When it came to wit and humor, there was no one that could surpass Quaid e Azam! Even the most eloquent of persons felt insecure in his presence!
Here are 6 instances from his life that prove Quaid e Azam’s humor was a class apart.
“I was in a primary school once”
In December 1940, during a trip to London, Quaid e Azam made a public address, revealing how Congress betrayed the trust of the Muslims.
At this, a journalist asked: “Mr. Jinnah, you were also in the Congress once.” He quickly replied: “My dear friend, at one time, I was in a primary school as well!”
Jinnah’s reply to the Aligarh student who mimicked him
Once an Aligarh student imitated Jinnah in front of him by putting on his monocle and addressing an imaginary audience.
His voice, words, gestures, and even the look on his face matched that of Jinnah.
While some of his opponents who were present there relished at the thought of him getting embarrassed, Jinnah surprised everyone by his reply!
When the performance was finished, Jinnah took off his own cap and monocle and presented it to the student, saying: “Now this will make it absolutely authentic.”
“To hell with this [Gandhi’s] Inner Voice”
Gandhi always used to speak about an inner voice, alleging that it gives him guidance and he obeys it.
Sometimes when Gandhi would abruptly change his opinion about anything and take a dramatically opposite stance, he would say that it was his inner voice that dictated him to take the opposite view.
One time Gandhi abruptly changed his stance about a Congressional policy.
When Jinnah learned about it, he lost his temper and shouted: “To hell with this Inner Voice. Why can’t he be honest and admit that he had made a mistake.”
The sentence became extremely popular!
“I keep my appointments”
Once arguing an appeal before the full bench of Bombay High Court, the clock was about to hit 5 pm, the closing time of the court.
The judges insisted that the case be finished on the same day, so a senior judge asked him: “Mr. Jinnah, could you continue for a few minutes longer today and finish your address?”
Normally, when a High Court judge says so, no lawyer could dare to decline. But Jinnah was no ordinary lawyer.
“My Lord, I would love to do so, but I have a very important appointment which I can just make in time if I leave the court at once.”
The judge replied: “That is all right, Mr. Jinnah. We also have an appointment, but we like to finish this today so that judgment can be delivered on Monday.”
Shooting like a gun, Jinnah replied: “My Lords, the difference between your Lordships and myself is that (raising his voice) I keep my appointments.”
All three English judges went red in their face but had nothing to say!
A donkey and elephant
In 1946, in a bid to please the English Viceory and showcase a democratic image of the English colonists, Jawaharlal Nehru insisted that the Viceroy’s Executive Council should be called a Cabinet.
Quaid-i-Azam refused to do so, saying that the Cabinet is a constitutional body – the members of which are selected from Parliament by the majority leader.
There is no such thing here and this purely Executive Council cannot become a Cabinet just because you call it a Cabinet, Jinnah alleged.
Quaid e Azam said: “A donkey does not become an elephant because you call it an elephant.”
Nehru was speechless!
Rose between two thorns
On the 14th August 1947, Lord Mountbatten came to Karachi to attend the ceremony of the swearing-in of the Governor-General of Pakistan.
After the ceremony, Mountbatten proposed that Jinnah be photographed with Lord and Lady Mountbatten.
As the usual etiquette required, the lady was to stand between the gentlemen. Jinnah humorously told Lady Mountbatten: “Now you will be photographed as the rose between the two thorns”.
But Mountbatten insisted that Jinnah should stand in the middle, as per etiquettes of being the Governor-General. requires it.
Quaid e Azam yielded and when he stood between the two, Mountbatten said to him: “Now you are the rose between two thorns.”
Jinnah laughed heartily – and it took Mountbatten more than just a few seconds to realize what he had said! Quaid e Azam’s humor was, after all, a class apart!