Liberals believe that Pakistan has come into existence on the basis of secular vision of its founder Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. On the other hand, conservative Muslims believe that foundation of Pakistan was Islam. But question still remains as to the exact version of this identity that may be infused in masses equally acceptable to all factions of society.
As far as Islamic State is concerned, Medina is the epitome of how a state based on Islam may be founded. In Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH we have this perfect example. As traditions of Holy Prophet pbuh are ample evidence of the fact that the struggle of the companions of Holy Prophet pbuh was none other than enforcing the divine injuctions of God on Earth. And they did so for hundreds of years after establishment of Medina. So this becomes an ideal for any confused Pakistani to compare the facts of Medina with the facts of Pakistan Movement.
Now when we come to the struggle for Pakistan, can we boast that all Muslims who were part of that Movement had no other motive except Islam? There is no denial of the fact that there were many who had religious beliefs but when we talk of general consensus of whole nation, I think not all aspiring people had no religious motives.
And those who object my views, my question for them is that did those people who founded Islamic Pakistan bring any Islamic laws until our very own Ziaul Haq enforced Hudood Ordinance, that further brought hate and injustice to society, degraded women. Have we been able to make prayers mandatory by law? Salat is basic ritual of Islam that remains just a moral obligation; people have choice whether they perform it or not. When you have no guts to implement essential prayers as compulsory how on earth are you expecting Pakistan to become a Islamic Republic?
I personally believe that Pakistan was founded not in the same way as State of Medina was established by Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH; therefore not Islamic.
By Izhar Hussain
