Long Live Pakistan
Administrator on August 14th, 2009
Creation of Pakistan
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan, with a population of 164 million (2006 estimate), is the second largest Muslim state in the world, after Indonesia. Pakistan is unique among Muslim countries as to be the only country to have been established in the name of Islam. As Islam is not merely a set of rituals or a source of law rather it details with all aspects of human life–moral, social, political, and financial.
The birth of Pakistan was as a result of a dream seen by the visionary, philosopher and poet Sir Allamah Muhammad Iqbal, who on 29 December 1930, called for an autonomous “state in north-western India for Indian Muslims”. The Charismatic Leader, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, espoused the Two Nation Theory. This theory held that there were two nations, Hindus and Muslims living in the territory of the Sub-continent. Hindus and Muslims were the two major nations on the basis of religion, way-of-life, customs, traditions, culture and historical conditions. Therefore, they should be able to implement the teachings of their respective faiths in their lives without fear of other.
In order to achieve the independence of Pakistan, the Sunni Ulemas, scholars, Mashaikh and Pirs acted as key individuals and were at the forefront of the struggle. They asked all their disciples, followers and mureeds to join the movement to establish a new Islamic state. Muslim community saw Pakistan as an Islamic state that would reflect the religious and social values of Islam and its ideals of brotherhood, equality and social justice where dignity of life and rights of everyone will be protected.
Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah - Father of the Nation
Quaid-i-Azam (the Great Leader), as a leader of the Muslim League in 1940, demanded the formation of an independent Pakistan and after 7 years of peaceful struggle, on 14 August 1947, Pakistan was born. Independence resulted in communal riots across India and Pakistan and millions of Muslims were martyred, uprooted from their homes as they moved from India to Pakistan.
The word ‘Pakistan’ has been coined from the names of those regions that make up this nation – Punjab, Afgan Border States, Kashmir, Sind and Baluchistan. In the words of the father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinah, one of the objectives of formation of Pakistan was to bring “Unity, Faith and Discipline” to its people.
The Pakistan’s Independence Day is celebrated all over Pakistan and at Pakistani High Commission in the UK with flag raising ceremonies, tributes to the national heroes and fireworks. However, it is also a day to remind ourselves of the purposes behind the formation of Pakistan and the sacrifices that millions of Muslims offered to establish an Islamic state. It is a day of reflection to see whether those ideals have been achieved.
On August 15th, 1947 Quaid-i-Azam addressed to the nation over the radio as following.
“The creation of the new state has placed a tremendous responsibility on the citizens of Pakistan. It gives them an opportunity to demonstrate to the world how a nation containing many elements can live in peace and amity and work for the betterment of all its citizens irrespective of caste or creed. Our object should be peace within, and peace without. We want to live peacefully and maintain cordial friendly relations with our immediate neighbours and with the world at large.”
A historian, Stanley Wolpert, pays tribute to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinah in the following words:
“Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Mohammad Ali Jinnah did all three.”
Imam of Makkah Masjid, Qari Asim, in his sermon said that “14 August is a day of reflection; it is a day to remember millions of Muslims who lost their lives for the sake of Islamic state, a state in whihc equality and social justice could prevail; it is aday to remember our heros, such as the great visionary Allamah Muhammad Iqbal who tried to awaken the Muslims through his awesome poetry; it a day to learn from the leadership skills of Quaid-i-Azam, who turned the dream of formation of an independent state into reality. The reasons for corruption, instability and lack of peace in Pakistan are due to moving away from the basis on which Pakistan was founded. The religious and social values of Islam have to be acted upon if we want peace and stability in that part of the world. ”
Allama Muhammad Iqbal – Poet of the East
Dr Sir Allama Iqbal is regarded as one of the most influential Muslim poet and scholar of the 20th century throughout the Muslim World.
Allama Iqbal was a strong proponent of the political and spiritual revival of Islamic civilisation across the world, but specifically in South Asia; a series of famous lectures he delivered to this effect are published as The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam. One contribution of Iqbal to the contemporary Islamic thought is his bracketing modern science with ‘God-consciousness’ which he considers more precious than mere belief in God.
The love of Allah and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was inmate in Allama Iqbal temperament from the beginning. He was immersed in the love of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He is well-known for his Ishq-i-Rasool and has written many poems in praise and honour of the Prophet (sallahu Alihi wa-Alihi wa-ashabihi was-salam).
Below is a poem by Allamah Muhammad Iqbal
Makkah Masjid will be celebrating Pakistan’s Independence Day and holding an event for the Youth on Sunday 16 August at 11am at Woodsley Community Centre.
Secretary of Leeds Muslim Council, the management committe of Makkah Masjid, has also written a very informative and thought-provking book about Pakistan. The book is called: Pakistan at Cross-Roads.
August 14th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Pakistan Zinadabad
August 20th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Each passing day is letting us know some thing new, some thing interesting some thing really exciting. I am amazed to know how fast have we changed our lives in recent times. I would request all of you to take some time think about Pakistan and remember were we the same 5 years back.