What is the main message of Muhammad Iqbal’s poem Shikwah?

In his poem Shikwah ("The Complaint"), Muhammad Iqbal gives intense expression to the anguish of Muslim powerlessness in the early 20th century. The poem serves as a reflection of the broader themes found in Iqbal’s work, which frequently address the vanished glories of Islam and a deep-seated concern regarding its present state of decadence.1

By framing the work as a complaint, Iqbal articulates the frustration and spiritual distress felt by the Muslim community during a period of decline. This poem is often studied alongside its counterpart, Jawāb-e shikwah ("The Answer to the Complaint"), both of which were published in his 1924 collection, Bāng-e darā ("The Call of the Bell"). Together, these works highlight Iqbal’s call for unity and reform, urging Muslims to move away from passive resignation and toward a life of active self-affirmation and service to the ideals of brotherhood and justice.1