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All Pakistanis are proud that their country is Islamic, their capital is Islamabad, and their head of state is a Muslim. Still, do we need to force Islam on everyone, questions Dr. S. Saeed Ahmed
The debate on secular and religious elements, that exist in Pakistan is often held in the print and electronic media. The exponents of both viewpoints give forceful arguments and examples from history to support their stand. But it is evident that there is no clash between the two. Secularism should not be termed as non-religious. It only means that in the functioning of the state, religious scholars or the clergy should not play any role.
Their role is to educate the Ummah and to work towards transforming illiterate and ignorant individuals into civilised, peace-loving and God-fearing human beings. If the Ummah is civilised, then the people at the helm of affairs would automatically be the same.
To ascertain the type of government, we should seek guidance from the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). The Holy Prophet’s main objective as enunciated by the Holy Quran in unequivocal terms is: "It is He who has sent amongst the unlettered, a messenger from among themselves to rehearse to them His signs, to sanctify them and to instruct them in scripture and wisdom." The Holy Prophet spent many years in Makkah and Madina to preach the spiritual values of Islam to the people.
All mandatory ibadaat (prayers, Haj and fasting) leads to spiritual growth. These are not to be enforced coercively but through love. Otherwise they lose their moral value. Jihad is also a fight against personal evils. The Holy Quran has put emphasis on acquiring knowledge. The very first word in the first revelation was ‘read’. Islam reached every part of the world not by the sword or by autocratic rule but through Sufis, saints and scholars. They spoke the language of love and brotherhood. Had our rulers played any part in propagating Islam, things would have been different. Pakistan came into being on the basis of the two-nation theory. It was a slogan to unite a piece of land in the subcontinent to save the Muslims from the oppressive attitude of the people in the majority. It was also intended that the Muslims would be able to observe their religious obligations without any hindrance or fear. This slogan struck a chord with the Muslims. They wholeheartedly supported the demand without thinking that it would not be established in the provinces where the Muslims were in a minority. However, under the leadership of the Quaid-e-Azam, and under the banner of the Muslim League, Pakistan emerged on the map of the world. The Quaid-e-Azam, at the very outset, declared that there would be no distinction in this free land on the basis of religion, caste or ethnicity. This was absolutely necessary for making a nation state. If a member of the minority community ever thought that he was is being looked down upon, his loyalty to the state would shake. All Pakistanis are proud that their country is Islamic, their capital is Islamabad, and their head of state is a Muslim. But are their deeds Islamic? It certainly makes no sense to assert that Islam and political power go together. The Ulema and the scholars should stay away from the notion of acquiring power. 
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