The Founder of Pakistan, Mr. Muhammad Ali Jinnah (d. 1948), known by the title Quaid-i Azam (the great leader) accorded to him by his grateful countrymen, believed in the unity of the Muslims on the basis of their common allegiance to the expression of faith called the Kalima Tayyiba (There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). Sectarian religious differences there may be, but all those adhering to this expression constituted, according to him, a nation with a common cause, culture, history and future.

Mr. Jinnah was on friendly terms with Maulana Muhammad Ali and a great admirer of the work of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. Once, attending a party at the Maulana's residence, Mr. Jinnah made a brief speech during the course of which he expressed appreciation of the work of the Anjuman and its English organ The Light. He said:

"I get your magazine, The Light. I am a politician, and read it for political articles, but I also read the religious articles, and I keep a file of the magazine. I receive letters from foreign countries about Islam. People abroad think that, as I am a leader of the Muslims, they can write to me for information on Islam. I forward such letters for reply to your Anjuman."

Refuses to brand Ahmadis as non-Muslims.

In 1944, at a press conference in Srinagar, Kashmir, Mr. Jinnah gave his view on the issue of whether Ahmadis ought to be expelled from certain Muslim organisations. An Ahmadi journalist who was present, Mr. Abdul Aziz Shura, editor Roshni, has made a sworn statement, dated 15 January 1988, about the proceedings of this conference. We quote from this below:

"I, Abdul Aziz Shura, known as Aziz Kashmiri, editor of the daily Roshni, Srinagar, Kashmir, make the following declaration under oath.

"A delegation of the Kashmir Press Conference, Srinagar, which included several leading newspaper men, met Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, President of the Muslim League, at his appointed time, on 23 May 1944 at 11 a.m., at `Koshik', Nishat, Srinagar, and asked various questions.

"I asked Quaid-i-Azam, Who can join the All-India Muslim League? At this, Mr. M. A. Sabir, editor of al-Barq, told the Quaid-i-Azam that the background to the question was probably that in Kashmir Ahmadis were not allowed to join the Muslim conference. Quaid-i-Azam smiled and recorded his reply as follows:

"I have been asked a disturbing question, as to who among the Muslims can be a member of the Muslim Conference. It has been asked with particular reference to the Qadianis. My reply is that, as far as the constitution of the All-India Muslim League is concerned, it stipulates that any Muslim, without distinction of creed or sect, can become a member, provided he accepts the views, policy and programme of the Muslim League, signs the form of membership and pays the subscription. I appeal to the Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir not to raise sectarian questions, but instead to unite on one platform under one banner. In this lies the welfare of the Muslims. In this way, not only can Muslims make political and social progress effectively, but so can other communities, and so also can the state of Kashmir as a whole."

"Mr. M. A. Sabir tried as hard as he could to persuade the Quaid-i-Azam to declare Qadianis as being out of the fold of Islam. But the Quaid-i-Azam stuck resolutely to his principle and kept on replying: `What right have I to declare a person non-Muslim, when he claims to be a Muslim'.

"The proceedings of this press conference were published, under my signature, in the Riyasati of that time and the Lahore newspapers, especially Inqilab, Shahbaz, Zamindar, Siyasat etc."