Ever wondered what would have happened to the Muslims of the sub-continent had they not been led by someone with the stature and personality of Muhammad Ali Jinnah? He was more than a leader, he was a visionary who stood up for what was right and fought with valor for justice. Through his personality, he gained the confidence of the Muslims, and in return, provided them with the assurance and assertion they needed to live through tough times during the days leading to the creation of Pakistan. Jinnah united his perseverance with the dream of Allama Muhammad Iqbal to merge it with the honesty he garnered from his colleagues at Aligarh and the All India Muslim League.
Even the then US President, Harry S. Truman was compelled to pronounce Jinnah a leader par excellence. He said, “He was the originator of the dream that became Pakistan, architect of the State and father of the world’s largest Muslim nation. Mr. Jinnah was the recipient of a devotion and loyalty seldom accorded to any man.”
Jinnah was an incisive and an intelligent lawyer. Creating a new country is not an easy task, and to remain humble yet assertive in doing so is itself an extraordinary feat. Jinnah stood by a cause and fought for the Muslims with his sagacity and prudence. It was Jinnah’s resolve, firmness and persistence to follow his plans that were logical, objectives that were realistic and a vision that catered for a better future for the Muslims of the sub-continent.
Despite saving Muslims from potential Hindu domination, Jinnah never made the non-Muslims feel inferior. During a speech he delivered on August 11, 1947, he said, “You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this state of Pakistan.”
Jinnah’s political acumen was far greater than that of his competitors. His foresight was stronger than that of his adversaries. For Jinnah, Pakistan was a cause that was greater than his own self, greater than his own dream. He owned the vision of Pakistan in his heart with such hope and dedication that it overshadowed every aspiration he had at a personal level. He merged his existence with the passion
that became Pakistan
Jinnah was a lawyer and an advocate, however, his laser-sharp focus and depth of mind to understand and realize every simple and complex matter in the most profound way made him a leader who could grasp every angle of the situation and take decisions accordingly. Jinnah was also an advocate of youth empowerment. During a speech in Dhaka on 21 March, 1948 he said,
“My young friends, students who are present here, let me tell you as one who has always had love and affection for you, who has served you for ten years faithfully and loyally, let me give you this word of warning you will be making the greatest mistake if you allow yourself to be exploited by one political party or another. Your main occupation should be – in fairness to yourself, in fairness to your parents, in fairness to the state – to devote your attention to your studies.”
During another speech on October 31, 1947, while addressing the Punjabi Muslim Students Federation at Lahore, Jinnah said, “Pakistan is proud of her youth, particularly the students who have always been in the forefront in the hour of trial and need. You are the nation’s leaders of tomorrow and you must fully equip yourself with discipline, education, and training for the arduous task lying ahead of you. You should realize the magnitude of your responsibility and be ready to bear it.”
Jinnah’s political acumen was far greater than that of his competitors. His foresight was stronger than that of his adversaries. For Jinnah, Pakistan was a cause that was greater than his own self, greater than his own dream. He owned the vision of Pakistan in his heart with such hope and dedication that it overshadowed every aspiration he had at a personal level. He merged his existence with the passion that became Pakistan.
This year, when Pakistan celebrates the 141st birthday of Jinnah, let us pledge to follow his teachings and way of life. Pakistan will forever remain the outcome of his struggles. Jinnah never saw himself as a leader but a motivating force and a negotiator – the resistance that he was and the legend he became when he earned the miracle of Pakistan. Let us pledge to live a life of unity, akin to the one our ancestors lived when fighting for Pakistan. May we all become an example of what Jinnah said during his speech in June 1948: “We are now all Pakistanis – not Baloch, Pathans, Sindhis, Bengalis, Punjabis and so on, and as Pakistanis, you must feel, behave and act and you should be proud to be known as Pakistanis and nothing else.”
The writer is a columnist and an author
Published in Daily Times, December 16th 2017.