THIS IS MY STORY–90
MY JOURNEY THROUGH THE ERA OF AYUB KHAN TO THE TIMES OF IMRAN KHAN.
GHULAM AKBAR………….
I Get Your Point Mr. Akbar
I have not mentioned above the tears that had erupted from my eyes at the news of the Fall of AlQuds. I had also cried that night—talking to Allah. “Forgive our sins and fill our hearts with RESOLVE to win back our lost glory, our lost honour and our lost pride.”
In those moments, I turned into a sworn ‘anti-American.’ And my commitment to ZAB soared higher, because in him I saw a leader who could pull Pakistan out of the clutches of Washington.
I remember writing a series of articles on the subject of ‘the Islamic Revival’. I remember quoting from a book by Joseph Heel titled THE ARAB CIVILIZATION. The German writer had written during the First World War: “I can foresee the re-emergence of Islam as a political force. In the Past the world witnessed the Rise of a Civilization that was essentially Arab in Character. But in the future the Civilization that I see rising will be much more Islamic in character than Arab.”
I also remember quoting from a speech by Ballac in a Paris moot of the political scientists of the era.
This speech was made in 1938, a year before the Second World War.
“Gentlemen I am going to shock you with a prophecy that will sound insane to you right now. What will shape the world’s future is neither Leninist Marxism, nor our Democry, nor German Fascism. I see the Rise of Islam in the next century.”
My writings published in Daily Mashriq somehow caught the attention of Mr Aziz Ahmad at that time Chairman of the National Press Trust that owned Mashriq as well as Pakistan Times, Imroze and Morning News. Later on he was to emerge as a key member of the Bhutto team.
It was to Enayatullah Sahib that Aziz, Ahmad first talked: “I don’t think those fairy tales regarding Islamic Renaissance make any sense. There are other relevant issues your Editor can write about.”
“I don’t interfere in the Editorial matters sir. You can however talk to Akbar Sahib directly”, Enatullah Sahib replied.
A day after he told me about this, I received Aziz Ahmad’s call.
“There is no such thing as Muslim Revival Mr Akbar,” he said: “Look around and name one Muslim country that is even slightly above the poverty line. Better spend your skills on more pertinent subjects.”
“Sir do you remember the Holy Prophet— Peace Be Upon Him— sending envoys to the super powers of the era in 630 asking them either to embrace Islam or be prepared to face it in the battlefield?”
“Off course”, he replied. “But what has that to do with this?”
“Khusro Pervez had laughed it off as an act of insanity. But both the Roman and the Persian empires fell to Islam within a dozen years. History is written not by wise men like us but those mad dreamers whose vision goes beyond the visible”, I replied.
There was a long pause before Aziz Ahmad replied: “Indeed Mr Akbar. I get your point. And I am happy to have you in the team under me.”
