“What was the single most important thing you learnt from today’s session (if any)?” This is a question in the feedback forms distributed at the end of each session of the course, “The Untold Story of Pakistan“. The replies received from the participants are produced below.
Behbud, November 2019
The course was offered at Behbud Learning Resource Centre in November 2019. It was divided into three sessions, respectively covering the periods (1) up to 1946, (2) from 1947 to 1986, and (3) 1987 to 2026. The following is the feedback given by the participants at the end of each session.
Session 1: Up to 1946
History as a series of common goals.
Consensus on setting a goal and achieving it!
The goal-oriented, sustained, deliberate approach; and the Muslims in the fight for freedom; and the clarity of their vision.
The power of consensus.
That the Muslims were:
- Seeking consensus from the rich and the poor
- Were goal-oriented
- Started their movement to combat poverty and injustice.
- That all the declared goals were achieved.
- That alleviating poverty was Sir Syed’s first goal.
Our leaders used to take the trouble of finding out our thoughts and aspirations before taking any decision, and proceeded accordingly.
That the Muslims in India in 1946 achieved unison in their thoughts for the future.
The importance of a collective will.
- Consensus-building at the beginning of the struggle
- Non-Muslims as our heroes – their role in supporting the Muslim point of view
G. K. Gokhale supported Muslim demand for separate electorates.
The Sufi paradigm of love. The various stages that have remained uppermost throughout our course.
Generally all the information.
Important thinkers and their ideas.
Our history as a nation is very important for every citizen.
Awareness of the pre-concepts and notions we have studied in history regarding Indo-Pakistan.
There is more to Pakistan History which is relevant today, which I don’t know.
That everything that our forefathers did for us was based on so much forethought. For us to disregard that is tragic. For us to not learn from our history would be catastrophic.
That we have forgotten the unity that made us a force.
It is how love, patience and vision can remove any seemingly impossible obstacle.
One has to trust Allah to guide the way, and as an ideal to love.
Self-correction. Have to have internal growth. Adopt characteristics of Shaheen.
Session 2: 1947-1986
I learnt about the Delhi Resolution 1946.
The Delhi Resolution 1946.
The Delhi Resolution 1946.
That the Indians, despite their resolve to dissipate the Delhi Resolution of 1946 and the achievement of the All-India Muslim League, came around and aligned to the Muslim League goal eventually.
The Delhi Resolution 1946 – and the fact that it is coming true in many ways and different ways since 1946.
That the Delhi Resolution is continued throughout the years – I always thought that we lost sight of it soon after the Quaid’s death.
That the “Delhi Resolution 1946” can be used as a document to “foresee” subsequent historical developments in South Asia.
- The Delhi Resolution
- Uniform Culture and its continuance
The sleazy attitude of the Hindu Mahasabha and the Indian National Congress.
The theory of collective evolution by Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk
Ibn-e-Safi’s writing and Waheed Murad’s work has a purpose.
The genius of Waheed Murad.
How our writers used to think about our country, and how they brought it out before the public.
- Khudi
- I thought that history is the accumulation of facts and figures. My new learning is how I am attached to history. Fascinating.
“What is my one-penny share in the wrongs of my society?”
Working on personal agendas is the deterioration of a society and nation.
My gratitude at the creation of Pakistan has been reinforced.
Session 3: Action points
The story of The Conference of the Birds, and how it fits with the 7 stages of Pakistan.
How the story fits in with the 7 Stages
The relevance of Attar’s seven valleys to the creation of Pakistan.
The interpretation of the 7 stages was fascinating!
The 7 Stages
- Simorgh – way forward
- Provide peace and eradicate poverty
The power of one.
Connecting it back to the original vision written by Iqbal and shown at the beginning of the workshop.
“The Muslim Community – A Sociological Study” (1911) by Iqbal. It was a revelation for me. Words like “it is future which must always control the present” and “unborn members are perhaps more real.”
“The Muslim Community – A Sociological Study” (1911) by Iqbal
I can make a difference.
That nothing has happened randomly and without purpose. That I have to think about my role in changing mindsets.
What I may think as “slight” may be on the contrary.
That the country is on a journey. The journey has not stopped, destination will become more clear with time.
I think that spreading the idea is important! We all need to better understand the motives in the Delhi Resolution, etc. More “public” presentation of ideas?