Pakistan Studies

Dr. Adeela Ghazanfar

 Evolution of The Muslim Nationalism:
From A Rights Demand To An Exclusive Narrative

 Idea of western/territorial Nationalism

 Changed Political circumstances, socio-economic settings and Role of Identity
markers
 Religious Identities (Reformist movements)
 Islam as an integrating unit
 Concept of Muslims as a Nation developed before the establishment of Pakistan
 Role of religious reformers and political leader
 Services of Shah Wali Allah
1702/03-1762

 A Muslim Religious scholar/reformer in 18th century India

 Opposition to Sectarian conflicts
 Translated Holy Quran in Persian (1737-38)
 Policy of Moderation
 Advised Muslims to shun Hindu rituals
 In 1761 he invited Ahmad Shah Abdali to attack and curb power of Hindu
Marhatas…
 Highlighted importance of religious differences between Muslims & Hindus
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan: the Birth of Indian Muslim ideology

 Intellectual pioneer of the sense of community among Muslims

 Risala Asbab i Baghawat i Hind (Criticism on British)
 Two Nation Theory
 Separate Electorate for local councils
 Indian National Congress 1885
(Advised Muslims not to join)
 Muhammadan Educational Conference (1886)
 Opposition of British Parliamentary System
 Quota for Muslims in Jobs
 Linguistic identity

 Urdu-Hindi Controversy 1867

 Sir Syed felt that it was not possible for Hindus and Muslims to progress
as a single nation. He said:
" I am convinced now that Hindus and Muslims could never become one
nation, as their religion and way of life was quite distinct from each
other.“
 Allama Iqbal and Two Nation
Theory

 Initially, Iqbal was a territorial nationalist

 his poetry contained verses like ‘Tarana-i-Hind’
 His poetry was a critique of the existing societal conditions.
 Education from Europe
 He was aware of the weaknesses in Western culture.
 Capitalism, materialism and lack of spirituality & religion
 ‫‪Iqbal & III phases of his thought‬‬

‫‪Pre-1905:‬‬
‫‪‬‬ ‫‪Focus …. factors for the decline of the Muslims‬‬
‫‪‬‬ ‫‪Indian nationalism/Indian unity.‬‬
‫‪‬‬ ‫;‪Finding similarities and resolving differences‬‬
‫‪‬‬ ‫‪Book Bāng-i-darra, Tarana-i-Hindi‬‬

‫سارے جہاں سے اچھا ہندوستاں ہمارا‬

‫ہم بلبلیں ہیں اس کی‪ ،‬یہ گلستاں ہمارا‬
‫غربت میں ہوں اگر ہم‪ ،‬رہتا ہے دل وطن میں‬
‫سمجھو وہیں ہمیں بھی دل ہو جہاں ہمارا‬
‫مذہب نہیں سکھاتا آپس میں بیر رکھنا‬
‫ہندی ہیں ہم‪ ،‬وطن ہے ہندوستاں ہمارا‬
 A Territorial Nationalist Iqbal

 Poems “New Temple“ & “Indian Anthem“ testify that during his student days
Iqbal was an adherent of the concept of a composite Indian Nationalism.
 In the following verses he appears to be an extremely patriotic and nationalist:

 “O Brahman! If you don't mind I shall tell you the truth. The idols of your
worship have gone obsolete. You think that God is there in the stone idols. To
me every particle of my homeland is an idol for me.”

‫ت خ‬ ‫ج‬ ‫س‬
‫ت‬ ‫پت‬
‫ے‬
‫ے و دا ہ‬‫خ ھر کی مور وں می ں م ھا ہ ت‬
‫ے‬‫اک وطن کا جم ھ کو ہ ر ذرہ دیو ا ہ‬
ِ
 Turning phase

Stay in Europe 1905-08:

 Studied Philosophy (PhD Munich University, Germany)
Took deep interest in tenets of Islam
Started stressing Muslims to get advancements in
philosophy and science
 Iqbal's thinking after 1908 naturally led him to write regarding his
places of pride
II Phase: A Muslim Nationalist
Iqbal

 Return to India, 1908 onward

 Exclusive attention and focus was on the
Indian Muslims
 Talked about the Holy Prophet as the ideal
leader, that the Muslims should follow
 Assured Muslims that they can recover from
their decline
 Negation of Territorial Nationalism
 Against the modern Western concept of
territorial, racial or linguistic nationalism
 In favor of a separate Muslim nationalism
 Iqbal and Islam: Muslim
Nationalism

 Essay entitled: “Political thought in Islam”, in Hindustan Review (1910-1911),

 Expressed differences between Islam and West
 “The law of Islam does not recognize the apparently natural difference of race,
nor the historical differences of nationality…
 The inner cohesion of such a nation would consist not in ethnic or geographic
unity, nor in the unity of language or social tradition, but in the unity of the
religious and political ideal.”
 In short poem entitle ‘Religion’, he addressed his fellow Muslims
 “Do not compare your nation with the nations of the West because, the
nation of the Prophet of Islam is of a different mould. Western nationalism
is based on territory or race but your nationalism gets its strength from
the power of religion.”
 III Phase: Indian Muslim
Nationalist Iqbal

 Islam is a complete code of life

 “The faith of Islam is not just the name of a few beliefs and customs
but it is a complete code of life. In Europe religion is a personal matter
of every person, whereas in Islam, God, universe, spirit and nature
and state are linked with each other.”
 The Allahabad Address December 1930
 “India is a region of such groups which belong to different races,
speak different languages and are followers of different faiths. Two
big groups are Muslims and Hindus. The have nothing in common.
Actually these groups are like two nations and opposite the idea of
a single nation”
 Demand for A Separate Muslim State

(5) Need of A Muslim State

 “India is the largest country of Muslims. If Islam has to exist over here as a
civilized power then it is necessary that it should become centralized in a
particular region”
 “The western democratic system superficially seems bright but actually is very
dark. People are counted and not weighed in it.”
“I wish that Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan and N.W.F.P. should be joined as a separate
state which should be within or outside the British Empire. It is therefore
necessary to establish a Muslim state in the north west that is now the fate of
Indian Muslims. I demand that for the interest of the sub-continent and Islam, a
Muslim state must be formed, the solution to the problems in India lies in it.”
 Allahabad address is a very forceful
 Logical presentation of the Muslim demands
 Response of masses to Iqbal's thought

 Iqbal invoked Islamic concept of state which moved the masses.

 They rallied around the flag of All India Muslim League.
 It was realized by both Hindus and British that division of India was
inevitable.
 The Muslims started their struggle with a single aim to establish an
independent homeland