Dear Dr.Farzana,

 You have written that Quaid was a secularist in the true sense of the word and you disagreed with my stance on Quaid. Would you kindly explain the true sense of the word so far as the word secularism is concerned?  I had written that Quaid was not a fundamentalists but a rational. moderate and secular Muslim. Secular in modern political terminology does not mean irreligious or anti- religion or for that matter atheist. India claims to be a secular country. When asked what does it mean?. They respond it means freedom of religion for all. Quaid had said that the Hindus would economically and political dominate us, hence we needed a separate state based on Islamic principles in which according to Islamic universal laws the followers of all faiths would have protection. Actually the people having no proper knowledge and understanding of Islam brand this faith some thing as evil. This is the reason, you are trying to push out Mr. Jinnah from the pale of Islam. As earlier I had stated that Islam has been abducted by the kings and clergy and needs rational and analytical study. Quaid was a strong believer in the universal and eternal values of Islam.He never wrote or said a word against Islam. On the other hand, on many occasions he propounded the supremacy of the Quranic tenets. I wonder as to why you are adamant to prove our Quaid a non-Muslim. What is in your mind? Had he not been a Muslim, then why he stood for the cause of the Muslims in the Sub-continent?

More over you have written that:" He capitulated to the rabid mullahs." It is a great allegation on him. He always fought the religious extremists and hard liners. Particularly the Salafi and Wahhabi mullahs were against him and Pakistan. He never yielded before their pressure. He was firm like a rock. There was no question to succumb to the desires and designs of the mullahs. By ascribing such charges to the Quaid, you have denied the truth of history. Every one on the earth knows that the Quaid was a man of principles and never bowed before any external pressure.

On 29th of July 2010, I attended International Kashmir Conference held in Capitol Hill Washington DC. There, I met with Mr. Stanley Wolpert, the eminent American historian, who has written historical books on Mr. Nehru and Mr. Jinnah. As we both were the speakers in the conference we appreciated each others' views for the freedom of the Kashmiris. I thanked him for praising the indomitable and principled personality of Mr. Jinnah. He said:" I have written truth about Mr. Jinnah." In his book titled " Jinnah of Pakistan", he has written that Mr. Jinnah was a man of principles and never could be capitulated by any power. He could neither be purchased nor intimidated. I am totally shocked to read your opinion about Quaid-e- Azam. I am amazed and bewildered but then feel satisfied that you have only branded the Quaid a secularist, in which sense you have not explained. Thanks to fortune you have not proved him an atheist and attached him to your circle of atheists. Please do not mind my conclusions as there is no personal grudge involved in it. I am well aware of your atheistic ideas through your writings but for mercy sake do not make our great leader some thing which he was not. I shall be grateful to you. Thanks.

Sincerely yours,

Dr.Maqsood Jafri

New York

Dated: August 25, 2010