Dar ul Islam called Pakistan.
As per Islamic law, there are two major divisions of the world. These are dar al-Islam (lit. ‘territory of Islam’), and dar al-harb (lit. ‘territory of war’). Islamic State of Pakistan was Dar ul Islam carved out of Dar Ul Harb. Pakistan was established as a home for Muslims of India. But it did not take in all the Muslims from India. It is interesting to know its state today. The many facets of Pakistan have been explained in multiple articles here. But it would be interesting to know how Dar Ul Islam treated its founding father by declaring his entire creed as kafir.
Yet, Mamata Banerjee used the word Kafir so lightly in her speeches in West Bengal. Perhaps she did not understand the implications, but the people of West Bengal fully understood and voted her out. Kafir is not a pajorative. It is fixing a target for killing. It does not matter if the target happens to be founding father of a country. Kafir remains a target for life.
Life of a Kafir in Pakistan
Muhammad Zafarullah Khan was born on 6 February 1893 in Sialkot, Punjab, India in a family of Bajwa Jat tribe. His forefathers had embraced Islam of Ahmadiaya Sect few generations earlier. He was village headman and therefore used the prefix Chaudhry before his name.
Ahmediya sect has its origin in Punjab, India, as it was founded by Mirza Gulam Ahmed (1835-1908). The Ahmadiyya movement was founded in 1889, but the name Ahmadiyya was not adopted until about a decade later. In a manifesto dated 4 November 1900, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad explained that the name did not refer to himself but to Ahmad, the alternative name of Muhammad.
Some Sunni Muslims, especially in the Indian subcontinent from where the movement originated, refer to Ahmadis using the pejorative terms Qādiyānī; derived from Qadian, the home town of Ghulam Ahmad; or Mirzaī (from Mirza), one of his titles. Both are externally attributed names and are never used by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community itself.
Ahmadis reject strict adherence (taqlid) to any particular school of thought (madhhab), giving foremost precedence to the Quran and sunnah, but usually base their rulings on the Hanafi methodology in cases where these sources lack clear elaboration.
Education
Zafarullah studied at Government College, Lahore and received his L.L.B. from King’s College London, in 1914. He was called to the bar at Lincoln’s Inn, London. He practised law in Sialkot and Lahore, became a member of the Punjab Legislative Council in 1926.
Entry into Politics
Muhammad Zafarullah Khan presided at the Delhi meeting of the All-India Muslim League in 1931, where he advocated the cause of the Indian Muslims through his presidential address. He participated at the Round Table Conferences held from 1930 to 1932 and became the Minister of Railways in May 1935. In 1939, he represented India at the League of Nations. He was appointed the Agent General of India in China in 1942 and represented India as the Indian Government’s nominee at the Commonwealth Relations Conference in 1945, where he spoke on India’s cause for freedom.
From 1935 to 1941, he was a member of the Executive Council of the Viceroy of India. In September 1941, Zafarullah Khan was appointed a Judge of the Federal Court of India, a position he held until June 1947. At the request of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, he represented the Muslim League in July 1947 before the Radcliffe Boundary Commission and presented the case of the Muslims in a highly commendable manner.
In March 1958, Zafarullah Khan performed Umrah and, at the same time, visited the shrine of Muhammad in Medina, Saudi Arabia. During his visit, he met with the King of Saudi Arabia Saud of Saudi Arabia, and stayed at the Royal Palace as a personal guest of the king. In 1967, he returned to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, a religious duty.
He held various positions in the Government of Pakistan as also represented it in International Court of Justice. Before that he as a permanent representative of Pakistan also acted as President of United Nation General Assembly (1962-63). Thereafter he again served International Court of Justice.
Apart from representing Pakistan he vehemently supported of cause of Palestine and earned accolade of Jordan and Saudi Arabia on this account. He died on 1st September 1985 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
As per Constitution of Pakistan and masses of its population Zafarullah is a Kafir who is liable to be killed (vazibul katl) by anybody.
The hate extends not only to living but also dead. Many gravestones of Ahmediaya Muslims were removed by Police. Descration of their graves is no uncommon. Therefore this founding father has reason to fear for his burial place. This is ‘Dal Ul Islam’ he buit for his community.
Lesson from the Story
What is the moral of this story about Zafarullah?
Islamic theocracy is a fight for one-upmanship or supremacy. Pakistan emptied itself of non-Muslims. Then the fight continued among those who remained. The sect in power simply declares other sects as kafir.
The game of throne continues.
References:
- Gravestones demolished: https://persecutionofahmadis.org/persecution/burial-graveyard/2023/10/01/74-ahmadiyya-gravestones-demolished-by-punjab-police/
- Attack on Mosque: https://www.thefridaytimes.com/10-Oct-2025/terrorist-attacks-ahmadi-worship-place-rabwah-six-injured
- Desecration of graves: https://www.thefridaytimes.com/01-Oct-2023/ahmadi-graves-desecrated-in-kasur