From: jakhan@IASTATE.EDU (Javed Ahmed Khan)
Subject: Re: Pakistan
Reply-To: jakhan@IASTATE.EDU (Javed Ahmed Khan)
Organization: Iowa State University
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 00:25:42 GMT

In article <ljc5vuINN9h9@pageboy.cs.utexas.edu>, hyder@cs.utexas.edu (Syed Irfan
Hyder) writes:
> In article <1992Dec18.120229@IASTATE.EDU> jakhan@IASTATE.EDU (Javed Ahmed
Khan) writes:
> >
> >Thats the whole problem. Pakistan was a "dream" of but one man
> >which sought to play with the destinies of millions. (Reminds me of Lenin
and
> >Co. !!)
> 
> That's the whole problem. When we talk of dreams we get reminded of
> Lenin and Co and, so we despair.
> 



One can't really help it. After seeing the destruction wrought by the "dreams"
of a few men in the USSR, one can't help being skeptic of "dreams" and of
people
who have these "dreams".


Also you didn't get my point. The Pakistan "dream" was a dream of a man which
was sought to be made the "dream" of the millions of muslims and the "nightmare"
of millions of hindus and other non-muslims who were forced to abandon their
homeland because of this crazy dream.





> You see, our problem is that we look upto wrong people for guidance.
> Do we have only Lenin to look up to? 



Do we have only Iqbal to look up to? 

Was his dream true and right? A dream that subsisted on the division of peoples
in the name of religious labels. 

Why was he unable to see that the ideology of the state he wished to create
would necessarily discriminate against non-muslims; that it would lead neighbor
to fight neighbor; cause the massacre of millions of innocent people.

Why did he believe that a true "islamic" society could only be created by 
creating an "islamic" state? 

More importantly did he have any right to blackmail non-muslims who would 
unfortunately be part of this "islamic" state, because they couldn't accept the
option to leave their homeland otherwise, to accede to a system that they felt
would be inequitible to them as non-muslims.



> 
> No, we have Quran that gives us guidance. It deputes us (Muslims) to
> be the vicegerents of Allah!



Perhaps you could furnish some evidence from the Quran where it states that
its the God-ordained duty of all muslims to drive out non-muslims from their
lands or force them to accept the supremacy of muslims and create a political
entity -> an "islamic" state.  


Don't quote some hadith because I don't accept it as divine or in any way
binding. Just quote the Quran.





> 
> Do we have the aspirations, vigor, and vitality that goes with this
> deputation?
> 
> If not, then we are only ourselves to be blamed.
> 
>    Tu aey shirminda-e- sahil uch-chah keay bay karaaN ho jaa!
> 
>    O' you, who seeks the safety of the coast line, from the 
> 	tumult of the ocean
>    jump and become limitless in time and space!
> 		[iqbal]



This a very sublime idea. Unfortunately Iqbal sought to soil its essence
by looking through a "muslim/non-muslim" looking glass when he sought to apply
it to affect society.




> >
> >
> >Its so easy to conjure up visions of utopia in a "dream" but it does not
take
> >into account the realities of life and human beings. It so easy to suggest
that
> >muslims and hindus form a different nation, that there are "differences"
which
> >are unsurmountable and that the only solution is to ask people to uproot
> >themselves from their land and forsake neighbors with whom they had
relations
> >for generations and cause the massacre of a few millions, just for the 
> >fulfilment of one man's dream.
> 
> 
> The wonderful lesson given by Iqbal and Jinnah was that
> 
> 	you can also dream, and then make it a reality!
> 
> If their dream didn't go far enough from you point of view
> then dream a better dream, be better than Jinnah, and make
> it a reality. 



No way. The zeal of Jinnah and Iqbal was admirable only as far as their
determination was concerned. But it stops right there. 



> If Jinnah can do it in 20 years, I am sure
> you can do it in 10 years!!!!
> 



Create more Pakistans and cause the massacre of a couple of millions?




> Finally, the difference between our point of view is this:
> 	An optimist sees an opportunity in every difficulty
> 	a pessimist sees a difficulty in every opportunity.
> 


Its better to be a pessimist when such grandiose "dreams" are dreamt. It
would at least lease a few more years to an innocent life.




--Javed.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.pakistan,soc.culture.bangladesh,soc.culture.indian