I'm sorry my good mate but I'm at at loss with that part.
Wouldn't a secular state protect those minorities better?
Are you saying that both of these founding Fathers and
also the presence of a Turner indicate an initial state at
the very least of qaum-type community?
And if that is indeed what you meant, does it not posit
that what is called Pakistan today had its inception not
to say true independence in 1971 ... more than in '47?
I'm also under the disturbing impression that islamic &
muslim are seemingly interchangeable in some excerpts
and which is more dismaying in some posts.
Let's hope it's only my ignorance at play.
Great day Niaz and all, Tay.
In my view Islam & Muslim are two different things. Most Pakistanis such as I are Muslim because we are born to Muslim parents.
Mohammed Abduh is a famous scholar from a famous Islamic University. Mohammed Abduh was granted the degree of 'Alim ("teacher") in 1877and later employed as a teacher of logic, theology and ethics at al-Azhar. In 1878, he was also appointed professor of history at Cairo's Darul Ulum permit me to use his famous saying:
“I went to the West and saw Islam, but no Muslims; I got back to the East and saw Muslims, but not Islam.”
―
Muhammad Abduh
(1849-1905)
Sheikh Muhammad Abduh
Head of Islamic Verdict Body (Mufti) In Egypt & Most Islamic Countries.
IMO in addition to copying the holy prophet (PBUH) in sporting correct length of the beard, wearing higher than ankle dress and observing regular prayers and fasting, Islam also involves practicing the Islamic virtues like honesty/fair dealing, justice, courtesy, courage, charity, kindness, patience, perseverance, righteousness and prudence. Regrettably most of my countrymen lack the virtues which represent the spirit of Islam. Whatever Sheikh Mohammed Abduh observed at the dawn of the 20th century with reference to Egypt is very true at the dawn of 21st century for most of Pakistani Muslims.
Majority of the religious leaders of the subcontinent considered All India Muslim League and her leaders such as Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (reportedly member of Freemasons), Agha Khan and the Quaid as ‘Westernised Elite’ lacking the knowledge and thus moral authority to create an Islamic State. For example Maulana Maudoodi wrote
“To pronounce these people fit for leading Muslims for the simple reason that they are experts of Western type politics and masters of Western organizational arts, and are deeply in love with their people, is a manifestation of an unIslamic viewpoint and reflects ignorance of Islam”. (
Muslims and the Present Political Turmoil” P.70)
Even Ch. Rahmat Ali, the man credited with giving Pakistan its name, believed that by agreeing to the terms of June 3 Plan, Jinnah had sold out the Muslim “Millet” and therefore had played the role of an agent of the Hindus and the British.
The point I am trying to make is that current belief of the people brainwashed by the extremist ideology that Pakistan was meant to be an Islamic State like that of Saudi Arabia is totally incorrect. How can westernized leaders of Muslim League intend to create a fundamentalist Islamic State?
Another point that you raised was wouldn’t a secular state protect minorities better. Sadly No; at least in the case of the subcontinent because of the mind-set of the people.
India is a declared secular state, but we see attacks on Muslims and Christians by the Shiv Sena and BJP/RSS karsaveks. Babri masjid was demolished by BJP karsaveks in presence of the police sent to safeguard the same.
The bitter truth being that despite having laws and the court decrees; majority will always have a tendency to persecute the minority primarily because most of the lawyers, judges and the police also belong to the majority community. Pakistani laws also guarantee minorities freedom to practice their religion but the churches are bombed and PTI gov't of Imran Khan donates Rs 300-million to the breeding school of the extremists.
No need to change Pakistan into a secular state; what is needed is to find an antidote to the poison of extremism nourished by the bigot Zia ul Haq and now cherished by the extremist sympathisers.