Ideology of Pakistan Part 3/3 – Islamic State
“We have to fight a double-edged battle, one against the Hindu Congress and the other against British Imperialists, both of them being capitalists. The Muslims demand of Pakistan where they could rule according to their own code of life and according to their own cultural growth, traditions and Islamic Laws.” In fact, the demand was to establish a real “Islamic State” to show the world as to how humanity could benefit by practicing Islam as a system.
In a message to N. W. F. P Muslim Students Federation in April 1943, he said:
“You have asked me to give you a message. What message can I give you? We have got the great message in the Quran for our guidance and enlightenment.”
In his Eid festival message to the nation in 1945, he said:
“Every Muslim knows that the injunctions of the Quran are not confined to religious and moral duties. “From the Atlantic to the Ganges”, says Gibbon, “The Quran is acknowledged as the fundamental code, not only of theology, but of civil and criminal jurisprudence, and the laws which regulate the actions, and the property of mankind are regulated by the immutable sanctions of the Will of Allah”. Everyone, except those who are ignorant, knows that the Quran is the general code of the Muslims.
A religious, social, civil, commercial, military, judicial, criminal penal code; it regulates everything from the ceremonies of religion to those of daily life; from the salvation of the soul to the health of the body; from morality to crime, from punishment here to that in the life to come, and our Prophet (p.b.u.h) has enjoined on us that every Muslim should possess a copy of the Quran and be his own priest. Therefore, Islam extends beyond spiritual tenets, doctrines, rituals, and ceremonies. It is a complete code regulating the whole Muslim Society in every department of life, collective and individually.”
In August 1941, Quaid-e-Azam went to Hyderabad (Deccan) and there gave an interview to the students of the Usmania University. The replies he gave to the students’ questions explain the Ideology of Pakistan in a comprehensive way. In my opinion, you do not need anything further to understand these basic foundations. Here are extracts from that interview:
QUOTE:
Question: What are the essential features of religion and a religious State?
Answer: When I hear the word “religion”, my mind thinks at once, according to the English language and the British usage, of private relation between man and God. But I know fully well that Islam does not restrict the word to its English connotation. I am neither a Moulvi nor a Mulla, nor do I claim knowledge of theology. But I have studied in my own way, the Holy Quran and Islamic tenets. This magnificent Book is full of guidance respecting all human life, whether spiritual or economic, political or social, leaving no aspect untouched.
Question: What is the distinctive feature of Islamic State?
Answer: We must not overlook the special feature of the Islamic State. There, obedience is — due to God and God alone. This takes practical shape in the observance of the Quranic principles and commands. In Islam, obedience is due neither to a king, nor to a parliament, nor to any other organization. It is the Quranic provisions which determine the limits of our freedom and restrictions in political and social spheres. In other words, Islamic State is an agency for enforcement of Quranic principles and injunctions.
UNQUOTE
In a broadcast talk to the people of the United States of America on Pakistan, recorded in February 1948, i.e. in his capacity as Governor General of Pakistan, he said:
“The Constitution of Pakistan has yet to be framed by the Pakistan Constituent Assembly. I do not know what the ultimate shape of this constitution is going to be, but I am sure that it will be of a democratic type, embodying the essential principles of Islam. Today, they are as applicable in actual life as they were 1,300 years ago. Islam and its idealism have taught us democracy. It has taught equality of man, justice and fair play to everybody. We are the inheritors of these glorious traditions and are fully alive to our responsibilities and obligations as framer of future constitution of Pakistan. In any case, Pakistan is not going to be a theocratic state – to be ruled by priests with a divine mission.”
I have already explained what “democracy embodying the essential principles of Islam” means in practice: the ways and means for the implementation of the Quranic laws and principles to be framed by the Ummah (Nation) by mutual consultation, within the immutable boundary lines determined by The Noble Quran. This is what an Islamic State is permitted to do; beyond this it has no authority.
I have stated before that The Noble Quran prescribes a socio-economic order which is unique in its nature. I have so far dealt with its social aspect only. So far as its economic side is concerned, I have addressed it in another article namely “Economic System of Islam” that you can read to know more.
An Islamic State’s main object is to provide individuals with full scope for self-development. This means developing their physical body and personality. Its basic principle is that the individual is the focus of value. Society exists to enable individuals to develop and express themselves fully. It lays primary stress on personal worth.
These principles will compose a society of free individuals. Each enriches his life by working for all. Each individual moves onward by helping others do the same. We should judge this society by its solutions for social and economic problems.
The Noble Quran states that the Islamic State must provide for the basic necessities of all its members. It should also make suitable arrangements to develop their human potentialities. Thereafter, it should extend the same facilities to other human beings and thus make this order universal. A society that fails in this responsibility does not deserve to be called “Islamic”, for, the society that is established in the name of Allah is bound to proclaim (Chapter 6, Verse 151):
قُلْ تَعَالَوْا اَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَیْكُمْ اَلَّا تُشْرِكُوْا بِهٖ شَیْـًٔا وَّ بِالْوَالِدَیْنِ اِحْسَانًا ۚ وَ لَا تَقْتُلُوْۤا اَوْلَادَكُمْ مِّنْ اِمْلَاقٍ ؕ نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَ اِیَّاهُمْ ۚ وَ لَا تَقْرَبُوا الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَ مَا بَطَنَ ۚ وَ لَا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِیْ حَرَّمَ اللّٰهُ اِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ ؕ ذٰلِكُمْ وَصّٰىكُمْ بِهٖ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُوْنَ۱۵۱
Translation:
Say: “Come, I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you from”: Join not anything as equal with Him; be good to your parents; kill not your children on a plea of want; – We provide sustenance for you and for them; – come not nigh to shameful deeds. Whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus, doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom.
No society can discharge this responsibility unless it controls various means of production. It must also have necessary resources available. We should reiterate that this society controls means of production to provide life’s necessities for all members. It must always remember its huge responsibility to ensure everyone’s basic needs are met. If it fails to do so, it will have no right to touch these resources. It will be a clear act of usurpation in that case.
The principle for personality growth in this society is clear. An individual should work hard, earn, and produce. They should keep what is necessary and give the rest to the Islamic State for others’ needs, as is ordained in The Noble Quran (Chapter 2, Verse 219):
یَسْـَٔلُوْنَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَ الْمَیْسِرِ ؕ قُلْ فِیْهِمَاۤ اِثْمٌ كَبِیْرٌ وَّ مَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ ؗ وَ اِثْمُهُمَاۤ اَكْبَرُ مِنْ نَّفْعِهِمَا ؕ وَ یَسْـَٔلُوْنَكَ مَا ذَا یُنْفِقُوْنَ ؕ۬ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ ؕ كَذٰلِكَ یُبَیِّنُ اللّٰهُ لَكُمُ الْاٰیٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُوْنَۙ۲۱۹
Translation:
They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: “In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit.” They ask thee how much they are to spend; Say: “What is beyond your needs.” Thus, doth Allah Make clear to you His Signs: In order that ye may consider-
and in this their attitude should be such as to declare (Chapter 76, Verse 9):
اِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ اللّٰهِ لَا نُرِیْدُ مِنْكُمْ جَزَآءً وَّ لَا شُكُوْرًا۹
Translation:
(Saying),”We feed you for the sake of Allah alone: no reward do we desire from you, nor thanks.
Here arises the question: What incentive motivates an individual to work to full capacity, retain only necessities, and give the rest to society? See Chapter 59, Verse 9:
وَ الَّذِیْنَ تَبَوَّؤُ الدَّارَ وَ الْاِیْمَانَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ یُحِبُّوْنَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ اِلَیْهِمْ وَ لَا یَجِدُوْنَ فِیْ صُدُوْرِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّاۤ اُوْتُوْا وَ یُؤْثِرُوْنَ عَلٰۤی اَنْفُسِهِمْ وَ لَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ ۫ؕ وَ مَنْ یُّوْقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهٖ فَاُولٰٓىِٕكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُوْنَۚ۹
Translation:
But those who before them, had homes (in Medina) and had adopted the Faith, – show their affection to such as came to them for refuge, and entertain no desire in their hearts for things given to the (latter), but give them preference over themselves, even though poverty was their (own lot). And those saved from the covetousness of their own souls, – they are the ones that achieve prosperity.
Professor Hawtrey has said that:
“What differentiates economic systems from one another is the character of the motives they invoke to induce people to work.”
(Quoted by E. H. Carr, in “The New Society”, Page 41-42)
The motives provided by The Noble Quran are unique. The human body develops by what the individual takes.
This constitutes the basic motive for the establishment of the Quranic Economic Order.
There will thus be no capitalism and no landlordism in an Islamic State. Quaid-e-Azam made this abundantly clear during his struggle for the achievement of Pakistan. In his Presidential Address delivered at the Annual Session of the All-India Muslim League, Delhi, on April 24, 1943, he said:
“Here, I should like to give a warning to the landlords and capitalists who have flourished at our expense by a system which is so vicious, which is so wicked, and which makes them so selfish that it is difficult to reason with them. (Tremendous Applause). The exploitation of the masses has gone into their blood. They have forgotten the lessons of Islam. Greed and selfishness have made these people subordinate to the interests of others in order to fatten themselves.
It is true we are not in power today. You go anywhere to the countryside. I have visited villages. There are millions and millions of our people who hardly get one meal a day. Is this civilization? Is this the aim of Pakistan? (Cries of no, no). Do you visualize that millions have been exploited and cannot get one meal a day. If that is the idea of Pakistan, I would not have it. (Cheers). If they are wise, they will have to adjust themselves to the new modern conditions of life. If they don’t, God help them: we shall not help them. (Hear, hear, renewed cheers and applause).”
So, this was the Ideology of Pakistan. But unfortunately, Quaid-e-Azam passed away within a short period of 13 months after partition. But as much as he lived, he tried his best to implement Islamic Social Order as per the plan. May Allah rest his soul in eternal peace. Aameen!