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

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

www.sadaemuslim.comSource: Slidshare

Summary : Aims & Objects of the department of Islamic Reconstruction

Overview:

This is the summary of above-mentioned document which wasfound in the Government’s archive and found by the efforts ofsincere and patriotic Pakistani seeking to build the country onthe true desires of our fore-fathers which lies in the foundationsof Islam, instead of submitting it to the whims and desires of theinternal and external forces, work tirelessly in destroying theideology of Pakistan, geographical stature of Pakistan, creatingdivisions among the Pakistani nation and spreading propagandaand lies by the use of media in the hearts & minds of Pakistanis.The summary will be presented with page numbers and the keypassages, sentences and points will come under.

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

changes, both physical & spiritual, which the Muslim Millat, in our country isundergoing in these days, the Government have found it advisable to create anew Department which would deal with certain problems arising from thosechanges.” (para 1)

Aim: “The ultimate aim of this Department is, to help our community toreconstruct its life on Islamic lines, and therefore it has been namedDepartment of Islamic Reconstruction.” (para 1, line 6)

Key points from Page 2: Situation at the time of creation of Pakistan: “Dangers of great magnitude;

loss of lives & of property on an unprecedented scale; millions of refugees;sufferings which words cannot adequately express; all this has been our portionsince we began, and even before we began, to function as an independent State.” (para1, line 2)

Creation of Pakistan is not the ultimate goal but Takmeel is: “And evennow we cannot say that we have reached our journey’s end. For, though Pakistan hasbecome an established fact which no power on earth can undo.” (para 1, line 7)

Mission Takmeel-e-Pakistan defined: “A tremendous effort is still needed onour part to ward off the perils that beset us from all sides and to achieve, in thewords of the Quaid-e-Azam, “a State of our own concept” – that is to say, a Statewhich would fully satisfy our desire to have a polity built on the principles of Islam.”(para 1, line 11)

Key points from Page 3: Re-emphasizing the 2-Nation theory & meaning of being “Muslim”: “We have maintained, &

we do maintain today, that we Muslims are a nation by virtue of our adherence to Islam. To us, religion isnot merely a set of beliefs & moral rules but a code of practical behavior as well.” (para 1)

Grand Scheme of ALLAH: “In the grand scheme propounded to us in the Quran & in the life-exampleof the Holy Prophet, all the various aspects of humans existence – moral & physical, spiritual &intellectual, individual & communal-have been taken into consideration as parts of the indivisible wholewhich we call “human life”.” (para 1, line 9)

Way to belief & way to live: “It follows, therefore, than we cannot live a truly Islamic life by merelyholding Islamic beliefs. We must do far more than that. If Islam is not to remain an empty word, we mustalso coordinate our outward behavior, individually & socially, with the beliefs we profess to hold.” (para 1,line 16)

Basis of our claim for an independent State: “This peculiar aspect of Islam, well known to everyonewho has the slightest acquaintance with its principles, is the foundation on which we base our claim to anindependent State of our own: for it is only within the framework of an independent State endowed withall the paraphernalia of government, law & social organization, that the scheme of Islam can be brought topractical fulfillment.” (para 2)

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 to bear in modern times. And it may well be that our sufferings are so great because our aims were so high.” (para 1, 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 what the rest of the world regards as “modern” & desirable, that we were bound to encounter the most formidable opposition. (para 1, line 8)

Muslim Nation & its distinction: While we, on the other hand, regard an ideological community – a community of people having a definite outlook on life & a definite scale of moral values in common-as the highest form of nationhood to which man could aspire. We make this claim not only because we are convinced that our particular 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 resulting from accidents of race or language or geographical location. (para 1, line 17)

Key points from Page 5: Our experiment of creating ideological state: It is not for

us, the Millat of Islam, to follow that path of chaos, and so,obeying the eternal call of Islam, we have embarked on the greatexperiment of creating an ideological State. (Para 2, line 7)

Message to non-Muslim Pakistanis: What we desire is a freesociety open to all who believe in our ideology, as well as to allthose who do not believe in it from the religious point of view butare nevertheless willing to co-operate with us in giving it a trial.This is a very important point, & I would request our non-Muslimcitizens to give it the consideration it deserves. We are an opensociety-that is to say, we do not restrict social co-operation, withall the benefits of full citizenship accruing there from, to membersof the Muslim community. (para 2)

Key points from Page 6: Demand of the State: All that this State demands of its citizens is active

loyalty towards the Constitution; & loyalty will be the only criterion of a goodcitizen, whether it be the result of religious belief or of a common-senseacceptance of the social ideology agreed upon by the majority of the citizens.

Responsibility for the quality of Constitution: …it is the Muslimcommunity as a whole, & not only the members of the Constituent assembly,who will be ultimately responsible for the quality of our Constitution.

Key points from Page 7: The need of this new department: Our nation cannot become

really united, & cannot achieve that singleness of purpose so essential fora Muslim Millat, unless & until we overcome that shameful confusion &demoralization, that loss of faith & of social integrity, that moralcorruption which seems to have become our portion during the recentweeks & months. And this is where the new Department of IslamicReconstruction comes in. (para 1)

Overall Mission of the department: All that we are exposed to do-all that we can legitimately do-is to help the community to co-ordinateits spiritual & intellectual resources, & to revive the moral strength ofwhich the Millat must be 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. (para 2, line 4)

Key points from Page 8: Key Parameters for this department: The outline given

below aims, therefore, at no more than the “pegging-out” of thefield with in which we propose to tackle the problem of Islamicreconstruction. (para 1, line 6)For the sake of greater lucidity, our objectives have been listedunder several sub-headings: in practice, however, it will be foundthat many of the functions here dealt with separately will overlap,thus necessitating their integration into one systematic effort.(para 2)(The outline constitutes footprints on the areas of: (i) Education; (ii)IslamicLaw & Social Reorganization; (iii) Islamic Law & Economics;(iv)Coordination of Awqaaf; (v) Civic Morale)

Key points from Page 8: (I) - Education: “Generally speaking, the Muslim community as a whole

requires to be re-educated in the Islamic spirit; & this appliesmore particularly to the Muslim youth which is now receivingits training in schools & colleges.” (para 3)

“It will be, therefore, one of the duties of the Department ofIslamic Reconstruction to place before the educationalauthorities from time to time, suggestions & proposals designedwith a view to making our schools and colleges representativeof the new life which the Millat has decided upon.” (para 3, line5)

Key points from Page 9: “Religious education will have to be made a compulsory subject

for Muslim students. It must begin & end with a systematicstudy of the Holy Quran & not of Hadis-including, in the higherclasses, their methodology & interpretation-& must aim atmaking the student familiar with the meaning of the Holy Book& the Prophet’s Sunna.” (para 1, line8)

“In the final stages of the course-with the different methods ofapproach to these sources adopted by the various schools ofIslamic thought.” (para 1, line 15)

Key points from Page 10: Need of Islamic education: “All this will necessitate a

gradual overhaul of our educational aims with a view to imbuingthe entire system of education with the spirit of Islam” (para 1,line 3)

“It is also intended to set up a committees of notededucationists & orientalist scholars who will be entrusted withthe task of (a) determining whether the Arabic language shouldbe made a compulsory subject in our schools & colleges, & (b)elaborating a practical scheme to this effect in case thepreceding question is answered in the affirmative.” (para 2)

Key points from Page 11:

(II) Islamic Law & Social Reorganization Highlighting the problem that is still un-solved for masses: One of the greatest difficulties in evolving a

clear cut, practical scheme of Islamic reconstruction is the absence of a uniform code of shar’i laws relating tomatters of social concern. In other words, a most regrettable confucion exists within the Millat as to what is “Islamic”& what “un-Islamic” in all the socio-economic plans & proposals which are now being hotly debated in all quarters.(para 1)

In view of the complexity & diversity to which Muslim fiqh has attained in past centuries, it would be a vain attempt,for the time being, to eradicate the existing fiqhi differences & to harmonize all the different methods ofinterpretation & ijtehadi deduction responsible for that complexity. (para 1, line 18)

A beautiful proposal, still not implemented any where: If, therefore, a practical & predictable-scheme ofIslamic action is to be evolved, we must eschew at present all matters requiring interpretation & deduction & confineourselves to the self-evident shar’I laws which are clearly formulated as such in the obvious(zahir) wordings of Quran& Sunna, and with regard to which there is no dissension between the various schools of Islamic thought. If such lawsare codified, they will supply a minimum basis of agreement for the purpose of Islamic social reconstruction. (para 3)

Key points from Page 12: Proposal of Shariat Committee & expectations from it: The department proposes, therefore,

to issue a call to responsible Ulama of all school of thought to nominate their most outstandingrepresentatives as members of a Shariat Committee to be set up in the near future. It will be the taskof this committee to collect & codify such social & economic laws of Quran & Sunna as fall within thecategory of nusus. (para 2)

Application of Divine laws “as-it-is”: It is to be understood that there is no question of “drafting”or even “re-drafting” of shar’i laws. Under the terms of reference to issued to it, the committee willsimply have to collect all the nass ordinances forthcoming from the Quran & from authentic traditionsaccepted by all schools of thought, & to codify them under specific headings. (para 2, line 11)

The way to unity of Millat-e-Islamiya: It is hoped that in this way it will be possible to obtain acode of comparatively small extent, bearing on matters of social concern, which could be regarded asthe largest common denominator between the various schools of thought. If we succeed in thisendeavor, the Millat will be in the possession of a minimum code of shar’i laws relating to questions ofpublic import, which could subsequently form the basis of further deliberation & the starting point forpractical legislation. (para 2, line 18)

Key points from Page 13: (III) Islamic Law & 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 the“minimum” code of Shariat laws suggested in the preceding. (para 2)

Terms of reference for the above committee: The committee’s terms ofreference would include an investigation of certain modern economic problemsin their relation to the Law of Islam –e.g., banking, life insurance, creditoperations, requisition of private property for communal use, agriculturalreform (including the question of nationalization of lands), laws of inheritance, &so forth. (para 2, line 7)

Key points from Page 14:

Expectations from the committee: All that the above committee will beexpected to do is; (a) to clarify the attitude of Islamic Law with regard to certaineconomic problems, and (b) to find out how the requirements of our present-daylife can be fitted into the economic scheme visualized by Islam. (para 1, line 3)

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

religious institutions, some of them with considerable income, which have beenestablished at various times with a view to promoting the interests of thecommunity in the spheres of worship, education, or social service. A few of theseawqaf are properly administered; the overwhelming majority, however, is utterlymismanaged, & some are even shamelessly exploited for the personal benefit of afew mutawallis etc. (para 2)

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

persistent demand for a coordination of all these awqaf under the supervision of one central authority-which obviously should be the Muslim Government- so that both the mal-administration & wastefulduplication of activities might be avoided. (para 1, line 3)

Utilization of surplus funds of Awqaf: After meeting the legitimate demands of the institutionsconcerned, the available surplus could be utilized for setting up & running a great Academy ofUlama(perhaps on the lines of Jamia al-Azhar of Cairo), which would produce generation aftergeneration of real Islamic scholars & would contribute to making Pakistan the spiritual centre of theMuslim world. (para 1, line 14)

Proposal & tasks of Awqaf committee: The department of Islamic Reconstruction proposes toinaugurate a committee of prominent Ulama & other well-known citizens, who would examine thequestion of waqf properties from the shar’I angle &, after having duly considered all the relevant view-points, draw up & submit to Government a definite plan for a coordination of all the Awqaf in thiscountry under the supervision of a central authority to be nominated for this purpose by theGovernment. (para 2)

Key points from Page 16: (V) Civic Morale

The problem with our collective conscience: “The most perturbing aspect of our communal like is the utter deterioration of our morale from the Islamic & civic point of view. If Pakistan is to attain to its cherished goal & to become the cradle of a resurgent Islamic civilization, the active co-operation of all well-meaning Muslims must be secured in the service of civic morale.” (para2)

Our role as common Muslims & critique of all other “-isms”: “Let there be no mistake about it: It is we, the people of Pakistan- we alone in the modern Muslim world-who have openly broken away from the selfish prejudices of race & nationalism & have proclaimed our intention to build a State on no other foundation but the fact of being Muslim.” (para 3)

Key points from Page 17:

Our responsibilities and impact on other Muslim countries: “…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 countries whereMuslims live.” (para 1, line 2)

Ideals, targets, aims & objectives of our Nation: “If we, the people of Pakistan, succeedin making our land a full fledged Islamic State; if we are able to prove to a disillusioned worldthat Islam does indeed provide a solution of mankind’s social & political ills, all other Muslimnations are bound to follow our example sooner or later, & Islam will revive to its pristineglory.” (para 2)

Success of Pakistan in the context of global Ummah: “In other words, if we attain toour glorious objectives, the whole Muslim world will attain to it with us; & if we go astray,the whole Muslim world will probably go astray with us, & for centuries to come people willcease to consider even the possibility of building an Islamic State.” (para 2, line 15)

Key points from Page 18: The Commitment 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 & practicableproposition for our time & for every time. If we but realize this responsibility, our presentweakness will soon become the source of our strength –for we will learn to regard thetrials we are now undergoing not as a calamity, not as a punishment from God, but as thesacrifice which He demands of those whom He has chosen for a special mission.” (para 1)

Selection of people of Pakistan for the Divine mission: “For, undoubtedly, He haschosen the people of Pakistan for the greatest, the most glorious mission which any peoplemight ever be called upon to fulfill, namely- “that you may become a people inviting the world toequity, enjoining what is right & forbidding what is wrong: & such people, indeed attain to spiritualhappiness” (para 1, line 12)

Our required conduct for the Divine mission: “But we cannot remain true to themission which God seems to have entrusted to us, we cannot even dream of achieving anIslamic polity, unless we free ourselves from the shameful habits of our decadence &become more upright, more truthful-in short, more decent in our behavior than we arenow. (para 2)

Key points from Page 19:

The required transformation to carry the Divine mission: “In order thatwe should be able to invite the world to equity, we must learn ourselves to behaveequitably towards those who are weak; in order to be able to enjoin what is right& to forbid what is wrong, we must learn to judge others; & in order to attainspiritual happiness, we must learn to be far less materialistic than we are now.God demands of us faith & courage, honesty & self-respect, purity of mind &purity of action: & this is surely not too heavy a demand to make of those who callthemselves sons & daughters of Islam, & not too heavy a price to pay for thefuture which God has promised to His faithful followers. But it is a demand whichmust be fulfilled, & a price which must be paid for the privilege of being aMuslim. (para 1, line 3)

Role of department as far as Civic Morale are concerned: In accordancewith a carefully elaborated plan, the Department will issue continuouspublications on the social, moral & intellectual problems with which the Millat isnot confronted. (para 1, line 6)

Key points from Page 20:

Key tasks of the department in spreading, preserving & implementing Islamic & civicmorale:

“In addition to the reports of the various committees alluded to in the foregoing, we shall publish(a) series of pamphlets written by notable Muslim thinkers, (b) series of newspaper articles, & (c)series of radio talks- all of them dealing with the burning questions of Islamic reconstruction.”(para 1, line 2)

“We shall institute a Dars al-Quran which will be regularly broadcast by Radio Pakistan; to thisend we shall avail ourselves of the collaboration of prominent scholars, who will expound theteaching of the Quran with special reference to present-day problems & difficulties & thus help thecommunity to derive practical guidance from the Holy Book.” (para 1, line 8)

In pursuance of this mission, the Department shall from time to time submit to Governmentvarious suggestions for Islamic social improvement, both of the kind which can be effectedimmediately, without recourse to special legislation, as well as of the kind which demands newlegislative measures. (para 2)

Key points from Page 21 & 22:

Moving forward: “In short, we propose to make the Department of IslamicReconstruction a sort of “clearing-house” of ideas & endeavors aiming, cumultatively,at a religious & social uplift of the Millat. It goes without saying that a programme ofthis magnitude-which may even be still further augmented as our work goes on-canbe implemented only in stages and not all at once. (para 3, page 21)

Conclusion: “The one form of co-operation we must insist upon from the verybeginning-a co-operation which, indeed, the whole Government must insist upon-isthe creation, by the people themselves & within theselves, of a new spirit of hope,determination & social integrity. It is only on the basis of such a co-operation thatour dream, to build an Islamic State, can come true.

I pray to Almighty God that He may give all of us the wisdom & the moral strengthto work for the greatness of Islam.” (last para, page 22)