A Seminar on Quaid-e-Azam Thoughts & Influences Friday, December 24, 2021 Organised By MUSLIM Institute
MUSLIM Institute organized a seminar on “Quaid-e-Azam – Thought & Influence” on Friday, December 24 2021, at the Faletti's Hotel, Lahore. Mr. Raja Yasir Humayun Sarfaraz (Provincial Minister for Higher Education and Information Technology) joined as chief guest. His Excellency Sahibzada Sultan Ahmed Ali (Dewan of Junagadh State & Chairman MUSLIM Institute) presided over the session. Dr. Humayu Ahsan (Principal Pakistan Law College, Lahore) delivered the keynote speech and Major General (Rtd) Zahid Mubashir Sheikh was also amongst distinguished speakers. Mr. Asif Tanvir Awan Advocate (Research Associate MUSLIM Institute) moderated the proceedings of the session. Ambassadors, scholars, students, university professors, lawyers, journalists, political leaders, social activists, and people from different walks of life participated in the seminar.
Honourable Speakers and Guests
Following Hounorable Speakers and Guests addressed the seminar.
Raja Yasir Humayu Sarfaraz
Provincial Minister for Higher Education and Information Technology Chief Guest
Sahibzada Sultan Ahmed Ali
Dewan of Junagadh State & Chairman MUSLIM Institute Welcoming & Concluding Remarks
Dr. Humayu Ahsan
Principal Pakistan Law College, Lahore Guest Remarks
Major General (Rtd) Zahid Mubashir Sheikh
Former Ambassador of Pakistan to Ukraine Guest Remarks
Malik Asif Tanveer
Public Relation Associate, MUSLIM Institute Moderator
Remarks by the Speakers
The Brief summary of the views shared by the speakers:
Quaid-e-Azam started his career at the age of 24 years as a presidency magistrate in Bombay and served on the said post from May 1900 to November 1900. In such a brief period of six months, a plenty of cases were decided by him while seventy-three cases among them were cited in law reports later on. In this short tenure, such a large number of cases' citation reflects his juristic mind and powers of decision. He refused an offer of Rs.1500 per month for permanent presidency magistrate by Mr. Charles saying he had the potential of earning the same amount in a single day. Later on, Quaid-e-Azam proved himself to be the most expensive lawyer in Indo-Pak Subcontinent. At the end of Quaid’s career, Dr. Ilahi Bux found that Quaid-e-Azam was suffering from tuberculosis and asked Quaid if he knew it. Quaid-e-Azam replied that he had known this for twelve years which was kept secret by Rattanji Patel. Had this secret been known to his political opponents, Pakistan would not have come into being. It was the vision of Quaid-e-Azam which realized that the existence of Muslims of India only lies in an independent and sovereign state. In his address of 1930, Allama Iqbal gave the vision of Pakistan needed as a separate state for Muslims of India where they could live their lives according to the principles of Islam. This was a clear vision and determination for the need of an independent state. Quaid-e-Azam gave the ideology of freedom and sovereignty to not only Muslims but to all nations.
In his book ‘Jinnah of Pakistan’, Stanley Wolpert writes;
“Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Few still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Mohammad Ali Jinnah did all three.”
It is a great tribute ever to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah from an English author. The creation of Pakistan was a miracle. Similarly, to have a great leader like Quaid-e-Azam is no less than a miracle. He was the most prominent figure of the constitutional politics; hardly was alleged ever for a lie, distrust, and breaking a promise. Tales of his kindness, courage, and wisdom shall be told till eternity.
Quaid-e-Azam remained torchbearer of truth. Neither Gandhi nor Nehru said that Quaid-e-Azam told a lie. On the contrary, both the leaders kept changing and often deviated from their statements. Quaid-e-Azam impressed his opponents through his character. He remained such a lawyer and politician that he is considered a model for other lawyers and politicians even today. Apart from being a great leader and a great human, he was a great Muslim.
Nowadays, Muslims in India are lynched and oppressed. A Muslim gets killed for purchasing only a pound of beef. Muslims in India are suffering from such misbehaviour and injustice. Proponents of United India must observe the situation of Muslims in India today. It owes all to the inception of Pakistan if today Pakistanis are having education, liberty, security and dignity.
Quaid’s vision of Pakistan was appealing to the entire Muslim world. Jinnah observed different people of different backgrounds such as businessmen, warriors, heroes, scholars, and many others, who came to India and enriched Indian civilization. Thus, a visionary leader who visioned India’s future was Muhammad Ali Jinnah. On the other hand, Quaid faced the opposition of many religious scholars but with continued struggle, he achieved Pakistan. The vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was truthfulness, struggle, and character. These attributes belong to the Holy Prophet (ﷺ).
Among other things which should be transferred to the next generation is hope. It is not unprecedented in the History of Muslims: Treaty of Hudaibiya ended hopelessness in Muslims by the revelation of good news of destined victory. Similarly, on the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Iqbal composed a poem Taloo-e-Islam which restored hope in Muslims;
“The book of the Bright Nation (millat) is being bound again. This Hashemite branch is to blossom again” “The avalanche of calamity over the Ottomans is not to be bereaved. Because the destruction of a hundred thousand stars gives birth to the dawn”
If we disconnect ourselves from our glorious history we had lived in, it will take us to a dead end. The Fourteen-century long history of this nation is replete with such great leaders as Quaid-e-Azam and it will not cease to produce the same for the next fourteen centuries. It is our faith that keeps us alive. Pakistani nation should celebrate Quaid-e-Azam, Allama Iqbal, Sir Sayyed, Aurangzeb Alamgir, Balban, Data Ali Hajveri, Mohiuddin Ajmeri, and Sultan Bahoo. If Pakistanis forget these personalities, it will cost them disconnection from the conception of Pakistan. Pakistani nation should remember Zaib u Nisa, Noor Jahan and many other women. Pakistanis can never forget Fatima Jinnah who proved that those who follow Hazrat Zainab (r.a) can never leave their leaders alone. The Pakistani nation needs to bring forth its political and cultural history in an organized way. In his book, John Wolberg reflects that Indian Muslims revived the culture of logic at a time when it was at the brink of being obsolete in the world. The Pakistani nation needs to believe in Quaid’s ideology of struggle without losing hope.
Question & Answer Session
A brief summary of the discussion extracted from the interactive session is as follows:
The popularity of The Two-Nation theory is evident by the fact that the kind of migration during partition was never seen before in world history. Secondly, the Two-Nation theory worked well and its future depends on our handling to utilise it as per the need of changing circumstances.
Our present generation is inclined towards modern and progressive ideas and circumstances are going to turn in our favour. We faced fifth-generation warfare but we prevailed. We must hope for the best in future as well.
