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Historical and Cultural Ties with Turkey
Jinnah's Ideals
“Finally, I extend a most cordial welcome to Your Excellency as the first Ambassador of Turkey to Pakistan, a welcome charged with the deepest affection born of historical and cultural ties and traditions of the past.”
- Mr. Jinnah / Quaid-e-Azam
- Speech: On Spiritual and Sentimental Ties with Turkey
- Context: Speaking to the Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan
Deeper reflections
Turkey and Pakistan share a common history of the struggle of independence, during which the founding fathers of both countries effectively mobilized their people, fought against seemingly insurmountable odds, created nation-states and won freedom for their people.
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‘The Grey Wolf’ by Harold Courtenay Armstrong is a book with a historic account of Mustafa Kemal's freedom struggle. Mr. Jinnah read this book in England when he, for a period of time, left Indian politics, and this book seemed to have a profound impact on him. The people of Pakistan can benefit from learning more about the great Atatürk, and below are a few excerpts:
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Atatürk's Address To Turkish Youth
“You, the Turkish youth! Your primary duty is to forever protect and defend the Turkish independence and Turkish Republic. This is the mainstay of your existence and of your future.
This foundation is your most precious treasure in the future, as well, there will be malevolents, within and abroad, who will seek to deny your birthright. If one day you are compelled to defend your independence and the republic, you shall not reflect on the conditions and possibilities of the situation in which you find yourself, in order to accomplish your mission. These conditions and possibilities may appear unfavorable. The adversaries who scheme against your independence and your Republic may be the representatives of a victory without precedent in the world. By force or by ruse, all citadels and all arsenals of our dear fatherland may have been taken; all of its armies may have been dispersed and all corners of the country may have been physically occupied. More distressing and more grievous than all these, those who hold and exercise the power within the country may have fallen into gross error, blunder, and even treason. These holders of power may have even united their personal interests with the political ambitions of the invaders. The nation itself may have fallen into privation and may have become exhausted and desolate.
You, the future sons and daughters of Turkey! Even under such circumstances and conditions, your duty is to redeem Turkish independence and the Republic! The strength you shall need exists in the noble blood flowing through your veins.”
On Religions, Science and Democracy
“My people are going to learn the principles of democracy, the dictates of truth and the teachings of science. Superstition must go. Let them worship as they will, every man can follow his own conscience provided it does not interfere with sane reason or bid him act against the liberty of his fellow men.”
“In human life, you will find players of religion until the knowledge and proficiency in religion will be cleansed from all superstitions, and will be purified and perfected by the enlightenment of real science.”
“Religion is an important institution. A nation without religion cannot survive. Yet it is also very important to note that religion is a link between Allah and the individual believer. The brokerage of the pious cannot be permitted. Those who use religion for their own benefit are detestable. We are against such a situation and will not allow it. Those who use religion in such a manner have fooled our people; it is against just such people that we have fought and will continue to fight. Know that whatever conforms to reason, logic, and the advantages and needs of our people conforms equally to Islam. If our religion did not conform to reason and logic, it would not be the perfect religion, the final religion.”
“If one day, my words are against science, choose science.”
"I do not leave any verses, dogmas, nor any moulded standard principles as moral heritage. My moral heritage is science and reason. What I have done and intended to do for the Turkish nation lies in that. Anyone willing to appropriate my ideas for themselves after me will be my moral inheritors provided they would approve the guidance of science and reason on this axis."
On Women's progress
“Humankind is made up of two sexes, women and men. Is it possible for humankind to grow by the improvement of only one part while the other part is ignored? Is it possible that if half of a mass is tied to earth with chains that the other half can soar into skies?”
"Turkish women had lived free of the veil for 5,000 years, and had been covered only in the last 600 years."
"Everything we see in the world is the creative work of women."
On foreign policy and international peace
"Lasting peace is sought, it is essential to adopt international measures to improve the lot of the masses. The welfare of the entire human race must replace hunger and oppression. People of the world must be taught to give up envy, avarice and rancor."
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"Mankind is a single body and each nation a part of that body. We must never say 'What does it matter to me if some part of the world is ailing?' If there is such an illness, we must concern ourselves with it as though we were having that illness."
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"Peace at Home, Peace in the World."
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Pakistan admires the principles of democracy, liberty, equality and fraternity raised during the French revolution. Learn Mr. Jinnah's point-of-view on our shared ideals with France.
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