Inauguration of Pak Army Museum. (2013-7)

 

Inauguration of Pak Army Museum: Commemorative Postage Stamp April 30, 2013:- The Army Museum was established in 1961 in an improvised warehouse near General Headquarters for preserving and chronicling Pakistan Army’s history. Construction of a new museum building in the existing location on Iftikhar Janjua Road, Rawalpindi, was completed in December 1993. Over a period of time, a need was felt to renovate and refurbish the museum for depicting our military history in a yet more chronological manner while making the displays more attractive and interesting for visitors. Renovation and refurbishment activity commenced in 2010 and the project his pecently been completed.

The theme of Pakistan Army Museum is to tell the story of the Pakistan Army with reference to its historical background, birth, reconstitution and re-organization, wars, alarms and excursions and peace time services to the nation.

The museum’s first floor lobby takes the visitor through a Time Line covering important happenings and personalities of the past. Pakistan Army’s command structure is depicted through General Headquarters, field formations and paramilitary forces’ insignias, formation signs and flags. Brief histories of these institutions including raising details, original order of battle, areas of responsibility, particulars of commanders besides decorative displays relating to these personalities and their activities give an insight to visitors regarding the army’s composition.

The drawn of Independence on 14 August 1947 and the birth of Pakistan Army are also depicted in the lobby. Transformation from Headquarters Northern Command (Army in India) to General Headquarters (Pakistan Army), evacuation and management of refugees, Quaid-e-Azam’s interaction with Pakistan Army and Indo-Pak Kashmir War of October 1947 – January 1949 have been covered through map enlargements, photographs, archival documents, gazetteers, orders, instructions and table models.

Border violations, skirmishes and 1965 Indo-Pakistan War are covered in the western two galleries. Prominent depictions include Nishan-e-Haider awardees Major Muhammad Tufail Shaheed and Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed’s actions and martyrdom. Major operations covered are of Rann of Kutch, battles of Chhamb, Lahore, Khem Karan and Sialkot including destruction of Indian armour at the battle of Chawinda, and Rajasthan Sector.

The southern gallery is devoted to the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, Lipa Valley action, Siachin and Kargil operations. Computer generated special effects, paintings, map enlargements and photographs of Shuhda, fabrications and models give a scintillating portrayal of Nishan-e-Haider awardees Major Muhammad Akram, Captain karnal Sher Khan, Havaldar Lalak Jan, Naik Mahfooz and Sowar Muhammad Hussain actions, and Lt Col Raja Muhammad Akram Hilal-e-Jurat’s action on Bara Pind. Lipa Valley action, battle of Zafarwal, attack and capture of Chammb are also depicted here. War on the roof of the world covering heliborne operations, beating back enemy infantry attacks on Kargil peaks, downing of enemy fighter aircrafts in that treacherous terrain and battling the forces of nature while in an igloo are also included in this gallery.

War on terror, Army in aid of civil power, disaster management, nation building & United Nations Peace Keeping operations are the subject matter of the next gallery. Operations in Swat, Malakand and South Waziristan are depicted through maps, photographs, captured equipment and weapons. Pakistan Army’s contribution and actions in United Nations peace keeping operations and during major disasters such as Earthquake of 2005, floods in various parts of the country and air crashes, development of infrastructure through organizations like National Logistic Cell, Frontier Works Organization, Special Communication Organization, Fauji Foundation, Heavy Industries Taxila, Pakistan Ordancnce Factories etcetera are also reflected through photographs and displays.

A Celestial Galaxy of Gallantry Awardees is the theme of another gallery in which displays in galaxy format of portraits, citations and personal effects of Nishan-e-Haider awardees, photographs, citations and gallantry awards recipients down to Tamgha-e-Basalat have been laid out.

Two galleries are dedicated to Firearms Collection which includes displays muskets, rifles, hand guns, regulation rifles, sub machine guns, medium machine guns, heavy machine guns, light and heavy mortars, anti-tank rocket launchers and anti-tank guided missiles etcetera.

Researchers can also avail the facilities of an Archives / Research Room.

A thrilling band display takes place on selected days in the museum’s court yard.

The first floor of the museum has been dedicated to Regiments and Corps displays.

The verandahs and open spaces also have on display assorted displays of paintings, portraits, photos, sculptures, artifacts, old regimental signs and insignias and kiosks for guidance of visitors.

A chronologically laid out outdoor display of armoured fighting vehicles from the first tank of Pakistan Army till to date i.e. Ferret Scout Car to M4 Stuart to M4A1 Sherman to M48 etcetera, field and anti-aircraft guns, howitzers, engineers equipment and jeeps, some of which are captured war trophies, adorn the western and rear area of the museum.

On the occasion of inauguration of Pakistan Army Museum, Pakistan Post is issuing a commemorative postage stamp of Rs. 15/- denomination on April 30, 2013.

Men of Letters Series "Sufi Barkat Ali" (1911-1997) (2013-06)

 

Men of Letters Series: Sufi Barkat Ali (1911 – 1997) Commemorative Postage Stamp April 27, 2013:- Birth And Bay’at-e-Tareeqat:- Name of the great saint is Muhammad Barkat Ali (R.A Rehma-ulla Alain). The filial appellation is “Abu Anees” (father of Anees – his daughter).

He was born on 27th Rabi-ul-Sani 1329th HIjra Thursday, (27th April 1911) at Barhami District Ludhiana. He belongs to Dhariwal, jat family. His honourable father’s name is Hazrat Nigahi Baksh (R.A) and respected mother’s name is Hazrat Jannat Bibi (R.A). His father served in the British Army. He took his bay’at at the hands of Shah-e-Walayat, Hakeem Ameer-ul-Hasan Saharanpuri (R.A).

Childhood:- Since childhood, Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali (R.A) was inclined towards virtue. By nature, he was a sober person and he loved solitude. He learnt the Holy Quran in his own village and, afterwards, went to Halwara for his formal education. He had the distinction of building the first mosque in his village.

Selection in Army:- Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali (R.A) joined the army and became an officer as per the desire of his father. He got recruitment in the British army on 9th April 1930. After passing the Indian Army special education course, he was selected as a Y-Cadet. His Corps Commander Genral Veitch, was a great admirer of him because of his sterling qualities, modest nature and graceful personality. He treated him as a friend. Even amongst the common youth he was known for his graceful personality. He often quoted the example of his noble character and disposition to other officers. He treated him with respect and dignity, so much that he abstained from eating and drinking during the holy month of Ramdan in order to show respect to him.

Resignation from the Army:- If Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali had stayed in the army, he would have been promoted to the rank of a genral. However, he preferred to be a FAqeer (a dervish) of Allah by sacrificing everything. To commence his journey towards the auspicious and righteous path of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) he resigned from the army on 22nd June 1945 911 Rajab-ul-Murajjab 1364 A.H.

He discarded his army uniform, wore simple sufi tunic and declared: “I am no more an employee of the British Government but am a servant of Allah.

Three Main Objectives:- As soon as Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali (R.A) was released from the army, he renounced the world and what it contained and announced to spend the rest of his life for achieving the following three holy objectives for the sake of Allah the Almighty”.

·         Constant Zikr of Allah the Almight.

·         The invitation to and the spread of Islam.

·         Selfless service of humanity.

Migration to Pakistan:- He migrated to Pakistan on the 14th of August 1947. He finally arrived at Salar Wala, where he was allotted a piece of land (in lieu of his ancestral agricultural land left in India). This piece of land was located near Salar Wala railway station. He put in nearly forty years of continuous struggle to transform this place into a heavenly complex consisting of a huge beautiful mosque, a Quran-e-Kareem Mahal, a hospital, a library and a minaret as a monument to the momory of Asahab-e-Babar.

Final Migration to Camp Dar-ul-Ehsan:- Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali (R.A) migrated to camp Dar-ul-Ehsan in 1984 from his abode at Salar Wala. The place was soon transformed into something that looked like a land of peace. Quran Kareem mahal, offices of Dar-ul-Ehsan library, almshouse (Langar) and medical centre were constructed rapidly. He named this place as “Almustafeez Dar-ul-Ehsan” and “Camp Dar-ul-Ehsan”. He chose to stay here for the rest of his life and after demise.

Zikr-e-Ellahi and Preaching of Islam:- Thousands of his followers are spreading the light of Islam throughout the world. These volunteers are organized into preaching teams / centers. Around six hundred preaching centers have been established in various cities and towns for Zikr-e-liahi and preaching of Islam. Sufi Barkat Ali wrote letters to some of the non-Muslims word leaders inviting them to the fold of Islam. By doing so he revived the Sunnah of Holy Profit (S.A.W).

Service of Humanity:- Hazrat Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali (R.A) did full justice with service of humanity besides remembrance of Allah and invitation to and spread of Islam. He gave monthly stipends to the disabled, the deprived, widows, and the poor and needy students. He made special arrangements for the marriage of poor girls. He took special care of prisoners and lepers; and distributed bedding, flour and clothes among the sick and needy at their doorsteps. In addition to these services, he set a peerless example of selfless service to the humanity through the platform of Dar-ul-Hikmat.

The first free ey camp was organized in 1976 and the practice has continued ever since without a break. Unit March 2013, seventy four free eye camps had been organized. 417334 patients had their vision restored through operations. 656952 patients were treated without surgery and 1732 born-blinds also regained vision with his prayers and attention.

Quran-e-Karim Mahal:- His devotion to Allah and his Holy Prophet (S.A.W) is the splendid edifice in the shape of elegant and graceful buildings of Quran-e-Karim Mahal. Old, worn out and musty copies of the Holy Quran are re-bound and preserved in a beautiful manner in the Quran Mahal. Preservation of some very rare and precious handwritten copies are a true and everlasting manifestation of his love for the Holy Quran.

Writings and Compilations:- He was a treasure of knowledge and wisdom. His book “Kitab-ul-Amal bil Sunnah” is a beautiful compilation of authentic “Ahadees”. This voluminous compilation has a high standard of calligraphy and printing. When this book was presented to some of the international leaders on the occasion of the Islamic Summit Conference, held in Pakistan in 1974, they expressed their admiration for its high literary value and elegant printing. Learned intellectuals and research scholars are benefiting from this book available in the libraries the world wide.

He wrote hundreds of books which are a precious treasure of knowledge, wisdom and interpretation of Islamic Law. These books are distributed worldwide free of charge. His publications indlude:

·         Makshoofat Manazal-e-Ehsan, 5 volumes

·         Kitab-ul-Amal Bis-Sunnah, 5 volumes

·         Asma-un-Nabi-ul-Kareem, 6 volumes

·         Maqalat-e-Hikmat 30 volumes

·         Zikr-e-Elahi

·         Yusaloona-alan-Nabi

·         Altobato Wal Astaghfar

·         Al-Sammat, 1 volume

·         Jism-ul-wojood Al Barkat Ali

Love for Pakistan:- Sufi Barkat Ali was an ardent follower of Allama Iqbal and a great lover of Pakistan. Always hopeful for the prosperity of Pakistan he had prognosticated great achievement for Pakistan.

Demise and Burial:- No doubt he was deeply immersed in the remembrance of Allah day and night. In this state of meditation, remembrance and gratitude his time to depart from this mortal world to the eternal world came on the 16th of Ramdhan Ul Mubarik 1417 (26 January 1997) at the time of Zuhar prayers. “Inna Lillah-e-eWa Inna IIaihi Rajioon” (Undoubtedly, we are sent by Allah and have to return to him).

He was buried in the hut of Sabir Sahib (R.A) according to his will. The atmosphere of his mausoleum is illuminated with the auspiciousness of Zikr-e-IIahi and immersed in the fragrance of flowers of Darood-o-Salam (Salutations to the Holy Prophet S.A.W) all the time. The doors of the Darbar of this Faqir are open to all and sundry.

Urs Mubarak:- The Urs Mubarak of Hadrat Abu Anees Sufi Muhammad Barkat Ali Al-Ludhianwi (QSA) is held every year on the 16th of Ramdan-ul-Mubarak at Camp Dar-ul-Ehsan Chak 242 RB (Faisalabad, Pakistan) with attendance in the tens of thousands.

On Men of Letters Sufi Barkat Ali (1911 – 1997), Pakistan Post is issuing a commemorative postage stamp of Rs. 8/- denomination on April 27, 2013.

75th Death Anniversary of Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal.(2013-5)

 

75Th Death Anniversary of Allama Muhammad Iqbal Commemorative Postage Stamp April 21, 2013:- Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal was a poet, philosopher, lawyer and politician born in Sialkot on 9th November 1877. His poetry in urdu, Arabic and Persian is considered to be among the greatest of the modern era and his vision of an independent state for the Muslims of British India was to inspire the creation of Pakistan. He is commonly referred to as Allama Iqbaly. One of the most prominent leaders of the All India Muslim League, Iqbal encouraged the creation of a “state in northwestern India for Indian Muslims” in his 1930 presidential address. Iqbal encouraged and worked closely with Muhammad Ali Jinnah and he is known as Muffakir-e-Pakistan (“The Thinker of Pakistan”), Shair-e-Mashriq (“The Poet of the East”), and Hakeem-ul-Ummat (“The Sage of Ummah”). He is officially recognized as the “national poet” in Pakistan.

Iqbal was educated initially by tutors in languages and writing, history, poetry and religion. His potential as a poet and writer was recognized by one of this tutors, Syed Mir Hassan, and Iqbal would continue to study under him at the Scotch Mission College in Sialkot. He studied at Murray College Sialkot.

Iqbal entered the Government College Lahore where he studied philosophy, English literature and Arabic and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree. He won the gold medal for topping his examination in Philosophy. While studying in his Masters’ Degree Progrem, Iqbal came under the Wing of Sir Thomas Arnold, a scholar of Islam and modern philosophy at the college. Arnold exposed the young man to the Western culture and ideas, and served as a bridge for Iqbal between the ideas of East and West. Iqbal was appointed to a readership in Arabic at the Oriental College, Lahore. He published his first book in Urdu “The Knowledge of Econimocs” in 1903 and the patriotic song, Tarana-e-Hind (Song of India) in 1905.

He obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Trinity College at Cambridge in 1907, while simultanewusly studying law at Lincoln’s Inn, from where he qualified as a barrister at Law in 1908. Togetherr with two other politicians, Syed Hassan Bilgrami and Syed Ameer Ali, Iqbal sat on the subcommittee which drafted the Constitution of the Muslim League. In 1907, Iqbal traveled to Germany to pursue his Doctorate from the Faculty of Philosophy of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat at Munich. Working under the supervision of Friedrich Hommel, Iqbal published a thesis titled: “The Development of Metaphysics in Persia”.

Upon his return to India in 1908, Iqbal took up Assistant Professorship at the Government College Lahore, but for financial reasons he relinquished it within a year to practice law. Iqbal’s poetic works are written mostly in Persian.

Among his 12,000 verses of poems, about 7,000 verses are in Persian. In 1915, he published his first collection of poetry, the Asrar-e-Khudi (Secrets of the Self) in Persian.

Iqbal’s 1924 publication, the Payam-e-Mashriq (The Message of the East) is closely connected to the West-Ostlicher Diwan by the famous German poet Goethe. In his first visit to Afghanistan, he presented his book “Payam-e-Mashreq” to King Amanullah Khan in which he admired the liberal movements of Afghanistan against the British Empire.

The Zabur-e-Ajam (Persian Psalms), published in 1927, includes the poems Gulshan-e-Raz-e-Jadeed (Garden of New Sectets) and Bandagi Nama (Book of Slavery).

Iqabal’s 1932 work, the Javed Nama is named after and in a manner addressed to his son, who is featured in the poems, and follows the examples of the works of Ibn Arabi and Dante’s “The Divine Comedy”, through mystical and exaggerated depiction across time.

Iqbal’s first work published in Urdu, the Bang-e-Dara in 1924, was a collection of poetry written by him in three distinct phases of his life. Published in 1935, the Bal-e-Jibril is considered by many critics as the finest of Iqbal’s Urdu Poetry, and was inspired by his visit to Spain, where he visited the monuments and legacy of the kingdom of the Moors. It consists of ghazals, poems,quatrains, epigrams and carries a strong sense of religious passion.

Iqbal’s final work was the Armughan-e-Hijaz published posthumously in 1938. The first part contains quatrains in Persian, and the second part contains some poems and epigrams in Urdu.

Iqbal’s second book in English, the Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, is a collection of his six lectures which he delivered at Madras, Hyderabad and Aligarh; first published as a collection in Lahore, in 1930. Sir Muhammad Iqbal was elected President of the Muslim League in 1930 at its session in Allahabad, in the United Provinces (UP) as well as for the session in Lahore in 1932. In his presidential address on December 29, 1930, Iqbal outlined a vision of an independent state for Muslim-majority provinces in northwestern India.

He thus became the first politician to articulate that Muslims are a distinct nation and thus deserve political independence from other regions and communities of India.

Iqbal was of the view that only Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a political leader, capable of preserving Muslim unity and fulfilling the League’s objectives on Muslim political empowerment. Iqbal was an influential force on convincing Jinnah to end his self-imposed exile in London, return to India and take charge of the League with a new agenda – the establishment of Pakistan.

Speaking about the political future of Muslims in India, Iqbal said: “There is only one way out. Muslims should strengthen Jinnah’s hands. They should join the Muslim League. Indian question, as is now being solved, can be countered by our united front against both the Hindus and the English”.

Iqbal is commemorated widely in Pakistan, where he is regarded as the ideological founder of the state. His birthday November, 9 is annually commemorated in Pakistan as Iqbal Day and is a national holiday.

In 1933, after returning from a trip to Spain and Afghanistan, Iqbal’s health deteriorated. He spent his final years working to establish the Idara Dar-ul-Islam. Iqbal ceased practicing law in 1934 and he was granted pension by the Nawab of Bhopal. After suffering for months from a series of protracted illnesses, Iqbal died in Lahore on 21st April 1938. His tomb is located in the space between the entrance of the Badshahi Mosque and the Lahore Fort, Lahore.

To commemorate 75th Death Anniversary of Allama Muhammad Iqbal Pakistan Post is issuing a commemorative postage stamp of Rs. 15/- denomination on April 21, 2013.

100 YEARS THE CENTENARY OF KINNAIRD COLLEGE FOR WOMEN. (2013-4)

The Centenary of Kinnaird College For Women (1913 – 2013) Commemorative Postage Stamp April 11, 2013:- This year Kinnaird College for Women completes its hundred years of providing education and empowering women.

The name Kinnaird comes from a Scottish titled family that helped and supported the college in its initial years. Starting with just six students in 1913, Kinnaird grew into one of the most prestigious women’s colleges in an area which was to become Pakistan. A hundred years later Kinnaird boasts of more than 4200 students enrolled in its Intermediate, Undergraduate and Postgraduate programs.

Kinnaird has glorious history of achievements towards educating women. Since its inception in 1913, it has produced countless graduates that have made major contributions in all walks of life and made its alma mater proud. Today Kinnaird stands tall among women colleges of Pakistan.

At the heart of the college is the civic and academic goal to cultivate successive generations of women leaders who possess the skills and resources to address the challenges of social and economic advancement of their communities.

Kinnaird College for Women seeks to empower its students by opening doors to newer opportunities. It seeks to graduate students who will pursue paths as skilled and innovative individuals, professionals, service-oriented leaders and promoters of tolerance and understanding throughout the world.

As Kinnaird celebrates its centennial year, it reaffirms its vision with an ever enlarging stance to educate and empower women of tomorrow.

On the Centenary of Kinnaird College for Women Lahore, a commemorative postage stamp of Rs. 15/- denomination is being issued by Pakistan Post on April 11, 2013.

ALLAMA MUHAMMAD ASAD MEN OF LETTERS SERIES (2013-3)

 

Men of Letters Series Allama Muhammad Asad Commemorative Postage Stamp March 23, 2013:- Allama Muhammad Asad, (Leopold Weiss), was born in Livow, Austria (later Poland) on 2nd July, 1990. At the age of 22 he made his visit to the Middle East. He later became an outstanding foreign correspondent for the Franfurtur Zeitung, and after his conversion to Islam in 1926, travelled and worked throughout the Muslim world, from North Africa to as far East as Afghanistan. After years of devoted study he became one of the leading Muslim scholars of our age.

Writer, tgraveler and explorer, Muhammad Asad had a truly chequered life spanning three continents and two cultures. He was 14 when he excaped school and joined the Austrian army under a false name, only to be recovered by his father and taken home. But about four years later when he was drafted in the army, he had ceased to have any longing for a military career. The Austrian Empire collapsed a few weeks after and he went on to study history of art and philosophy at the University of Vienna. His father wanted him to get a Ph. D. Leopold wanted to try his hand at journalism and one summer day in 1920 he boarded the train for Prague.

From Prague Leopold went to Berlin, but there was no journalistic job for this total novice. Happy and vaguely alienated, one day in the spring of 1922, the young journalist received a letter that was to change the course of the following 70 years of his life. Uncle Dorian, his mother’s youngest brother had invited him to Jerusalem, to live in his delightful old Arab stone house. Dorian headed a mental hospital in Jerusalem. He was a Zionist himself nor, for that matter attracted to the Arabs.

Like the average European, Asad had come  to the Middle East with some romantic and erroneous notions about Arabs. But neither Dorian nor Jerusalem could stop Leopold from his wanderings. He became a correspondent for Frankfurter Zeitung. Sometimes in Cairo, sometimes in Amman, back to Jerusalem; and on road again to Syria (which then included Lebanon as well) and Turkey. It was a moment at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus that he became aware how near their God and their faith were to these people.

End of 1923 saw him back in Vienna, reconciling with his father and reporting to his editor-in-chief Dr Heinrich Simon. Leopold Weiss has established himself as a writer on Arab and Middle Eastern affair and Frankfurter Zeitung was now willing to remunerate him properly and keen that returned to the area as soon as he had finished the book he had contracted to write. He finished the book, Unromantisches Morgenland, and in Spring 1924, he was off again to the Middle East. Crossing the Mediterranean, Leopold”s first stop was at Cairo where he tried to learn Arabic and spend some time with Shaikh Mustafa Maraghi. He wanted to gain a fuller picture of Islam. Mustafa Maraghi subsequently became the Shaikh of Al-Azhar. Early summer 1924, the special correspondent was on the move again. To Amman, to Damascus, Tripoli and Aleppo, to Baghdad and to the Kurdish mountains, to that strangest of all lands, Iran, and toe the wild mountains and steppes of Afghanistan.

Early 1926, he was homeward bound: via Marv, Samarkand, Bokhara and Lashkent and thence across the Lurkoman steppes to Urals and Moscow. Crossing the Polish frontier he arrived straight in Frankfurt. His next engagement was to deliver a series of lectures at the Academy of Geopolitics in Berlin. He also married Elsa, 41 a widow, whom he had met in Berlin during his previous visit. She had a nine-year old son. His editor wanted him to write another book. He wanted to return to the Muslim world. Leopold felt that he was being driven to Islam.

3Sometimeafter September 1926, he sought out a Muslim friend of his, an Indian who was at that time head of the small Muslim community in Berlin, and told him that he wanted to embrace Islam. Leopold had become Muhammad Asad, something which was strongly disapproved by his father and his sister. The relationship resumed in 1935, after his father had at last come to understand and appreciate the reasons for his conversion to Islam.

The major part of the following years, 1927 – 1932, was spent in Arabia with missions in between to Egypt and Cyrenaica (Libya) in support of the Sanusi mujahidin who had been fighting a desperate guerrilla battle against the Italians. For Asad, however, the Arabian years were, home coming of the heart. Early in 1927, he was received by King abdul Aziz ibn Saud. He was impressed by the King and the King took a great liking for this new Muslim and he would send for him almost daily.

Asad rode and rode and explored the peninsula from the northern confines of Arabia towards the south until 1932 when the dust of India replaced the desert clear air of Arabia. He had planned to move on, to Easterm Turkestan, China and Indonesia, but the Islamic poet and philosopher Muhammad Iqbal persuaded him to remain in India to help elucidate the intellectual premises of the future Islamic state. Iqbal had presented the idea of Pakistan only two years earlier in 1930 and it was not before 1940 that Iqbal’s idea was adopted as a political goal by the All India Muslim League. But to Asad, Pakistan was a dream that demanded to be fulfilled. His first title on an Islamic theme, Islam at the Crossroads, published in 1934, proved to be extremely popular and was translated in several languages. The Crossroads was a plea of Muslims to avoid a blind imitation of Western social forms and values, and to try to preserve instead their Islamic heritage which once upon a time had been responsible for the glorious, many-sided historical phenomenon comprised in the term “Muslim civilization”. The outbreak of war in Europe in 1939 saw Asad interned as an enemy alien in the Punjab hill town of Dalhousie, and thus there is scant record of his work from 1935 till 1945 when he was freed from internment. He then started a periodical, Arafat, which ceased after publishing about ten issues. Pakistan was achieved in 1947 and the Government of Punjab put Asad in charge of newly established Department of Islamic Reconstruction in Lahore. He embarked on translating Bukhari, the famous Hadith collection and revived Arafat. Asad also contributed eloquently to the debate about Pakistan having an Islamic constitution. Two years later he was seconded to the Pakistan Foreign Service and made director of the Middle East Division in the foreign ministry.

After the establishment of Pakistan, he was the first naturalized citizen of Pakistan. He was appointed the Director of the Department of Islamic Reconstruction, West Punjab and later on became Pakistan’s Alternate Representative at the United Nations. Muhammad Asad’s two important books are: Islam at the Crossroads and Road to Mecca. He also produced a monthly journal Arafat. Asad loved Pakistan, his conception of Pakistan, even when it turned its back on him, and he never felt resentment at the treatment he had received from it. He remained a citizen- the first citizen of Pakistan- until the end, although he had been strongly tempted to accept the generous, spontaneous gestures of many heads of Islamic States to have their citizenship and passport, which would have made his life so much easier.

Early in 1952, Asad was sent to New York as Pakistan’s minister plenipotentiary to the UN. But problems had begun to develop between Asad and the foreign ministry bureaucracy. Some people perhaps jealous for their own petty reasons. Some were suspicious because of his religious and adventurous background. Matters, however, came to head when the ministry refused to give him permission to marry Pola Hamida, an American  convert to Islam. Asad resigned toward theend of 1952 saying his private life was more important to him and started to write the story of his wanderings and discovery of Islam. The story, The Road of Mecca (1954), covers the period before he had left Arabia for India. There are gaps but the story is fascinating and the style inimitable. Asad had promised to narrate, perhaps at other time, the story of the years “spent working for and in Pakistan”. It did not appear in his life-time, but, it is reported, he had been working on the remaining part of his story.

Muhammad Asad had quit diplomacy but his intellectual exertions did not come to end. Encouraged by Pola Hamida, supported morally and materially by the secretary general of the Muslim World League, the late Shaikh Muhammad Sarur as-Sabban and the Shaya family of Kuwait, he embarked on rendering the Qur’an into English. The first volume of Asad’s English rendering, from Al-Baqarah to Al-Tawbah, The Message of the Qur’an appeared in 1964. By far the most elegant and lucid of the English translations, Asad’s rendering would have had normal reception from critical to laudatory, but what made it draw a little different attention was its sponsorship by the Muslim World League.

Asad was dismayed byt not discouraged. With the support of his other Arab benefactors, he went ahead with his work and in 1980 produced and published the complete edition of The Message of the Qur’an. Finding him in difficulty in distributing his work, the former Saudi oil minister, Shaikh Ahmad Zaki Yamani bought 20,000 copies of the book.

Asad’s last book, This Law of Ours and other Essays, was published in 1987 and he remained intellectually active until the last days of his life. Nor did he give up his taste for travel and migration, moving between East and West, North and South, yet spending a record 19 years in Tangier, Morocco, before moving finally to Mijas in the Andalusian province of Spain.

Allama Muhammad Asad died on 20 February 1992. He was buried in the Muslim cemetery in Granada, Andalusia.

On Men of Letters Series – Allama Muhammad Asad Pakistan Post is issuing a commemorative postage stamp of Rs.15/- denomination on March 23, 2013.