Can Nationalism Save Pakistan?

Political ineptitude, greedy politicians selling the interests of people for personal gain, economic instability, daily suicide bombings and foreign inspired militancy have brought Pakistan to the brink of destruction.

Muslims in Pakistan are rightly concerned about the situation. This has led some to call for more assertive Pakistani nationalism to save the country. The question that must be asked is can nationalism save Pakistan? If not what’s the alternative? To address this we need to understand what nationalism is and the implications of following it.

What is Nationalism?

Nationalism is an extension of the family or tribal bond – where the relationship between people is based upon the fact that they are members of a particular tribe or people. This concept has been expanded to entire races and nation states. Arab nationalism which today is largely a spent force dominated the political scene in the countries like Egypt, Syria and Iraq for decades. Today nationalism and patriotism in Pakistan are being aroused because the very existence of Pakistan is under threat.

Some in Pakistan believe by re-asserting Pakistani nationalism and making it the basis of society they can keep Pakistan intact and bring progress in economy, education, societal relationships and even international relations. This belief has to be to be examined.

Can Nationalism Solve the Challenges Facing Pakistan?

What does being a Pakistani, an Arab, a Turk or an American have to say about the issues facing governments and the people? Does nationalism have an answer about how the state should raise funds and how it is allowed to spend them, does it define the rights of the ruler and the rights of ruled, does it provide a framework of how to deal with other nations. When the matter is considered carefully nationalism does not answer any of these questions. Nationalism provides no laws or rules, criteria for right or wrong or a direction for issues facing life.

Muslims are increasingly aware that nationalism has kept Pakistan and the other nations in the Muslim world firmly under the influence of the West. The lack of solutions that deal with the business of state has led politicians to imitate western solutions. The attempts to implement democracy, looking to the UN to solve disputes and enslavement to the IMF are direct results of the vacuum of solutions caused by those that based their politics on nationalism. This is why the well-established political parties in Pakistan have no answers as they take nationalism as one of their root ideas. They are easily manipulated by the outside powers as they are forced to imitate their ideas without any thought.

Nationalism cannot deal with the current crisis facing Pakistan. Empty slogans based within a nationalistic framework like “roti, kapra, makan” ring hollow to the millions displaced in tribal areas. What is required now is for Muslims of Pakistan to get to the root of the problem.

Understanding The Core Problem Facing Pakistan

The root of the problem lies in the politics of Pakistan. Which can be seen to be a complicated cocktail of agendas to serve the ruling elite, the military and foreign powers. The politics in Pakistan is not based upon the Islamic ideology that serves as a compass for politicians to direct their actions by. Indeed Pakistani politics has never been intended to serve the Muslims of Pakistan, to better their lives or to bring progress- rather it is a colonial legacy that serves the foreign powers, the ruling elites and their cronies.

The solution to the problem is to abandon the politics of nationalism, foreign agendas and self-interest, replacing them with the politics of Islam. Until the politics of Pakistan is established on a firm basis as witnessed over the last 62 years there will be little progress and situation will continue to go from bad to worse.

Islam - a Political Ideology.

Islam unlike nationalism answered the questions about dealing with life’s affairs. Not only did it address what the purpose of this life is. It told mankind how to deal with everyday of life. It defined the rights of the woman and the man; it defined the relationship between people in detailed rules of mu’amalat. It defined what the due procedure should be for those accused of crime and the type of sentence if they are found guilty. It defined that the wealth of the natural resources belongs to the Muslims and not the rulers who are there to administer it on behalf of the Muslims.

Above all it defined a political framework in which the Muslims conduct their politics- a framework that would implement the rules revealed by Allah (swt). This framework is the Khilafah ruling system.

In Pakistan the Khilafah state would work to eject the colonialists from the region let alone allow the operation of enemy spy networks and drones that spill the blood of the innocent within its borders. The rulers and the politicians in the Khilafah state will be accountable servants of the people because Islam obliged them to be. The Khilafah state would build infrastructure, schools, hospitals and power stations to allow the people to live a good standard of life.

Above all the rulers and the politicians in the Khilafah would be aware of their identity as Muslims and not behave like today’s empty minded stooges that base their politics around nationalistic slogans and the securing of colonialist and self-interests. Pakistani nationalism will result only in further conflict and misery for the people - only the Islamic Khilafah system can solve the problems for the Muslims in Pakistan. The damage that the concept of nationalism at the hands of Pakistani politicians has inflicted upon Muslims of Pakistan can be witnessed today. Nationalism is a destructive concept and is prohibited by Islam.

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “He is not one of us who calls for ‘asabiyyah, (nationalism) or who fights for ‘asabiyyah or who dies for ‘asabiyyah.” Abu Dawood

Abdur Rahman Siakhi