Interview with Wajahat Hussain, July 11, 2006

Partial Transcript: You were telling me about King Faisal.

Segment Synopsis: Hussain talks briefly about Faisal II of Iraq. He then talks about his neighborhood growing up in Aligarh (India), which consisted of a mix of Hindu and Muslim inhabitants who lived peacefully together with certain constraints. Hussain then talks about why the economic development of Muslim communities in British India lagged behind those that were primarily Hindu, as well as the riots that were caused by religious differences between the two communities. Hussain then talks about attending Aligarh Muslim University.

Keywords: Aligarh (India); Aligarh Muslim University; British; Economic development; Economics; Faisal II; Friendships; Grandfathers; Great Britain; Hindu festivals; Hindus; Houses; Iraq; Islam; Kings; Monarchs; Mosques; Muslims; Neighborhoods; Relationships; Riots; Vegetarians; Āl Hāshim, Fayṣal ibn Ghāzī ibn Fayṣal

Subjects: Aligarh (India); Aligarh Muslim University; British; British--India--History.; Economic development.; Economics.; Friendship.; Grandfathers; Great Britain; Hindus; Houses and homes; India--History.; Iraq; Iraq--Kings and rulers.; Islam; Kings & queens; Mosques; Muslims; Neighborhoods.; Pakistan; Pakistan--History; Riots; Vegetarians

Partial Transcript: How did, how did the girls get to school when they grew up?

Segment Synopsis: Hussain discusses the education of women and girls in Aligarh (India), including aspects of transportation to and from school, as well as restrictions in the classroom, such as a curtain between the sexes.

Keywords: Arts; Carriages; Degree colleges; Education; Education of girls; Education of women; English language; Instructors; Masters classes; Pakistan; Philosophy; Psychology; Science; Sheikh Abdullah’s Girls College; Tangas; Teachers

Subjects: Arts; Education; English language; Girls' schools; Girls.; India--History.; Pakistan; Pakistan--History; Philosophy; Psychology; Science; Teachers; Women.

Partial Transcript: What do you remember about the way the university was--looked like?

Segment Synopsis: Hussain talks about the campus of Aligarh Muslim University, as well as the religious background of the students that attended the university. He talks about the course offerings of Aligarh Muslim University, including courses in law and geography, which was unusual at the time of his attendance. Hussain then discusses the role of Aligarh Muslim University in India, such as preparing future leaders and providing a progressive, modern education. He discusses various instructors during the time of his attendance. He then talks about the values of the founders of Aligarh Muslim University.

Keywords: Africa; Ahmad, Ziauddin; Aleem, Abdul; Aligarh Muslim University; American University of Beirut; Campuses; Chief justices; Delhi (India); Education; Geography; Habib, Irfan; Hasan, Syed Zafarul; Hindus; India; Indian National Army (INA); Islamic extremism; Islamic fundamentalism; Islamic history; Islamic law; Kashmir (India); Law; Lucknow (India); Muslim law; North-West Frontier Province (India); Pakistan Military Academy; Partition; Persian department; Punjab (India); Rashid, Hassan; Sectarianism; Shia Muslims; Shiites; Students; Teachers; United Provinces (India); University of Cambridge; University of Hyderabad; University of Oxford; Upper Pradesh (India)

Subjects: Africa; Ahmad, Ziauddin, 1930-; Aligarh Muslim University; American University of Beirut; British--India--History.; Delhi (India); Geography; Habib, Irfan, 1931-; Hasan, Syed Zafarul; Hindus; India; India--History.; Indian National Army; Islamic fundamentalism--Pakistan.; Islamic fundamentalism.; Islamic history and civilization; Islamic law.; Kashmir (India); Law; Lucknow (India); Pakistan--History; Pakistan. Supreme Court.; Persian language.; Punjab (India); Shiites.; Students; Teachers; University of Cambridge; University of Hyderabad; University of Oxford

Partial Transcript: What about the, the friends that were known to your family. Do you think most of them came or stayed?

Segment Synopsis: Hussain discusses the friends of his family that migrated to Pakistan after partition. He then talks about the emphasis on joining the Indian Army in World War II, as well as the number of students that were encouraged to join the Indian Civil Service (ICS). He then discusses his family members that migrated to Pakistan, as well as those that stayed behind in India to take care of the family property in Aligarh (India).

Keywords: Aligarh Muslim University; Armed forces; Bombay (India); British Indian Army; Brothers; Dubai (United Arab Emirates); Families; Friends; Girls schools; Homes; Indian Civil Service (ICS); Karachi (Pakistan); Military; Mumbai (India); Officers; Pakistan; Parents; Property; Provincial service; Railways; Refugee rules; University of Allahabad; World War II

Subjects: Aligarh Muslim University; Armed forces; British--India--History.; Brothers; Dubai (United Arab Emirates); Families; Girls' schools; Houses and homes; India--History.; Indian Civil Service; Karachi (Pakistan); Mumbai (India); Pakistan; Pakistan--History; Parents; Property.; Railways; University of Allahabad; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: You know, one of the things that in my research has showed up to be so important about Aligarh is that it was sort of a, a central place for the political leaders to gather.

Segment Synopsis: Hussain talks about the Pakistani leaders that attended Aligarh Muslim University, such as Yusuf Buch, who became an advisor to the United Nations, as well as Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He then talks about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which is a political party developed by Altaf Hussain. Hussain then talks about the descendants of Aligarh Muslim University graduates who work in the Indian Civil Service (ICS).

Keywords: Aligarh Muslim University; Aligarh Old Boys’ Association; All-India Muslim League; Ambassadors; Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali; Buch, Yusuf; Hussain, Altaf; Indian Civil Service (ICS); Karachi (Pakistan); Kashmir (India); Kashmiri Students Union; Leaders; Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM); New York (N.Y.); Pakistan movement; Politics; United Nations

Subjects: Aligarh Muslim University; All-India Muslim League; Ambassadors.; Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali, 1928-1979.; Hussain, Altaf; Indian Civil Service; Karachi (Pakistan); Kashmir (India); Leaders.; Muttahida Quami Movement.; New York (N.Y.); Pakistan movement; Pakistan--History; United Nations

Partial Transcript: Do you ever miss India?

Segment Synopsis: Hussain talks about what his family gave up to migrate to Pakistan, as well as the reason his family left India. He then talks about his time in the Pakistan Army. Next, Hussain talks about his father’s treatment by the First Congress government after the establishment of an independent India. Finally, he talks about people who speak the Urdu language.

Keywords: Aligarh Muslim University; British Indian Army; Brothers; Children; Cousins; Education; English language; Estates; Families; First Congress government; Friends; Grandfathers; Grandmothers; India; Indian Military Academy (IMA); Karachi (Pakistan); Lahore (Pakistan); Mothers; Muslims; Nephews; Pakistan; Pakistan Army; Property; Punjab (Pakistan); Sisters; Upper Pradesh (India); Urdu language

Subjects: Aligarh Muslim University; Brothers; Children; Cousins; Education; English language; Grandfathers; Grandmothers; India; India--History.; Karachi (Pakistan); Lahore (Pakistan); Mothers; Muslims; Nephews; Pakistan; Pakistan movement; Pakistan--History; Pakistan. Army.; Property; Punjab (Pakistan); Sisters; Urdu language

Partial Transcript: Is there a difference between the nation and the state?

Segment Synopsis: Hussain talks about the differences between the nation and state of Pakistan, as well as where he feels that Pakistan has gone wrong. He talks about the lack of development of a national identity. Hussain also discusses the manner in which Mahomed Ali Jinnah viewed Aligarh Muslim University; and where he feels Pakistan’s next renaissance will come from, as well as its opposition.

Keywords: Aligarh Muslim University; Aligarh Old Boys' Association; Freedom movement; Hindus; India; Indian Civil Service (ICS); Indian National Congress; Islamic extremism; Islamic fundamentalism; Jinnah, Mahomed Ali; Karachi (Pakistan); Khan, Yaqub Ali; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan); Lahore (Pakistan); Leaders; Leadership; Nations; North-West Frontier Province (Pakistan); Pakistan; Pakistan Army; Pakistan Civil Service; Pakistan movement; Religion; States; Waziristan (Pakistan)

Subjects: Aligarh Muslim University; Hindus; India; Indian Civil Service; Indian National Congress; Islamic fundamentalism; Karachi (Pakistan); Khan, Yaqub Ali, 1956-; Lahore (Pakistan); Leaders; Leadership.; Nations; Pakistan; Pakistan movement; Pakistan--History; Religion; States; Waziristan (Pakistan)

Partial Transcript: So I have, uh, one last question, which is a very different kind of question.

Segment Synopsis: Hussain talks about commemorating the individuals who were involved in the Pakistan movement. He also talks about why efforts to make monuments to these individuals have failed. Hussain then talks about Pakistan’s Independence Day.

Keywords: Bangladesh; EastPakistan; Independence; Jinnah, Mahomed Ali; Lahore (Pakistan); Monuments; Muslims; Pakistan; Pakistan movement; Partition; Property; Women

Subjects: Bangladesh; Bangladesh--History.; Independence.; Jinnah, Mahomed Ali, 1876-1948.; Lahore (Pakistan); Monuments; Pakistan movement; Pakistan--History; Partition; Property; Women