Blackwell Reference Online

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Born in 1876 in Karachi, Sindh, a province in the Bombay Presidency of India, Jinnah was a leading opponent of British colonialism, a representative of Muslim aspirations, and the founder of Pakistan who was known as Baba-e-Quam (Father of the Nation). Though a Shi'ite Muslim, Jinnah was not observant. He studied law in London and was called to the bar at the age of 19. He joined the Indian National Congress in 1896 as a reformer, and from 1910 he was a moderate nationalist in the Imperial Legislative Assembly. In 1906, Jinnah wrote a letter challenging the claims of the Aga Khan and others as representatives of the Muslim community. The same year, he attended the Calcutta Session of the Congress, and in a speech over the Wakf (religious endowments) question, expressed satisfaction that Muslims could stand on the same platform as other religions in India. For the next 30 years Jinnah advocated Indian nationalism while articulating Muslim grievances. After initially rejecting Muslim League communal politics, Jinnah joined the organization in 1913, becoming president at the 1916 session in Lucknow. Later Jinnah became architect of a Congress-League alliance against colonial rule, and was viewed as the ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity. Like most moderate nationalists, Jinnah supported the British in World War I while remaining active in the home rule movement. Gandhi's rise to power ... log in or subscribe to read full text