Let’s look into Barrister Jinnah’s degree too

Quaid was grade five student in 1892. In 1893, he joined Lincoln Inn to start his law study. Within one year’s period, his big jump from fifth grade to the post graduate level studies seems impossible achievement. What makes it further mysterious is that he became a Barrister in 1896 at the age of 19

A mystery surrounds the educational record of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah that makes one wonder as to how this subject remained un-noticeable or unimportant so far to a large number of writers and researchers who, despite their analytical approach and in-depth study on Quaid’s life, never tried to search this area and bring this puzzle together. Stanley Wolpert is considered as a very authentic biographer of Quaid-e-Azam and his book, Jinnah of Pakistan, has a reputation of a very reliable source on the life of this great leader of the sub-continent. Talking on Quaid’s early education, he quotes a sentence from Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah; “Mamad (Mohammad Ali Jinnah) enrolled in the Sind Madressa on December 23, 1887.” The website of Sindh Madressah carries this note: “Finally, after about four and a half year of his association with the institution, while studying in Standard V [fifth grade], he left Sindh Madressah on 30th January 1892.” 

This statement confirms the authenticity of the enrolment date at Sindh Madressa that Stanley Wolpert used in his book. The mystery begins from this point onward. In January 1893 Quaid-e-Azam left for London and joined Lincoln Inn on June 25, 1893 to start his law study. Within one year’s period, his big jump from fifth grade to the post graduate level studies seems like a very surprising and humanly impossible achievement. What makes it further mysterious is that he successfully completed the examination and became a qualified Barrister on 29 April 1896 at the age of 19 years only.

Is there any error in this record or the Quaid, in fact, was such an extra ordinary person that it didn’t take him too long to prepare himself for the high level education? A sceptic can use this mystery to make a cynical remark suspecting him of using a fake degree to obtain an admission at the Lincoln Inn. To me nothing carries more importance than the fact that Mr. Jinnah was a brilliant man of amazing capabilities whose successful performance at the Lincoln Inn was more than a degree to qualify him for the law studies. The letter he wrote to the Lincoln Inn on 26 April 1893 to seek an exemption from Latin Language is another proof that the person writing the letter was far more educated than a fifth or sixth grade student.

Jawaharlal Nehru was also a Barrister and so was his father Motilal Nehru. Jawaharlal Nehru was able to become a barrister after finishing his studies at Cambridge while his father, Motilal Nehru, became a barrister after appearing for the final year of B.A. examination. Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, former Chief Minister of Sindh, is also a barrister and he obtained his degree of barrister from Lincoln's Inn in 1959 nearly at the age of 26 years. Among all these barristers, Quaid-e-Azam stands out as the only person who became a qualified barrister at the age of 19 years. According to the information available on the website, the prospective barristers are either required to obtain a qualifying law degree or undertake a one year law course having initially graduated in a subject other than law.

The Graduation degree, even if it was a requirement during those times, couldn’t probably become a matter of disqualification for Mr. Jinnah to join the Lincoln Inn.   History has many great people on record who, despite having no educational qualification, were able to reach the highest level of excellence in their field.   Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Edison are two such prominent examples. Both of them couldn’t spend much time at any school but were able to attain the highest level position in their country; one became the president of the USA and the other achieved the world record of having the highest number of inventions in his name. It doesn’t mean that educational qualification has no value. People like Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Edison are just a kind of exception and not the rule. So the solution is to have educational institutions to produce people with required expertise. Yet, there is no guarantee that all educated people would excel in their field. It comes from the dedication and interest one takes in continuous learning and self-education. Educational degree is a very hot subject these days in our country. What most of us fail to realize is that the delivery and performance are the basic criterion to assess the suitability of a person for the job or assignment he is selected or elected for. Quaid-e-Azam proved his qualification through his performance and so did Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Edison. Degrees, both fake and genuine, can be obtained through legal or illegal means. What one cannot achieve or acquire easily is the knowledge and ability to perform well and this is what we have to look for in a person that holds a prominent position.