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PAKISTAN KI KAHANI |
By: Mansoor Hussain
Opposition from an Unexpected Source
The opposition by the so-called “nationalists” among the clergy was short-lived, and lessened as their influence waned. However, the gravest opposition appeared from an unexpected source-late Syed Abul Aala Maudoodi. He was a former Congressite (a member of the "Indian National Congress," an overwhelmingly Hindu party) and for some time a member of editorial board of Aljamiat, an organ of the so-called "nationalist" or Congress aligned Ulema. He had compiled the biography of Hindu leader Mr. Gandhi. Then he made a turn. He moved to Haiderabad (Dakkan). There he was writing articles in support of "Two Nation" theory of Allama Iqbal. Having thus gained some acceptance in Muslim League circles, he moved to Punjab, announcing that he was to fulfill the mission of Allama Iqbal. Having established himself in the Punjab, he spent the rest of his life (before partition of India, during the Pakistan movement and after establishment of Pakistan) opposing the mission of Allama Iqbal and the Quaid-e-Azam. No doubt, he was the most successful amongst opponents of Pakistan.
Designs of Syed Maudoodi
Initially, the plan of late Syed Maudoodi was, that the Pakistan scheme should abort at its very start. However, when Pakistan did come into being in spite of his designs, he plotted to force on the new State of Pakistan, the very same theocracy, which Allama Iqbal and the Quaid-e-Azam wanted to abolish by establishing the new state.
In Punjab, he started publishing a series of articles critical of Pakistan in general and Quaid-e-Azam in particular. This series was later published as an Urdu book with the title "Muslims and the Present Political Turmoil" (Vol.III) Some excerpts from first edition of that book (published from Army Press, Dehli) are given here and merit a careful note: -
Regarding Indian Muslims- (The demand for Pakistan was based on the premise that Muslims are a separate nation): -
" Who are the Muslims you are claiming to be a separate nation? Here, the crowd called Muslims is full of all sorts of rabble. There are as many types of characters in this as in any (other) heathen people". (Vol. III, P.166)
"For these reasons, the great numbers (of Muslims) that we find (listed) in the census records has become worthless for purposes of Islam. Anything done on the strength of these numbers will result in acute frustration." (Ibid. P.56)
"If you survey this so-called Muslim society, you will come across multifarious types of Muslims, of countless categories. This is a zoo with a collection of crows, kites, vultures, partridges and thousands of other types of birds. Every one of them is a 'sparrow'. (Ibid. P.31)
The above was against the Muslim nation in a collective sense. About their leadership, he had this to say: -
"Pity! From League's Quaid-e-Azam down to the lower cadres, there is not a single person who has an Islamic outlook and thinking and whose perspective on matters is Islamic". (Ibid. P.37)
"To pronounce these people fit for leading Muslims for the simple reason that they are experts of Western type politics and masters of Western organizational arts, and are deeply in love with their people, is a manifestation of an unislamic viewpoint and reflects ignorance of Islam". (Ibid. P.70)
“Even with a microscopic study of their practical life, and their thinking, ideology, political behaviour and style of leadership, one can find not a trace of Islamic character."
The rationale, indeed the necessity, for a separate state for Muslims was stated to be for establishing an Islamic state there. The Muslim League was declaring this right from 1930 to 1947. However, the view of Syed Maudoodi about this idea was that,
"In no Muslim League resolution, or in a speech by a responsible leader of the League it has it been made clear that their final goal is of establishing an Islamic system of government. Those who believe that by freeing Muslim majority areas rule of Hindu majority, an Islamic government will be established here in a democratic set up, are wrong. In fact what will be achieved will be a heretical government by Muslims, indeed worse than that." (Ibid. P.130-32)
Knoweth the Hindu, Knoweth Not Our Own Leader
On November1, 1941, there was an Akhand Bharatyia Conference in Jalandhar. Mr. Munshi, a well-known Hindu leader was in the chair. In his presidential address he said,
"Do you know what Pakistan is? If you don't, listen! Pakistan means that Muslims can make in one or more parts of India, their homeland, where the system of government would be based on the Qura'an with Urdu as their national language. In simple terms, Pakistan will be a Muslim land where the government will be Islamic." (Daily 'Tribune' Novembert 2, 1941)
In a meeing of the Pakistan Association of Germany on occasion of the centenary of the Quaid-e-Azam, a German scholar Professor Dr. Kanhan said, "The model before the Quaid was the Qura'an." (Pakistan Times, February 3, 1966.)
In other words, Mr. Munshi of India and the German scholar knew what kind of rule the Quaid-e-Azam wanted to establish, but not our own clergy and the self-styled modernistic researcher!
Aversion to an Islamic State
It was pointed out to Syed Maudoodi at the time, that, granted Muslims had faults, and leadership of Muslims also did not equal the standards set by him, yet the battle that was going on then, concerned only a demand for establishing a free state in areas of Muslim majority. If that territory were gained, there would at least be a possibility of creating his Islamic state there. In response he said: -
"As a Muslim I have no interest in the matter of Muslims creating their government
where they are in majority in India". (Ibid. P.93)
"Some people thought that once a Muslim national state is set up, even of a non-Islamic type, it can gradually be changed into an Islamic state by education and training. However, on basis of whatever little I have studied from History, Politics and Collective Psyche, I consider that happening impossible. If this plan succeeds, I shall consider it a miracle."
The period 1945-46 was critical in history of Pakistan movement. Muslim League had done hopelessly in 1937 elections. Both the British and Hindus had concluded that if there were another election, Muslim League's claim of being a representative body of Muslims would be exposed hollow. For this purpose, the 1945-46 elections were decided upon. Importance of these elections can be judged from the fact that in spite of very bad health, the Quaid-e-Azam was constantly touring the country, telling the Muslims that
"If we fail in this struggle, not only shall we fail as a nation, but also Muslims of the sub-continent will be annihilated." (Message to the Nation, March 23, 1945)
Firm Decision of a Principled Party?
At a time when every single vote mattered, the late Maulana was requested to lend a hand to Muslims. He said,
"Please be clear about our position regarding the election and voting. Whatever the importance of forthcoming elections, and whatever impact they are likely to have on our country or nation, as a principled organization, it is not possible for us, for sake of a short-term expediency, to sacrifice the principles we cherish." (Newspaper "Kausar", dated October 28, 1945, "Claims and Actions" by Maulana Maudoodi, P.8)
Last Weapon for Opposition
In spite of such strong opposition by late Maulana Maudoodi, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah triumphed. In February 1947 the British Government announced that the country would be partitioned in June 1948. Having failed in his mission in Muslim majority provinces, he sent delegations to provinces where Muslims were in a minority, for inciting Muslims there against the demand for Pakistan. He arranged special gatherings of his party in Tonk, Madras and Patna at end of April 1947. In these gatherings, the advice he was offering Muslims of minority provinces can be judged from his speech in Madras on April 25 that year. He said,
"Muslims of Hindu majority provinces will soon come to feel that the nationalism on which they have based their collective posture, has abandoned them in a wilderness of death, and the collective cause they were fighting for unthinkingly, has culminated in nothing but ruin for themselves".
Sara Hindustan Hamara (Entire India is Ours)
Then he remarked that, instead of the movement for Pakistan, if the Muslims of India had embraced his programme,
"The map of Indian politics would have been transformed by now, and instead of two small Pakistans, the possibility of the whole of India becoming a Pakistan would have been before them. No sooner than the current phase of Indian politics ends, Muslims of minority provinces would start realizing their hopeless situation." (Proceedings of Jamaat Islami, Vol.5, P.114, 120.)
Second Phase of Opposition
At last Pakistan came into being and with his sinister plans, Mr. Maudoodi left Pathankot in India, and along with his cohorts, came away straight to Lahore. Although his headquarters in Pathankot were located in a stronghold of Hindus, his exodus was uneventful, whereas in those days hardly any Muslim family had managed to reach Pakistan from East Punjab in safety. From here, a new chapter opened in his life.
The new state of Pakistan was faced with dismal prospects. It was without funds and without administrative infrastructure. Under those difficult circumstances, taking care of internal administration was itself an awesome task. On top of this a flood of refugees upset the entire system of government. Under these circumstances, the only asset with Pakistan was the unshakeable confidence of the masses in their Quaid-e-Azam. Mr. Maudoodi tried his utmost to destroy that confidence.
A New Front Against the Quaid
First issue of Mr. Maudoodi's journal, the Tarjumanul Quran was published in Pakistan in June 1948. After discussing consequences of partition of India, he wrote,
"This discussion is enough to blacken faces of the people who have spearheaded our political movements during the last quarter of a century."
In August 1948 issue of the same journal, after repeating the same gory tale he wrote,
"In the whole of this crowd, there was not a single warrior who could forfeit his head after losing the battle. The entire party was stuffed with jugglers who indulged in bizarre somersaults, showing the world a spectacle of their fragile character and hollow sense of morality, and wrecking what remained of the honour of the nation of which they were professed leaders."
We have seen what Mr. Maudoodi wrote against the Quaid-e-Azam before partition. We have also recounted his tirade against the Quaid after 1947. Can one imagine words more insulting and derogatory against such a great leader? Yet…
An About Face by Syed Maudoodi…
Against his assertion (that Pakistan would not be an Islamic state) what was the reality? Let us have it from Mr. Maudoodi himself. In a statement published in the daily Nawai Waqt issue of August 1976 he said,
"From the beginning of this movement the common Muslim had the understanding that the center of their ambitions i.e. Pakistan, would be an Islamic state in which Islamic laws will be enforced and Islamic civilization will be revived. That is why their slogan was, 'Pakistan ka Matlab Kiya, La Ilaha Illallah'. Leaders of Muslim League were also making speeches to the same end, and most of all, the late Quaid-e-Azam had himself assured Muslims that the constitution of Pakistan would be Quranic.
…And his "Doctrine of Necessity"
Also read the letter, which accompanied a long article, which he had published in the 14th August issue of the Nawai Waqt: -
"For your information, I can say that ever since I started taking interest in politics after growing
up, Quaid-e-Azam was one of the Muslim leaders for whom I had the highest esteem. I always considered him a principled man of integrity, and a person of strong character. From 1920 until 1948 it never crossed my mind that he could say anything in conflict with his conscience."
The Quaid-e-Azam needs no certificate of character from Mr. Maudoodi. However, the above-mentioned instances of double-speak are ample testimony to his character.
Bhutto Spotlights Maudoodi
On December 21, 1976, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, late Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto addressed a joint session of the National Assembly and Senate of the federation held to commemorate the centenary of birth of Quaid-e-Azam. Addressing Quaid-e-Azam's portrait hanging on the wall, he said in a most dramatic fashion: -
"Quaid-eAzam!
I know what arrows pierced your heart (during struggle for Pakistan). The British said you were arrogant. This was understandable, because you had refused to bow before them. The Congress leaders and their henchmen called you stubborn. That too was to be expected, because they had failed to trick you. What is not understandable, and what must have certainly bewildered and distressed you is, that the nation, for whose sake you were putting up with all this, was in forefront of your tormentors!"
Then he went on to give details of what people from one province or the other had done against the Quaid-e-Azam. After this detail, he remarked about the irony that the Maulvis and Maulanas had also pounced upon him. He followed with an observation that among his critics, a certain person, although saying things similar to others, couched them in a comparatively fancy language. Then he started quoting in English, excerpts from the book by Mr. Maudoodi titled "Muslims and the Present Political Turmoil" Volume 3. He quoted so extensively, that the text covered two columns and a half of Pakistan Times of December 23, 1976.
People of discernment said just then that {late) Mr. Bhutto had made a big mistake. They were soon proved right. In 1977 Pakistan National Alliance started an agitation against government of Mr. Bhutto with the ostensible purpose of compelling his government to implement an Islamic system. The movement had therefore been named "Tahreek-e- Nizam-e-Mustafa" or the "Movement for System of Muhammad (Mustafa). Yet according to a disclosure by Mian Tufail Muhammad later on, "That alliance was formed solely for removing a certain person (Mr. Bhutto) from power. (Having achieved that) it broke up." (Daily Jang, Lahore, July 26, 1983)
Hindu Reaction
The Hindus too were worried that if the rule of Quran was established next door to them, its fruits in Pakistan would create unrest amongst their own people, whether Muslims or non-Muslims. So they could not tolerate establishment of the Islam based on concept of Iqbal and the Quaid-e-Azam. Mr. Gandhi indicated Hindu view of this version of Islam thus: -
"I say with all the force at my command that by adopting their present course, Mr. Jinnah and his colleagues are doing no service to Islam. In fact they are misinterpreting the message that is Islam" (Hindustan Times, April 7,