By: Asem Mustafa
Today, the Pakistani nation celebrates the birth anniversary of Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, the man behind the concept of Pakistan’s creation, in a situation where ideological and political differences have made the country in chaotic grip events with no end in immediate sight.
Allama Muhammad Iqbal in his speech at Allahabad in 1930 defined the state of Pakistan explaining the geographical and ideological boundaries. The very speech charged the Muslims of the sub-continent who were striving for independence and the dream materialized under the leadership of great Quaid-e- Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1947.
The Pakistan movement was nurtured on the very concept and countless sacrifices were made to get the piece of land we call Pakistan.
Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s conception of the state was in accordance with contemporary requirements. Allama Iqbal’s essays and scholarly sermons show that a major part of his intellectual discourse was devoted to building the Muslim character and foundation of state that caters to all its inhabitants.
Iqbal’s article ‘Islam as a Moral and Political Concept of Life” is an eye opener for the readers that was published over 100 years ago. His sermon in Aligarh University in early 1900’s on the Muslim Ummah encompassed the concept of Islamic State.
The struggle for independence was given a colossal momentum by his poems and writings that gave a clear message of two-nation theory where a separate homeland for Muslims was envisioned.
The state of Pakistan was created on the basis of two-nation ideology and it was mandatory that after achieving the piece of land one nation concept should have taken roots right after the creation but all that exist at present is on the contrary.
Regional, ethnic, religious and linguistic divides by the so-called political stalwarts have made incision in the homeland that was the bloodiest of migrations in the history of mankind.
This divide resulted in Pakistan getting divided and the other part of Pakistan is now called Bangladesh.
The ‘Fall of Dhaka’ and the reasons behind it have not been told and the nation has been given a ‘history’ which many independent historians of that time contest.
Iqbal’s concept of freedom and righteousness in humans revolves around Muslim identity and unimpeachable character.
Iqbal’s poetry globally portrayed the revival of human spirit that is limitless and infinite. Iqbal’s teachings taught nations how to live after trauma and collective suffering.
It is a fact that since inception of Pakistan the world viewed Pakistan model destined to achieve heights but as time passed and nation was hijacked by elite the nose down journey to the endless pit in unending. The entire country is hijacked by select few that controlled over 90 per cent of the resources and this doesn’t end here.
Iqbal envisioned the Muslim youth as a falcon. It is time that all stakeholders should sit together and pledge a promise to man who envisioned Pakistan as a leader in the comity of nations.
Pakistan was made with over a million lives sacrifices and it is time the people who made sacrifices are honored.