“A great man is a torch in the darkness, a beacon in superstition’s night, an inspiration, and a prophecy.”
Robert Green Ingersoll
A National Hero is a person who possesses remarkable qualities. He has the power to shape the future of his country through his earnest and unselfish efforts. He is a man of unwavering resolve and willpower who inspires people’s vigor, bravery, and enthusiasm and unites them. His words have the capacity to arouse devotion and commitment. There have been many great heroes throughout history, but Quid- i- Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, is my personal hero. I admire him because he has a beautiful personality and a great soul. His unmatched leadership freed the subcontinent’s oppressed Muslims from imperialism and the Hindus’ terrible slavery.
Jinnah was an Indian politician who led the founding of Pakistan and was a successful advocate for its independence. He is regarded as ‘Quaid-I Azam,’ or ‘Great Leader.’
The Quaid e Azam was born in Karachi on December 25, 1876, to a prosperous merchant family. Jinnah was sent to the Sind Madrasat al-Islam in Karachi in 1887 after receiving his education at home. This institution is currently known as Sindh Madressatul Islam University. Later, while enrolled in the Christian Missionary Society High School (also in Karachi), he passed the University of Bombay’s matriculation test at 16. After consulting an English friend, his father sent him to England to gain business experience. However, Jinnah was confident that he wanted to become a lawyer. Before he traveled to England, his parents planned an early marriage for him following the day’s custom. He traveled to England to attend Lincoln’s Inn to study law. He stayed there for four years, then returned as a barrister and opened an office in Karachi. After that, he moved to Bombay. In 1896, Jinnah returned to Karachi only to discover that his father’s business had incurred losses, and he was now left to fend for himself. He decided to launch his legal profession in Bombay (now Mumbai), but it took him years to get recognized as a lawyer.
“Jinnah was a superb advocate. What impressed me most was the lucidity of his thought and expression — Jinnah was absolutely impeccable in his professional etiquette.”
Carim Chagla
Indians were fighting for their independence at the time. He decided to become actively involved in politics. He became a member of the Indian National Congress and worked for his nation’s independence. In 1909, he was elected to the Indian Legislative Council, marking his political career’s beginning. In 1913, he became a member of the Muslim League and worked to forge ties between Muslims and Hindus. The “Ambassador of Hindu Muslim Unity,” as he was known. However, he quickly lost his optimism. He understood that the Indian Congress was not genuinely committed to the rights of Muslims. He was confident that there was no chance of Hindu and Muslim harmony. In 1920, he decided to abandon the Indian National Congress. Although Congress and the Muslim Khilafat movement, which focused on religion, eclipsed the Muslim League and Jinnah during the 1920s. When he joined the Muslim League, the energized Muslims breathed a sigh of relief. In 1916, he was chosen to serve as the Muslim League’s first president. By 1939, he had made such a name among Muslims that he was accepted as their sole Leader, and they placed their complete trust in him. The Quid e Azam gave the Indian Muslims’ lifeless bodies new vitality, vigor, and spirit. His earnest and committed leadership gave frustrated Muslims new hope.
“If it could be said that any single man held the future of India in his palm, that man is Mohammad Ali Jinnah.”
Lord Mountbatten
He roused them from their sleep and brought them together as a country. He advised the Muslims that the best way to resolve their issues was to establish their distinct state where they could live according to their respective religions and cultures.
Thus, by the start of 1940, Muslim politics had changed significantly from the pre- 1937 strategy. The historical significance of Jinnah’s presidential speech at Lahore on March 22, 1940, cannot be overstated for Muslim nationalism in India. He explicitly rejected the notion of an Indian nation and clarified the two-nation ideology. The Muslim League at Minar-e-Pakistan formulated the Pakistan resolution in 1940. After the Pakistan Resolution was adopted, Quaid-e-Azam toiled nonstop day and night without considering his health, which gradually deteriorated, but he never stopped working. Quaid-e-relentless Azam’s efforts were why Pakistan was established on August 14, 1947. On September 11th, 1948, Quaid-e-Azam passed away.
Quaid-e-Azam is the greatest Leader in our history. He is well-known as Quaid e Azam and Baba e Qoum (Father of the Nation) (Great Leader). He was regarded as a strong figure who awakened Islam from its slumber during the creation of Pakistan by pushing Muslims to adhere to its teachings free from Hindu influence.
For his tireless effort and dedication to the cause of Pakistan, US historian Stanley Wolpert, in his 1984 book Jinnah of Pakistan, wrote:
“Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Fewer still need to modify the map of the world. Only some people can be credited with creating a nation-state. Muhammad Ali Jinnah did all three.”