Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam

Written by Sir Muhammad Iqbal
Published in 1986.

The book has seven speeches by Iqbal on Islamic thought. Over the series he lays out a philosophical groundwork for Islam in keeping with advances in science and thought. It addresses issues from metaphysics to government to prayer. The level of his engagement with Western philosophers ranging from Aristotle to Nietszche to Russell is quite remarkable. He acknowledges Islamic thought's debt to classical Greek philosophers but argues for a reinterpretation of the Quran that takes into account the implications of Einstein's theory of relativity on metaphysics.

The Quran for him is a starting point for scientific inquiry, an impetus to study our surroundings. The ossified Islam of today is anathema to him. Free thinking is crucial for society, and freedom essential to humankind. He is the complete opposite of the shariah fanatics who want to compel all Muslims to follow the dictates of Islam. Iqbal says that freedom is a necessary condition for goodness because without making the choice, goodness holds no value.