THE ROLE OF TWO NATION THEORY IN

THE INDEPENDENCE OF PAKISTAN

INTRODUCTION
The Two-Nation Theory also known as The Ideology of Pakistan1 was the basis for the
Partition of India in 1947. It stated that Muslims and Hindus were two separate nations by every
definition, and therefore Muslims should have a self-governing homeland in the Muslim majority
areas of British India for the safeguard of their political, cultural, and social rights, within or
without a United Nation. The two nation theory is the reason Pakistan came into being and
acquired independence.

HISTORY
The Two-Nation Theory or Islamic Ideology of Pakistan was merely a negation of the
philosophy that the Indian sub-continent was only one nation. The Two Nation Theory explains
that Indian sub-continent has two large communities as Hindus and the Muslims.

The Two Nation Theory developed through an evolutionary process. The Muslim modernist
and reformer Sir Syed Ahmed Khan (1817-1898) was the pioneer of the Two Nation Theory. He
used the word “Two-Nations” for Hindus and Muslims once he was convinced of the Hindu and
Congress’s hatred and prejudice towards the Muslims of the sub Continent.

The famous poet and philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938), provided the
philosophical explanation whereas Barrister Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1871-1948) translated it
into the political reality of a nation state.2

The All-India Muslim League, in attempting to represent Indian Muslims, felt that the Muslims
of the subcontinent were a distinct and separate nation from the Hindus. At first they demanded
separate electorates, but when they came to the conclusion that Muslims would not be safe in a
Hindu-dominated India, they began to demand a separate state. The League demanded self-
determination for Muslim-majority areas in the form of a sovereign state promising minorities
equal rights and safeguards in these Muslim majority areas.

1 Samina Mallah,"Two-Nation Theory Exists," Pakistan Times, hereafter, Mallah, “Two Nation”

2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Nation_Theory#cite_note-Two-Nation_Theory_Exists-0

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The evidence cited for the differences dates to the beginning of the eleventh century, when the
scholar Al-Bairuni (973-1048) observed that Hindus and Muslims differed in all matters and
habits. Allama Iqbal's presidential address to the Muslim League on December 29, 1930 is seen
as the first introduction of the two-nation theory in support of what would ultimately become
Pakistan. Ten years later, Jinnah made a speech in Lahore on March 22, 1940 which was very
similar to Al-Biruni's thesis in theme and tone. Jinnah stated that Hindus and Muslims belonged
to two different religious philosophies, with different social customs and literature, with no
intermarriage and based on conflicting ideas and concepts. Their outlook on life and of life was
different and despite 1,000 years of history, the relations between the Hindus and Muslims could
not attain the level of cordiality.3

MUHAMMAD ALI JINNAH’S ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT

OF TWO NATION THEORY
Quaid-E-Azam a first rate lawyer and later on the father of Pakistan entered politics in 1906 by
taking part in the Calcutta Session of the All India National Congress. Jinnah joined congress
because it aimed at securing self-government by adopting constitutional means. He was greatly
impressed by Krishan Gopal Gokhale and aspired to become ‘a Muslim Gokhale’. He eagerly
desired to raise the status of India in the international community and to develop a sense of
Indian nationalism among the people of India.4

By 1916 Jinnah became a prominent face in the politics of the subcontinent. He was respected by
the Muslims and the Hindus of India. He resigned from the executive council in protest against
the passage of Rowell Act. By 1920 Gandhi became a prominent figure in the Indian politics.
Gandhi was an extremist Hindu leader with pro-Hindu approach to politics. Jinnah resigned from
the Congress in 1920 due to Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement and joined the Muslim
League. After resigning from the Congress, Jinnah stayed away from politics for several years
but the pro-khilafat period saw the rise of Jinnah again, however by 1928 after the publication of
Nehru Report he had changed his mind about Hindu-Muslim unity.

The elections of 1937 proved to be the turning point in the relations of the two parties. The
congress’s decision of eliminating the Muslims from the ministries of the six provinces under
their party widened the gap between the Hindus and Muslims. Jinnah was highly pained to find

3 Ibid p 1.

4 M. Ikram Rabbani Introduction to Pakistan Studies (Lahore: Caravan Book House 2007)
p.17.

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the Congress acting in a highly anti-Muslim behavior. In 1937 he declared “Muslims can expect
neither justice nor fair play under Congress Government.”

In Muhammad Ali Jinnah's All India Muslim League Presidential Address delivered at Lahore,
on March 22–23, 1940, he explained:

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“ It is extremely difficult to appreciate why our Hindu friends fail to understand the real nature
of Islam and Hinduism. They are not religions in the strict sense of the word, but are, in fact,
different and distinct social orders, and it is a dream that the Hindus and Muslims can ever
evolve a common nationality, and this misconception of one Indian nation has troubles and
will lead India to destruction if we fail to revise our notions in time. The Hindus and Muslims
belong to two different religious philosophies, social customs, and literatures. They neither
intermarry nor inter-dine together and, indeed, they belong to two different civilizations
which are based mainly on conflicting ideas and conceptions. Their aspect on life and of life
is different. It is quite clear that Hindus and Mussalmans derive their inspiration from
different sources of history. They have different epics, different heroes, and different
episodes. Very often the hero of one is a foe of the other and, likewise, their victories and
defeats overlap. To yoke together two such nations under a single state, one as a numerical
minority and the other as a majority, must lead to growing discontent and final destruction of
any fabric that may be so built for the government of such a state.”
SUPPORT
Allama Iqbal's statement explaining the attitude of Muslim delegates to the Round-Table
Conference issued in December, 1933 was a rejoinder to Jawahar Lal Nehru’s statement.
Nehru had said that the attitude of the Muslim delegation was based on “reactionarism”.

Iqbal concluded his rejoinder with:

“In conclusion I must put a straight question to pundit Jawahar Lal, how is India's problem to
be solved if the majority community will neither concede the minimum safeguards necessary
for the protection of a minority of 80 million people, nor accept the award of a third party; but
continue to talk of a kind of nationalism which works out only to its own benefit? This
position can admit of only two alternatives. Either the Indian majority community will have
to accept for itself the permanent position of an agent of British imperialism in the East, or
the country will have to be redistributed on a basis of religious, historical and cultural
affinities so as to do away with the question of electorates and the communal problem in its
present form.”

In his book Pakistan or The Partition of India, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, has written a sub-
chapter titled If Muslims truly and deeply desire Pakistan, their choice ought to be accepted.
He writes that if the Muslims are bent on the creation of Pakistan, then it must be conceded to
them. He asks whether Muslims in the army could be trusted to defend India. In the event of
Muslims invading India or in the case of a Muslim rebellion, "Whom would the Indian

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 Muslims in the army side with?" he questions. He concludes that in the interests of the safety
of India, Pakistan should be acceded to, should the Muslims demand it. According to him the
Hindu assumption that though Hindus and Muslims were two nations they could live under
one state, was but an empty sermon, a mad project, to which no sane man would agree.5
Samina Mallah claims that the Two-Nation Theory is relevant to this day citing factors such
as lower literacy and education levels amongst Indian Muslims as compared to Indian
Hindus, long-standing cultural differences, and outbreaks of religious violence such as those
occurring during the 2002 Gujarat Riots in India, however she adds that even after 60 years of
independence, Pakistan has not confirmed to being a One-Nation in that it shows disunity.6

CRITICISM
Some historians have claimed that the theory was a creation of a few Muslim intellectuals.
Prominent Pakistani politicians Altaf Hussain of Muttahida Qaumi Movement believes
history has claimed the two-nation theory is wrong. A newspaper report quotes him saying
"The two-nation theory died with the break-up of the country in 1971" (referring to the
secession of East Pakistan as Bangladesh in that year).7

Ahmad Faruqui, reviewing Stephen Cohen's book, Jinnah's unfulfilled vision: The Idea of
Pakistan refers to Cohen's observation that the vision of the two-nation theory is beset with
problems. Pakistan was to be a home to the Muslims of South Asia. Before partition, in a
population of 400 million, 100 million were Muslims. When partition took place, a third of
the Muslims were in West Pakistan, a third in East Pakistan, and a third remained behind in
India. After the secession of East Pakistan, in 1971, only a third of the Muslims of South Asia
resided in the "new" Pakistan, making it difficult for Pakistani leaders to defend the two-
nation theory. The reviewer also adds that Cohen considers Pakistan's vision unjustifiable
because there are as many Muslims in India and in Bangladesh as there are in Pakistan, and
that though Bangladesh continues to exist as a separate state from India, it does not change
the reality that the majority of the Muslims of South Asia now reside outside of Pakistan.
Ahmad also mentions Cohen quoting Altaf Hussain.

“The idea of Pakistan was dead at its inception, when the majority of Muslims decided to stay

5 Ambedkar, Bhimrao Ramji, Pakistan or the partition of India (Mumbai: Thackers 1945). .

6 Mallah "Two Nation”

7 Staff report (2004-11-02). "Two-nation theory died with Pakistan’s break-up, says Altaf" (in
English). Daily Times (Pakistan). Retrieved 2009-10-06.

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 back after partition, a truism reiterated in the creation of Bangladesh in 1971.”8

CONCLUSION
In the light of what has been discussed above I think the two nation theory is perhaps one of
the best things that has happened to the Muslims of the Sub-Continent. If it had not been for
the two nation theory, if our leaders had not realized that Muslims and Hindus are two
separate nations, entities, we would have been a minority under the Hindu rule. I think we are
blessed to have an independent Muslim State where we can live the way we want and this
independent state could not have come into being without the concept of the Two Nation
Theory.

8 Faruqui, Ahmad (2005-03-19). "Jinnah's unfulfilled vision: The Idea of Pakistan by Stephen Cohen" (in
English). Asia Times (Pakistan). Retrieved 2009-10-06.