Why did Muhammad Iqbal regard the life of the Prophet Muhammad as a model for self-realization?

Muhammad Iqbal regarded the life of the Prophet Muhammad as the ultimate paradigm for self-realization because it embodied the perfect balance between individual strength and selfless service to humanity.

In his philosophical framework, Iqbal argued that true self-realization is not found in passive, self-negating quietism, but through active engagement with the world. He believed that the "mystery of selflessness" was the hidden strength of Islam, where the individual finds their highest purpose by sacrificing the self in service to ideals greater than the self, such as brotherhood and justice.

Iqbal highlighted that the Prophet Muhammad, after his unitary experience of God, returned to the world to initiate a new type of manhood and a cultural order defined by the abolition of hereditary kingship and priesthood, while emphasizing the study of nature and history. By following this model, Iqbal believed Muslims could move beyond present decadence and achieve a life of action, effectively serving the community and the purposes of the living God.1