LAHORE - Prime Minister Imran Khan says that his vision of Naya Pakistan is actually the vision of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

To corroborate his claim, the prime minister posted on Twitter videos of famous Islamic scholar late Dr Israr Ahmed in which the prominent scholar reads an excerpt from the diary of Dr Riaz Ali Shah who treated the Father of the Nation as he suffered from TB.

In the video Dr Israr has quoted the Quaid-i-Azam as saying that Pakistan’s emergence on the world map was a blessing of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), and now it is incumbent upon the people of Pakistan to make the new state as a model of “Khilafat-i-Rashida” so that Allah bestows upon Muslims the rule of the world.

TheRiasat-i-Madinah the prime minister talks of in his speeches is a reference to Khilafat-i-Rashida.

Dr Israr Ahmed himself worked for caliphate in Pakistan, although he did not get popular support required to translate the determination into reality.

He was a great preacher who spent his life spreading the message of Islam.

A migrant from India, Dr Israr remained a member of the Jamaat-i-Islami for long. However, he had parted ways with it because he was opposed to the JI’s decision to take part in electoral politics. He was of the view that the JI should focus on nation’s character-building instead of taking part in politics.

In politics, he used to argue, the leaders have to make compromises to please their voters and thus there was a strong possibility of the society changing the character of the party rather than the party molding the society’s character.

During Gen Zia’s era, a debate was started in the media about the kind of system that suited Pakistan. The idea was to keep people busy in the debate so that they don’t demand elections, which the military ruler was obliged to hold to honour his commitment to the Supreme Court that had legitimised his intervention on the basis of doctrine of necessity. People belonging to various walks of life expressed their views in the media. The debate continued for months. The matter also went to the Lahore High Court.

Dr Israr was also among those who gave their opinion on the subject. He took many by surprise when he said in the courtroom that the US presidential system was closer to Islam.

Mufti Muhammad Hussain Naeemi of Jamia Naeemia, Lahore, also appeared before the court. He had said that there was no importance in Islam of who came to power through which means. If such a person has all the qualities of a ruler, Islam has no objection against his takeover.

Dr Israr was in favour of caliphate, and opposed to democracy. He had also launched a movement (Tehrik-i-Khilafat) for the introduction of this system in Pakistan. However, opposed both by religious as we’ll as other political parties, he could not get public support to his programme.

The only important person who joined hands with Dr Israr for the caliphate was Maj-Gen (retd) Muhammad Hussain Ansari, who also remained the director general of the Lahore Development Authority during Gen Zia’s period.

Before joining hands with Dr Israr, Gen Ansari also remained a leader of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, of which Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani and Maulana Abdus Sattar Khan Niazi remained president and secretary general for more two decades.

Dr Israr was also appointed as a member of the Majlis-i-Shoora by Gen Zia, a body that served as an unelected parliament before the 1985 partyless elections. Khwaja Muhammad Safdar, father of Khwaja Asif (foreign and defence minister in the last PML-N government) was the chairman of the Majlis-i-Shoora.

However, Dr Israr resigned on account of differences with the military ruler.

Dr Israr was criticised by a large number of people when he arranged both wedding ceremonies of his son and his daughter, on the 10th of Muharram (Some recall that it was 7th of the month). Setting a date for marriage in a month of mourning for all Muslims of all sects was not liked by anyone.

He authored many a book on Islam and addressed countless seminars on various subjects concerning religion.

Tanzeem-i-Islami, the organisation set up by Dr Israr, continues to work for the mission the medical doctor-turned-preacher had set for himself.

 

Dr Israr thought US system was closer to Islam