How did it all begin? At first it was as an ache in the heart, a sigh, then, a whisper, a desire to mould a destiny that would shape the lives of millions. From this glacial shift came an avalanche of protest that brought together saintly leaders who would re-write the face of history forever. Being the giants among men that they were, it was perhaps only too easy it seems, for
Allama Iqbal and
Muhammad Ali Jinnah to cast an inspired vision onto a map and then with a thick red marker transform it into reality. It was with that red line that they sparked the revival of the entire Ummah.
It was a long time coming. With the rapid descent and decline of Islamic civilisations the world over, it had seemed that dawn would never break on the darkness that consumed the Muslims. But Iqbal had awoken a sleeping nation, revitalising it with the energetic spirit of a profound spiritual destiny. Each imagined themselves anew, in a land that echoed long gone halcyon days of faith and purity in mind and flesh. Millions were stirred by his bracing words:
“Arise and soar with sun’s new-born rays, to breathe new life into dying nights and days!”
Now, many decades later, as we look back on years of strife, division and poverty, cultivated by generations of villainous leaders, we find ourselves wondering how this glorious inheritance became so spoiled. Pakistan, in its early conception, carried with it a heavy burden of expectation, many of which have remained unfulfilled. But then, what did we ever do for Pakistan, apart from failing her at every turn, and carelessly tossing aside the precious legacy that our forefathers left us?
Even now, there is no doubt in my mind or in my heart that Pakistan is unique amongst the world’s nations. She has the greatest potential for good and the greatest tendency toward nobility. Let us not be troubled or deterred by current travails. Pakistan’s time will soon come. Her destiny is manifest and when Allah wills it, she will stand upright as a shining beacon of hope for all mankind. Let there be no doubt in our minds, for of one thing we can be certain - Allah did not create Pakistan in vain.