[The founder of Pakistan Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah emphasized that Pakistan was to be a nation for all its citizens, regardless of race, culture, history, or faith. He urged Pakistanis to transcend provincial and sectarian identities, stating, “You belong to a nation now; you have carved out a territory, a vast territory. It is all yours; it does not belong to a Punjabi or a Sindhi or a Pathan or a Bengali; it is yours.”].
In recent times, negative propaganda against Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah has gained momentum, particularly referencing the predictions of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. This discourse, which critiques the current state of Pakistan in relation to Jinnah’s vision for the nation, raises several pressing questions.
Jinnah’s Vision and Leadership: Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the most outstanding Muslim political leader the Indian subcontinent has ever seen. His vision extended beyond the creation of a Muslim state; he envisioned an Islamic state that would serve as a beacon for the Muslim Ummah. Jinnah began his political career by joining the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1906 and was elected to the Imperial Legislative Council in 1910. In his early days, Jinnah was recognized as a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity, advocating for the rights of all segments of society through constitutional means.
Prominent Indian leaders acknowledged Jinnah’s commitment to unity. Gopal Krishna Gokhale, a respected social reformer and political mentor of Mahatma Gandhi, called Jinnah “the best ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity.” However, Jinnah’s primary mission was to secure the social, political, and religious rights of Indian Muslims, who were the second-largest community in the subcontinent.
In 1906, influential Muslim leaders founded the All-India Muslim League (AIML) to advocate for the rights of Indian Muslims. They soon recognized Jinnah as the leader who could effectively champion their cause. Jinnah joined AIML in 1913 and was elected its president in 1916. He served as the President of AIML from 1920 to 1930 and again from 1937 to 1947, leading the fight for Muslim rights with unwavering determination.
The Contrast: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, another prominent figure in the Indian independence movement, was an advocate for non-violence and Hindu-Muslim unity. Despite holding significant positions within the INC, including serving as its President at a young age, Azad’s contributions to Muslim rights were minimal. Azad opposed Jinnah’s Two-Nation Theory and promoted a vision of a united India, but he never presented a concrete plan that would ensure the constitutional rights of Indian Muslims, particularly as British rule was coming to an end.
Jinnah, on the other hand, consistently fought for the legislative rights of Muslims. At the 1930 Round Table Conference, he famously stated, “The Hindu-Muslim dispute must be settled before the enforcement of any system or constitution. Until you guarantee the safeguard of Muslim interests, you will not win Muslim cooperation, and any constitution you enforce shall not last even 24 hours.”
The political philosophies of Jinnah and Azad diverged significantly. Jinnah’s leadership was driven by a commitment to creating an Islamic state where Muslims could thrive. When AIML’s movement for Pakistan gained momentum, Mahatma Gandhi offered Jinnah the position of Prime Minister of India. Jinnah declined, stating that his mission was not for personal gain but for the welfare of Indian Muslims. In contrast, Azad, despite being an Islamic scholar, remained loyal to the INC and its secular agenda. He accepted the role of India’s first Education Minister and served from 1947 to 1958; a position aligned with his vision for a united, secular India.
The Creation of Pakistan and Jinnah’s Ideology: Pakistan was created based on a specific ideology:
Sovereignty belongs to Allah. The state should be governed by the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah. The distinct religious, political, economic, cultural, and social identity of Muslims must be preserved. In his address on June 18, 1945, to the Frontier Muslim Students Federation, Jinnah stated, “Pakistan not only means freedom and independence but Muslim ideology, which has to be preserved, a precious gift and treasure which we hope others will share with us.”
Jinnah emphasized that Pakistan was to be a nation for all its citizens, regardless of race, culture, history, or faith. He urged Pakistanis to transcend provincial and sectarian identities, stating, “You belong to a nation now; you have carved out a territory, a vast territory. It is all yours; it does not belong to a Punjabi or a Sindhi or a Pathan or a Bengali; it is yours.”
Mr. Jinnah warned against the dangers of regionalism, declaring, “If we begin to think of ourselves as Punjabis, Sindhis, etc. first, and Muslims and Pakistanis incidentally, then Pakistan is bound to disintegrate.”
The Divergence from Jinnah’s Vision: Since Pakistan’s creation and the deaths of Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan, the country has struggled to adhere to Jinnah’s principles. Jinnah envisioned Pakistan as a “laboratory for Islamic principles” (1946), but governance has often deviated from this path. After Jinnah’s death, military and political elites, starting with General Ayub Khan’s 1951 appointment and Martial Law in 1958, increasingly dominated the political landscape, undermining democracy and Jinnah’s vision.
Criticism of Jinnah and Current State: Recently, some critics, citing Azad’s predictions, argue that Pakistan was flawed from the start. However, they often overlook Jinnah’s accomplishments in establishing Pakistan on August 14, 1947, to secure Muslim rights. Despite Azad’s political acumen, he did not provide constitutional safeguards for Muslims, whereas Jinnah’s vision included these crucial protections.
Today, Pakistan faces numerous challenges, including a decline in moral ethics, social values, and national patriotism. Political freedom, media freedom, and economic indicators have also deteriorated. The dream of Pakistan’s founders—a state where all citizens would enjoy security, justice, and freedom—remains unfulfilled.
The Path Forward: Recommitting to Jinnah’s Vision: Pakistanis must confront the harsh reality that their country is at risk of further disintegration if Jinnah’s principles continue to be ignored. The solution lies not in dictatorship or military rule but in a return to the values that guided Pakistan’s creation: unity, constitutional supremacy, and a commitment to Islamic principles.
Rejecting the predictions of those who opposed the Two-Nation Theory, Pakistanis must embrace their history and the vision of their founders. This requires discipline, unity, and faith—qualities that Jinnah emphasized as essential for the nation’s survival and prosperity.
After losing half of the country with the creation of Bangladesh and facing the prospect of becoming a failed state, Pakistan’s future depends on a recommitment to Jinnah’s vision. Only by fostering national unity, upholding constitutional values, and striving toward the founders’ dream of a just, prosperous, and truly independent Islamic state can Pakistan hope to secure a brighter future.
(Email address is shassan@tribune-intl.com).
