Let us revisit the kind of Pakistan our Quaid-e-Azam had envisioned. In a speech to lawyers on January 25, 1948 in Karachi, he said: “I do not understand the people who intentionally are creating a controversy by propagating that Pakistan’s constitution would not be based on Shariah. These laws are as good today for us as they were 1300 years ago. The Muslims and non-Muslims need not worry about the propaganda of these misled people. Islam has taught us democracy and equality, justice, civilisation and decency to humanity.” In that same speech, he also said: “There are some people who do not like it when we talk of Islam. Islam is not just prayer, tradition and spiritual beliefs, but a complete code of living which ensures discipline, moderation in every Muslim’s life, even in politics and economics. Islam is based on the golden principles of respect, pride, equality and justice for everybody. In Islam, no one is superior to another.” Addressing the All India Muslim League Council meeting on October 21, 1939, he said the following about his faith in Islam: “My only desire in life is to see Muslims independent and prosperous. I want my conscience to be clear when I die and that my God could testify that Jinnah did not betray Islam and did his duty for the independence, unity and strength of the Muslims. I do not want any praise or testimony from you. “I only desire that when I am dying, my heart, my faith and my conscience testify that Jinnah, you have indeed done your duty to defend Islam, you succeeded in unifying and organising the Muslims; that my God would say that I was born as a Muslim and died by upholding the banner of Islam in the overwhelming presence of kufr.” (Translation from an Urdu text by the author.) In a speech on Radio Cairo on December 19, 1946, the Quaid said: “Our purpose for asking for Pakistan is that we want to live as an independent, sovereign nation and protect all those golden principles which Islam has given us.” (Translation from an Urdu text by the author.) As far as securing Pakistan, in a speech in Lahore on October 30, 1947 he said: “All I require of you now is that everyone of us whom this message reaches must vow to himself and be prepared to sacrifice his all, if necessary, in building Pakistan as a bulwark of Islam and as one of the greatest nations whose ideal is peace.” On January 13, 1948 he addressed the students of Islamia College, Peshawar and said: “We did not make a demand for Pakistan as a piece of land, but as an experimental place where we could apply and test the Islamic golden principles”. These were the ideals and objectives which our Quaid had for Pakistan. Allama Iqbal once said about Quaid-e-Azam: “He is incorruptible and unpurchasable and only he can lead the Muslims of the Sub-continent to their goal.” On April 12, 1948, in a speech at Islamia College, Peshawar, the Quaid advised as follows: “Remember, we are building a state which is going to play its full part in the destinies of the whole Islamic World. We, therefore, need a wider look, an outlook which transcends the boundaries of provinces, limited nationalism and racialism. “We must develop a sense of patriotism which should galvanise and weld us all into one united and strong nation. That is the only way in which we can achieve our goal, the goal of our struggle, the goal for which millions of Muslims have lost their all and laid down their lives.” Quaid-e-Azam hoped for a united, developed, welfare, Islamic Pakistan. He was a devoted, honest, hard-working, true Muslim, as were his colleagues. Under his guidance we achieved independence. Unfortunately, after Liaquat Ali Khan’s murder, the country was usurped by those who were corrupt and without conscience, and that has continued for the last 60 years. They have destroyed the country through corruption, nepotism, provincialism, etc. A country with 190 million people and vast natural resources has been reduced to begging. It is one of the worst in the world as far as law and order, terrorism, unemployment, corruption, loadshedding and lack of basic facilities such as education and health are concerned and ranked as ‘underdeveloped’. We have forgotten the golden principles of Islam and the goals for which we struggled for Pakistan. Just reflect on what Quaid-e-Azam wrote to Mr Isphahani on May 6, 1945. “The curse of misconduct (corruption) is quite common in India, specially in the so-called educated Muslims. Unfortunately, these very people are the most corrupt, selfish and self-centred. This curse is common, but it has spread in Muslim society like an epidemy.” Now that the elections are over, we know that Nawaz Sharif holds the majority and will form the next government. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any silver lining to the cloud. Nawaz would be happy to be the next PM as he has hinted in the past. In 16:112 the Quran says: “Allah sets forth a Parable: a city enjoying security and quiet, abundantly supplied with sustenance from every place: Yet was it ungrateful for the favours of Allah: so Allah made it taste of hunger and terror (in extremes) (closing in on it) like a garment (from every side), because of the (evil) which (its people) wrought”. This is what has actually happened.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 16:15:07 +0000
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