Abstract
The book under review is an autography of Muhammad Ali Jinah covering the period
from 1912 to 1917. The author of the book, Mrs Sarojini Naidu commonly known as
Bharatiya Kokila (The Nightingale of India), was a freedom fighter, and poet. She was
the first Indian woman that led the way for women in Indian politics and her birthday
is celebrated as "Women’s Day" in India. She is remembered as a champion of
women's rights, and Hindu-Muslim unity. Her book under review can be testified as
an attribute to Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s first phase of political life. Though the book
brings forth Jinnah’s role as an ambassador of the unity in question but ignores to
unearth the causes that forced him to distance himself from the Congress agenda and
become the torch bearer of separate home land for Muslims of India- a land that is
free from the clutches of Hindu hegemonic mindset. However, in-depth look in to the
speeches and writings one is provoked to find out the events, attitude and the mind set
that led in to conversion of a staunch Indian nationalist in to a chief proponent of
independent Muslim homeland. The detailed understanding of these speeches can help
reader of history to comprehend the logic and rational behind the stage wise
progression of Pakistan movement and its gathering momentum in very short spell of
time. The biography is first of its own kind and none of any Indian or Pakistani
1
. Muhammad Zubair, Civil Services Academy, Lahore. Email: cspzubair@gmail.com
2
. Zia ul Rehman, MPhil Research Scholar, International Relations Department, Qurtuba University,
Peshawar Campus
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politician/Member of Parliament has ever ventured an objective evaluation of Jinnah’s
vision of united India and Hindu-Muslim unity. The book in its over 200 pages carries
the theme that Jinnah entered politics in India in 1905 and by 1917 his charisma and
diplomacy had made him a national leader and the most visible supporter of HinduMuslim unity.
The book, ‘Mohammad Ali Jinnah an ambassador of Unity’, is compilation of the
speeches of Mohammad Ali Jinnah which he delivered at different occasions in
between 1912 to 1917. Besides, the speeches, the book also contains few of the
selected writings of Jinnah pertaining to that period when his all energies were
directed to pursue for Hindu- Muslim unity. The period marks an era and a political
mind set of Jinnah that how was he looking the problem and future of India at that
time. The book is a tribute to Muhammad Ali Jinnah not as an Indian Nationalist
rather an Indian who is proud to be an Indian nationalist. The book can also be viewed
as a mirror that reflects Mrs Naidu’s earnest desire to promote and see Hindu-Muslim
unity not only nurturing in subcontinent rather, flourishing a joint movement with
common cause of getting India free from the clutches of Great Britain. The book is a
unique book that besides other matter, helps reader to have an insight into the
forthright and fearless conviction and courage of Quaid e Azam and his command
over the socio- political and socio- economic dimensions related to diversified ethnic
groups in general and Muslims in particular. The book is a stepping stone to
comprehend Jinnah’s political and parliamentarian vision as a democrat who, because
of his God gifted eschewed mind and political skills, stood above the shoulders than
other political taboos of that time.
After returning to India, he practiced law and was elected to India's Imperial
Legislative Council in 1910. Committed to home rule for India and to maintaining
Hindu-Muslim unity, he joined the Muslim League in 1913 and worked to ensure its
collaboration with the Indian National Congress. He was opposed to Mohandas K.
Gandhi's non-cooperation movement and withdrew from the Congress. It was Jinnah
who, in February 1915, brought Hindus and Muslims close together in a bid to
commemorate Gokhale’s death as a common loss and sorrow for Hindus and Muslim
both. It was that occasion when the ambassador of unity confessed in a priceless
moment of self revelation that ‘it is my ambition to become the Muslim Gokhale’. In
an attempt to further closeness and reconciliation between Indian National Congress
and all India Muslim League, he persuaded Muslim League to hold its annual session
scheduled in December 1915 at Bombay. These simultaneous sessions- a joint effort
to find lasting solution of Hindu Muslims differences and cooperation, were brought
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about with no little labor, anxiety and trouble. And Jinnah was the moving force and
binding spirit behind the arrangements of these sessions at one time and one place. His
address, later as President of All India Muslim League, at Lucknow in 1916
consummates his irrefutable faith in the vision of a free and federated India. The
Lucknow address raised him to prominence in the Indian National Congress
expounding ideas of Hindu-Muslim unity and helping shape the 1916 Lucknow Pact
with the Muslim League; he also became a key leader in the All India Home Rule. He
proposed a fourteen- point constitutional reform plan to safeguard the political rights
of all. Jinnah was the architect of the 1916 Lucknow Pact between the Congress and
the League, bringing them together on most issues regarding self-government and
presenting a united front to the British. Jinnah also played an important role in the
founding of the All India Home Rule League in 1916. Along with political leaders
Annie Besant and Tilak, Jinnah demanded "home rule" for India—the status of a selfgoverning dominion in the Empire similar to Canada, New Zealand and Australia. He
headed the League's Bombay Presidency chapter.
In October 1916 while presiding over the 16th Bombay Provincial conference at
Ahmadabad Mr Jinnah was very loud and clear when declared that real progress of
India lies in the goodwill, concord, harmony and cooperation between the two great
sister communities. The true focus of their progress is to be centered in their union.
Therefore, he urged for the unity amongst Hindus and Muslims to effect legitimate
and constitutional transfer of power from Britain. He called for a thorough political
union among the Indian people of all creeds and classes. The thorough union,
therefore, of all the people for their emancipation is an absolute necessity. They must
sink or swim together. Without this union, all efforts will be vain. Jinnah reiterated
this call for national unity at every political meeting he attended in those years, and he
emerged as true Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah during his stay in London, founded the London Indian
Association in order to get focused otherwise scattered energies and activities of
Indian youth at foreign land. His demonstrated behavior till 1920 testifies that his
loyalty to Muslim League and Muslim interest would in no way and at no time imply
even the shadow of disloyalty to the national cause of Indian independence. It was in
acknowledgment of his mental qualities, lucid arguments, and dedication to national
cause that he was chosen to be the spokesman of articulate India before the
representatives of British Parliament and the British public. In the late 1920s and
early '30s, he was seen as too moderate by some Muslims but too Muslim by the
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Congress Party. From 1937, when the Congress Party refused to form coalition
governments with the Muslim League in the provinces, Jinnah began to work for the
partitioning of India and on creating a Muslim state. Pakistan emerged as an
independent country in 1947, and Jinnah became its first head of state. He died in
1948, revered as the father of the nation.
Muhammad Zubair, Zia ul Rehman. (2010) Mohammad Ali Jinnah An Ambassador Of Unity, Abasyn Journal of Social Sciences, Volume-03, Issue-1.
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