jinnah – My Bit for Change

Can We Let Jinnah Speak for Himself?

For over 70 years, the vision of the founding father Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah has been a matter of intellectual debate, where points and counterpoints are made by writers in order to prove validity of their own personal views and vision of Pakistan. Dialogue, discussion and even debate always helps in at least understanding the positive and negative dimensions of an issue. It is highly unfair and unethical to make a generalisation based on an individual understanding of a single incidence, that too considered out of its context. This onslaught has been going on for a long time specifically with reference to the August 11, 1947, speech of the Quaid as the first President of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. This presidential speech is mentioned again and again as perhaps his legal will. No one has the courage to stand up and say that even if a particular interpretation of this speech is allowed, his more than 100 statements contradict this interpretation made by some scholars.

Setting emotions aside’ no one can doubt the honesty, boldness, integrity and clarity of ideas of the Quaid. He was a man of strong principles, integrity and resolution. He never played with words nor with the emotions of people. If we read his post-1940 public policy statements, messages and speeches, he is consistent, coherent and uniform in his views. He never used doublespeak. Let us first understand the context of his address as President of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan.
The Quaid first touched on three social evils that he called “curses” inherited from the colonial past, namely bribery and corruption, black marketing, and nepotism and jobbery. He declared jihad against all these and stated his zero tolerance towards them.

Then he mentioned the mixed feelings among Hindu and some Muslim segments about the division of India into two sovereign states. Respecting their difference of opinion, he advised them to be realistic and accept the ground reality as a unique event in the modern history of mankind. This is because Pakistan is the only country founded on an ideology of two nations based on their faith and not on ethnicity, color, race or geographic territory like the European nation states.

He referred to another national problem of looking at the Hindu or Sikh minority in the context of the communal riots, brutal murders, rape, hate and violence during partition. He said: “As you know, history shows that in England conditions some time ago were much worse than those prevailing in India today. The Roman Catholics and the Protestants persecuted each other. Even now there are some states in existence where there are discriminations made and bars imposed against a particular class. The people of England in the course of time had to face the realities of the situation and had to discharge the responsibilities and burdens placed upon them by the government of their country and they went through that fire step by step. Today you might say with justice that Roman Catholics and Protestants do not exist; what exists now is that every man is a citizen, an equal citizen, of Great Britain and they are all members of the nation.”

In the same context the Quaid said:

“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.”

The context of this statement makes it very clear that he is not talking about relation between “religion” and state which has been haunting the minds of most of the so-called liberal intellectuals globally. The context is Hindu-Muslim riots and violent clashes during partition. He is saying once Pakistan is created, this bitter past need to be buried and like England there shall be no more hate and clash between Hindus and Muslims. They will be just citizens. Why he talks about religious freedom of going to temples and mosques again has to be understood in its proper context. Even before independence that much religious freedom was enjoyed by all religious communities in India. Then why does he mention it?

Dr Javed Iqbal, a known jurist, intellectual and former chief justice and for sure not a ‘fundamentalist’, puts this matter in its proper perspective: “Islamic theology recognises Continue reading “Can We Let Jinnah Speak for Himself?”

Pakistan Ka Matlab Kia

I am not really sure if I can be blindly patriotic. My love for Pakistan is not unconditional. I have always believed that Pakistan came into being for one purpose, narrated by

“Pakistan ka Matlab kya?, La illaha Il Lal Lallah”

And I love Pakistan only because of its ideological foundations.

Lately a lot of speculation have been generated on the media about the ideology of Pakistan. The reasons for demanding a separate homeland are questioned and it is asked that whether Pakistan’s ideology is essentially Islamic or secular. The point to ponder is that whether all those people who gave their lives for Pakistan were idiots who sacrificed everything without a significant goal in mind.

Another very common fact used as evidence against the logic of Pakistan is the lack of support of Ulema and scholars of that time for the cause of Pakistan, which in fact is not completely true. A lot of scholars were in favour of the Pakistan movement. Those who opposed, had some logical questions to ask which were not entirely baseless, but we should see that people who supported the Idea of Pakistan, did so because it was promised to be an Islamic state.

Yes, the reality is that the Muslim back then wasn’t much better than the average Pakistani Muslim now. Practical Islam was as scarce as it is now. The common Muslim was as heedless of the basics of Islam as he is now. Exceptions are always there but exceptions do not make up the majority. For a people who were fighting for a homeland to practice Islam freely and not fulfilling the most basic obligations like performing the five times Salah at the same time is an indication of the trouble to come. What happened was inevitable and logical but not at all useless as what most of these media pundits are portraying. We were longing for something very right but without the basic groundwork.

Quaid-e-Azam was chosen by God for a reason. He was the best choice at that time as a leader and NO! He was not secular and neither was he a religious extremist. He was a Muslim whose realization and understanding of Islam increased after his involvement in the mission undertaken by him. He was unfortunately surrounded by the very element that denies the logic of Pakistan movement now. He himself knew it. On one hand were the aristocratic elite and on the other were the religious elite. Between these two, Quaid-e-Azam was the best available balance.

Allah (SWT)’s will was to create Pakistan, so it was came into being. A lot may disagree with my understanding of our identity crisis and present day confusions but the fact is that the very aristocratic elite (a lot of whom are portrayed as heroes in our national syllabus) involved in the Pakistan movement due to their own interests became the reason for this present day confusion about Pakistan’s ideology. Everything about the struggle may not have been all so excellently religious or pure but it was not secular either! It’s hard to state everything as black and white because a lot goes on above in the heavens when men struggle , a lot is forgiven and a lot is tested before freedom is achieved. One thing is for sure though. Even if La illaha il lal Lallah wasn’t established in our land as our ancestors wanted. We still have time to learn from their sacrifices, efforts as well as shortcomings. Pakistan will be what we are. If we belief and practice La Illaha Il Lal Lallah with all its implications only then can we achieve what they all strove for. Pakistan is whatever we make of it. We can do better and so can Pakistan.

Still Seeking Independence

From grandpa’s diary:
‘My six year old granddaughter Zara is all excited to celebrate the 64th birthday of Pakistan. Every year when this day arrives, it brings back many beautiful memories. Poverty, homelessness, travelling in the worst circumstances, leaving behind our homes; nothing looked ugly, nothing felt difficult. I was a young and energetic teenager, a student for whom going to school had multiple reasons. Of course, my parents like all the others, wanted me to be a successful man but there was something else in my blood which pushed me every day to an institution where we met, planned and strengthened our ideas. The most wonderful and rarest of the blessings of that time was a true leader in the shape of Mr Jinnah. Our energies were different. Our blood was gushing more powerfully than many others in the united India. We were so close to the goal, a dream was to come true towards which I had seen my grandparents and parents struggling with all their devotion and commitment. Our lives were like those of a tenant’s who was eagerly waiting to move to his own house. We were struggling for a home where we could live according to our wishes independently, where we are not answerable to any ‘Landlord’ except the True Lord, where no one else could impose his rules and regulations on us, but God. I had lost many friends, uncles and cousins during the struggle. A lot of blood was spilt, but not wasted, I was sure. Everyone was talking about ‘the time’ which was near and as sure to come as a written fact. We could see it coming with our very eyes.

14th August 1947 was the day no less than Eid for us. My forehead was prostrating in front of Allah whom we had made promises with; a deal that we made about implementing His laws, if He gives us a land with no interference from anyone. My eyes were tearful with my heart jumping in joy and humble with thankfulness to God. Our ‘haveli’, our decades old business, our property and valuables, jobs and careers; nothing was a hindrance to travel to our new born homeland. We were desperately seeking for this day of ‘Independence’ when we are nobody’s slaves but the Creator’s. The very thought of the long awaited moment when we’d kiss the land was working as adrenaline in our blood vessels. Days or nights didn’t matter, we were moving. A big number of people lost their lives in this transit but the caravans wouldn’t stop. Nothing could halt the sea of these charged and sparked people who left by choice everything they had, for a dream, a promise, a struggle and a mission. We had broken the idols of colonial captivity and seen Iqbal’s dream becoming a reality under a selfless man called Jinnah and we were all motivated for a better tomorrow.

Zara shakes my arm to bring me out of a very true movie saved in my eyes and dearest to my heart, which I watch every now and then but more so in August every year. She wants me to leave gardening and come indoors as she wanted to show me her green outfit that she bought for school celebrations.

I am a 79 year old frail man with no physical energy left in me. I have seen these 64 years like a Banyan tree that bears the most scorching sun and also refreshing rains. I have been an honest man and have given every drop of sweat to this land. After seeing Zara’s glittery green dress, I sit back to analyse why this land of mine is in a mess. There is still bloodshed, poverty, homelessness, displaced people, and this actually is ugly and painful. Independence from all worldly masters is what we strived for. The proposed dream of Iqbal who left us many years before Independence Day was based on faith i.e. to live according to the Rules and Laws of Allah with no interference from anyone. The whole struggle was based on this fact and the demand of separation was based on Muslim majority areas. But this is the very foundation which some people are questioning today. 64 years down the road, listening to a discussion in a TV show as to whether Pakistan was created in the name of Islam or not is absurd and extremely painful. Such conversation and the dishonesty that prevails on individual and national level is equivalent to breaking the pact that we made with Allah and betraying the blood which, I still have faith, wouldn’t go waste.

Following Islam at individual level or practising ‘Sovereignty belongs to Allah’ at national level, is still a myth. The injustices in the society, the bloodshed, the linguistic divisions, the social deprivation, and inequality of men on material grounds, are surely ugly. The idol of colonial times is not entirely broken either. Our identity is still vague. We still worship some worldly gods and that too happily. My people are still unsafe not because of a foreign regime but due to some men who are from us, look like us and speak the language that we understand and claim to lead the country and hold the governing offices. Our decisions are not taken by our own men or in our own interests. Many of our sons and daughters have been sold for foreign money. Many are missing for years. Many are bombed to death by monstrous drones. Big fish get away with everything. Poor get crushed in the cruel ‘system. Foreign spies are willingly welcomed through front doors and helped to escape through backdoors after killing our men… Too much, too ugly!

I miss Jinnah, someone who could look daringly into the eyes of the colonial monsters , walked with a head up high, knew the worth of this nation and could say a bold ‘NO’ in the best interest of his people. The frailest of nations we were but we stood behind him with strong faith and formed a force which no power in the world could beat. With no money, no alms, no arms and no treasures, the people turned into a tornado and broke all the barriers to achieve the goal. I miss a leader, who could take us to the door of true ‘independence; which I am still seeking.

But, all is not ugly. There is something extremely beautiful about today as well, despite the thick clouds of despair. It’s the devotion of the new generation and the youth and its unshaken affiliation to this gift of Allah, Pakistan. The energies being brought together to pull the country out of the mess and the growing awareness of the problems we face, is a silver lining. The magnitude is small when I compare it to the force pushing us into the ditch, may it be foreign hand or our own enslaved leaders or demoralising media elements. But, same was the case in 1947. The two opposite forces were not comparable in strength and magnitude and would never be. It’s faith and trust in God which has always made our side of the scale heavier and that’s what is required. Allah will fulfil the promises of His bounties if we fulfil our promises that we made with Him more than half a century ago.

‘Recall My favour which I had bestowed on you, and fulfil your covenant with Me and I shall fulfil my covenant with you, and fear Me alone.’ [Al-Baqarah 40]

I feel tiny hands wiping tears off my face while I sit in the arm chair with my eyes closed. I open my eyes to see my Zara, my faith and hope for Pakistan, the surest reason to smile again’.

Mayoos to nahin hain umeed e sehr se hum..

Also appeared on Aaj.tv, The News Tribe, Weekly Pulse Magazine and Hurriyat News