Ideology

Origin: Greek origin and composed of two Greek words Idea and Logy.
Idea means: Concept of a thing in God’s mind.
Logy Means: Discourse, Theory, Science, Treatise or Doctrine
Coined By: French Philosopher, Destutt de Tracy in French Revolution.
Coined word: Ideologie
Etymological meaning: “Study or science of ideas”
French Meaning: systematic set of ideas, doctrines through which the world is interpreted.
Used in English: In 1907
Definition: “Set of opinions, beliefs, theories or principles held by an individual, group or
society to provide legitimacy to their actions.”
Importance
• Ideology acts as a backbone for the structure of a nation without which there would be
no concept of a nation or a nation-state.
• It is a binding force that combines all the components of the structure of a nation
together.
• It gives its followers a unanimous move towards evolution or revolution. No nation
can get its motives accomplished without wholly sticking to its ideology.
Emergence
When people are being mistreated in a social order and that a prevailing ideology (if exists)
does not support their cause.
Types of Ideology
Different philosophers conceive a different definition of ideology, so there are many types of
ideology according to their perspectives. Some of very important are as under;
1- Political Ideology
2- Religious Ideology
3- Communist Ideology
4- Secular Ideology, etc.

Ideology of Pakistan
Background
• Quaid once said that Muslim nationalism is said to have started when first Muslim
set foot in India.
• Arab traders introduced new religion to locals i.e., Islam in Indian Coastal Areas
e.g., Moplahs of Malabar.
• Muhammad Bin Qasim-712 A.D consolidated Southern India (Multan and Sindh).

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 • Mahmood of Ghazna started attacking India from northern side between 1000 A.D
and 1025 A.D. and made 17 attacks. It opened the gates to preach Islam but historians
have a difference of opinion regarding his attacks some of them are off the opinion
that every time he came to India, he did not consolidate the Indian land which was
most important for preaching Islam but rather plundered India and went back to
Ghazni in Afghanistan.
• Qutub ud-Din-1206 A.D (founder of slave dynasty-Delhi Sultanate) was the first one
who consolidated India.
• Strong Muslim community was setup and emerged in India who had their own
customs, heroes, traditions, history, and culture.
• Bhakti movement and Deen-i-Ilahi was opposed by the Ulema to preserve pure
Islamic character.
• Islamic conversions through social justice and equality.
• Muslim Downfall:
o Industrial revolution of Britain
o Better weaponry by the British
o Economic and Moral degradation of Mughals
o Fight between successors
o Aurangzeb’s Deccan policy
o Aurangzeb’s religious policy
• The blame on Muslims for War of Independence (1857)
• Hindi-Urdu controversy
• Backwardness of Muslims because they were not given equal opportunities. This
paved the way for identifying the separate identity of Muslims.
• Indian National Congress in 1885 did not serve the rights of Muslims, Sir Syed
advised the Muslims not to join it.
• Muhammaden educational Conference in 1886
• All India Muslim League in 1906 from Dhaka
Muslims future in Hindu dominated India is not secure where Hindus are in majority and
western democracy would be off no interest for Muslims where Muslims might not protect
their rights. Muslims realized that they are separate entity so demanded separate electorate.

Nationalism: It is an idea flourished after French Revolution or the independence of 13

American states in late 18th century. It is an idea that promotes the interests of a particular
group with the aim of gaining and maintaining the nation’s sovereignty (right of self-rule)
over its homeland to create a nation state.

Evolution through Two Nation’s Theory: The new ideology- nationhood or nation
state, bought by almost every other country in the world at that time was not accepted by
Muslims of India. Rather they started Muslim nationalism and after Hindi-Urdu controversy
Two Nation’s Theory was given to Muslims by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan.
1- Allama Iqbal evolved his political ideology from pan-Islamism and provided
philosophical explanation of a separate state for Muslims which is to be demarcated
through contiguous units/provinces.
2- Quaid i-Azam translated Iqbal’s political ideology into political reality i.e., Pakistan.

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 3- This ideology was legally sanctioned by the objective resolution in March 1949.
Principles of Muslim Nationalism
i- Rule of law, socio-economic justice, equity, and fair play.
ii- Equal opportunities to all the citizens irrespective of caste, sect, religion, or region.
iii- Religious and cultural tolerance.
iv- Respect of human dignity.
v- Protection of the rights of non-Muslims and freedom to practice their beliefs.
Criticism on traditional ideologue of Pakistan
Some historians are off the view that Pakistan’s ideology is the most misunderstood and politically
misused concepts in Pakistan. Some relate it with the Two Nations Theory which was the basis of
creation of Pakistan while others bracket it with Islamic Ideology. Both of them are not true because if
we take the first argument as valid then the interpretation is that we could not achieve according to the
ideology of Pakistan because Two Nation’s Theory suggests that Pakistan was to be created for a
separate homeland for Muslims and that we could not achieve because most of the Muslims remained
in India and secondly if this has to be the argument for an ideology then there would be an open ended
option for any minority to demand for separation within Pakistan.

The other argument is of Islamic ideology which is also not the case because if Islam is an
ideology, then there should be no boundaries as Iqbal suggested of Pan-Islamism or Hussain
Ahmad Madni suggested the United Nationalism.
So, it can only be the source of an ideology rather than an ideology.
Sources of Pakistan’s ideology
The sources of Pakistan’s ideology can be well comprehended by the First National
Educational Conference in November 1947 which recommended the propagation of
Pakistan’s ideology.
1- Islamic Principles
a- Pakistan is a nation-state, a country with definite geographical boundaries
containing a nation within those territorial limits. In contrast, Islam is a religion
which is above these human constructs and brings into its fold a universal
following. Islamic Ideology is immutable while Pakistan’s ideology is subject to
change, capable of reinterpretation in the light of objective realities.
b- Pakistan ka matlab kya La Illaha Illalah.
c- It can be one of the sources of Pakistan’s ideology because had it been observing
Islam properly, all the functionalities would have been Islamic as we can see in
Saudi Arabia and Iran.
2- Quaid’s Vision
In an interview to Reuters in 1946, he said “The new state,” he said, “would be a
modern democratic state with sovereignty resting in the people and the members of
the new nation having equal rights of citizenship regardless of their religion, caste or
creed.”
3- Constitution
Constitution of Pakistan is the third source of Pakistan Ideology. In fact, its Principles
of Policy such as Islamic way of life, democratic form of government, full

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 participation of women, protection of family, protection of minorities, promotion of
social justice and economic wellbeing of the people and strengthening of bonds with
the Muslim world and promoting international peace are the basic pillars of Pakistan
Ideology.
4- Global connection
Last source of Pakistan’s Ideology stems from its being a responsible member of
international community in general and being one of the founding members of the
United Nations in particular. It is a signatory to large number of global and regional
conventions and treaties which have been ratified by the Parliament and implanted
through proper legislation.
Objectives of Pakistan’s establishment
1- Sovereignty of God
2- Islamic Democracy
3- Revival of Muslim Image and identity
4- Protection of Muslim culture and civilization
5- Two-Nation’s Theory
6- Establishment of Balanced Economic System

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