 39-40, Published by Maktaba Jamia Delhi 1938) (Monthly Sada-e-Islam / September / 2024)
اناس میمن پلانپوری
