To remain uncontroversial in politics is a wonderful thing. But an unblemished character required for this is not achieved without personal sacrifice. What about Pakistan? There are very few examples in the world where a politician's character is appreciated by his friends and foes alike, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is such an unparalleled, exceptional and unique personality of political science scholar. What is greatness and how is it achieved? There are many sayings of thinkers about this, but the basic principle of greatness is to be magnanimous and selfless to do such works of collective welfare that benefit a large number of people. Quaid-e-Azam has come down to the principles of greatness; he is truly our Quaid-e-Azam. It was his selflessness that he first imposed strict discipline on his personality as he never indulged in life of luxury, comfort and ease.
Never did he do anything for his own personal success and comfort. The strict rules he expected from others were the first to be followed by himself. The principle of ‘work, work and only work’ was for others later and for self-first. This is the reason why he accomplished the feat of creating Pakistan in his life, which history is unable to compare. He sacrificed personal comfort and risked his health for this great cause. Quaid-e-Azam's actions used to express his personality; the reason for the effectiveness of his words was also his practical truth. His life characterized by integrity made his leadership charismatic. It is a fact that the Muslims of the subcontinent were ready to make any sacrifice at his cue; he was the unifying force of the Muslims.
There are many manifestations of the mesmerizing personality of the founder of Pakistan. Imagine the dark period when the British wrested power from the Muslims. After the war of independence in 1857, Muslims were the main target of British atrocities.
The failure of the Khilafat Movement had disappointed the Muslims of the subcontinent. The Hindus had become the allies of the Britishers while the Muslims had taken the collective path of escape after being fed up with the situation; they had withdrawn into their shells, and they were threatened. Defeat and idleness had become their mood. In such a situation, the passion that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah aroused in them started running like fresh blood in his veins. That the success of the Pakistan Movement was impossible without Quaid-e-Azam is a fact because Allah Almighty had had selected him for this great cause.
Quaid-e-Azam traveled to London in 1893 at the age of 17 to study law. At that time Dadabhai Nauruji, a Congress leader, was contesting elections for the House of Common. Quaid-e-Azam got his attention, then returned to India in 1896 and achieved success in the field of advocacy and then started politics from the platform of Congress. He quickly rose to prominence in the Congress. His services for a united India and Hindu-Muslim unity made him a commendable leader of the Congress and he was admired by the Muslim League circles, as well, but the atrocities of the Hindus on the Muslims and the bigoted attitude of the Congress made him very angry. After leaving his deep imprint on profession of law and politics in India, Quaid-e-Azam moved back to London and started practicing law there.
This was the period when there was practically no leader of the Muslims in the subcontinent; so Quaid-i-Azam returned to India and joined the Muslim League and transformed the Muslim League into a great political party of Muslims of the subcontinent. It is a very surprising fact that in a very short time under the leadership of the Quaid-e-Azam, not only the Muslims become enthusiastic, but the Hindus and the British were forced to accept the Muslims as a separate political force. It was under the leadership of Quaid-i-Azam that the concept of freedom of Muslims and a separate homeland was shaped by the movement. Today, it is understood that politics is above principles while lies, hypocrisy and manipulation are permissible in it, but the fact is that Quaid-e-Azam's politics had always been straightforward, honest, true and clean--free from hypocrisy. His principled politics gave us a free homeland.
Quaid-e-Azam was aware of the basic problems of Muslims. While addressing the 23rd meeting of Muslim League in Delhi before the establishment of Pakistan, he said that Muslims should develop love for Islam and the nation and not for groups and sects, because these evils have weakened Muslims for two hundred years.
A visionary, characterful, and all-rounder leader, the Quaid-e-Azam, died on September 11, 1948. Not only in Pakistan, the Muslim all over the world were grief-stricken. His death was a big blow to a newborn Pakistan. His personality and character changed the Pakistani nation. The people were united under the leadership of the Quaid-e-Azam; and there was a spirit among the Muslims to move forward and make Pakistan successful.
With his death, our country lost a shade tree; we came under intense sunlight, and our internal and external problems came to the fore. After a few days of his death, India occupied the state of Hyderabad Deccan’; internally, the leadership crisis in Pakistan was clearly visible, which gradually increased. A decent and polite person defeated the tough and powerful opponents like the British and the Congress and laid the foundation for an independent state but we could not carry forward the legacy of his prudence and political vision.
It was under the leadership of Quaid-i-Azam that the concept of freedom of Muslims and a separate homeland was shaped by the movement. Today, it is understood that politics is above principles while lies, hypocrisy and manipulation are permissible in it, but the fact is that Quaid-e-Azam's politics had always been straightforward, honest, true and clean--free from hypocrisy. His principled politics gave us a free homeland
Asad Rafiq
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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