Imam Ghazali was perhaps one of the smartest man to walk on earth. After acquiring all the available knowledge he prayed for ‘Hikmat’. Acquisition of knowledge has always been important for mankind but very few have been able to implement or exercise it appropriately.
Ashfaq Ahmed Sahib the famous intellectual of our times once narrated an interesting story. In school they were taught that the fly had a circular vision and its eyelid had special features. When he narrated this fact to his mother she promptly replied that despite this ability it sits on filth.
My mother maintained that the world is also a book that very few people read. There is always a huge gap between theory and practice that only ‘Hikmat’ can bridge. The quest for ‘Hikmat’ remains a major challenge for humans, ironically like the fly some never embark on this journey and remain around the filth which represents stagnation and disintegration. Individuals who support it eventually perish without a sign or legacy. Imagine how will Asif Ali Zardari or Mian Nawaz Sharif be remembered once they are gone leaving behind a pile of their stinking ill-gotten wealth. Status-quo and its proponents defy ‘Hikmat’, in fact they work against it. Their survival is in stopping not propagating change. Politicians reach corridors of power through ballot which they manipulate and disrespect and then expect to establish writ of state and promote democracy, nothing can be more foolish than this. A disputed ballot does not deliver mandate in fact it takes away legitimacy. Election commission of Pakistan (ECP) has failed ten times in ensuring a free and fair election as mandated by the constitution yet it continues to function.
It is believed that Emperor Akbar had no formal education yet he was smart enough to surround himself with the ablest minds of his times. His advisors or Nau Rattan (Nine Jewels) as they were called provided him with the group knowledge required to rule. Historians bestowed him with the title of Mughal-e-Azam. He ruled over the Indian Sub-continent in complete administrative and religious harmony.
Muslim League the founding party of Pakistan was formed at Decca in 1920. Bengal led the movement for Pakistan as they were grossly marginalised by the Hindus. UP and CP joined the charge as they were more empowered as compared to the rest of the Muslims. Aligarh university is credited in changing, the course of the nation. It was Sir Syed’s ‘Hikmat’ to bring the Muslims back into the main stream through modern education.
The events of 1970/71 were indeed tragic that resulted in break-up of Quaid’s Pakistan. The Khakis are credited for holding the only free and fair election in the country. When bullets were used to overrule the ballot it proved to be disastrous and resulted in civil war, leading to the dismemberment and surrender. By contrast in Czechoslovakia two republics were created with consensus (Czech and Slovakia). ‘Hikmat’ prevailed and bloodshed was avoided.
Democracy could have kept the country together. The 1956 constitution followed by elections in 1958 was the logical way forward but martial law was imposed. It was the beginning of the end for Quaid’s Pakistan.
Instead of ‘Hikmat’, Ayub Khan ruled by ‘Danda’ (Stick); Kalabagh in West Pakistan and Monem Khan in the Eastern Wing. By the time mistakes were realized it was too late.
After waiting for guidance, from the Islamic block the Muslim community in the West has decided to create their own literary institutions.
Zayatuna College in Berkeley is the first accredited Muslim College in the United States. Imam Hamza Yousaf is the Chairman and the faculty consists of prominent scholars from across the country mostly neo-converts. Hopefully ‘Hikmat’ will return to the Ummah and we will be able to get rid of ‘Thugs’ ruling over us.
On October 30, 2011 when I stood at Minar-e-Pakistan I could sense hope and change. There were families and children. On the stage with the Kaptaan was not a single tainted soul. He talked about the 1940 Lahore resolution that was passed at the same venue in which his father had participated, his speech sounded like a resolution for Naya Pakistan. PTI was the first political party to have ‘Think Tanks’ and a Shadow Cabinet where the best minds of the country deliberated to formulate the way forward. Status-quo and its soldiers who had served dictators and tyrants decided to strike back by adopting the age old strategy; “if you cannot beat them join them” the focus of the party was changed from ‘Hikmat’ to ‘Hakoomat (government) and since then there has been a slide down.
Governance has been a big challenge since 1977 because the focus has been on ‘Hakoomat’. Same individuals have been taking turns to rob the nation of its meager resources. Without ‘Hikmat’ there will be no ‘Hakoomat,’, it will be more of the same. Till today ‘Kaptaan’ remains the most credible and popular leader in the country. Without ‘Hikmat’ ‘Naya Pakistan’ will remain a dream of our generation and our struggle will go in vain. The evil networks of Sehar (magic) and Talism (spell) have to be shattered and replaced with institutional frameworks to keep the movement of change alive. It has to be a wake up call for the sake of our future generations, we cannot fail them.