Choudhry Rahmat Ali

Introduction of Choudhry Rahmat Ali:

Brief Description:

Choudhary Rahmat Ali was born on 16^th November 1897 and died on 3^rd February 1951. He was a true Pakistani nationalist that was one of the earliest components of the state of Pakistan. The credit of the name of the country “Pakistan” goes to him, which he thought for the Muslims of India. The country in which no discrimination and the Muslims can live freely in that area. Choudhary Rahmat Ali Khan thought that the country would be in “South Asia” and he is known as the originate the name of the “Pakistan Movement”[1].

His last and beautiful contribution was when he was at the “Cambridge University” in 1933 he wrote a booklet name as “now or never; Are We to Live or Perish Forever?” its means that the declaration of Pakistan is known as the “Pakistan Declaration”. This booklet came in front of the British and the Indians representatives in the 3rd round table conference in “London”.The idea of the Choudhary Rahmat Ali did not find any favor of the delegates and the politicians for those they were close to a decade. This idea was dismissed by saying that it’s the student,he didn’t know the things. After Pakistan came into being, Ch Rahmat Ali came back from England in 1948[1]. He wanted to live and stay in the country, but his ideas were impounded and ejected. It was done by Prime Minister Liaqat Ali Khan. He died on 3rd February 1951. He was in the Cambridge “destitute”. The funeral arrangement was done by Cambridge University on the instructions of his teacher. He was buried on 20th February 1951 in the Cambridge City Cemetery[2].

Education and Career:

He was born in the Gujjar Family in the town of Balachaur in Punjab. The relatives of Choudhary Rahmat Ali moved to the Faisalabad. In 1918, He got an education from “Islamia College Lahore”. He got an education of law from “Aitchison College Lahore” and then he became the Professor in the “Punjab University”. He went to England and taught at “Emmanuel College Cambridge” in 1930. He got the degree of B.A in the year 1933 and M.A from the “University of Cambridge” in the year of 1940. He issued his booklet “Now or Never” devising the word “Pakistan” at first.[1] The booklet was started from the famous statement:

“At this solemn hour in the history of India, when British and Indian statesmen are laying the foundations of a Federal Constitution for that land, we address this appeal to you, in the name of our common heritage, on behalf of our thirty million Muslim brethren who live in PAKISTAN – by which we mean the five Northern units of India, Viz: Punjab, North-West Frontier Province (Afghan Province), Kashmir, Sind, and Baluchistan.[2]”

He called from the “Bar”, of the “Middle Temple” in London. Choudhry Rahmat Ali completed his education and getting the degree of M.A and LLB honors from the Universities of Cambridge and Dublin. He founded the “Pakistan National Movement” in 1946 when he was in “England”. Before came back to Pakistan he published many books about the vision of “South Asia”. The last and the final partition of India was killing thousands of people, but Ch Rahmat Ali was very much disheartened at the partition of India[1].

Philosopher:

Allama Muhammad Iqbal added the editions of Ch. Rahmat Ali publications that were for the formation of Pakistan. He suggested the name of “Bangistan” for the Muslims that were lived in the “Bengal” region, and “Osmanistan” for the Muslims of the “Deccan”. He also gave the name of “South Asia” which was “Dinia”, that would for the different religions of people[1].

Concept of Pakistan:

Choudhary Rahmat Ali went to the house in Cambridge in the year of 1932, which was located at the “3 Humberstone Road”. He was in his friend’s room and he said the word to write the word “Pakistan” first time. Several accounts were used for the creation of the name. According to the friend of Ch. Rahmat Ali, Abdul Kareem, the name came in mind and Ch Rahmat Ali was walking with the “Banks of Thames” in the year of “1932”. He was with Pir Ahsan-ud-din and Khawaja Abdul Rahim. The secretary of Ch Rahmat Ali Khan, “Miss Frost” came and got the idea while they were on the bus in London[2].

Allama Muhammad Iqbal said to Rahmat Ali to visit London whenhe was there for the “First Round Table Conference” in the year of 1930. He founded the government for the Muslim state, called him, and asked for the creation of the name of the country, in ALLAHABAD. Allama Iqbal called the “Pakistan” which was based on the province’s names[1].

“Now or Never” booklet:

Ch Rahmat Ali voiced that was “Now or Never; Are We Live or Perish Forever?” on 28^th January 1933. The word “Pakistan” was referred to as the “fiver northern units of the India” that was the “Punjab, North-West Frontier Province” which is the Afghan Province, “Kashmir, Sindh, and the Balochistan”[1].

Addition of I letter in the word:

In the last of 1933, the word “Pakistan” was the common word and everyone was familiar with that word. The letter was followed by the “Reintegration with the three Muslims ‘Asian’ homelands of Afghanistan and Turkistan”[1].

Ch Rahmat Ali’s booklet was a clear explanation of the Muslims of their anticipated “Pakistan” as a “nation”. After this, they formed the two-nation theory for the Muslim League in India[1].

“Our religion and culture, our history and tradition, our social code and economic system, our laws of inheritance, succession, and marriage are fundamentally different from those of most people living in the rest of India. The ideals which move our people to make the highest sacrifices are essentially different from those which inspire the Hindus to do the same. These differences are not confined to broad, basic principles. Far from it. They extend to the minutest details of our lives. We do not inter-dine; we do not inter-marry. Our national customs and calendars, even our diet and dress are different.

— Choudhry Rahmat Ali in January 1933”[1]

Ch Rahmat Ali alone stated the word “Pakistan” at first, but after to make it publicly he started to look for the people that were near to him. This was not easy to do for him to prove. According to him “for so firm was the grip of on our young intellectuals at English universities that it took me (Rahmat Ali) more than a month to find three young men in London who offered to support and sign it.[1]” After this, there were many friends of CH Rahmat Ali that were using these participants and the other friends of Ch Rahmat Ali gave the word “Pakistan”[1].

Iqbal and Jinnah:

Sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal gave the presidential address on 29^th December 1930, in which he said that[1]:

“I would like to see the Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Sind and Baluchistan amalgamated into a single State. Self-government within the British Empire, or without the British Empire, the formation of a consolidated North-West Indian Muslim State appears to me to be the final destiny of the Muslims, at least of North-West India.[1]”

Some scholars said that Allam Iqbal did not give the idea of Pakistan, according to him, he wanted a largely Muslim state in the Provinces of “Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, and Balochistan” into the North-western in India. Allama Iqbal did not want a separate country and didn’t want the partition. Ch Rahmat Ali and his friends meet up with Muhammad Ali Jinnah and wanted to support the Pakistan idea and the Quaid said: “My dear boys, don’t be in a hurry; let the waters flow and they will find their level”[1].

Later the country formation:

Moreover, CH Ramat Ali was a young man and was leading the concept of Pakistan, because he spent a vast age of part in England. When the Country being formed, he came back to Lahore, Pakistan on 6^th April 1948. He was not happy due to the partition of Pakistan even after coming back to Pakistan. Ch Rahmat Ali sentenced on the Quaid e Azam to accept small Pakistan and called him “Quisling-e-Azam”[1]. Ch Rahmat Ali had a plan to live in the country but the Prime Minister “Liaqat Ali Khan” expelled the Ch Rahmat Ali and he died in England on 3^rd February 1951[1].

Passing away:

Ch Rahmat Ali died on 3^rd February 1951 in Cambridge. According to Thelma Frost, he was “destitute, forlorn and lonely” at the time of his death. His College bore the expenses of the buried expense[1].

Heritage:

Choudhry Rahmat Ali was such a personality that, he should be given the founder of Pakistan which gave an idea of the separation for the Muslim State. Moreover, his idea was not got explored in deep. In the textbooks of Pakistan, there is not more than one line in which mentions the name of CH Rahmat Ali. He is all but forgotten in the country that “country he coined”[1].

References:

1.            Wikipedia. 31st July 2020; Available from: Wikipedia.

2.            historypak. 31st July 2020; Available from: historypak.