Pakistan's Founder: Muhammad Ali Jinnah

The other day, a news item appeared on the second page of Yeni Şafak under the headline "Pakistan's Founding Memory in Rami." The subheading read:

"The exhibition 'A Nation's Founding Memory,' prepared to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, has opened its doors to visitors at the Rami Library. The exhibition, which sheds light on Pakistan's founding process through historical documents and photographs, will be open for free until June 23."

Let me state right away: when I hear Pakistan, two important names immediately come to mind: Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Muhammad Iqbal...

After reading the above news, I wanted to take a quick look at the books I have in my library about these two figures. At first, three works came to my attention. The first of these was Muhammad Iqbal's Hediyetü'l-Hicaz (The Gift of the Hejaz). The work, published in 1968, was translated into Turkish by the late Ali Nihad Tarlan, one of our literary world's distinguished figures. The second is titled Dr. Muhammad Iqbal and Selections from His Works. This was published in 1974 by Prof. Dr. Abdülkadir Karahan. As for the third, it is also from the pen of the same professor. Its title is A Gift to Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Both were published by the Ministry of Culture years ago.

This book, titled A Gift to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on the Centenary of His Birth, contains interesting articles about Pakistan's founder. The titles and authors of the articles in the first section can be listed as follows: "Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah and Dr. Iqbal's Letters to Him" by Prof. Dr. Abdülkadir Karahan. "Pakistan and Its Founder Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah" by Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Altuğ. "The Work of Quaid-i-Azam" by Prof. Dr. Nevzat Yalçıntaş. "Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Iqbal" by Prof. Dr. Ali Nihad Tarlan.

In the second section are speeches about Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Among these, the speech text of our former Minister of Culture Rıfkı Danışman is of great importance, so I am quoting it below:

"Muhammad Ali, who opened his eyes to the world on December 25, 1876, in Karachi, which later became Pakistan's first capital, as the child of a middle-class family attached to its traditions and the principles of the Islamic faith, was influenced in the strong development of his spiritual side by both his early family upbringing and his education, which began for a short time in a madrasa. The word 'Jinnah' actually means 'thin and delicate.' Despite this, Muhammad Ali did not reject this attribute given to him; throughout his life, he accepted being referred to by this name and title.

Although Jinnah was recognized as the youngest lawyer in the Indian subcontinent at just 20 years of age, and was a jurist who completed his legal studies in England in the shortest time, he never took pride in his status or opportunities. When he entered political life and, despite making friends with many famous figures and gaining broad influence in a short time, he always remained humble, seeking happiness in serving the people, and remained a loyal and self-sacrificing Muslim who did not hesitate to sacrifice his comfort for the sake of securing the rights and freedoms of the Muslims of the Subcontinent.

He did not change during the years when, among the prominent figures of India's Congress Party, he thought of Hindu-Muslim unity and integrity; nor when he withdrew to England as if imposing a kind of exile on himself, occupying himself with studies and planning for future days; nor when he was elected leader of the Muslim League and dedicated his existence to great services. He always possessed the same strong character, the same iron will.

The idea of Indian Muslims establishing a separate state was first put forward by Dr. Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938), the great spiritual poet and Islamic thinker truly described as our era's Mawlana. But it was Muhammad Ali Jinnah who embraced this view and proposal and turned it into an ideal embraced by all Muslims throughout the Himalayan-Subcontinent. Neither Indian leaders like Gandhi and Nehru, nor influential British Viceroys, could turn him from his path or the ideas he proclaimed. His integrity, the invincible determination of measured courage, his foresight and commitment to justice, in short, the strength and durability of his spiritual side, were among the main reasons for his success. His election by the Muslims of Bombay to the Imperial Legislative Council, his invitation to the All-India Muslim League meeting in London, his assuming the chairmanship of the Congress Party delegation that went to the same capital, his organizing a Muslim Congress Party meeting in Lucknow and being considered the architect of the pact known by that city's name, even being called the ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity, and his resignation from the Congress Party because he opposed and could not make himself heard on the Passive Resistance Movement... All of this derives from his character and strength of never deviating from his path, being determined to maintain his loyalty to his beliefs, and defending the views he considered right to the end.

Even when Jinnah went to England due to his wife's illness and other reasons and practiced law there, he never forgot his ideal; he thought of the future of the Indian Muslims, whom he sincerely desired to become a spiritually strong community. Upon his return to India at the request of the Indian Muslims and especially Liaquat Ali Khan, from his re-election to the Legislative Assembly, to his chairing of the Lahore session of the All-India Muslim League and the adoption of the historic Pakistan Resolution there, he always knew how to remain spiritual and tolerant. He did not change even when he was first given the title 'Quaid-i-Azam' – Great Leader. He knew how to consider himself a poor servant of God and, by His grace and favor, a Muslim charged with establishing the future Pakistan. Finally, when Jinnah, thanks to his determination, knowledge, spiritual faith, and endless effort, succeeded in opening negotiations that would result in the birth of Pakistan, he considered it his duty to follow the same strong character, his unyieldingness despite his frail body, without sacrificing the principles of right, justice and democracy, and without deviating from the straight path while adhering to equal conditions, as his unchanging ideal.

Although he was Pakistan's first Governor-General, first Head of State, and first President of the Constituent Assembly, he took pleasure in living among the people like an ordinary citizen until his death, and in thinking about and striving for his country's tomorrow even on his sickest days. When he passed away from this mortal world on September 11, 1948, at the age of 72, Pakistan experienced the indescribable grief of losing a rarely seen father of the nation, an idealist who had dedicated himself to his nation's issues, and a great founder of a state. But for those who believe that people die but their works live on, Quaid-i-Azam can be considered spiritually alive as long as Pakistan lives. Walking in his footsteps would be to gladden his spirit."

After reading these lines, we too should thank Mr. Rıfkı Danışman. It should also be noted that this esteemed minister of culture was the son of Sakıp Danışman Hoca, the Mufti of Erzurum who lived from 1892 to 1968, and he wrote a book about his father titled Islam is Not an Obstacle to Progress. This book contains extremely important articles expressing Sakıp Hoca's knowledge, wisdom, morality, and character. Indeed, valuable figures such as Mehmet Nuri Yılmaz, Prof. Necati Öner, Mehmed Kırkıncı, Cemaleddin Server Revnakoğlu, and Osman Demirci recount with their memories what a great scholar Sakıp Hoca was. Thus, we also learn what an excellent successor (hayrülhalef) his son Rıfkı Danışman was.

Why not say it: we need culture ministers like him. Unfortunately, we long for them in Türkiye.