Two Nation Theory concept of Pakistan and India

The term two nation theory in its simplest way means the cultural, political, economic, and social dissimilarities between the two major communities, Hindus and Muslims of the subcontinent. These differences of outlook in fact were greatly instrumental in giving rise to two distinct political ideologies which were responsible for the partition of India into two independent states.

Concept of Two Nation Theory of Pakistan

 It was mainly due to these differences in culture, religion, and history that the Muslims of the subcontinent at least decided to demand a separate homeland to provide safeguards to their separate and distinct identity as a nation. Sir Syed Ahmad khan was the father of two nation theory, and Quaid-e-Azam Jinnah and two nation theory were presented to Muslims of the Subcontinent.

Founders of Two Nation Theory

The Evolution of two nation theory

Islam is an ideal embodiment of peace justice and social and economical equality and brotherhood. It deals with all walks of human life and is a complete source of security for it from every angle but as a result of living together with the Hindus for centuries, the Muslims of the subcontinent had also started deviating from the golden principles of Islam. They were keenly desirous of adapting their lives to the model of the early ages of Islamic history which separate Muslims' identity from society.

The whole of the Indo-Pak subcontinent has never been a single nation. It is so vast that in the past with slow and difficult communicate. A single ruler couldn't govern the whole of it. Even at the height of Mughal power under Aurangzeb, the southern tip of the subcontinent was independent and much of the rest of the country, except the northern local rulers, had a great deal of freedom.

National Identity

With the behaviour of the Hindu nation, it was quite clear that they were bent upon wiping out the identity of Indian Muslims as a nation and ultimately merging them into an Indian nation through a gradual process. The leaders of the Indian National Congress would neither accept the Indian Muslims as a separate nation nor they were ready to give constitutional protection to their unique culture and civilization. With this attitude of, even those Muslims had to be disappointed in the latter years of the struggle for freedom who had been in search of Hindu-Muslim unity for years under the flag of congress. Under these circumstances, all the sensible Muslims of the subcontinent had reached the conclusion that if they wanted to survive like a living nation, a separate Muslim State was the need of the hour for them.  

The Freedom of the Muslim Community

In Islam, there is no concept of accepting slavery and remaining content with it. For this reason, Muslims have always loved democratic values because Islam aims at nothing but liberating man from being the slave of another man and including him as the slave of God. The Muslim Community in the subcontinent was compelled to be subjugated by the English as a result of the weak morale of its rulers and Lords so immediately after the heroic martyrdom of Sultan Tipu they came to realize that anti-Islamic powers were bent on taking over all their liberties and that no Muslim ruler was in the position to face the challenges of Western Imperialism. Now they started to divert all their energies to launch public movements. This is a Historical fact that the movement started by Sayyed Ahmed Shaheed had been facing both Sikhs and the English for nearly three-quarters of a century.

A desire for an Islamic State   

Islam is a complete code of life. It resorts to regulating all walks of life by the teachings of Allah and his Prophet Muhammad PBUH. For this reason, the Muslims of the Subcontinent have been desirous of living within a state which must be an Islamic one. It must be strengthened and consolidated purely on the lines of a pious caliphate. With the study of the Holy Quran and the Shariah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH, the features of this ideal Islamic State would often come into their minds. Sometimes this same desire would be expressed through slogans of liberty and sometimes by proclaiming India as the home of infidels. 

Protection of Urdu

Urdu came into existence in the Subcontinent in the prime age of Muslim rule in these areas. The collections of Muslim arts and sciences were translated into this newly emerged language. It soon became very popular among all types of Muslims as it represented Muslim Culture and civilization. It was also important in the eyes of the Muslims because it had the translations of Quran and Hadith. After 1857 the Hindus under the patronage of the English started a movement to replace Urdu with Hindi, and as Sir Sayyed put it at this point. The paths of the two nations got separated the conflict on this issue paved the way for the establishment of the Muslim League. So it can rightly be said that one reason for the demand of Pakistan was that the language which represented the Muslim Culture should be Protected.

Great Mughal Emperors of India

 Some vast areas paid taxes to the Mughal emperors and then more or less went their own way. Some like the Marathas and Sikhs were never really incorporated into the Muslim empire.

 

Two Nation Theory concept of Pakistan and India

British India

Although Britain directly ruled less than half of India by the 20th century. She had advisers in the many states which were nominally independent by 1911 there were more than 560 of these independent states ranging from a few hectares to a huge Hyderabad in the Deccan, with 220000 hectares. Though most do anything which the British did not approve of.   

British India

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The Road to Independence                

In the 1940s there according to the official census 254930506 Hindus ( 65 percent), 92058096 Muslims ( 24 percent), and 11 percent of their religions, Sikhs, Jains, Parsees, Christians, and animists. 

There were almost three Hindus to every Muslim in the subcontinent and though both could be found all across India, for historical reasons the Muslim people concentrated in the northwest and northeast. When belatedly the British began thinking of independence for India, they imagined a single state with one central government for the whole country, to handle vital issues such as financial differences and international relations, with less important regional assemblies for more local affairs. It was a politically neat and tidy solution that would have worked in Canada or in South Africa, where there could have been as originally English and Dutch states.

Religious Social economic differences              

Pakistan was created based on two nation theory both Allama Iqbal and Quaid e Azam were right in claiming that Muslims of India formed a separate nation based on Muslim culture. The culture and society of Muslims and Hindus were sharply distinct from each other an account of their different sources of inspiration, intellectual culture, and material life.

Using their religion social life and ideology, they formed a separate nation. There was no race consciousness and any type of superiority complex amongst Muslims. The democratic spirit of their faith united them distinct and solid national mass and there was no gulf between the constituent parts of the Muslim community.

Muslim aristocracy no doubt supplied leaders from all walks of life. It set the tone of social life and its fashions and as such, it was the life spring of culture and refinement. It is also true that habits and hobbies vices and virtues of aristocracy spread to the masses but the ultimate criterion of everything was morals and religion or the Quran and Sunnah. Whether it was the king or a common person if he indulged in any evil or malpractice the consequences were the same for both and they were liable for the equal penalty, It shows the religious consciousness of Muslims.