The Influence of Iqbal Studies: Interpreting Intellectual Evolution in Balochistan’s Urdu Tele-Dramas

Abstract

This research paper analyzes the profound influence of Iqbalian philosophy (Iqbal Shinaasi) on Urdu television dramas produced in Balochistan between 2001 and 2016. Focusing primarily on the works of playwright Shakeel Adnan Hashmi (e.g., Irtaqa, Manzilen, Ba Hukm Azan), it demonstrates how core concepts from Allama Iqbal's thought—such as Khudi (Selfhood), Tarbiyat-e-Khudi (Cultivation of the Self), the struggle between good and evil, spiritual enlightenment over materialism, and divinely inspired action—were woven into dramatic narratives. The study employs textual analysis of scripts and character dialogues to reveal how these dramas used Iqbal's poetry and philosophy not merely as decorative elements, but as central thematic drivers to impart moral, spiritual, and socio-political lessons. Characters like Baba Khizr (Irtaqa) and Shahryar (Manzilen) embody the ideals of the "Mard-e-Momin" (Perfect Man), navigating trials that mirror Iqbal's stages of self-development. Dialogues frequently incorporate Iqbal's verses directly to reinforce themes of resisting tyranny, prioritizing inner vision (Dil-e-Bina), and seeking divine proximity (Niyabat-e-Ilahi). The paper argues that these dramas served a significant reformist (Islahi) purpose within Baloch society, using the accessible medium of television to promote Iqbal's vision of individual and collective renaissance grounded in Islamic ethics and self-realization, particularly during a period marked by socio-political instability in the region.