AIMS and Objective of the Department of Islamic Reconstruction (Muhammad Ali Jinnah)

8/13/2019 AIMS and Objective of the Department of Islamic Reconstruction (Muhammad Ali Jinnah)

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Idea presented by:Muhammad Asad(Director of Islamic Reconstruction-West Punjab Government)

Printed by:Superintendant, Government Printing, Lahore, West Punjab, 1947

Presented by:

www.sadaemuslim.comSource: Slidshare

Summary :Aim s & Obje cts of thede pa rtm ent of Isla m ic Reconstruction


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Overview:

This is thesummary of above-mentioned document whichwasfound in theGovernmentsarchiveand found by theeffortsof

sincere and patriotic Pakistani seeking to build thecountry onthetruedesiresof our fore-fatherswhichliesinthefoundationsof Islam, insteadof submittingit tothewhimsanddesiresof theinternal and external forces, work tirelessly in destroying theideology of Pakistan, geographical stature of Pakistan, creating

divisions among the Pakistani nation and spreadingpropagandaandliesbytheuseof mediainthehearts&mindsof Pakistanis.Thesummarywill bepresentedwithpagenumbersandthekeypassages, sentencesandpointswill comeunder.


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Key points from Page 1: Reason of formation of this department: In the view of the great

changes, bothphysical &spiritual, whichtheMuslimMillat, in our country isundergoing in thesedays, theGovernment havefound it advisableto createa

new Department whichwould deal withcertain problemsarisingfromthosechanges.(para1)

Aim: The ultimate aim of this Department is, to help our community to

reconstruct its life on Islamic lines, and therefore it has been namedDepartmentofIslamicReconstruction.(para1, line6)


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Key points from Page 2: Situationat thetimeof creationof Pakistan: Dangersof great magnitude;

loss of lives & of property on an unprecedented scale; millions of refugees;sufferings whichwords cannot adequately express; all this has been our portionsincewebegan, andevenbeforewebegan, tofunctionasanindependentState.(para1, line2)

Creation of Pakistan isnot theultimategoal but Takmeelis: Andevennowwecannotsaythatwehavereachedour journeysend. For, thoughPakistanhasbecomeanestablishedfactwhichnopoweronearthcanundo.(para1, line7)

MissionTakmeel-e-Pakistandefined: A tremendouseffort isstill neededonour part to ward off theperils that beset us fromall sidesand to achieve, in thewordsof theQuaid-e-Azam, aStateof our ownconcept that is tosay, aStatewhichwouldfullysatisfyour desiretohaveapolitybuiltontheprinciplesof Islam.(para1, line11)


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Key points from Page 3: Re-emphasizingthe2-Nationtheory& meaningofbeingMuslim: Wehavemaintained, &

wedomaintaintoday, thatweMuslimsareanationbyvirtueofour adherencetoIslam. Tous, religionisnotmerelyasetofbeliefs&moral rulesbutacodeofpractical behavioraswell.(para1)

GrandSchemeofALLAH: InthegrandschemepropoundedtousintheQuran&inthelife-exampleof the Holy Prophet, all the various aspects of humans existence moral & physical, spiritual &

intellectual, individual &communal-havebeentakeninto considerationaspartsof theindivisiblewholewhichwecall humanlife.(para1, line9)

Waytobelief& waytolive: It follows, therefore, thanwecannot liveatruly Islamic lifebymerelyholdingIslamicbeliefs. Wemustdofar morethanthat. If Islamisnot toremainanemptyword, wemustalsocoordinateouroutwardbehavior, individually&socially, withthebeliefsweprofesstohold.(para1,line16)

BasisofourclaimforanindependentState: ThispeculiaraspectofIslam, well knowntoeveryonewhohastheslightest acquaintancewithitsprinciples, isthefoundationonwhichwebaseour claimtoanindependent Stateofour own: for it isonlywithintheframeworkofanindependent Stateendowedwithall theparaphernaliaofgovernment, law&social organization, that theschemeofIslamcanbebroughttopractical fulfillment.(para2)


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Key points from Page 4: Our struggle, sacrifices & sufferings for Pakistan: It is because of this ideal that we have struggled for an

independent Pakistan & have undergone, and are still undergoing, sufferings greater than any other nation had tobear in modern times. And it may well be that our sufferings are so great because our aims were so high. (para1,line 2)

Expected opposition for the State of Pakistan: Indeed, in a world ruled by concepts of nationalism on

racial or purely cultural lines, the concept of an ideological State is so unique, so out of all proportion with whatthe rest of the world regards as modern & desirable, that we were bound to encounter the most formidableopposition. (para1, line 8)

Muslim Nation & its distinction: While we, on the other hand, regard an ideological community acommunity of people having a definite outlook on life & a definite scale of moral values in common-as the highestform of nationhood to which man could aspire. We make this claim not only because we are convinced that ourparticular ideology, Islam, is a Message from God Himself, but also because our reason tells us that a community

based on ideas held in common is a far more advanced manifestation of human life than a community resultingfrom accidents of race or language or geographical location. (para1, line 17)


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Key points from Page 5:

Our experimentofcreatingideological state: It isnot forus, the Millat of Islam, to follow that path of chaos, and so,obeyingtheeternal call of Islam, wehaveembarkedonthegreatexperimentofcreatinganideological State. (Para2, line7)

Messagetonon-MuslimPakistanis: Whatwedesireisafreesocietyopen toall who believein our ideology, aswell asto allthosewhodonotbelieveinit fromthereligiouspointof viewbutareneverthelesswillingtoco-operatewithusin givingit atrial.

Thisisaveryimportantpoint, &I wouldrequestour non-Muslimcitizens to give it the consideration it deserves. Weare an opensociety-that istosay, wedonot restrict social co-operation, withall thebenefitsof full citizenshipaccruingtherefrom, tomembersoftheMuslimcommunity. (para2)


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Demand of the State: All that this State demands of its citizens is activeloyalty towardstheConstitution; &loyaltywill betheonlycriterionof agoodcitizen, whether it be the result of religious belief or of a common-senseacceptanceofthesocial ideologyagreeduponbythemajorityofthecitizens.

Responsibility for the quality of Constitution: it is the Muslimcommunityasawhole, &not only themembersof theConstituent assembly,whowill beultimatelyresponsiblefor thequalityofour Constitution.


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The need of this new department: Our nation cannot becomereallyunited,&cannotachievethatsinglenessofpurposesoessential foraMuslimMillat, unless&until weovercomethat shameful confusion&demoralization, that loss of faith & of social integrity, that moralcorruptionwhichseemstohavebecomeour portionduringtherecentweeks & months. And this is where the new Department of IslamicReconstructioncomesin. (para1)

Overall Missionofthedepartment:All thatweareexposedtodo-all that wecanlegitimatelydo-istohelpthecommunitytoco-ordinateitsspiritual & intellectual resources, & to revivethemoral strengthofwhich the Millat mustbe capable by virtue of its being the Millat ofIslam: in other words, to help the Millat to re-create the Islamicatmosphere so necessary for a revival of Islamic life in its practicalaspects. (para2, line4)


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Key Parameters for this department: The outline givenbelow aims, therefore, at no more than thepegging-outof thefield with in whichweproposeto tackle theproblemof Islamicreconstruction. (para1, line6)

For the sake of greater lucidity, our objectives have been listedunder several sub-headings: inpractice, however, it will befoundthat manyof thefunctionsheredealt withseparatelywill overlap,thus necessitating their integration into one systematic effort.(para2)

(Theoutlineconstitutesfootprintson theareasof: (i) Education; (ii)IslamicLaw & Social Reorganization; (iii) Islamic Law & Economics;(iv)Coordination of Awqaaf; (v) CivicMorale)


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(I) - Education:Generally speaking, the Muslim community as a whole

requires to bere-educated in the Islamic spirit; & this appliesmoreparticularlyto theMuslimyouthwhichisnowreceiving

itstraininginschools&colleges.(para3)

It will be, therefore, oneof thedutiesof theDepartment ofIslamic Reconstruction to place before the educationalauthoritiesfromtimetotime, suggestions&proposalsdesigned

withaview to makingour schoolsandcollegesrepresentativeof thenewlifewhichtheMillathasdecidedupon.(para3, line5)


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Religiouseducationwill havetobemadeacompulsorysubjectfor Muslim students. It must begin & end with a systematicstudyof theHolyQuran&notofHadis-including, inthehigherclasses, their methodology & interpretation-& must aim at

makingthestudent familiar withthemeaningof theHolyBook&theProphetsSunna.(para1, line8)

In thefinal stagesof thecourse-withthedifferent methodsofapproach to these sources adopted by the various schools ofIslamicthought.(para1, line15)


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Need of Islamic education: All this will necessitate agradual overhaul ofour educational aimswithaviewtoimbuingtheentiresystemof educationwiththespirit of Islam(para1,line3)

It is also intended to set up a committees of notededucationists&orientalist scholarswhowill beentrustedwiththetaskof (a) determiningwhether theArabiclanguageshouldbemadeacompulsorysubject inour schools&colleges, &(b)elaborating a practical scheme to this effect in case theprecedingquestionisansweredintheaffirmative.(para2)


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(II) IslamicLaw&Social Reorganization Highlightingtheproblemthat isstill un-solvedfor masses: Oneof thegreatest difficultiesinevolvinga

clear cut, practical scheme of Islamic reconstruction is the absence of a uniformcode ofshari lawsrelating tomattersofsocial concern. Inotherwords, amostregrettableconfucionexistswithintheMillatastowhat isIslamic

&what un-Islamicinall thesocio-economicplans&proposalswhicharenowbeinghotlydebatedinall quarters.(para1)

Inviewofthecomplexity&diversitytowhichMuslimfiqhhasattainedinpastcenturies, it wouldbeavainattempt,for the time being, to eradicate the existing fiqhidifferences & to harmonize all the different methods ofinterpretation& ijtehadideductionresponsiblefor thatcomplexity. (para1,line18)

A beautiful proposal, still not implementedanywhere: If, therefore, apractical & predictable-schemeofIslamicactionistobeevolved,wemusteschewatpresentall mattersrequiringinterpretation&deduction&confineourselvestotheself-evidentsharI lawswhichareclearlyformulatedassuchintheobvious(zahir) wordingsofQuran&Sunna, andwithregardtowhichthereisnodissensionbetweenthevariousschoolsofIslamicthought. If suchlawsarecodified,theywill supplyaminimumbasisofagreementfor thepurposeofIslamicsocial reconstruction. (para3)


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Key points from Page 12: Proposal ofShariatCommittee&expectationsfromit: Thedepartmentproposes, therefore,

to issue acall to responsible Ulamaof all school of thought to nominate their most outstandingrepresentativesasmembersofaShariat Committeetobeset upinthenear future. It will bethetaskofthiscommitteetocollect&codifysuchsocial &economic lawsofQuran&Sunnaasfall withinthecategoryofnusus. (para 2)

ApplicationofDivinelawsas-it-is: It istobeunderstoodthatthereisnoquestionofdraftingor evenre-draftingofsharilaws. Under thetermsof referenceto issuedto it, thecommitteewill

simplyhavetocollectall thenassordinancesforthcomingfromtheQuran&fromauthentictraditionsacceptedbyall schoolsofthought,&tocodifythemunderspecificheadings. (para2,line11)

ThewaytounityofMillat-e-Islamiya: It ishopedthat inthiswayit will bepossibletoobtainacodeofcomparativelysmall extent,bearingonmattersof social concern,whichcouldberegardedasthe largest common denominator between the various schools of thought. If we succeed in thisendeavor, theMillatwill beinthepossessionofaminimumcodeofshari lawsrelatingtoquestionsofpublicimport,whichcouldsubsequentlyformthebasisoffurtherdeliberation&thestartingpointforpractical legislation. (para2, line18)


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Key points from Page 13: (III) IslamicLaw&Economics

Committee on Islamic Economics: Another committee, composed ofIslamic scholars & economists, will have to devise practical suggestions for asound development of our economic life on Islamic lines. The necessary pre-requisite for the work of this committee would be forthcoming from theminimumcodeofShariat lawssuggestedinthepreceding. (para2)

Termsof referencefor theabovecommittee: Thecommittees termsofreferencewouldincludeaninvestigationof certainmoderneconomicproblemsin their relation to the Law of Islam e.g., banking, life insurance, creditoperations, requisition of private property for communal use, agriculturalreform(includingthequestionofnationalizationoflands), lawsofinheritance, &soforth. (para2, line7)


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Expectations fromthe committee: All that the above committee will beexpectedtodois; (a) toclarifytheattitudeof IslamicLawwithregardtocertaineconomicproblems, and(b) tofindout howtherequirementsofour present-daylifecanbefittedintotheeconomicschemevisualizedbyIslam. (para1, line3)

(IV)Co-ordinationofAwqafSituation of Awqaf: In this country there are numberless awqaf & public

religiousinstitutions, someof themwith considerable income, whichhavebeenestablished at various times with a view to promoting the interests of thecommunityinthespheresof worship, education, or social service. A fewof theseawqaf areproperlyadministered; theoverwhelmingmajority, however, isutterlymismanaged, &someareevenshamelesslyexploitedfor thepersonal benefit ofafewmutawallisetc. (para2)


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Key points from Page 15: Proposal of control authority for Awqaf: Amongmany well-intentioned Muslims there is a

persistentdemandforacoordinationofall theseawqafunder thesupervisionofonecentral authority-whichobviously shouldbetheMuslimGovernment- sothat boththemal-administration&wastefulduplicationofactivitiesmightbeavoided. (para1,line3)

UtilizationofsurplusfundsofAwqaf: Aftermeetingthelegitimatedemandsof theinstitutionsconcerned, the available surplus could be utilized for setting up & runninga great Academy ofUlama(perhaps on the lines of Jamia al-Azhar of Cairo), which would produce generation after

generationof real Islamic scholars&wouldcontributetomakingPakistanthespiritual centreof theMuslimworld. (para1, line14)

Proposal & tasksofAwqafcommittee: Thedepartmentof IslamicReconstructionproposestoinaugurateacommitteeof prominent Ulama&other well-knowncitizens, who wouldexaminethequestionofwaqfpropertiesfromthesharI angle&,after havingdulyconsideredall therelevantview-points, draw up&submit toGovernment adefiniteplanfor acoordinationofall theAwqaf in thiscountry under the supervision of a central authority to be nominated for this purpose by theGovernment. (para2)


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Key points from Page 16: (V)Civic Morale

The problem with our collective conscience: The most perturbingaspect of our communal like is the utter deterioration of our morale from theIslamic & civic point of view. If Pakistan is to attain to its cherished goal & tobecome the cradle of a resurgent Islamic civilization, the active co-operation ofall well-meaning Muslims must be secured in the service of civic morale. (para

2)

Our role as common Muslims & critique of all other -isms: Letthere be no mistake about it: It is we, the people of Pakistan- we alone in themodern Muslim world-who have openly broken away from the selfish prejudicesof race & nationalism & have proclaimed our intention to build a State on noother foundation but the fact of being Muslim. (para3)


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Our responsibilitiesand impact on other Muslimcountries: and so it is ourmoral quality, out behavior & our actions that will decide the future of Islam for manygenerations to come- & probably not only in our own country, but in all countrieswhereMuslimslive.(para1, line2)

Ideals,targets,aims&objectivesofourNation: Ifwe, thepeopleofPakistan, succeedinmakingour landafull fledgedIslamicState; if weareabletoprovetoadisillusionedworldthat Islamdoesindeedprovideasolutionofmankindssocial &political ills, all other Muslimnationsareboundto follow our examplesooner or later, & Islamwill reviveto itspristineglory.(para2)

SuccessofPakistaninthecontextofglobal Ummah: Inother words, if weattaintoour gloriousobjectives, thewholeMuslimworldwill attain to it withus; & if wegoastray,thewholeMuslimworldwill probablygoastraywithus, &for centuriestocomepeoplewillceasetoconsider eventhepossibilityofbuildinganIslamicState.(para2, line15)


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Key points from Page 18:TheCommitment for the mission: Therefore -we must not fail. We must, on the

contrary, rise to the great responsibility which God has placed on our shoulders: theresponsibility of proving to the world that Islam is indeed a practical & practicablepropositionfor our time&for everytime. If webut realizethisresponsibility, our presentweaknesswill soon becomethesourceof our strengthfor wewill learn to regard thetrialswearenowundergoingnot asacalamity, not asapunishment fromGod, but asthesacrificewhichHedemandsofthosewhomHehaschosenforaspecial mission.(para1)

SelectionofpeopleofPakistanfor theDivinemission: For, undoubtedly, HehaschosenthepeopleofPakistanfor thegreatest, themostgloriousmissionwhichanypeoplemightever becalledupontofulfill, namely-that you may becomea peopleinvitingtheworld toequity, enjoining what is right & forbidding what is wrong: & such people, indeed attain to spiri tualhappiness(para1, line12)

Our requiredconductfor theDivinemission: But wecannot remaintruetothemissionwhichGodseemstohaveentrustedtous, wecannot evendreamofachievinganIslamic polity, unless we free ourselves from the shameful habits of our decadence &becomemoreupright, moretruthful-in short, moredecent in our behavior thanwearenow. (para2)


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TherequiredtransformationtocarrytheDivinemission: Inorder thatweshouldbeabletoinvitetheworldtoequity, wemust learnourselvestobehaveequitablytowardsthosewhoareweak; inorder tobeabletoenjoinwhat isright

&to forbid what iswrong, wemust learn to judgeothers; & in order toattainspiritual happiness, wemust learn to be far lessmaterialistic than we are now.God demands of us faith & courage, honesty & self-respect, purity of mind &purityofaction:&thisissurelynottooheavyademandtomakeof thosewhocallthemselves sons & daughters of Islam, & not too heavy aprice to pay for thefuturewhichGodhaspromisedtoHisfaithful followers. But it isademandwhichmust be fulfilled, & a price which must be paid for the privilege of being a

Muslim. (para1, line3)

RoleofdepartmentasfarasCivicMoraleareconcerned: Inaccordancewith a carefully elaborated plan, the Department will issue continuouspublicationsonthesocial, moral &intellectual problemswithwhichtheMillat isnotconfronted. (para1, line6)


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Keytasksofthedepartmentin spreading,preserving& implementingIslamic & civicmorale:

Inadditiontothereportsof thevariouscommitteesalludedtoin theforegoing, weshall publish(a) seriesofpamphletswrittenbynotableMuslimthinkers, (b) seriesofnewspaper articles, &(c)seriesof radio talks- all of themdealingwiththeburningquestionsof Islamic reconstruction.(para1, line2)

Weshall instituteaDarsal-Quranwhichwill beregularlybroadcast byRadio Pakistan; to thisendweshall avail ourselvesof thecollaborationof prominent scholars, who will expound the

teachingoftheQuranwithspecial referencetopresent-dayproblems&difficulties&thushelpthecommunitytoderivepractical guidancefromtheHolyBook.(para1,line8)

In pursuanceof thismission, the Department shall fromtime to time submit to Governmentvarious suggestions for Islamic social improvement, both of the kind which can be effectedimmediately, without recourse to special legislation, aswell asof thekindwhichdemandsnewlegislativemeasures. (para2)


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Key points from Page 21 & 22:

Moving forward: In short, we propose to make the Department of IslamicReconstructionasortofclearing-houseof ideas&endeavorsaiming, cumultatively,atareligious&social upliftof theMillat. Itgoeswithoutsayingthataprogrammeof

thismagnitude-whichmayevenbestill further augmentedasour workgoeson-canbeimplementedonlyinstagesandnotall atonce. (para3,page21)

Conclusion: The one form of co-operationwe must insist upon fromthe verybeginning-aco-operationwhich, indeed, thewholeGovernment must insist upon-isthecreation, bythepeoplethemselves&withintheselves, of anew spirit of hope,determination& social integrity. It is only on thebasisof suchaco-operationthatourdream, tobuildanIslamicState, cancometrue.

I praytoAlmightyGodthat Hemaygiveall of usthewisdom&themoral strengthtoworkfor thegreatnessofIslam.(lastpara, page22)

AIMS and Objective of the Department of Islamic Reconstruction (Muhammad Ali Jinnah)

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