O Muslim, ask your heart, not the Mualla; why is the sanctuary empty of God's servants?

This profound couplet is a call for genuine introspection. Allama Iqbal advises us not to seek spiritual answers from religious scholars (Mullah), but rather to look within our own hearts. The second line delivers a powerful critique: if the sacred places are empty of the devoted servants of God, it suggests that true faith has become a performance, rather than a deep, personal commitment. It is a reminder that devotion must come from the soul, not from ritual.