Biographies Of Quaid-E-Azam

Muhammad Ali Jinnah:

Following are the four most prominent biographies written on
Muhammad Ali Jinnah. A brief
review of each is given below:

Jinnah Of
Pakistan:
By:

Stanley Wolpert

Introduction:
There are many books written by both Pakistani and foreign
authors on Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah but none
equals Stanley Wolperts Jinnah Of Pakistan.
Following are some of the words spoken by different people
from all over the world about the greatness of this book:
An important contribution to the study of one of the most
significant episodes of modern history, the partition of India.
Jinnahs role has been consistently distorted both in scholarly
work. Wolpert has succeeded in showing Jinnah as a rationalist
of great intelligence and political ability, who was driven to
become the spokesman for the partition of India by tides of
Indian Nationalism.
(Ainslie T. Embree, Chairman, Department of History, Columbia
University)

This masterly biography of Pakistans Founder and Great

Leader is also a thorough and objective study of the coming of
political independence and partition to the Indian
subcontinent.
(Holden Furber, Emeritus Professor of History, University of
Pennsylvania)
Scholarly, insightful, understanding and brilliant. Scholarship
and the art of portrayal merge so masterfully in the work that
Jinnahs personality becomes truly alive.
(Fazl Ur Rahman, Professor of Near Eastern Languages and
Civilizations, University of Chicago)
A magnificent biography We should be grateful to Stanley
Wolpert for a book that combines meticulous research and
scholarship with a lively and interesting style. He is one of the
rare species: a scholar who can and will - write well.
(Norman D. Palmer, Emeritus Professor of Political Science and
South Asian Studies, University of Pennsylvania)
The first scholarly biography of one of the most important
political figures of the modern world. Beautifully written,
insightful, and dispassionate, it brings to life this complex,
brilliant, and ambitious leader who did more than anyone else
to bring to realization the seemingly chimerical dream of the
founding a Muslim majority state in the Indian subcontinent. All
readers interested in the contemporary history can profit
greatly from reading this book.
(Nikki Keddie, Past President, Middle East studies Association of
North America)

Inside The Book:

First three lines of book says it all, a tribute associated with
none other than Jinnah. It is:
Few individuals significantly alter the course of history,
fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone
can be credited with creating a Nation State,
Mohammad Ali Jinnah did all three.
It goes on further:

Hailed as great leader (Quaid-e-Azam) of

Pakistan and its first governor general, Jinnah virtually
conjured that country into Statehood by the force of his
indomitable will. His place of primacy in Pakistans
history looms like a lofty minaret over the achievement
of all his contemporaries in the Muslim League. Yet
Jinnah began his political career as a leader of Indias
National Congress and until after World War 1 remained
Indias best Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity. As
enigmatic a figure as Mahatma Gandhi, more power full
than Pundit Nehru, Quaid-e-Azam Jinnah was one of
recent historys most charismatic leaders and least
known personalities. For more than a quarter of
century I have been intrigued by the apparent paradox
of Jinnahs strange story ,which as to date never told in
all the fascinating complexity of its brilliant light and
tragic darkness.
Portraying Jinnahs story in all of its human complexity. Wolpert
begins in the late nineteenth century with Jinnahs early life as
a provincial country-boy in Karachi and follows him to London
where he studied law and became a British barrister. Returning
to India in 1896, Jinnah rapidly ascended the dual ladders of
Indian law and politics, climbing to the top rung of each. By the
1920s, however, it appeared that Jinnahs political career was
at an end, superseded by the rise of Gandhis leadership and
the movement of India in a more revolutionary direction. Yet,
Jinnah was to remain a pivotal figure in the turbulent decades
that followed, as India struggled for independence from British
rule amid growing Hindu-Muslim antagonism.
Wolpert vividly recounts how the tragic clash of personalities
and party platforms that initially pitted Jinnah against Gandhi
escalated from a personal rivalry into a conflict of national and
international proportions. Wolpert shows how Jinnahs shrewd
and skilful leadership combined brilliant advocacy and singular
tenacity to win his suit for the creation of Pakistan on behalf of
the Muslim nationhis sole client during the last, lonely, painfilled decade of his life

The book encompasses Quaid-e-Azam stay at Karachi, Bombay,

Calcutta, Amritsar, New Delhi, London, Shimla, Lahore and
Quetta and his final days at Ziarat as well.
Book describes in detail the gloomiest hours of Jinnahs life and
steadfast resolve of his for achievement of an independent
country for the Muslims of sub-continent and also a rock like
support from her only family member Fatima Jinnah, her Sister.
Describing Last days of Jinnah Stanley Wolperts writes: Jinnah
lived on a few cups of tea and coffee, and some plain water to
swallow his pills. He lay in bed quietly all day, listless,
apathetic, depressed. Fatie I am no longer interested in living.
The sooner I go, the better, he confessed before the month
ended. It does not matter whether I live or die he told Bakhsh
on August 29. Bakhsh noticed tears in his eyes ,and was
startled by this manifestation of feeling in one generally looked
upon as unemotional and unbending.I had always felt that he
had been kept going, despite his low vitality, by an indomitable
will. I knew from experience that when a patient gave up the
fight no treatment, however perfect ,could achieve much, and
was, therefore, greatly distressed to find that the man of iron
will had given up the fight.(page -368)
Capturing the very end Stanley Wolpert writes:
Quaid-e-Azam Jinnah died at 10:20 pm on
September11, 1948. All that remained of him weighed
only 70 pounds wrapped in a simple shroud, he was
buried the next day in Karachi, where a handsome
domed monument of pink marble now stands, housing
the remains of one of the historys most remarkable,
tenacious, enigmatic figures.

JINNAH: CREATOR OF PAKISTAN

By:

Hector Bolitho

Introduction:

Jinnah: Creator of Pakistan was the official biography of the

founder of Pakistan, Quaid-I-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. It
proved popular, and from the year of its first publication in
1954, it was printed many times. The book Jinnah creator of
Pakistan is one of the most readable and vivid sketch of the
character and carrier of the Creator of Pakistan been written
by Hector Bolitho in his familiar style. For a full thirty years it
was the only internationally acknowledged work on Mohammad
Ali Jinnah. In this book, Bolitho has collected anecdotes and
assessments from a large number of Jinnahs colleagues and
acquaintances and has strung them together very skilfully upon
an outline of the domestic events of Jinnahs life and of the
great political events in which he played so dominant a part.
Hector Bolitho's Jinnah: Creator of Pakistan (1954) became his
most celebrated and influential book. Frustrated however, at
what he was not allowed to write or include, Bolitho preserved
for scholars the first draft of his biography, his diary and notes,
his correspondence with Government of Pakistan functionaries
and highly placed individuals in Britain, India and Pakistan who
had known Jinnah personally, and the English and American
reviews of the book's published version. All of this material is
present in this volume.
In Quest of Jinnah which gives not only a stereovision of the
original published version, but offers fresh and authentic
insights into the personality and politics of Mohammed Ali
Jinnah. It is a very rare version.

Inside The Book:

Bolitho successfully comprehend all the aspects of Jinnahs life
with great professional skill. He takes start from the very early
age of Jinnah. He draws a sketch of Kathiawar, the native land
of the Parents of M.A Jinnah, his family background and their
migration to Karachi, now a day the capital of Sind a province
of Pakistan.
The author gives full exposure to Jinnahs professionalism. He
not only discusses the early life of Jinnah in detail but also gives
a very comprehensive picture of the society in which Jinnah
lived. He has expressed Jinnahs life from early Childhood to a
young politician with great lucidity. Bolithos Jinnah is a

competent, honest professional and a hard-working personality

equipped with legal proficiency and quick decision making
qualities while performing as a Magistrate.
As an advocate he was equally vocal and scrupulously honest.
His faith in himself was incredible while replaying to the Judge
who said to him, Mr Jinnah, remember that you are not
addressing a third Class magistrate Jinnah answered, My
Lord, allow me to warn you that you are not addressing
a third class pleader. There was no one to touch him in
legal argument.
Bolitho then turns towards the political carrier of M.A Jinnah. He
has discussed in detail the early political carrier of Jinnah. In
1906, he joined Indian National Congress due to the influence
of nationalism leadership like Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Dada Bhai
Nauroji and W.C Bannergee. He was particular by very much
impressed by the political approach of Dada Bhi Nauroji
commonly known as Grand old man of India. Jinnah entered
politics when he was thirty Years old, financially safe and sound
and had made his carrier and fortune safe and bright. Later on
he used to advise the young students in these words, dont
enter politics until you have made Congress held at Calcutta,
Jinnah was a private Secretary to Dada Bhai Nauroji. In that
session, Nauroji bluntly demanded self-government, or Swaraj.
In part two of the book the author offers an aesthetic touch to
the historical background of the region now Lahore the river
Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, Mughal empire monuments and
streets of Lahore, the Sikh Raj, back ground for Pakistan,
reawakening of the Muslim, advent of British into Subcontinent,
transfer of the government of India to the crown from East India
company and war of independence 1857. Then in a briefed
mille tone, he describes the family background, life history and
services of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan rendered for the Muslims.
Here the author also briefly discusses the early years of the
free movement from 1857 down to 1905 during which Syed
Ahmad reached to a conclusion that Separation of the two Chief
races in India i.e. Hindus and Muslims was inevitable and that
only through education the Muslim might find the way to
freedom peace and reason for that purpose he succeeded in
establishing Aligarh College which later on become University
in 1920.

In the same book further covers all personal and political

aspects of Jinnahs life. Capturing the end it says: At about 9:30
P.M. The Quaid showed signs of acute discomfort. His doctors
were by his beside, examining him. His doctors raised the end
of the Quaid-i-Azams bed, to hasten the flow of blood to his
heart. Then they tried to inject a drug into his veins, but the
veins had collapsed. At 9:50 Colonel Ilahi Bakhsh leaned over
and whispered, Sir, we have given you an injection to
strengthen you, and it will soon have its effect. God willing, you
are going to live.
Quaid-i-Azam moved his head and spoke for the last time: he
said faintly,
No, I am not. Thirty minutes later, while sleeping peacefully,
he breathed his last.

MY BROTHER:
By:

Fatima Jinnah

Introduction:
My Brother is the biography of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the
founder of Pakistan, by his sister Fatima Jinnah. It is thought
that the publication of Hector Bolitho's book, Jinnah Creator of
Pakistan in 1954 prompted Miss Jinnah to write about her
brother as it was felt that Bolitho's book had failed to bring out
the political aspects of her brother's life. It was published by the
Quaid-i-Azam Academy in 1987. A major focus of the book are
his political aspirations and how his failing health affected
them. The Daily Times summarized it as "...he was aware of the
peril his failing health posed, thus wanted to do whatever he
could to build the new country whose existence was precarious
owing to lack of resources and enormous challenges on the
economic and political fronts."[3] It explores his feelings of
betrayal in older age and sickness, for example, when picked
by an ambulance when struggling to breathe, it ran out of gas,
and then lay in wait for an hour for another to come.

My Brother makes a controversial claim that Muhammad Ali

Jinnah was born in Kharadar, Karachi, and not the Wazir
Mansion, that official records declare.
The relevance of the book, in the existing gloom enveloping our
country, is greater than ever, for it carries the roadmap which,
if followed, can steer us back towards the path envisioned by
the Father of the Nation. During his address on October 30,
1947 at the University Stadium Lahore, the Quaid said, There
is no power on earth that can undo Pakistan. It has come to
stay. The book highlights those aspects of Jinnahs life, which
no one else could explain so passionately and with utmost
honesty and truthfulness as done by his sister.

Inside The Book:

The first chapter The Nation is orphaned is dedicated mostly
to the failing health of the Quaid when his personal physician
Dr Ilahi Bux struggled to save his life while convincing him
unsuccessfully to cut down on his daily hectic routine. As one
reads through these pages, it becomes evident that he was
aware of the peril his failing health posed, thus wanted to do
whatever he could to build the new country whose existence
was precarious owing to lack of resources and enormous
challenges on the economic and political fronts.
During this period of failing health, his mind worked as clearly
as ever. This is evident from his taking note of and
subsequently advising the bureaucracy and the military how to
conduct their business while remaining within the constitutional
boundaries. On April 14, he called a meeting of civil officers at
Government House in Peshawar. He mixed freely and personally
met many of them. During the informal discussion with them he
said, The first thing that I want to tell you is this, that
you should not be influenced by any political pressure,
by any political party or individual politician. He further
went on to say, I wish also to take the opportunity of
impressing upon our leaders and politicians in the same
way that if they ever try to interfere with you and bring
political pressure to bear upon you, which leads to
nothing but corruption, bribery and nepotism, which is a
horrible disease...they are doing nothing but disservice

to Pakistan. In an address to officers of the Staff College,

Quetta, in June 1948, he said, I am persuaded to say this
because during my talks with one or two very high
ranking officers I discovered that they did not know the
implication of the oath taken by troops of Pakistan. And
then the Quaid went on to read the oath in totality.
Fatima Jinnah brings to light the bitter realities towards the end
of Jinnahs days when he felt betrayed and was seen as a
broken man. One day, looking intently into my eyes, he
said, Fati I am no more interested in living. The sooner I
go the better.
These feelings of betrayal and helplessness became further
evident when the ambulance which was to take him from the
Mauripur Airport to the Governor General House, Karachi,
coughed, as if gasping for breath, and came to a sudden stop
as it had run short of petrol. The other ambulance came one
hour late thus diminishing any chances of saving his life. This
was not any ordinary person, but the first Governor General of
Pakistan and the founder of the nation whose life was at stake.
Reference to this incident in the book raises many questions,
which to date remain unanswered.
His painful voice echoes as the reader is caught in an emotional
trauma reading the lines addressed to his sister. Yes ... take
me to Karachi ... I was born there ... I want to be
buried ... there. His eyes closed, and I stayed by his bedside. I
could hear his thoughts ramble in the realm of his
unconsciousness. He whispered in his sleep, Kashmir ... Give
them ... the right ... to decide ... Constitution ... I will
complete it ... soon ... Refugees ... give them ... all
assistance ... Pakistan. Towards the end, He slept for about
two hours, undisturbed. And then he opened his eyes, saw me,
and signalled with his head and eyes for me to come near him.
He made one last attempt and whispered, Fati, Khuda
Hafiz ... La Ilaha IL Allah ... Mohammad... Rasul ... Allah.
His head dropped slightly to his right, his eyes closed. The
nation was orphaned, forever.

MUHAMMAD ALI JINNAH

(A POLITICAL STUDY):
By:

Mutlubul Hassan Saiyid

Introduction:
This is the biography written by personal secretary of Jinnah
and it focusses mainly on political life of Jinnah starting from his
early life and career making.

Inside The Book:

The book starts with describing Jinnahs birth as:
On Christmas day of year 1876, which fell on Sunday,
was in city of Karachi, Muhammad Ali Jinnah to gladden
the hearts of their lucky parents, for he was their firstborn child.
Further it describes:
Law was the first and foremost passion in Jinnahs life.
Therefore, he manifested a keen interest in formulating and
interpreting law from the very beginning of his career as a
legislator. His intellectual vigour and deep knowledge of law
and his efforts to use these qualities to bring substantial good
to his people won him praises of all his contemporaries.
His hard work after coming back from England in making his
name as a lawyer is also described in a good way. Jinnah,
himself, reveals the secret of his success in these words:
Character, courage, industry and perseverance are the
four pillars on which whole edifice of human life can be
built, and failure is a word unknown to me.
His short and pithy speeches in the Council reflected his
rational, logical, discreet and dispassionate approach. His stand
was always based on reason rather than emotions. He never
allowed himself to show any sign of prejudice. His attitude
during the course of a debate on the resolution tabled by Babu

Bhupendra Nath Basru, in March 1912 on the subject of police

administration is worthy to mention in this regard. The
resolution had two parts, one concerned with administration
and the other with amendments to the law of confession. In
both cases, the inquiry through an appointed Commission was
demanded. Jinnahs opening remarks on the resolution revealed
that he wished the resolution to be dealt purely on its merit and
questions of racial, national or personal character should not be
entered into the debate as the matter was primarily one
affecting the administration of the country. He endorsed the
demand for the appointment of a Commission to inquire
whether there was a particular evil that was to be remedied or
a particular system that was to be altered. However, he
strongly opposed the second part of the resolution by citing two
instances and argued that there was no need to appoint the
Commission when the Council was fully capable of dealing
matters with any legal flaws. He said: Why usurp this
Council of its proper functions and leave a matter of this
kind to a Commission, where, we can do that ourselves
here?
He was a believer of National solidarity but without impairing
the interests of Muslims. Jinnah during his tenure as a
parliamentarian, always strongly supported the measures,
which he thought could contribute towards the advancement of
Indians. He always pursued his arguments in this regard with
vigour, fervour and sincere conviction. He threw all his weight
to impress upon the Government. Among many cases, his
valuable contribution to the cause of Civil Services, his criticism
and useful suggestions to the recommendations of the Lee
Commission and his strong plea for the competitive
examination to be held simultaneously in India and England
manifested the character with which he served his countrymen
inside the legislature.
His bold and frank attitude, especially on the question of
simultaneous examinations for Indian Civil Services in India and
England will be memorable. He said: Now the first difficulty
which the Honble Member (Sir William Vincent) puts
forward is that it (resolution) would certainly not
maintain the preponderance of the British element.
Now, Sir, May I know why is it necessary to have a
preponderance of the British element? Why? If, as we

are contemplating, we are not going to have, I hope, for

a very long time a bureaucracy that will be the servant
of the people, and that is what we are realized in the
reconstruction of the Government, we hope that the
bureaucracy which under the present constitution are
the masters and the rulers, will be the servants of the
people. If that is to be realized, may I, Sir, know why
there should be a substantial element of the British?
In the similar way this book covers all political events of
Jinnahs life in a well-balanced and maintained way to the end.

Conclusion:
I will conclude with the following words of Stanley Wolpert
about our great Quaid:
Such was the great dream and legacy of your Nations
Father. No wonder you continue to revere him as your
Quaid-e-Azam, and to enshrine him in your hearts as
well as in noble monuments of marble. But the greatest
tribute to any man of such genius and inspired
leadership, remember, is the do what he asked of you
not simple to pay lip-service to his memory but to
activate his legacy by transforming yourselves, and
daily labours and nationwide support and co-operation
to help turn his Pakistan and yours into one of the
greater nation of the world!
QUAID-E-AZAM ZINDABAD!
PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!
(A lecture by Stanley Wolpert, Professor of history, University of California, Los Angeles.
Delivered at a seminar organized by the Institute of Regional Studies: March 22, 1998)

THE END