The scholars (Ahl-e-Madrasa) strangled your voice/declaration, so from where did you bring the chant of 'La Ilaha Illallah'?

This powerful couplet is a profound critique of institutional religion. Allama Iqbal suggests that the very people meant to guide the spiritual path—the scholars of the Madrasa—are the ones who silence the truth. The poet asks: if your voice has been strangled by those who claim to uphold faith, how can you possibly utter the foundational declaration of Islam, 'La ilaha illallah'? It speaks to the tragedy of intellectual oppression and the silencing of authentic belief.