In the midst of confusion, if one compares the argument of both
Islamic and Secular idealists, and understands both concepts, the
pathway to reality becomes quite clear. The secular argument focuses
more on the personality and appearance of Quaid e Azam. If their
argument is probed, the most significant point is the following quote of
Quaid e Azam:
"You may belong to any religion or caste or creed, that has nothing to do with the business of the state..” There is also one more speech of Quaid e Azam in which he talks about
Hindus seizing to be Hindus and Muslims seizing to be Muslims, but not
in a religious sense, rather in political sense. Other than these two
quotes, secularists focus on Quaid e Azam’s personality. He was educated
in England, his English was much better than Urdu, he wore an English
suit, and such other things.
But it
is to be noted, that Allama Iqbal, the greatest Pan-Islamic philosopher
of the same time was educated in the West, he spoke exceptionally fluent
English, he usually wore western suits as well, but at the same time he
called for the rule of the Quran
. So it would not be analytically
convincing to label Quaid e Azam secular because of his appearance or
seeming way of living. Some Pakistani liberals even go to the extent of
saying that Quaid e Azam created Pakistan so that his party could get
seats in a parliament, or Quaid e Azam never wanted Pakistan, it was
rather a mistake of the situation. It would be extremely offensive to
the five million Muslims who gave their lives for Pakistan, when we say
that Pakistan and the two-nation theory is not valid anymore.
Even
if one does not agree with the pro-Islamic argument and focuses on
unbiased research, it is counted, specifically according to the research
of Mr. Ayub Baig Mirza, that
Quaid e Azam gave 115 speeches in which he
perceived Pakistan as an Islamic State; out of which, 101 are prior to
independence and 14 are post-independence. In many other addresses,
Quaid e Azam clarified that every movement has an ideological foundation
and its visionary, and for Pakistan’s movement, Islam is the ideology
and Allama Iqbal is the visionary. Pro-Islamic analysts have also
concluded, that Quaid e Azam’s speech of 11th August, which is widely
rejoiced by secularists, was actually given by him to reassure
Non-Muslim Pakistanis of their rights and place in the society, and it
did not mean to label Pakistan as a secular nation. The famous excerpt
from 11th August address is as follows:
“We are all citizens and
equal citizens of one state…. Now I think we should keep that in front
of us as our ideal, and you will find that in course of time Hindus
would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in
the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each
individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the State”.
After this speech was given, secularists spread the word that Quaid e
Azam wants Pakistan to be a secular state. Factually, since then all of
this confusion had started. But to clarify the matter, Quaid e Azam
himself said on 25th January 1948 that
“I could not understand the
section of the people that deliberately wanted to spread mischief and
propaganda that the constitution of Pakistan would not be made on the
basis of Shariah”.
This quote folds
and dumps the confusion in the bin. Pro-Islamic writers and columnists
have debated that Quaid e Azam’s speech of 11th August was actually
meant to relieve the anxiety of the minorities residing in Pakistan
caused by the religious conflicts in the sub-continent. It was not meant
to describe the system that was to be implemented in Pakistan, and this
is ascertained by the speech of Quaid e Azam in 25th January 1948, in
which he clarifies what system Pakistan will run on. There is a copious
amount of quotes of Quaid e Azam that elucidate the fact that Pakistan
was created for Muslims to live their life in accordance to Islamic
principles, morals and ethics. Not only this, but also create their own
system of governance, in the light of Quran, so that the world has
something different to follow other than the systems of the West, which
have ruined the economic circumstances of the world (as clarified by
Quaid e Azam in his last speech). During his address to the Usmania
University, Deccan India, Quaid e Azam was asked what an “Islamic”
republic is. He defined it in the following terms:
“In Islam,
ultimate obedience belongs to God alone. The only way to follow this
guidance is through the Holy Quran. Islam does not preach obedience to a
king, parliament, person or institution. The Islamic Govt. means rule
of the Quran. And how can you establish the rule of the Quran without an
independent state?” Quaid-e-Azam, address to the students of the
Usmania University, Deccan, India, August, 1941.
Two things
that are illuminated by this answer would either anger the secular
elements of Pakistan, or convince them to accept Pakistan as an Islamic
state. One, that this quote reflects the fact that Quaid e Azam, at an
individual level, was neither secular minded,
nor unaware of Islamic
teachings.
His description of an Islamic state is no
different than what any Islamic scholar would perceive it to be, and his
knowledge upon it shows that Quaid e Azam was actually a knowledgeable
Muslim. And the second message given by this quote,
through the last sentence, teaches exactly why Pakistan was really
created.
“How can you establish the rule of Quran without an independent
state?”.
The Great Leader, as “Quaid e Azam” would be translated to in
English, wanted the rule of Quran to be established in Pakistan; and
through this it becomes lucid that the struggle for Pakistan is still an
abandoned mission, which can only be completed after the laws of Quran
and Sunnah are implemented. Rather surprising is the fact that some
groups find it odd when Quran being implemented in Pakistan is talked
about, whereas
The Objectives
Resolution, the foundation of Pakistan’s constitution, states that no
law will be enforced that contradicts to the teachings of Quran.
Plenty of other speeches of Quaid e Azam indicate towards an Islamic system. A few of them are as follows:
"Pakistan not only means freedom and independence, but also the Muslim
Ideology that has to be preserved that has come to us as a precious
gift and treasure.” Quaid-e-Azam, Chittagong, March, 1948.
“Come forward as servants of Islam, organize the people economically,
socially, educationally and politically and I am sure that you will be a
power that will be accepted by everybody.” Quaid-e-Azam, Presidential
Address at the All India Muslim League, Lahore March 23, 1940.
“You have to stand guard over the development and maintenance of Islamic
democracy, Islamic social justice and the equality of manhood in your
own native soil. With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty,
there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.” Quaid-e-Azam,
address to the officers and men of the 5th Heavy and 6th Light Regiments
in Malir, Karachi, February 21, 1948.
“You are only voicing my
sentiments, and the sentiments of millions of Musalmans (Muslims) when
you say that Pakistan should be based on pure foundations of social
justice and Islamic Socialism, not other –isms” Quaid e Azam, March
1948, Chittagong.
“We should have a State in which we could
live and breathe as free men and which we could develop according to our
own lights and culture and where principles of Islamic social justice
could find free play.” Quaid-e-Azam, address to Civil, Naval, Military
and Air Force Officers of Pakistan Government, Karachi, October 11,
1947.
These quotes give an idea about the thought process of
Quaid e Azam while leading the independence movement, and also confirm
that the destined state ideology of Pakistan was always meant to be
Islam. In actuality,
Quaid e Azam himself called people who support
secularism in Pakistan “mischievous and propagandists” (referring to his
address on 25th January 1948).
Another argument that is presented
by the liberal analysts of Pakistan is that Allama Iqbal had absolutely
no role in the creation of Pakistan, mainly because he died before the
passing of Pakistan Resolution, also known as Lahore Resolution. This
again, is an insult to history. Keeping aside the fact that almost every
Pakistani recognizes Iqbal’s vital role in the creation of Pakistan, it
is still necessary to clear the mystery. After the Pakistan Resolution
was passed and was presented in Minto Park,
Quaid e Azam visited Allama
Iqbal’s shrine with one of the members of the Pakistan movement, and
stated that if Iqbal was here, he would be very happy to see that I have
done what was ordained to me.
This highlights the importance of Allama Iqbal in the creation of
Pakistan. Also,
Quaid e Azam had called Iqbal
the visionary behind the movement for Pakistan. The greatest reason,
why some people don’t like it when Iqbal is associated with the creation
of Pakistan, is that Iqbal was a Pan-Islamist. This is not only
portrayed through his extraordinary poetic dimension, but also in his
written letters to Quaid e Azam regarding Pakistan. Some of the letters
include,
“The Congress President has denied the political existence
of Muslims in no unmistakable terms. The other Hindu political body,
i.e., the Mahasabha, whom I regard as the real representative of the
masses of the Hindus, has declared more than once that a united
Hindu-Muslim nation is impossible in India. In these circumstances it is
obvious that the only way to a peaceful India is redistribution of the
country on the lines of racial, religious and linguistic affinities.”
Iqbal to Quaid, June 1937.
“To my mind the new constitution
with its ides of a single Indian federation is completely hopeless. A
separate federation of Muslim provinces reformed on the lines I have
suggested above, is the only course by which we can secure a peaceful
India and save Muslims from the domination of non-Muslims. Why should
not the Muslims of North-West India and Bengal be considered as nation
entitled to Self-determination just as other nation as in India and
outside India are?” Iqbal to Quaid, June 1937.
“Happily there
is a solution in the enforcement of the Law of Islam and its further
development in the light of modern ideas. After a long and careful study
of Islamic Law I have come to the conclusion that if this system of Law
is properly understood and applied, at last the right to subsistence is
secured to everybody. But the enforcement and development of the
Shariat of Islam is impossible in this country without a free Muslim
state or states.” Iqbal’s letter to Quaid, 28th May, 1937.
“The Palestine question is very much agitating the minds of the Muslims.
I have no doubt that the League will pass a strong resolution on this
question and also by holding a private conference of the leaders.
Personally I would not mind going to jail on an issue which affects both
Islam and India. The formation of a Western base on the very gates of
the East is a menace to both.” Iqbal to Quaid, 1937.
Not only
do the letters reveal Allama Iqbal’s Pan-Islamism,
they also uncover the
fact that Allama Iqbal had a critical role in forming the vision,
strategy, purpose and motivation for the Muslim League, and the Muslims
of India at large for the mission of Pakistan. We can see in the last
letter mentioned above, that Pakistan’s foreign policy towards Palestine
and Israel is the product of it. Quaid e Azam, before the Pakistan
resolution passed, declared numerous times that the Muslims of India did
not honor Britain’s pro Jewish attitude and its betrayal towards the
Arabs.
Quaid e
Azam also declared that the Muslims, not only of India but also of all
the world will rise in rage against the state of Israel and will
perceive Britain as an enemy of Islam. He even went to the extent to
call Israel and
“illegal child of the West”. It should be noted here
that this is not some fiery lecturer, this is Quaid e Azam himself. The
support for the Palestinian cause was built in Pakistanis through this
letter of Iqbal, which described Pakistan’s foreign policy, even before
its resolution was passed. This shows just a little image of what the
importance of Iqbal was in the creation of Pakistan, and it is not to be
neglected that the creation of Pakistan was only one big step that had
to be achieved; the real completion of this mission would be the
implementation of Quran, as ordered by Quaid e Azam and Allama Iqbal
themselves.
When Quaid e Azam, and the hundreds of millions of
Muslims in the Sub Continent called for an “Islamic” state of Pakistan,
they did not mean “Mullahism” (which is usually what the West perceives
an Islamic system to be). Quaid e Azam described this case very well
when he stated during his address to a US radio station that Pakistan
will not be a theocracy (ruled by priests).
The aim was to implement the
real essence of Islam, and the wisdom of Quran and Sunnah, through
which Pakistan would grow as an Islamic welfare state and serve
humanity.
![Pakistan Cyber Force [Official]](http://feeds.feedburner.com/PakistanCyberForce.2.gif)
Minister
for Interior Rehman(Shaitan) Malik has said that there was information of
serious terrorist attacks in Karachi next month, warning that if the port city
was ‘detached from the country’ the government as well as the intelligence
agencies would be responsible.
