How did Muhammad Iqbal describe the role of the Muslim community?

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Muhammad Iqbal viewed the Muslim community as a collective body tasked with actively promoting the ideals of brotherhood and justice. In his philosophical framework, he emphasized that the community’s hidden strength lay in the "mystery of selflessness," which he defined as the sacrifice of the individual self in service to causes greater than oneself.1

Iqbal believed that the Muslim community should:

Encourage Service: Effectively teach and foster generous service to the ideals of brotherhood and justice.1
Exercise Ijtihād: Utilize the principle of legal advancement to devise new social and political institutions suitable for the present age.1
Foster Consensus: Employ the theory of ijmāʿ (consensus) to guide communal decision-making.1
Embrace Action: Prioritize a life of active engagement over ascetic resignation, drawing inspiration from the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the early believers.1

Ultimately, Iqbal argued that the community should strive for active self-realization, ensuring that the individual contributes to the greater good of humanity.1