Syyed Ahmed Khan's ‘Deism’ (Wahdat Al-Fitratyyah) Versus Iqbal's ‘Egoism’ (Wahdat Al-Anna’ni’yyah): The Psychological Effects of the Cosmological Doctrines on Human Life

Abstract

This article evaluates two cosmological theories e.g. the ‘Deism’ and the ‘Egoism’. The former expounded by Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan (who was a modernist and had naturalistic and Deist approach to religion and cosmology) while the other described by Allama Muḥammad Iqbal who had theological and mystic approach. He called his idea as theory of the ‘Slef’ which is frequently known as the "Khudī" or the "Ego" and he described it in his Asrar-i-Khudi.[i] Both theories are apparently simple cosmological approach. But this research will reveal that the case is not so simple. Both theories have vast implication; they have cosmological, ontological, epistemological, theological, mystical implication. Moreover, this research will shows that what effects would be on humans in adoption and following any of the theories in the fields of psychology as individual or in the fields of collective and social psychological affaires as well as on group or herd sociology, theological ideas about present life and here-after-existence. The following on any idea will describe the worldly human to human and human to God relationship along-with the status of natural and material things. It will map out that how each belief would impact on the individual identity and social attitudes socially, religiously, philosophically. In the last the implications of both theories would also be discussed for modern Muslim societies looking for social and psychological rejuvenation.