The Idea of Pakistan

 
Conclusion 
It has always been felt by political scientists that those who exercise 
authority cannot legitimately exact obedience save in proportion to the rights 
that they give and the services they render for the welfare of the people. On 
the strength of evidence in the foregoing survey, one is apt to say that one of 
the reasons for the stability of the early Islamic state and the rapid growth 
and spread of Islam itself was that the early rulers of Islamic state not only 
served their Muslim citizens but non-Muslim minorities as well. The latter 
enjoyed all the basic human rights under the Islamic state and none from 
among the Muslims or others was permitted to obstruct the protected people 
in the enjoyment of those rights which Islam had undertaken to give them. 
Modern Muslim states while considering the position of non-Muslims 
should not forget this spirit of Islam and the early practices of the Muslim 
rulers including the Prophet himself. They should not be insistent upon 
juristic exposition of the theory of rights of non-Muslims in an ideal Islamic 
state.
A close study of the history of mankind would reveal that many 
social classes lost their power because they ceased to render the services 
which were the very condition of their political authority. In Muslim history, 
if non-Muslims remained loyal to the state or if they embraced Islam, it was 
mainly due to the superiority of the moral conduct of Muslims and the sense 
of their responsibility towards the non-Muslims which influenced them so 
much that they could not help joining the fold of Islam or at least remaining 
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faithfully attached to their new rulers who due to the teachings of Islam were 
far more superior in every respect than their contemporaries
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.
Modern political thinkers are one in holding the view that mere 
Declaration of Rights or constitutions of states can not effectively safeguard 
the rights of citizens unless there are institutions capable of enforcing and 
applying them and the citizens and government both determined to make 
those institutions work properly
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. To this a Muslim would add that equally 
important is the moral training and sense of the citizens themselves so that 
they may properly appreciate not only the rights and obligations of the 
majority community but of the minority as well. Islam, as we have seen 
above, does not believe in mere declarations. What does it declare, it sees to 
it that it is practically implemented. What Islam said about the position and 
rights of its non-Muslim minorities, it practically showed to the world as to 
how minorities are to be protected and their rights guaranteed. If in Muslim 
history some individual ruler or general has maltreated non-Muslims, the 
fault cannot be ascribed to Islam. The failings of a person or persons, only 
superficially professing a religion, cannot be held at the door of that religion 
itself.
In the present day circumstances and in view of the interdependence 
of modern states regardless of the faith professed by their citizens, we have 
to give serious thought to the question as to what status and rights the 
minorities would have in the Socio-Political set up of Muslim states because 
they are as loyal and good citizens of their respective states as others are. 
They cannot be denied their legitimate fundamental rights merely because 
they do not subscribe to the generally held view of the Muslims or majority. 
Any mal-treatment towards them may result in serious repercussions in other 
countries where the dominant section of their community dwell. The door of 
Ijtihad has not been closed and we have to fearlessly exercise it in this 
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respect keeping in view that Islam has always stood for tolerance, justice, 
equality, equity and fair play.
We may pause here with the hope that enlightened readers would 
give serous thought to the issue of minority rights in the Islamic as well as 
secular states in view of the scientific and technological advancements.
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