The 25th of December is marked and celebrated as Christmas all over the world while it is also the birth anniversary of our great leader Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It is a unique and strange coincidence that a religious festival of the Christians and the birthday of the leader of the nation happen to be on the same day. Why they are observed on the same day? Why God chose for Pakistani nation the same day to remember their founder? The two, being random events, suggest a correlation. Maybe the ideology of Quaid about the nascent country gives us an insight into that correlation. Quaid wanted a country where everyone included minorities (Christians, Hindus etc) could lead a free and respectful life.
We are living in a complex interdependent world, where the thoughts pursued, ideas evolved, and policies initiated affect each and every individual of the world. The vast variety of the people of the world in terms of origin, geography, food, dress, language and religion etc clarify His unity to be observed in His diversity. There is a single land to be lived in. However, there are multiple faiths ranging from Islam, to Christianity, to Hinduism, to Judaism and Buddhism etc. The existence of single planet and multiple faiths is a proof of evidence in favour of cross-cultural understanding, dialogue and communication. The Abrahamic religions hold each other in great regard. Islam gives due respect to Judaism and Christianity by calling their followers as “The People of the Book”. Quran calls all human beings as the progeny of a single pair (Adam and Eve).
Christians all over the world celebrate their festival with great pomp and show. They deserve our respect. Muslims living in Christian majority communities observe these two festivals with jubilation. The principle of reciprocity also guides us to honour our Christian brethren on the day of Christmas. Here in Pakistan, to help facilitate our Christian minority, we must promote tolerance and unity.
I request all Muslims to give due respect to Christian minorities, who have the same rights as we do, who are also equal citizens of this state. The easy provision of employment, education, food, medicine, improvement in work conditions and such other facilities must be afforded to all Christians without any scruples attached.
MUHAMMAD SALAR KHAN
LUMS, Lahore