Adil Najam
Today is 9/11. Much will be written and much discussed on the 5th anniversary of the cruel attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, on what has happened since, on all the ways in which the world changed, and on all the other ways in which it did not. Today is a sad day, and at ATP our hearts and prayers go out to the dear ones of the victims of this tragedy, and to the loved ones of all who have lost their lives in the events that were unleashed by it.
While 9.11.2001 will be much debated elsewhere, we here at ATP want to recall the events of 9.11.1948.
For Pakistanis, 9/11 has always been a sad date. A date on which – barely a year after the nation’s birth – its founding leader, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, died. Here is a short (50 sec) newsreel video clip on Mr. Jinnah’s death :
Like every year, APP has announced in advance how the “nation” will mark this occasion, and every newspaper (e.g., Dawn) has printed this “news” on its front page:
ISLAMABAD, Sept 10: The nation will observe Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s 58th death anniversary on Monday with a pledge to transform Pakistan into a vibrant, progressive and enlightened country as envisioned by the great leader.
I am glad that the APP has he psychic power to know exactly how this “nation” will observe the anniversary, even before the occasion. They have been making the same stale prediction every year for as long as I can remember. Maybe, we as a “nation” do actually make that “pledge” every year. Its just that we have not been very good at keeping the pledge.
Some might argue that the “nation” had already begun to let Mr. Jinnah down even in those brief 13 months that he lived in the country he had founded. Others like to believe that Pakistan’s history might have taken a very different path had he lived longer. It may well have. I am just not sure what that path might have been given that tensions between him and those who were running day-to-day Pakistan had begun to appear even while he was alive.
His death, and the circumstances of his death, was itself not without controversy (see, for dramatic effect, the opening scenes of the movie, Jinnah, here). But today, September 11, should not only be a sad reminder of his untimely death. It should also be a moment to reflect on his life. And, maybe, it should be a moment to reflect on what lessons that life might have to offer for the future.
From its very inception, ATP has had an ongoing discussion on the legacy of Mr. Jinnah and the various meanings it has for different people. Today seems to be an appropriate day to continue that discussion; to think, yet again, about the meaning of the life and death of Mr. Jinnah.
Related ATP Posts:
– Read about the Other Side of Mr. Jinnah
– Watch Jinnah: The Movie
– Read about Jinnah’s first message to the nation
– Watch historic footage from August 1947
– Read about the Jinnah-Gandhi relationship
– Listen to and watch Mehdi Hassan’s classic, “yeh watan tumhara hai”, which is in many ways Jinnah speaking to the rest of us.
Dear Saima Nasir.
My own personal view of the Sarilla book is that it is written with an agenda which is clearly Indian nationalist. His view that partition was basically affected to create a buffer against Soviet Russia is a regurgitation of an old theory which has since been debunked, as it is ex post facto trying to reinterpret the past. In my view the balanced judicial perspective is H M Seervai’s “Partition of India: Legend or Reality”.
On your vision of Pakistan and your understanding of Jinnah’s views vis a vis the role of religion in the state, you are absolutely correct… and I must disagree with Adnan Siddiqui, as much as he has risen to aid me… but this is not a battle… except that of ideas. There is, in my view, a need to drive home Jinnah’s constitutional vision of the state, impartial and above all divisions and considerations.
My objection continues to be Gandhi and his Mahatmafication after reading his collected works. I personally don’t have any evidence of his view…
Now… I normally don’t like testimonials but Nelson Mandela famously said about Jinnah:
‘Ali Jinnah’s museum is a constant source of inspiration for all those who are fighting against racial or group discrimination.’
He made it a point to visit Jinnah’s mazar and his museum where he put these words into writing .. and at a few ANC meetings he mentioned Jinnah alongside Gandhi and Nehru… as inspiration South Asian figures…
But to me- testimonials and affirmations mean little. We should instead resolve to read more of history and understand the complex history our land.
Dear Adnan Siddiqui,
Since you have begged yasser to help you in your pathetic attempt to create misunderstanding in this discussion…first go on the following links and read his views…they are closer to mine than yours
http://www.chowk.com/show_article.cgi?aid=00000794 &channel=university ave&threshold=1&layout=0&order=0&start=60&end=69&p age=1
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.a sp?ID=18147
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/dec-2004/12/columns 5.php
and as for misquoting me on Shariffuddin Pirzada ( whose association with Jinnah is a mystery to you, so here is a link to find out who he is: http://www.majinnah.com.pk/html_files/shariffudin. htm)that i wrote on your blog that pirzada made an absurd accusation that because Jinnah consumed alcohol, he was not a visionary….seems even more pathetic an attempt to gain respect on this forum….anyone can read my posts on your blog and see the context in which i used pirzada’s name…..you rejected Stanley wolpert’s account and i said people who knew him closely can vouch for it…..which for you is an offence and a disqualification…..because of your holier than thou views …… Jinnah never tried to hide himself behind the islimc lifestyle . My religion and patriotism is my own and i don’t need a degree or approval from you for that.
I live abroad and yet am proud of my Pakistani identity and my green passport which i haven’t exchanged for anyother colour and niether i have any intentions of doing so….but i reserve my right to call spade a spade.
Dear YLH,
you said ,”Your suggestion that I am writing more about why I dislike Gandhi … please note the few references I made to Gandhi were entirely in response to your assertions. My own ideas about Jinnah maybe found in the article I wrote on him which is quoted in the second post on this board. ”
In my first post i mentioned Gandhi and Nelson Mendela together…but this discussion turned towards the comparison of Gandhi and Jinnah only and not any other leader of the world.
Sridhar in one of his reply post to Mr. Najam answered my query pretty well when he wrote, “Something like honesty in the case of Jinnah and truth in the case of Gandhi. I think if one thinks at that level, both of them emerge, in my view, to be great people. Both of them changed views and even deeply held beliefs, but such changes were consistent with their values nevertheless. For instance, when Jinnah’s views about the politics of Hindu-Muslim relations changed, it was still consistent with his belief in justice. When Gandhi changed his views about races and caste, overcoming his inherited biases and prejudices, he himself wrote that it was a result of his quest for truth.
On the question of whether they were visionaries, I don’t think either of them emerges as a visionary by my test. Both of them undertook actions that had unintended and sometimes horrible consequences, that could have been foreseen by men of their intellect and experience and were in fact foreseen by some of their own contemporaries.”
Although,I won’t end my search for answers here and will keep reading and researching but I still hold my views about using ones heart along with a balanced head in analysing a situation whether in present or historical.
Iam reading this book called “The Shadow of the Great Game : The Untold Story of India’s Partition, written by Narendra Singh Sarila.”
Maybe then, we can discuss the two-Nation theory and the creation of pakistan…until then… all the best.
Dear Adnan Siddiqui,
Don’t twist my discussion with you into a malicious campaign on this forum. Anyone can go on your blog and read my views over there and can see that i never said anything about “visionary being connected to consuming alcohol”…..you were portraying Jinnah as a staunch muslim in one of your posts, who dreamt of pakistan with islamic laws (which for you is huddod ordinance)and I corrected you, that for Jinnah ,religion was a personal matter and gave you examples of secular states where muslims like me live a safer live as compared to present day islamic pakistan…..which you seem to have made fun of… and these were two different posts ,which you in your zealousness seems to have combined.
i had asked you that why you liked jinnah so much, the same question which i asked on this forum and got links and information and insight into what people like or admire about him…..
If you had taken time to read my post i had admired jinnah for his integrity and righteousness and for all his achievements…..but you, who was beaten on the same forum for your support of huddood ordinance and dislikenes for the liberals and seculars have returned with a lies and want Mr.YLH to help you in your juvenile attempt to distort facts….who apparently is pretty liberal and secular in his views and …
i stand by my claim that
Nehru and Gandhi are portrayed as bad guys in the Pak.studies book and …that hitory is distorted in those books.
I like jinnah for the qualities he had but am in no way in awe of him……
I didn’t mention Gandhi only in my first post but Nelson mendala as well …..
If you have anything serious to talk about do so but don’t put words in my mouth as i can convey my point of view very well and hardly need an interpreter like you.
YLH Brother,I really like and admire your knowledge about particular topic.Good going and Keep it up.
I have experienced ms.Saima nasir on my space as well where he thrown similar things aginast Jinnah.Since you and few others seem more knowledgeable about JInnah sahab.Saima claimed on my blog that Jinnah took alcohol therefore he cant be a visionary leader.She also said tht Mr.Pirzada had made such statment about Jinnah Sahab.Now could you say anything about that.
Saima Nisar gave a URL to back her statement that Pak.Studies represent Gandhi as a bad person.On other hand she claims she spent her life in Pakistan.Now I am also surprised like you to learn which kinda Pak.Studies book potrayed Gandhi a bad man?I doubt whether the lady really studied in Pakistan.I would rather say that I talked with Indians who blame Gandhi for the partition and dont like them.What I know that both Gandhi and JInnah used to admire each others skills.Speaking of Pakistani text books that they preach haterd against Gandhi.Like Saima i can also quote few links of famous Indain online discussion forum Sepia Mutiny which present Jinnah as a pork and wine lover.
[quote post=”301″].but you write more about your dislikness for Gandhi than about your admiration for Jinnah.[/quote]
Saima,I thinkyou shouldnot blame to YLH.Your own several posts reflecting dislikeness against Jinnah so its all about ‘mind game’ rather reality.