Quaid-e-Azam: Great protagonist of Islamic ideology

Quaid-e-Azam: Great protagonist of Islamic ideology

Quaid–e–Azam’s name has been enshrined in history as a person, who succeeded in establishing a great homeland for the Muslims of Subcontinent. This is one of the rare cases in history where a nation has been created and a country craved out not as a result of the coup d’etat, use of force or with the help of the traditional and conventional armed forces.

Quaid–e–Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was one of the striking, fascinating and remarkable personalities of modern history. Possessed of excellent quality of pen, mind and heart, he played a very significant role in challenging the course of history and destinies of men in South Asia, having immense impact on the world history which scholars and historians have not yet fully realized.
The Quaid, in fact, was very optimistic about the brilliant future of Pakistan. He not only wanted to make Pakistan an exemplary Islamic welfare state, he did stand for introducing Islamic system of government in Pakistan. But it is matter of great regret that some Pakistani scholars and critics still maintain that the Quaid was least concerned with the Islamic system of government. Instead, he stood, in their opinion, for a secular system of government in Pakistan. For Justice Muhammad Munir, while writing in his book on Pakistan, towards the end of 1970’s, asserted that “there can be no doubt that Jinnah was a secularist” and “The pattern of government which the Quaid had in mind was a secular democratic government.”
The assertions made by M.Munir are marely based on speculations, and not on solid grounds. The Quaid’s speeches and statements given in support of these assertions have been generally misconstrued. Particularly the Quaid’s well known speech in the newly established Pakistan Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947, on which these critics mainly base their arguments, has been absolutely misinterpreted by them. The speech in question was a policy statement, emphasizing some basic issues faced by the newly born state of Pakistan.
A careful deep study of this speech shows that the Quaid was not propounding any sort of secularism by advising particularly the religious sections of the people to bury their past in order to live together peacefully as good citizens of the newly born state of Pakistan.
In fact, the situation in which the speech was made must be borne in mind. No doubt, Pakistan has been established. But the anti-Pakistan forces were fully at work to destroy it at the stage of its very inception. The communal feelings were tense and emotions ran high, resulting in horrible communal riots and massacres at a very larger scale. The most parts of the subcontinent were in the grip of civil war. The Muslim villages, slums, towns, cities were burning: the people were passing through rivers of blood and fire. The Sikh, Hindu and British Neroes were rejoicing.
In the midst of such grave and horrendous circumstances the Quaid’s speech was definitely a message of hope and peace. Its contents and tenor clearly indicate that it was mostly meant to cool down the exasperated communal feelings on both sides of the border, which was certainly statesman – like performance on the part of the Quaid. He was not discarding the two nation theory by saying that “the Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims. “These remarks did not mean that both the Hindus and the Muslims would lose their separate identities. Simple both were urged upon to work together for Pakistan as its equal citizens.
The fact is that speaking in such terms, the Quaid was not violating any tradition or norm or principles of Islam. He was actually action according to the injunctions of the Holy Quran. Besides, the Quaid was following in letter and spirit the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) commands such as “Beware! Whosoever is cruel and hard on such people (non – Muslims under Muslim rule) or curtails their rights, or burdens them with more than they can endure, or realizes anything from them against their free will. I shall myself be a complainant against him on the day of judgment.”
The fact is that the Quaid was not a secularist. On the contrary, he was a staunch Muslim, a great believer in God, an enthusiastic supporter and exponent of Shariat laws as is evident from his whole historical background. We know it well that the “joined Lincoln’s Inn because there, on the main entrance, the name of the Prophet was included in the list of the great Law – givers of the world.” He spokes of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), as a great statesman and a great sovereign. “His appreciation of the Prophet (PBUH) writes Hector Bolitho, “was realistic: perhaps his political conscience, as a Muslim, had already begun to stir, while he was in England” So much so that at a very early stage he had started his public career by attending the meetings of Anjuman – I – Islamia of Bombay which definitely stood for the promotion and protection of Muslim rights. And later on as a lawyer and legislator, he took great interest in safeguarding and promoting sharia laws. His role in piloting the well – known “Mussalman Wakf Validating Bill” on March 17, 1911, in the Imperial Legislative Council, and then constantly and single – handedly working for its ultimate enactment in March, 1913, was really one of the most glaring achievements in the very beginning of Quais’s public career. Similarly in the subsequent years he continued to serve the cause of Islam. The Quaid, in fact believed in oneness of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and Muslim Millat. He repeatedly expressed it in the course of his speeches and statements. On one occasion he said: “We Musalmans believe in one God, one Book – the Holy Nation.” 
Likewise on another occasion he spoke thus, “It is Great book, Quran that is the sheet – anchor of Muslim India. I am sure that as we get on and on there will be more and more oneness – one God, one Book, one Prophet, and one Nation.” 
The fact is that the Quaid was a great admirer of Islam, its tenets as well as it government system, while on the contrary, he was a great critic particularly of the western parliamentary system of government.
The Quaid indeed wanted to introduce Islamic system of democracy in Pakistan. Speaking in the meeting of the All – India Muslim League Working Committee held in Delhi in March 1943, the Quaid, while replying to controversial point with regard to the future system of government, maintained that “We want a Muslim homeland wherein the Muslims will be free to choose their own government and conduct their affairs according to their tradition and genius, driving inspirations from the fundamental principles of Islam, based on brotherhood, equality and fraternity of man.” 
Explaining the creed of Pakistan to Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan early in 1943, the Quaid said that Pakistan would be a base where we will be able to train and bring up Muslim intellectuals, educationists, economists, scientists, doctors, engineers, technicians etc who work to bring about Islamic renaissance. “ After necessary training, they would spread to other parts of the Islamic world “to serve their co – religionists and create awaking among them eventually resulting in the creation of a solid, cohesive bloc – a third bloc – which will be neither communistic nor capitalistic but truly socialistic based on the principals which characterized Caliph Hazrat Umer’s regime.”
As regards the social economic order in an Islamic state, he was clear and forthright, “Here I should like to give a warning to the landlords and capitalists who have flourished at our expense. They have forgotten the lessons of Islam…. There are millions and millions of our people who hardly get one meal a day. Is this civilization? Is this the aim of Pakistan…… If that is the idea of Pakistan, I would not have it.” Touching upon the questions of minorities he ruled out all “intentions of demotions”. ”Minorities”, he said, “must be protected and safeguarded to the fullest extent….. Our Prophet (PBUH) has given the clearest proof that non – Muslims have been treated not only justly and fairly but generously.”
The Holy Quran was the Quaid’s source of inspiration and his guidance. It sustained him in the darkest moments of his life. 
“Why should we worry or be dejected,” he once told Mian Bashir Ahmad, “When we have got this great Book to guide us.” Its teaching, he added, are not restricted to religious and moral issues, it is a comprehensive code of life. A religious, social, civil, commercial, military, judicial, criminal, penal code”, he said on later occasion.
In a letter to the Pir Sahib of Manki Sharif in November 1945, the Quaid said, “it is needless to emphasis that the Constituent Assembly which would be predominantly Muslim in its composition would be able to enact laws of Muslims, not inconsistent with the Shariat laws, and the Muslims will no longer obliged to abide by the unIslamic laws.” In a meeting with Maulana Shabir Ahmad Usmani in June 1947, the Quaid assured him that an Islamic constitution would be implemented in Pakistan. The fact is that even after the creation of Pakistan, the Quaid became more vocal and persistent for adopting Islamic way of life and system of government in Pakistan. Outlining the purpose of the creation of Pakistan, the Quaid – I – Azam said in a speech to the officers of the Defence services on October 11, 1947 that the establishment of Pakistan was only a “means to an end and not the end in itself. The idea was that 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 would find free – play.”
Addressing a public meeting in Lahore a few days later, he described the circumstances in which Pakistan came into existence. Consoling those (refugees) who had been subjected to inhuman brutalities as a result “of a deeply laid and well – planned conspiracy” on the part of the enemies of Pakistan, he gave them the hope that this was but temporary setback. 
He assured them that “if we take inspiration and guidance from the Holy Quran, the final victory, I once again say, will be ours.” 
He advised that everyone “to whom this message reaches must vow to himself and be prepared to sacrifice his all, if necessary, in building up Pakistan as a bulwark of Islam….Do not be afraid of death…..Save the honour of Pakistan and Islam.”
In January, 1948, at a reception on the occasion of the Holy Prophet’s birth anniversary, he declared that “Islamic principles today are as applicable to life as they were 1300 years ago. “Paying his humble tributes to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) he said: “not only has his reverence of millions but also commands the respect of all the great law givers. He was a great statesman and he was a great sovereign who ruled. No doubt there are many people who do not quite appreciate when we talk of Islam. “Islam is not a set of rituals, traditions and spiritual doctrines. Islam is also a code for every Muslim which regulated his life and his conduct in even politics and economics and the like….In Islam there is no difference between man and woman. The quality of equality, liberty and fraternity are the fundamental principles of Islam.”
Now we can certainly say that the Quaid was neither a secularist nor a socialist nor an admirer and up – holder of western or modern domestic system of government. Instead, he was a great Muslim. He believed in Islam and its democratic system of government. But what is Islamic democracy or Islamic system of government, after all? Islamic democracy is actually a system of government in which sovereignty belongs to Allah; the affairs are conducted by an elected Caliph or a Head of Islamic state according to Sharia with the help of an advisory Council (Majlis – I – Shura). The Public opinion is respected and honored but Sharia prevails in each and every matter of Islamic state. It can be further elaborated in the words of Quaid:
“Fundamentally, in an Islamic State, all authority rests with Allah, the Almighty. The government business is conducted according to the entire Quranic principle and injunctions. Neither a head, nor a parliament, nor an individual, nor an institution can act absolutely in any matter. Only the Quranic injunctions control our behavior in society and politics. In other words the rule of Islamic democracy is indeed the rule of Shariat law.
Furthermore the Qauid launched the Pakistan movement simply and purely on the basis of Islamic Ideology. But some of the critics also maintain that Quaid never used the term Pakistan Ideology in his speeches and the statements. On the contrary, the fact is that the Quaid was the exponent of Islamic Ideology since Pakistan movement days and he maintained: “Our religion, our culture, and Islamic ideals are our driving force to achieve independence.” 
Addressing the All India Muslim League session at Madras in fundamental principle that Muslim India is an independent nationality” Similarly in a message to the Frontier Muslim Students Federation (June 15, 1945) the Quaid spoke thus: “Pakistan not only means freedom and independence but the Muslim Ideology which has to be preserved.”
Nevertheless, the Quaid was a great exponent of Pakistan Ideology which he equated to Islamic Ideology. He fully understood Islam and its teaching traditions and principles of toleration, social, justice, democracy, equality, fraternity and polity. He believed in its utility and practicability in modern age. But he maintained that the Islamic principles could not be fully realized without a state. So during the Pakistan Movement days he often spoke such lines: “We want a Muslim homeland wherein the Muslims will be free to choose their own government and conduct their affairs according to their own tradition and genius, deriving inspiration from the fundamental principles of Islam based on brotherhood, equality and fraternity of man.”