Introduction
Dr. Abdus Salam remains one of the most scandalous figures in Pakistan’s history. Though he was the country’s first and only Nobel Prize-winning scientist, religious and ideological clashes outshone his recognition in Pakistan. In 1979, he won the Nobel Prize in Physics and two American scientists for his work on the Electroweak Unification Theory. Nevertheless, instead of being renowned as a national hero, his accomplishments were met with doubt, religious opposition, and assertions of an international conspiracy.
The main issue was his relation with the Qadiani community which had officially been declared as a non-Muslim minority by Pakistan’s National Assembly in 1974. In this article, the intricate details of how the Nobel Prize earned by Dr. Abdus Salam became the subject of debate in religious and political circles, how the Qadiani community has used it for propaganda, and why Pakistan never accepted his prize.
Dr. Abdus Salam and the Nobel Prize
Dr. Abdus Salam was a genius physicist who significantly contributed to the development of electroweak theory, describing the unification of the weak nuclear force and electromagnetism. This significant discovery earned him the Nobel Prize in 1979. But instead of becoming a source of pride for Pakistan, his prize became a burning issue.
Pakistan’s religious groups and conservative parties opposed the recognition, arguing that the Nobel Prize was an “usurious” award supported by Alfred Nobel’s will, which (the capital amount from his will) was invested in interest-bearing accounts. Moreover, they claimed that the Qadianis were misusing the award to demonstrate authenticity for their beliefs.
The Ahmadi Controversy and Nobel Prize Propaganda
Qadianis Claim of a Divine Prophecy
The Qadiani community immediately connected Dr. Abdus Salam’s Nobel Prize to their spiritual leader’s prophetic claim, Mirza Qadiani.
- The Qadiani newspaper Al-Fazl on November 13, 1979, quoted that Dr. Abdus Salam stated in a speech about Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s prophecy, which is:
- “My followers would achieve excellence in knowledge and wisdom, illuminating the world with their intellectual prowess.”
- The Ahmadi leaders also proclaimed the Nobel Prize as a confirmation of the divinity of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s truth.
- In his book, Mahmood Mujeeb Qadiani wrote about Dr. Abdus Salam and proclaimed his achievement as a fulfillment of the 80-year-old prophecy of the Qadiani leader.
Such assertions drove anger among religious scholars, who regard these proclamations as an effort to validate Qadiani beliefs through secular attainments.
Islamic Scholars’ Refutation
Islamic scholars and religious groups forbade these assertions, arguing that:
- Many non-Muslim communities, comprising Jews, Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists, had secured the Nobel Prize. Does this mean that their religions were exquisitely endorsed?
- The Nobel Prize was sponsored through interest-based financial instruments, which Islam firmly forbids. How could such an award authenticate a religious divination?
- Relating a scientific achievement to a religious prophecy was deceptive and confusing.
Pakistan’s Refutation of the Nobel Prize
The 1974 Constitutional Amendment
The dispute surrounding Dr. Abdus Salam was intensely ingrained in the political history of Pakistan. In 1974, the National Assembly formally acknowledged Qadianis as a non-Muslim minority. This resolution was made due to their inconsistent religious beliefs, which Islamic scholars considered dissenting.
- Constitutional amendment after this law banned Qadianis from calling themselves Muslims.
- To depict a Qadiani as a Muslim was seen as against Pakistan’s legal framework.
- When Dr. Abdus Salam was denoted as the “first Muslim Nobel Laureate,” religious groups heatedly opposed, arguing that this was a planned move to destabilize the 1974 verdict.
The Global Propaganda Strategy
The Qadiani leaders exploited the Nobel Prize to Dr. Abdus Salam for international sympathy and recognition. Several Islamic countries and high-profile personalities, unaware of his religious background, acclaimed him as a “Muslim scientist.”
- The King of Morocco, Hassan II, released a royal statement praising Dr. Abdus Salam and declared that “his success had illuminated the intellectual and scientific legacy of the Islamic world.” Al-Fazl, June 29, 1980.
- In 1986, the Muslim University of Aligarh brought out a special edition of Tahzib-ul-Akhlaq titled Abdus Salam Number, in which translations of his articles underlined his “Islamic faith.”
- Different writings, even from non-Muslim authors such as Professor John Nermian, tried to portray him as a pious Muslim.
Such examples strengthened distress in Pakistan that the Nobel Prize was being used as a tool to represent Qadianis as Muslims on the International stage.
The Islamic Science Foundation and Its Political Implications
A Strategic Move to Influence the Muslim World
Soon after winning the Nobel Prize, Dr. Abdus Salam founded the initiative for the “Islamic Science Foundation” to facilitate scientific research among the Muslim nations.
He had first proposed this idea in 1973, but it was only approved after his Nobel win in 1979.
This Foundation acquired support from Islamic Nations, including Saudi Arabia, which conventionally had stringent rulings against Qadianis.
Nawai Waqt (November 18, 1979) reported a science conference held in Jeddah, congratulating Dr. Abdus Salam and termed his Nobel Prize “A source of pride for the Islamic world.”
Contradiction with Saudi Arabia’s Anti-Ahmadi Policies
Although Qadianis are legally banned from entering the Saudi Kingdom, Dr. Abdus Salam was welcomed in Jeddah, where the Foundation’s conference was held. Critics said that this move came as a deception:
- It undermined Saudi Arabia’s strict stance against Qadianis.
- It gave Qadianis a space to assimilate themselves into Islamic academia.
- It was a calculated effort to gain legitimacy within the Muslim world.
This was regarded as a strategic move in which religious identity was exploited for purposes under the umbrella of scientific collaboration.
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding the Nobel Prize for Dr. Abdus Salam is an epitome of how science, religion, and politics intermingle in Pakistan. He was undoubtedly one of the brightest physicists, but the Ahmadi controversy eclipsed his achievement. The Ahmadiyya community sought to use the prize as religious validation, which the Islamic scholars and religious factions resisted. The rejection of the Nobel Prize on scientific grounds came from Pakistan, based on a fear that his recognition would help give Qadiani beliefs sanctity. An Islamic world response and praise added further challenge to this.
