Vol. 5 No. 3 (2022): Pakistan Journal of International Affairs
Articles

MAULANA AZAD, MUHAMMAD ALI JINNAH AND THE CREATION OF PAKISTAN

Published 2022-12-25

Abstract

The contradictions of great historical figures sometimes seem very disturbing, for example the personality of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. On one hand, he is respected in religious circles as a learned scholar, who was well versed in Islamic theology. But on the other hand, in the political, social and collective spheres, he had a heavy commitment to Indian National Congress and its politics so much so that he was ready to go to any extent for this and proved it by his words and actions. Maulana Azad was deeply committed to secularism at the educational, socio-political level. This paper seeks to analyze the thought of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and his differences with the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhamamd Ali Jinnah, on various issues. The main topic of discussion is his political thought, which is both liked and disliked by Muslims of the sub- continent. In India, he became the first Education Minister and respected as a freedom fighter and in Pakistan he is disliked by Muslims, who thinks he misguided a large section of Indian Muslims of the Pakistan movement and separate nationalism based on religious identity.