Shaheed-e-Pakistan Hakeem Muhammad Said: Man of Principles

Shaheed-e-Pakistan Hakeem Muhammad Said: Man of Principles

The name of Hakeem Muhammad Said, the renowned scholar, philanthropist, medical researcher and former Governor of Sindh, may be vanished from the minds of the people for whom he devoted his entire life. But the services he rendered for Pakistan cannot be undervalued by anyone across the country.

Hardly anyone knows that Hakim Said and his small family used the same washroom for more than 50 years in the veranda of their modest but large house. Rarely, he ever spent money on renovation of the pre-partition building. It was not because he had liking for the old architecture but he considered such work only a waste of money.

‘Oh! So you have got the money to buy new furniture. Please, donate it to the Hamdard Foundation, we need it more there,’ he stated once while talking to her only daughter Sadia Rashid.

The legend in his personality was born on January 9, 1920, in Delhi, where he was brought up in a traditional family. At the very beginning of his life, he got command of numerous languages including Arabic, Persian, Urdu and English besides studying the Holy Quran.

From the very young age he had a mind to take the profession of his forefathers, who had been associated with the herbal medicine, to the new heights.

On his arrival to Karachi after the partition back in 1948, he rented a room for Rs12 a month where he started the practice of Tibb and later founded the Hamdard Foundation.

He was conferred with a Ph.D in Pharmacy by the Ankara University (Turkey) back in 1952 and returned to Pakistan to devote his life for the medicine research.

Within short span of few years, the herbal medical products of Hamdard Foundation became household names.

His services in reviving traditional medicine is considered to be revolutionary in modern eras because he established the work on modern footings which was recognised by world bodies like World Health Organization (WHO).

Besides the other work, Hakim Said was a literary personality, who authored and compiled about 200 books in medicines, philosophy, science, health, natural medicine, literary, social, travelogues, religion.

Hakim Muhammad Said also founded and established Hamdard University back in 1985 where he served its first Vice-Chancellor and professor as well.

Hakim Said was fond of Urdu poets and concerned about their financial woes. Renowned literary figures like Ahmed Chugtai, Ahmed Hamdani, Qamar Hashmi, Nazeer Siddiqui and Qayum Rahi all worked for Hamdard publications at one time or another.

Unfortunately, the man of principles having Tasbeeh in hands, was shot dead on October 17, 1998, But he died as bravely he spent his entire life. After passage of 13 years, his assassins have not been named, which is esteem of our negligence.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Oct 17 2011. Filed under National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry