Jinnah’s genuineness
THIS is the birth month of an underweight boy who turned world history with his weighty vision and will power. He was always willing to win and succeed.
Whole of his life from childhood till death was based on his genuineness and he worked miracles. He never surrendered at any point on principles. He occupied a place which was unique.
He felt even when he was just a boy that he has got nothing in common with common men. He became the Father of his Nation and led his people to the land of their own.
When his father, who was a rich merchant, came to a collapse of a business litigation which swallowed up all amounts he asked Mohammad Ali to come back to take charge of his business, Mohammad Ali answered that he will demand no expenses for his education but will not leave his education and will complete it in England.
He was always hopeful for his victories. He came to Bombay and enrolled himself as a barrister in high court. He had full confidence of his determination and firmness.
He always chose difficult path of honor. This puny person knew his inner strength and word impossible was alien for him.
Soon this graceful, charming and well dressed barrister came into the notice of 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.He was a match to any English lawyer.
When as a lawyer he appeared in the courts to all wonder he had his case by heart but every word to be weighed before it was uttered.
His legal wisdom, courage and devotion made him very soon prosperous. During the period of his practice, there are many interesting stories.
A well known Hindu business man who had a series of charges against him went to Jinnah and asked him how much it would cost him to take up the case. Mr.Jinnah bluntly answered, five hundred rupees a day.
Businessman was conscious and asked how long the case would go on, I have only five thousand rupees with me, will you accept it to cover the whole of your fee.
Mr.Jinnah accepted the amount in lump sum, Mr.Jinnah won the case within three days and kept with him only rupees fifteen hundred as it was decided in pre-hand and gave him back the remaining money.
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 equally for Muslim and Hindu clients or poor and well off alike. Throughout his career as barrister he remained honest incredibly.
The ruthless policy of British Rule under the name of law and order forced him to come out and he jumped into politics to safeguard the rights of the Mohammedans.
He fought for them single handed and at the cost of his health. He worked for fourteen hours.
He was usually taken as a fashionable Europeanized person who hardly knew about the religion but the people who knew him from close quarters say that he was a practical religious man.
On one occasion he himself said that Mohammad (PBUH) was a messenger of God and I am the messenger of Mohammad (PBUH) and want to give a separate state to practice Muhammadism liberally.
He was very strict in discipline and orderliness. Once an overzealous student broke up the queue to have a near look of Mr.Jinnah but he at once said to the students, “Queue up yourself. ”
This severe reprimand persuaded the students. 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, no doubt, an exacting master but the men who worked with him were devoted to him, some of them were tantalized with his quiet nature but they never disobeyed him.
One of his staff members depicts that one day when the Quaid was on ailing bed I went to his room to tell something about an official chore, he short-temperedly waved me out.
I left the room immediately, but after a few minutes the phone rang and that was Mr.Jinnah on the line who was very kind and asked for his apologies.
He said, “I am old and ailing and sometimes I am impatient, I hope you will forgive me for my bad behavior.
” He was a cold and reserved person but most favorable. His disease was making him shockingly weak but no sooner he felt a bit better he would run to his working desk.
He was called stubborn and inflexible, but he was that as for the interest of his people and not for his own interest.
He worked round the clock but no one saw him dozing or yawning on the working desk, he always seemed to stand at attention and red 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 ostentation or to win over the people.
His doctor always related his behavior with medical history. In his heart he was extraordinarily soft and free of petty prejudices.
His doctors says once when the enmity between Hindus and Muslims was on the high I went to his house, I saw his Hindu butler, I said rather in a joke, “Sir are you not afraid of your Hindu Butler, he may do any harm to you, he smiled and said “Oh no I like him and trust him”.
His judgment about the men and matters was unquestionable. He proved himself an iron man, and underwent a long difficult path filled with thorns with ailing feet but never tottering, never shaking without any signs of tiring.
It was August 7th, 1947 a viceroy’s Silver Dakota was standing on the Delhi airport, a slim saintly exhausted but firm figure attired in a stainless white sherwani, walks towards the aircraft.
Flight lieutenant Rabbani carries a cane basket full of documents, a servant carries a bundle of newspapers, as he steps down towards the aircraft and his face is pale but glowing with emotions.
He pauses for a while, 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 taxis out he whispers and that’s the end of that, I never expected Pakistan in my life.
As I write this article, I am reminded as to what the Quaid-e-Azam envisioned his country as the father of the nation but in the history of Pakistan we 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 journalist, based in Germany.
