Ideology of Pakistan Introduction

Ideology assumes unique significance in the creation of Pakistan. Pakistan came into being as a result of movement which was inspired by

ideology of Pakistan. Ideology of Pakistan provided main rationale behind Pakistan movement.

What is ideology? Ideology is comprised of two words, “ideas” and “logos” which mean

“system of ideas”. The term gained popular currency after the publication of Karl Marx’s

book “German Ideology”

Origin and characteristics of ideology The word first made its appearance in French as idéologie at the time of

the French Revolution, when it was introduced by a philosopher, A.-L.-C. Destutt de Tracy, as a short name for what he called his “science of ideas,” which he claimed to have adapted from the epistemology of the philosophers John Locke for whom all human knowledge was knowledge of ideas.

Ideology in the stricter sense stays fairly close to Destutt de Tracy's original conception and may be identified by five characteristics:

(1) It contains an explanatory theory of a more or less comprehensive kind about human experience and the external world.(2) It sets out a program, in generalized and abstract terms, of social and political organization. (3) It conceives the realization of this program as entailing a struggle.(4) It seeks not merely to persuade but to recruit loyal adherents, demanding what is sometimes called commitment.(5) It addresses a wide public but may tend to confer some special role of leadership on intellectuals.

Meaning\ Definition A form of social or political philosophy in which practical elements are as

prominent as theoretical ones. It is a system of ideas that aspires both to explain the world and to change it. (Encyclopedia Britannica 2007)

1: visionary theorizing, 2 a: a systematic body of concepts esp. about human life or culture b: a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or culture c: the integrated assertions, theories and aims that constitute a sociopolitical program. (Merriam Webster’s Dictionary).

It’s a modern concept. It came into use in English language and literature in the late 19th century. (International Encyclopedia of Social Sciences).

The science of ideas. (Oxford Learner Dictionary).

The final scientific shape of ideas or concepts which flourish through time and experience.

The philosophy of a particular system. Intellectual study of the principles and ideals of a specific organization or

movement.

Role of Ideology Ideology has a great bearing on the process and growth of history. It has always played a very important role in the making of a society and a

nation. Islamic ideology played key role in the development of Islamic society

and polity in the early and medieval ages. Parliamentary ideology which had converted the royal England into

parliamentary England. Democratic ideology which played role in French revolution. The communist ideology which transformed feudal Russia into communist

Russia. Socialist ideology which converted imperial China into socialist China. Zionist ideology helped the Zionists in establishing the state of Israel. And above all, it was the religio- political ideology of the Indian Muslims,

which played a remarkable role in the emergence of Pakistan.

Significance of ideology Ideology plays an important role in nation building. It is considered as one of the important factor among the subjective factors

of nationhood. Ideology plays a binding role and it units’ people belonging to various

races, around a single platform. It provides self consciousness of being one and the worth of ideology

depends upon people’s commitment to it. This significance of ideology is also acknowledged by western

philosophers as well. For example Hertz considers the presence of consciousness as a prerequisite for a nation. He has defined nation in these terms;“There could be no nation without sufficient degree of consciousness”.

This consciousness is provided by ideology. In Islam, the concept of ideology is entirely different from western

conception. Islamic concept of nationhood is essentially ideological. Islamic ideology plays a unifying function, it gives Muslims self

consciousness of being one. Iqbal has defined nation in terms of unity of thoughts.

What is ideology of Pakistan? The emergence of Pakistan on the world map in August 1947 was

unquestionably the most striking and unique development in the whole range of modern world history.

It changed the course of history and the destiny of people in South Asia. Such a development and a miracle like that could have never taken place,

had there been no definite ideology working behind it. The passing of the Lahore resolution by the A.I.M.L on March 23, 1940,

didn’t simply embody a scheme for a separate independent sovereign state for Indian Muslims but it had actually given them a new destiny and a new ideology.

And this new destiny and new ideology later came to be popularly known as Pakistan Ideology.

Ideology of Pakistan: Components The creation of Pakistan was the outcome of ideological nationalism

evoked by two- nation theory and Pakistan came into being as an independent state.

It consists of two components: a) Islamic ideology, b) Two Nation Theory. Islamic ideology: is the aggregate of collective teachings of Islam as

provided by Quran and Sunnah. It aims at development of society based on the injunction of Islam. The salient features of Islamic ideology are:

1) Universalism of Islam : Islam is a universal religion and its message is not meant for any specific race, territory and community.

2) Humanism : Second conspicuous feature of Islamic ideology is humanism. It is enshrined in human values and caters for the requirements of all human beings.

3) Islam is a complete code of life: Islam doesn’t divide life into watertight compartments such as divine, temporal, material or spiritual etc. In Islam, there is no bifurcation between spirit and matter, church and state. They form a part of integrated whole.

4) Islam maintains a balance between individualism and collectivism. Two nation theory: that Hindus and Muslims are separate nations. India

has never been an abode of a single nation, rather it was always inhabited by two or more nations and among them Hindus and Muslims were two distinct nations.

The two nation theory provided conceptual inspiration behind Pakistan movement and Muslim struggle. Ideology of Pakistan was based on two nation theory. With the passage of time two nation theory evolved into ideology of Pakistan.

Interpretation of Ideology of Pakistan

Ideology of Pakistan means that Pakistan was created as a state in which Muslims would be provided with every opportunity to preserve their separate cultural identity.

The creation of Pakistan was the outcome of the desire to enable Muslims to order their lives according to the teachings of Quran and Sunnah.

Another interpretation of ideology of Pakistan is that it was created to provide complete freedom and religious liberty to Muslims. A conducive environment in which Muslims could implement the collective teachings of Islam.

Ideology of Pakistan in its true sense may be equated with Islam. Ideology of Pakistan is another name of Islamic ideology.

Ideology in the light of founder’s perception:

Allama Iqbal: Iqbal was elected as the president of A.I.M.L in March 1932.

1) He said, “We should infuse Islam in our individual and collective life ….. which might become helpful for a strong country”

2) Iqbal on pan-Islamism said, “Muslims should unequivocally declare that they regard themselves as a nation, separate from other nations in India, and they like to live as such. They desire to exits as a separate cultural entity.”

Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah: In March 1940, he said1) “Muslims are a nation according to any definition of a nation. They

must have their homeland, territory and a state. We wish to live in peace with our neighbors as a free and independent people.”

2) In 1941, Jinnah declared that the ideology of A.I.M.L would be Islam.

3) On 2nd March 1941 he said, “we are a nation and a nation must have a territory. Nation doesn’t live in the air, it lives on the land. It must govern land and it must have a territorial state that is what you want to get.”

Evolution of ideology of Pakistan The evolution started when first non-Muslim embraced Islam in

India. According to Prof. Munawar Mirza, this quotation of Quiad e

Azam may be said in these terms, “The conversion of first Muslim was insignificant. What was significant was that it give birth to a new ideology which was to survive. Individual die but ideologies do not. ”

The evolution of ideology of Pakistan started in real sense in 19 th

century under the British subjugation. This realization resulted into

two responses the islamists, as ulema declared India as ‘Dar-ul-Harb’, and ‘Abode of War’ and vowed to transform it into ‘Dar-ul- Islam’. So the traditionalist’s desire was to purge India of all un-Islamic influences.

The other response came from modernists in their quest for establishment of a territorial state despite of Islamic ideology. Their desire took the shape of demand for establishment of a state. For instance Iqbal while addressing Aligarh students in 1910 said, “Islam is a state.”

In 1915 Ch. Rehmat Ali while addressing Bazm-e-Shibli declared, “Northern India is Muslim and we will transform it into a Muslim state.”

In 1930, Iqbal provided a geography to this conception in his famous Allabad address, he identified the areas where the proposed Muslim state was to be created.

In 1933, Ch. Rehmat Ali coined the term Pakistan. This demand received further impetus with the popularity of partition proposals in 1930s.

Thus, TNT evolved into a specific ideology till the 1940s.

Significance of ideology of Pakistan: Basis of a separate state. Crush the myth of antinationalism of united India. Basis of Pakistan movement. Beacon of light, guiding principle for the state of Pakistan. Main rationale behind creation of Pakistan. Basis of Pakistan’s unity i.e. Islam.

Differences between two nation theory and ideology of Pakistan: TNT started in 7th century, where as ideology took birth in the 19th century. TNT is the basis of ideology of Pakistan not vice versa. TNT is the basis of Muslim nationhood; ideology is the basis of statehood. TNT provides with a rationale of “united against Hindus”, where as ideology

provided with the rationale of “united for Pakistan.” TNT ended in 1947, where as ideology still exits in Pakistan’s context and has

intricate the state.