Holding a sheet of a cardboard against the oil lamp to shield the light of the other members of the family from the light of the lamp, an underweight slim boy with powerful shining eyes, which can be termed as “twin lamps of the truth” is sitting against the study table in the small village of Paneli in India. He feels a different object in his mind, something bigger, something more ambitious and a world of his own vision. He wants to occupy the place, which was unique.
His mind is one of the most active. He feels even when he was a boy that he has got nothing in common with common man. His every action marked him out from other boys. All his mates looked upon him as leader and superior. He left for England at the tender age of sixteen for higher education. He spent more and more time in the British museum reading and studying the lives of great men. He passed his Bar-at-Law with distinction and he was the youngest Indian student ever to be called to the Bar. He was too worried about his family, which was going through a worst crisis and waiting for his monetary help. But neither he was disappointed nor he gave up his struggle.
He had full confidence in his determination and firmness. He always chose difficult path of honour. This puny person knew his inner strength and word impossible was alien for him. Soon this graceful, charming and well dressed barrister was noticed by the high society. Within no time he occupied a very strong position at the Bombay Bar. He was considered an authority on question about law. He earned a rapid reputation. When as a lawyer he would appear in the courts, to the utter surprise of all, he remembered his full case by heart but his every word was to be weighed before it was uttered. His legal wisdom, courage and devotion made him prosperous very soon. There are many interesting stories with reference to his practice period. A well-known businessman went to Mohammad Ali and asked him how much it would cost him to take up his case. Jinnah bluntly answered, Five hundred rupees a day. The businessman said, but I have only five thousand rupees with me, will you accept it to cover the whole of your fees. Jinnah accepted the amount in lump sum. Jinnah won the case within three days and kept with him only rupees fifteen hundred as it was decided beforehand and gave him back the remaining amount. He considered his work in the legislature as a moral obligation and not as a stepping stone to personal glory.
He was a trusted lawyer for Muslim and Hindu clients alike. Throughout his career as barrister he remained incredibly honest. After he was established he got married to the daughter of a businessman, but she died at the age of thirty-nine. The death of his beloved wife made him isolated and quiet but he did not give up the struggle of a separate state for his Muslim brethren. The ruthless policy of British rule under the name of law and order forced him to come out of his loneliness and he jumped into politics to safeguard the rights of the Mohammedans. He fought for them single handedly and at the cost of his health. He worked for fourteen hours. He was usually taken as a fashionable Europeanised person who hardly knew about the religion but those who were close to him describe him as a practical religious man. On one occasion he himself said that Muhammad (PBUH) was a messenger of God and I am the messenger of Muhammad (PBUH) and want to give a separate state to the Muslims to practice Muhammadism liberally. He worked miracles with his ailing figure. He was very strict in discipline and orderliness. He was very friendly with people but within the limits of regards and reality. Quaid’s relationship with his staff was very friendly. He was a cold and reserved person but most favourable. Hindus used all their wealth and brains against Jinnah and all British officialdom was against him, even most of his close colleagues were unsupportive of him. His disease was making him shockingly weak but no sooner he felt a bit better he would run to his working desk.
He was seriously ill but he knew that his bad health would put a home to his supreme cause, he constantly concealed his disease with the result his disease gradually crumbled all his inner system. He worked round-the-clock but no one saw him dozing or yawning on the working desk, he always seemed attentive and alert even on the ailing bed. He led a saintly life and never liked hypocrisy, if he didn’t want to do one thing he never did it for any reason such as ostentation or to win over the people. His doctor always related his behaviour with the medical history of his body, otherwise in his heart he was extraordinarily soft and free of petty prejudices. He proved himself an iron man, and underwent a long difficult path filled with thorns with ailing feet but never tottering, never shaking and with no signs of exhaustion. It is August 7th, 1947, a viceroy’s Silver Dakota is standing on the Delhi airport, a slim, saintly, exhausted but firm figure, attired in a stainless white sherwani, walks towards the aircraft with his little court.
Flight lieutenant Rabbani carries a cane basket full of documents, a servant carries a bundle of newspapers, as he moves towards the aircraft, his face is pale but glowing with emotions. He pauses for a moment, looks back towards the city in which he waged a crusade and won Pakistan. He waves his pale bony hand towards people, spellbound in his respect and regard. He said in a very low voice, I suppose this is the last time I will be looking at Delhi. As the aircraft taxies out he whispers and that’s the end of that, I never expected Pakistan in my life. The Quaid-e-Azam envisioned this country as the father of the nation. While assuming the office of Governor General he said, “That Pakistan which I envision will have democratic system based on the consciousness and righteousness of its rulers. I observe that almost all the rulers of Pakistan brought a horrible shatter to the dreams of the Quaid-e-Azam instead. The writer is Senior Columnist based in GERMANY ([email protected])
