LAHORE, Aug 09 (APP): The association between Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal is a significant chapter in the history, particularly in the context of making the creation of a separate homeland possible for the Muslims of Subcontinent.
Both the figures have played a pivotal role in the ideological and political formation for a separate homeland through their individual and collaborative contributions.
Professor Yousaf Irfan, a scholar, columnist and writer, said that Allama Muhammad Iqbal, not only through his poetry and philosophical works, focused on awakening of Muslim community’s consciousness but also laid the foundation for a separate homeland.
He said that the vision of Iqbal was rooted in his belief that Muslims of India constituted a distinct nation with their own religious and cultural identity. “Iqbal believed that this identity needed to be preserved and protected in the face of growing Hindu majoritarianism,” he added.
He noted that Iqbal’s idea of a separate Muslim state was not just a political solution but also a philosophical and spiritual one. “Iqbal viewed Islam as a comprehensive way of life and believed that a Muslim state would allow the community to spend their lives according to Islamic principles. Iqbal’s philosophical writings, including ‘The Reconstruction of Religious Thoughts in Islam’, reflect his vision of a modern, dynamic Islamic society,” he added.
He mentioned that Iqbal’s vision was most explicitly presented in his presidential address to the Muslim League in Allahabad in 1930. “In this address, Iqbal articulated the idea of a consolidated Muslim state in the northwest of India, comprising Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and the North-West Frontier Province (now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa),” he added. However, later, Allama Iqbal also included the eastern part of India, comprising united Bengal, in his idea, as it emerged from correspondence between Jinnah and Iqbal in the 1930s, he added.
He said that Iqbal had a firm belief that only Quaid-i-Azam had the ability to lead the struggle for a separate homeland for Muslims. In his poetry, Iqbal declared Jinnah as the leader of the time because of his truthfulness, which is why he persuaded Quaid-i-Azam to return to India and lead Muslims in the 1930s.
“Although other Muslim leaders also wrote letters and asked Jinnah to come back and lead the Muslim League, Allama Iqbal exercised great influence in this regard,” he added.
He said that Iqbal welcomed Jinnah the most when he decided to return to India, and also played a pivotal role in the re-organization of the All India Muslim League along with Jinnah. He said that Iqbal and Jinnah made Punjab their base and jointly initiated the movement for a separate homeland. He added that Hindus and the British tried their best to create a rift between the two leaders, but all their efforts proved futile.
“Iqbal encouraged Jinnah to take a firm stance on Muslim rights and supported his leadership in the Muslim League. Although Iqbal did not live to see the creation of Pakistan, his vision and support provided Jinnah with a philosophical foundation for his political efforts,” he added.
Talking to APP, Professor Sharafat Ali Khan, a scholar and retired professor of Pakistan Studies, said that Allama Muhammad Iqbal was the first Muslim leader of united India who articulated the idea of a separate Muslim state in the northwest of India.
While Iqbal provided the philosophical vision, Jinnah was the political architect who turned this vision into reality, he added. He said that Jinnah’s association with the idea of a separate Muslim state evolved over time, and his relationship with Iqbal was crucial in shaping his thoughts on the necessity of a separate homeland for Muslims. “The correspondence taking place between the two leaders in the 1930s reveals that Iqbal greatly influenced Jinnah’s thinking, besides other Muslim leaders,” he added.
He said the Lahore Resolution of 1940, often referred to as the ‘Pakistan Resolution’, marked a turning point in the Indian Muslims’ struggle for a separate state. Jinnah’s unwavering stance, his diplomatic skills, and his ability to unite the Muslim community under the banner of the Muslim League were critical in achieving the goal of Pakistan,” he added.
The creation of Pakistan in 1947 was the culmination of a long and arduous struggle, with both Iqbal and Jinnah playing vital roles. Iqbal is referred as the “Spiritual Father of Pakistan” due to his early articulation of the idea for a separate Muslim state and his philosophical contribution to the movement. Jinnah, as the ‘Quaid-i-Azam’ (Great Leader), is credited with providing the political leadership that brought Iqbal’s vision to fruition.
The legacy of Iqbal and Jinnah continues to shape Pakistan’s national identity. Iqbal’s ideas about Islam and the Muslim community’s role in the modern world remain influential in Pakistani thought and politics. Jinnah’s vision of Pakistan as a democratic state with equal rights for all citizens, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or gender, continues to inspire debates about the country’s direction.
The association between Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal was pivotal in the creation of Pakistan. Iqbal’s philosophical and ideological foundation provided the vision, while Jinnah’s political acumen and leadership realized that vision.
APP/syh/taj (APP Feature Service)