Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a prominent leader who played a crucial role in uniting the Muslim community of the Indian subcontinent and establishing Pakistan as their homeland. Jinnah, in the realm of politics, was a highly skilled lawyer who effectively outmatched his opponents through astute use of logic. Throughout the year, the Pakistani nation honors him for his advocacy of the rights of Muslims and minorities in the subcontinent, and for carving out Pakistan. While there is so much talk about Jinnah, the “Father of the Nation,” in the private sphere of family life, he was a loving father who struggled with the task of balancing his responsibilities to the nation and his role as a parent to his daughter.

Dina Jinnah, his only daughter, was born coincidentally around midnight between August 14 and 15, 1919; some would call her his first born, Pakistan being the second, born exactly twenty-eight years later. Dina’s birth was a source of joy to both her parents, and both loved her equally. Various accounts of Jinnah’s servants reflect that Jinnah doted on his daughter, but his political commitments often drew him away. In 1929, after her mother’s death, Dina moved in with her father and as Wolpert writes in his biography, Jinnah of Pakistan, “Dina was the sole source of comfort to her father,” when Jinnah observed political sabbatical from 1930 to 1933. After Jinnah’s return to Indian politics, her maternal grandmother took on quite a bit of role in Dina’s life. Jinnah and Dina’s relationship suffered somewhat of a strain when she married a non-Muslim. However, contrary to popular belief Jinnah never cut off his ties with his daughter. He even sent her flowers with a note on her wedding. Even though he grew extremely busy in the 1940s, he still took out time to visit with his daughter and grandchildren. Recalling the last meeting Dina had with her father in 1946, she said: “When I was about to depart, my father hugged Nusli (who was two years old then). The grey cap (Jinnah was wearing) caught Nusli’s fancy, and in a moment, my father put it on Nusli’s head, saying, ‘Keep it my boy’.” Reportedly, Nusli still keeps it as loving memory of his grandfather. The Quaid wrote his last will in 1939, wherein he stated: “I direct my executors to set apart Rs 200, 000, which will at 6 percent bring an income of Rs 1,000. Pay the income to my daughter every month during her lifetime and after her death divide it equally between her children, male or female.”
The understanding of Jinnah’s relationship with his daughter is commonly misconstrued. The portrayal of the Jinnah presents him as a distant and emotionally detached paternal figure who, in response to his daughter’s marriage against his wishes, expelled her from his residence and then ceased all communication with her. The provided information, as mentioned above, is inaccurate. Jinnah pampered his daughter and was always a doting father. In the few interviews that she engaged in, Dina has shared fond memories of spending time with her father. One of these memories includes having tea together at the foot of his bed in the morning while he read the papers. She remembers that he always made sure to prioritize spending time with her. His preferred lines from Hamlet were: “To thine own self be true, And it must follow, As the night turns to day, Thou shalt not then be false to any man.” He frequently cited these lines when conversing with her. Dina always characterized her father as a ‘gentleman’.
Dina has also said in interviews that upon learning about the assassination attempt on her father on July 26, 1943, in Bombay she contacted her father by telephone to inquire about his wellbeing and expressed her desire to meet with him. “Of course,” he replied and without delay she hurried to his residence.
Even though Dina did not accompany her father to Pakistan after its creation and chose to stay in India possibly because she wanted her children to stay close to their father, there is documented evidence of the strong bond between Dina and her father during the final years of Jinnah’s life. A letter written by Dina from Bombay to her father on April 28, 1947, reveals how she responded to the news about Pakistan: “My darling Papa, first of all I must congratulate you — we have got Pakistan ... how hard you have worked for it … I do hope you are keeping well – I get lots of news of you from the newspapers. The children are just recovering from their whooping cough; it will take another month yet. I am taking them to Juhu [a posh neighborhood in Bombay] on Thursday for a month or so. Are you coming back here? If so, I hope you will drive out to Juhu and spend the day if you like. Anyway, I have a phone so I will ring you up and drive in to see you if you don’t feel like coming out. Take care of yourself Papa darling. Lots of love & kisses, Dina.”
Dina Wadia wrote another letter early in June 1947 from Juhu, Bombay, after hearing of the announcement of the date for Pakistan. She wrote: “Papa darling, It was really so sweet of you to write as I know how very busy you are … At this minute you must be with the Viceroy. I must say that it is wonderful what you have achieved in these last few years and I feel so proud and happy for you. You have been the only man in India of late who has been a realist, honest and brilliant tactician — this letter is beginning to sound like fan-mail, isn’t it? … Take care of yourself. Lots of love and kisses and big hug.”
Dina had always refuted the portrayal of her father as emotionally distant, asserting that he would physically engage with others by placing his hand on their shoulders during conversations.
A year into Partition, Jinnah passed away exhausted from his struggles and fighting tuberculosis. Dina flew in on a special plane for the funeral. She visited Pakistan twice after that. On her last visit, she went to her father’s mausoleum to pay her respects and stayed there for an hour. She wrote in the visitors book: “This has been very sad as well as wonderful for me. May his dream for Pakistan come true.” She also visited the hall where Jinnah’s personal belongings are on display. Dina showed a liking for three pictures and requested for blow-ups. One of the pictures shows Dina with her parents, another is that of her mother, while the third, which she liked the most, shows Jinnah dictating a letter to someone.
Jinnah and his daughter Dina had a relationship characterized by a combination of love and expectations. Strongly disciplined and convictional, Jinnah had a vision for his daughter that frequently ran counter to her individual decisions. Jinnah made actions that showed a fatherly concern for Dina’s future and wellbeing. Although it is a lesser-known facet, Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s fatherhood plays a significant role in comprehending him being the political luminary. The intricacies of Jinnah’s family relationships, which coexisted in parallel with the demands of nation-building should not be overlooked as we contemplate upon his life’s journey. HH

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