Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Allama Iqbal,
Quaid-e-Azam
Concept of Muslims as a Nation developed before the establishment of
Pakistan. Pakistan was the product of this concept of nationhood rather
than Pakistan creating a concept of nationhood.
The beginning of the Muslim nationalism in the Sub-Continent may be
attributed to the first Indian who accepted Islam. The Arab traders had
introduced the new religion, Islam, in the Indian coastal areas.
Muhammad bin Qasim was the first Muslim invader who conquered
some part of India and after that, Mahmud of Ghazna launched 17 attacks
and opened the gate to preach Islam..
The British won over the Muslim rulers due to the industrial and
scientific developments and modern war strategy. The War of
Independence (1857) was a shattering setback to the Indian Muslims who
were held responsible for the rebellion by the British. The prominent
name Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-98) who awakened and guided his
community well in time. His educational drive, the Ali-Garh movement,
proved to be the best means of social mobility for the Muslim gentry
under colonial rule.
• It has been argued that Sir Syed's fear of Hindu domination sowed the seeds for the "Two
Nations Theory" later espoused by the All-India Muslim League, founded in 1906 and led to
its demand for a separate state for the Muslims of India. Sir Syed argued that modern
education and non-political activities might be the key to Muslim advancement. The Ali-Garh
movement produced educated leadership who could protect the Muslims’ rights on the
Western political lines.
• All India Muslim League had been founded in Dhaka to promote loyalty to the British and to
protect and advance the political rights and interests of the Muslims of India. Thus the
concept of ‘separate electorates’ was put forward to dawn a new day for the Indian Muslims.
• The Two-Nation Theory served as the basis of demand for Pakistan by the Muslims in British
India. There are two major nations in British India. The Muslims are not a community but a
nation with a distinctive history, heritage, culture, civilization, and future aspirations.
• The Muslims wanted to preserve and protect their distinct identity and advance their interests
in India. They wanted to order their lives in accordance with their ideals and philosophy of
life without being overwhelmed by an unsympathetic majority.
• Initially, they demanded safeguards, constitutional guarantees and a federal system of
government with powers to the provinces for protection and advancement of their heritage,
identity and interests. Later, they demanded a separate state when neither the British nor the
Hindu majority community was willing to offer those guarantees and safeguards.
Quaid-e-Azam‟s struggle also based on two-
nation theory: Quaid-e-Azam said: “Difference
in India between the two major nations, the
Hindus and the Muslims are thousand times
greater when compared with the continent of
Europe.”
The Development of Muslim Identity and Two-
Nation Theory and Quaid-i-Azam
The role of leadership is very important to put nation
on the way. A good leadership infuses the qualities of
awareness, consciousness, mobilization, sense of
direction, and defense against the adversaries. The
Muslims were lucky having such competent
leadership.
M. A. Jinnah was a history-making leader who
changed the course of history. He possessed a
visionary leadership, commitment to the cause and
political mobilization capacity. He was a Charismatic
Leader in the real sense of the meaning.
• He defined Muslim identity and mobilized them with reference
to Islam and convinced others that Muslims are different from
the Hindus and the Congress. Islamic principles, concepts and
symbols surfaced in his speeches and statements.
• Jinnah believed in the force of Islam as he said that Islam is a
dynamic force that can unite the Muslims. It can help to
overcome the present crisis. It’s a source of inspiration and
guidance providing ethical foundation, a framework, social
order and civilization.
• Jinnah used the term NATION for the Muslims of India in Feb
1935 (Legislative Assembly). He argued that the combination
of religion, culture, race, arts and music. In March 1936
Bombay, he stated that the Muslims could arrive at a
settlement with Hindus as TWO Nations. In 1937, he asserted
that there is also a third party in India, the Muslims. In 1939,
he roared that the Muslims and Hindus are two nations and
they are going to live as a nation and playing part as a nation:
• We are a nation with our own distinctive culture and
civilization, language and literature, names and
nomenclature, sense of values and proportion, legal laws and
moral code, custom and calendar, history and tradition,
aptitudes and ambitions; in
• short, we have our own distinctive outlook on life and of life.
By all cannons of international law, we are a nation.
At initial stages Dr Iqbal was a nationalist by
ideas and his poetry contained verses like
Tarana-i-Hind. His poetry was a critique of the
existing societal conditions. Being educated
from Europe, he knew all weak aspects of the
Western culture. He criticized capitalism,
materialism and lack of spiritualism.
I would like to see the Punjab, NWFP, Sind,
Balochistan amalgamated into a single state as a
self government within the British empire or
without. This is the final destiny of the Muslims of
N.W. India.
Allama Iqbal claimed that the Muslims were a
separate nation in every respect. His own words in
this regard were as follows: “We have a population
of seven crore among all nations of the sub-
continent, we are the most united. In fact, of all the
nations inhabiting the country, Muslims are the
only true nation according to the most modern
definition of the world.”
• Islam can salvage the Muslims
• Islam has always saved Muslim
• Islam is a living and dynamic ideology that
can
• meet modern challenges
• Islam to help them to overcome their internal
• discord and enable them to meet external
challenges
• With spiritualism based derived from Islam
• Ijtehad and Reinterpretation
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was the first Muslim
leader who used the word “NATION” for the
Muslims of Sub-continent. According to Sir
Syed in India there exist two nations, the
Hindus and Muslims. They could not live
together and that as the time would pass the
hostility between the two-nation would grow.
Sir Syed was of the view that Hindus and
Muslims are two separate nations because their
religion, history, culture and civilization were
different from each other.
Sir Syed‟s views about Muslims’
national identity
• 1. That India was a continent, not a country.
• 2. That it was inhabited by a vast population of different races and
different creeds.
• 3. That among these, Hindus and Muslims, were the major nations
on the basis of nationality, religion, customs, cultures, cultural and
historical traditions.
• 4. After the British quit, they could not share the political power
equally. That was simply impossible and inconceivable. 5. The Indian
National Congress was not acceptable to the Muslims.
• 6. Muslims could not accept a democratic set up of western type
because with a one to four ratio of population, they could be enslaved
by the Hindus.
• 7. There would be a disastrous civil war if the Congress persisted in
its policy of yoking together the two nations.
Conclusion
• Ideology of Pakistan and The Two-Nation Theory served as the
basis of demand for Pakistan by the Muslims in British India.
There are two major nations in British India. The Muslims are
not a community but a nation with a distinctive history,
heritage, culture, civilization, and future aspirations. The
Muslims wanted to preserve and protect their distinct identity
and advance their interests in India. They wanted to order their
lives in accordance with their ideals and philosophy of life
without being overwhelmed by an unsympathetic majority.
