Notes on the Ideology of Pakistan

Definition of Ideology

  • Coined by Antoine de Strutt de Tracy during the French Revolution (1789) as a 'science of ideas'.
  • Justice Muhammad Munir describes it as the science dealing with beliefs, notions, and theories, emerged from fundamental assumptions of a people.

Ideology and the French Revolution

  • The French Revolution's ideology focused on equality, fraternity, and liberty.
  • This movement challenged the theory of the Divine Right of Kings.

Understanding Ideology in the Context of Pakistan

  • Charles E. Bressler defines ideology as the collective or social consciousness of a culture, distinct from the material reality.
  • The ideology of Pakistan connects with the Two-Nation Theory but is not purely based on it.
  • It's enshrined in the Objectives Resolution rather than solely in the Lahore Resolution.

Nature of Ideology

  • An ideology expresses absolute truths, contrasting the relative nature of the Two-Nation Theory, which depends on the existence of another group (Hindu majority in undivided India).

Islamic Ideology

  • Islamic ideology seeks to align individual and collective behavior with Islamic principles of justice, morality, human rights, and tolerance.
  • Human rights in Islam are clearly defined, with rights of God and rights of humanity outlined:
    • Rights against God: Not following religious obligations (prayer, fasting, pilgrimage).
    • Rights against humanity: Prohibited acts include stealing, killing, and slander, which are severely condemned in the Holy Quran.

Distinction from Other Ideologies

  • Islamic ideology supports private property and promotes trade but does not align with capitalism due to its condemnation of interest (usury) as sinful.
  • Further, it differs from communism:
    • While advocating for social justice through mechanisms like zakat (almsgiving) and ushr (agricultural tax), it does not align with communist atheism or societal regimentation.
  • Islam predates both capitalism and communism; it fundamentally offers directions that these systems have adapted from.

Rights of Non-Muslims in Islamic Ideology

  • The Islamic ideology of Pakistan does not advocate discrimination against non-Muslims but rather ensures the protection of their rights.