Unveiling Jinnah’s intellectual depth through famous thinkers

Quaid-i-Azam’s influence extends far beyond the borders of Pakistan. Jinnah’s unwavering dedication to truth, his exceptional intellect, and his resolute courage have garnered him profound respect and admiration from prominent global figures, both during his lifetime as well as in the years following his passing. He is admired not solely for the sovereign nation he gifted us, but also for the invaluable principles he personified.

Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah was renowned for his directness and pragmatism. He always prioritised concrete action and tangible results over mere rhetoric, a quality that distinguishes him from many of today’s political figures.

In his book, “Jinnah, Creator of Pakistan,” the author of the first biography of the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Hector Bolitho, writes, “Jinnah was never to become excited by the charm of words; his prose, written or spoken, was bald and factual. Many years later, when he was drafting a statement with the help of Liaquat Ali Khan and one of his secretaries, he became impassioned with their search after fine sentences and said, “I don’t care for beautiful language; I only wish to see my idea come through.”

Lawrence Ziring considered Jinnah the undisputed leader in undivided India, emphasising that he avoided any labels of personal affiliation and solely focused on articulating the liberation of the subcontinent’s people from British colonial rule.

In “Pakistan: At the Crosscurrent of History” he notes, “Jinnah was one of a number of Indian luminaries to project a life experience anchored on secular ideas and philosophy. But more than other Muslims of his day he was able to articulate the meaning and importance of social coalescence. Muslim competitors for political leadership were numerous, but their postures were more limited, their declarations more circumspect, and their pronounced objectives more aggressively expressed. Jinnah stood out from these other major Muslim actors and their movements. Furthermore, he embraced the totality of the subcontinent. He identified with no particular region and he reached out to anyone wishing to associate with a more positive and constructive outlook. In the years before World War I, Jinnah did not consider himself a spokesman for Muslims alone. He believed the time had arrived for Indian leaders to speak rationally and objectively to all the people of India.”

Acclaimed author Ayesha Jalal commended Jinnah’s political maturity, his incredible ability to maintain composure amidst immense pressure and the weight of numerous crucial issues.

She explains in “The Sole Spokesman: Jinnah, the Muslim League, and the Demand for Pakistan, “One clue to Jinnah’s remarkable resilience in the face of grave political setbacks, overwhelming odds, and unremitting squeeze play, was his extraordinary capacity to fight when all would have appeared lost to lesser men.”

British economist and editor, H.V. Hudson in his book “The Great Divide,’ eulogised Quaid’s character in these words, “Not even his political enemies ever accused Jinnah of corruption or self-seeking. He could be bought by no one, and for no price. Nor was he in the least degree weathercock, swinging in the wind of popularity or changing the times. He was a steadfast idealist as well as a man of scrupulous honour.”

Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed’s 2020 study, “Jinnah: His Successes, Failures and Role in History,” emphasises the remarkable leadership qualities of Quaid-i-Azam, who built himself from scratch and triumphed against all odds.

Mohammad Ali Jinnah, whose mark on the history and politics of the Indian subcontinent is indelible-for good and bad, depending on the perspective from which you approach his role. Born into the minuscule sect of Khoja Aga Khani Shias, his chances of becoming a leader who would leave a decisive impact on the history and geography of the subcontinent were one in a million; but he did. Poised against him were men of lofty calibre: Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel and Maulana Azad, to name just a few of the very top rank; however, he outwitted and outmanoeuvred them. Equally, he triumphed over his opponents within the Muslim community, who enjoyed strong regional and religious support.

Compiled by Liaquat Merchant, grand-nephew of the esteemed Quaid-i-Azam, “The Jinnah Anthology” offers a comprehensive collection of materials and insights into the life and legacy of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, along with a captivating tribute penned by renowned poet and political figure Sarojini Naidu.

She asserted that Jinnah’s true greatness lies not in his extensive knowledge or varied experiences, but in the refined precision of his mind and the unwavering integrity of his character.

“The casual pen might surely find it easier to describe his limitations rather than to define his virtues ... But the true criterion of Jinnah’s greatness lies not in the range and variety of his knowledge and experience, but in the faultless perception and flawless refinement of his subtle mind and spirit; not in the diversity of aims and challenge of a towering personality, but rather in a lofty singleness and sincerity of purpose and the lasting charm of a character animated by a brave conception of duty and an austere and lovely code of private honour and public integrity,” she opined.

Delving into the life of Pakistan’s founder, American scholar Stanley Wolpert, in his landmark biography “Jinnah of Pakistan,” observed, “Jinnah’s unique achievement was so inextricably the product of his genius as a barrister, perhaps the greatest “native” advocate in British Indian history, that his portrait richly deserves the place of high honour it holds. During the last decade of his life, in fact, Jinnah may have been the shrewdest barrister in the British Empire. He was certainly the most tenacious. He crossed swords with at least as many great British-born as Indian barristers, defeating them all in his single-minded pleas for Pakistan. He burned out his life pressing a single suit, yet by winning his case he changed the map of South Asia and altered the course of world history.”

Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah’s intellectual prowess has stood the test of time, even receiving praise from renowned thinkers who meticulously examined his political philosophies.