Sixty years after the creation of Pakistan, we are still debating on Jinnah’s vision of Pakistan which demonstrates that this issue is alive.
Jinnah’s vision of Pakistan is spread over his speeches and statements given and made from time to time. Did Jinnah want Pakistan to be an Islamic State or a Secular State; (ii) What was Jinnah’s vision of Pakistan’s Constitution; (iii) What were Jinnah’s views on protection and rights of minorities; and (iv) Democracy in Islam.
Jinnah’s famous speech of 11th August, 1947 to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan is undoubtedly one of his best but when read in conjunction with his other speeches it will be noted that Jinnah never used the word “Secular“ in relation to the State of Pakistan. This was probably because Jinnah evidently saw no conflict between Islamic principles relating to equality and tolerance and the concept of secularism which does not recognise superiority of race, creed or colour while simultaneously advocating tolerance of religious sentiments of the people.
In a broadcast to the people of United States of America in February, 1948, Jinnah declared that the Constitution of Pakistan would be a democratic type, embodyinq the essential principles of Islam which are as applicable in modern life as they were 1300 years ago. He said: "Islam has taught us democracy, equality, justice and fairplay to everybody and Muslims are inheritors of these glorious traditions and fully alive to their responsibilities and obligations.” In any case, Pakistan is not going to be a theocratic state to be ruled by priests with a divine mission. We have many non-Muslims - Hindus, Christians and Parsis - but they are all Pakistanis. They will enjoy the same rights and privileges as other citizens and will play their rightful part in the affairs of Pakistan. Several years earlier in his Presidential address at a session of the All India Muslim League at Delhi in 1943, Jinnah stated, “The Constitution and the Government of Pakistan will be passed a resolution that they will be protected and safeguarded to the fullest extent and any civilized government will do it and ought to do it. So far as we are concerned, our history and our Prophet (PBUH) has given clear proof that non-Muslims have to be treated not only justly and fairly but also generously.”
The question whether Pakistan should call itself a Muslim State was raised by Maulana Jamal Mian Farangi Mahal at the Karachi meeting of the All India Muslim League Council held in December, 1947 where Jinnah declared: "let it be clear that Pakistan is going to be a Muslim State based on Islamic Ideals.”
At the transfer of power ceremony in Karachi on 14th August, 1947, Lord Mountbatten referred to the "secular" example of the Moghul Emperor Akbar for Jinnah to follow in running the affairs of Pakistan. In a rebuttal to Lord Mountbatten, the British Viceroy to India, Jinnah presented an alternative model and in his reply pointed out that Muslims had a more permanent and more inspiring model to follow, that of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Jinnah replied: "The tolerance and goodwill that great Emperor Akbar showed to all the non-Muslims is not of recent origin. It dates back thirteen centuries ago when our Prophet (PBUH) not by words but by deeds treated the Jews and Christians, after he had conquered them, with the utmost tolerance, regard and respect for their faith and beliefs. The whole history of Muslims, wherever they ruled, is replete with those human and great principles, which should be followed and practised.”
While making the above speech, Jinnah obviously had in mind his speech made three days earlier on 11th August, 1947 when he publicly stated that the citizens of Pakistan were free to follow and practice their religious beliefs in the State of Pakistan as the personal religion and belief of citizens had nothing to do with the business of the State. Jinnah declared:
"You are free; you are free to go to your temples. You are free to go to your mosques or to any other places of worship in this State of Pakistan."
"You may belong to any religion or caste or creed - that has nothing to do with the business of the State. We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens and equal citizens of one State. We would keep that in front of us as our ideal and you will find that in due 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."
This was followed by his historic address to the people of United States of America in February 1948 when he repeated the same position. Jinnah’s emphasis on citizens of the State of Pakistan having equal rights regardless of their religion, caste and creed did not appear to him to be in conflict with any Islamic provision.
Pakistan‘s role in the Middle East and Gulf region was visualized by Quaid much before Pakistan became a reality. Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan has summarized Quaid’s vision as under:
“The other and higher aspect of Pakistan is that it would be a base where we will be able to train and bring up Muslim intellectuals, educationists, economists, scientists, doctors, engineers, technicians, etc. who will work to bring about Islamic renaissance. They will spread over the Middle East and other Muslim countries to serve their co-religionists and create awakening among them. The entire belt of the Middle East will develop into a solid, cohesive bloc - a third bloc - which will be neither communistic nor capitalistic but truly socialistic.”
“This block will have three advantages. First, it will be sitting astride the entire line of communication between the West and Australia and other Eastern countries. Second, it will control the world’s oil supplies. Third, it will control the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. Moreover, it would be a buffer between the East and West. This is the idealism which underlies the Pakistan Movement.” (Quaid-i-azam as seen by his contemporaries by Jamiluddin Ahmed)
Writers have repeatedly emphasized Jinnah’s speeches of 11th and 14th August, 1947. A similar view was expressed by Jinnah in a press conference on 14th July, 1947 in New Delhi when he stated:
“Minorities to whichever community they may belong, will be safeguarded. Their religion, faith or belief will be secure. There will be no interference of any kind with their freedom of worship. They will have their protection with regard to their religion, faith, their life, their culture. They will be, in all respects, citizens of Pakistan without any distinction of caste or creed. They will have their rights and privileges and no doubt, along with it goes the obligation of citizenship.
Therefore, the minorities have their responsibilities also and they will play their part in the affairs of this State. As long as the minorities are loyal to the State and owe true allegiance and as long as I have any power, they need have no apprehension of any kind."
In an address to the Members of the Karachi Bar Association on 25th January, 1948, Jinnah once again stated: “Islamic principles today are as applicable to life as they were 1300 years ago. Islam and its idealism have taught democracy. Islam has taught equality, justice and fairplay to everybody. What reason is there for anyone to fear democracy, equality, freedom on the highest standard of integrity and on the basis of fairplay and justice for everybody. The Prophet (PBUH) was a great teacher. He was a great lawgiver. 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 only a set of rituals, traditions and spiritual doctrines. Islam is also a code for every Muslim. It is based on the highest principles of honour, integrity, fairplay and justice for all. One God and equality of man before one God is one of the fundamental principles of Islam. In Islam there is no difference between man and man. The qualities of equality, liberty and fraternity are the fundamental principles of Islam. The Prophet (PBUH) was the greatest man that the world had ever seen. Thirteen hundred years ago he laid the foundations of democracy.”
To Jinnah, the Constitution of Pakistan embodying essential principles of Islam meant Islam and its idealism which taught us democracy, equality, justice and fairplay to everybody. According to Jinnah, the principles of Islam embodied the highest principles of honour, integrity, fairplay and justice for all. One God and the equality of man before God is one of the fundamental principles of Islam because in Islam there is no difference between man and man. The principles of equality, liberty and fraternity are the fundamental principles of Islam.
