A few words on history

Thomas Jefferson¹ said “I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past”. He might be right from his view but if we hear from Marcus Garvey² then we should think it twice. Garvey said “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”. Who is right? May be both of them or anyone of them or none of them. It might be a question of long debate. But we have no time to stand still at certain dispute. We are in need of the discussion of the history.

C. S. Lewis³ said “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.” This quotation is also true for the Muslims. Muslims ruled this world about one thousand years. Then they declined due to their dependency on lip service only.

There is a long debate that why India divided. We would mention a quote from John F. Kennedy⁴. He said “Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners, and necessity has made us allies. Those whom God has so joined together, let no man put asunder”.

 
It must be a very nice comment but when we hear from the legend Sir Muhammad Iqbal⁵ we hear a different tone. Iqbal said “A separate federation of Muslim Provinces, reformed on the lines I have suggested above, is the only course by which we can secure a peaceful India and save Muslims from the domination of Non-Muslims. Why should not the Muslims of North-West India and Bengal be considered as nations entitled to self-determination just as other nations in India and outside India are”. It was the demand of that time.

Few decades ago Syed Ahmad Khan⁶ also said "At this time our nation is in a bad state in regards education and wealth, but God has given us the light of religion and the Quran is present for our guidance, which has ordained them and us to be friends. Now God has made them rulers over us. Therefore we should cultivate friendship with them, and should adopt that method by which their rule may remain permanent and firm in India, and may not pass into the hands of the Bengalis… If we join the political movement of the Bengalis our nation will reap a loss, for we do not want to become subjects of the Hindus instead of the subjects of the "people of the Book⁷…" It might be the demand of that time. We cannot ignore any of the three. But the Muslims of the sub continent took their decision. It is nothing but the history now.