By Mahjabeen Malik
Hakeem Mohammad Saeed was a renowned figure of Pakistan who would live alive in the minds and heart of every Pakistani through his writing. He was a true scholar, author, innovator, entrepreneur and a philanthropist and former Governor of Sindh. He was a marvellous Pakistani who will be remembered by the nation of Pakistan.
Birth and Early Life
Hakeem Mohammad Saeed was born in Delhi, on 9th January 1920. His parents were religious and well-educated. They were Urdu speaking. His forefathers and parents had a huge business of medicine and they had founded Hamdard Waqf Laboratories in India before the separation of Indo-Pak. Years after this was known as Unani medicines around the world. Saeed Mohammad learned various languages from a local school in his childhood. He learned Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and English and studied the Quran as well with great consideration. He got admission, at the age of eighteen years, at the University of Delhi in 1938. Before his studies of Bachelor Sciences, he joined Hamdard Waqf Laboratories as a researcher and he contributed to herbal quality control while preparing medicines. He secured a degree of B.Pharmacy and a degree of Bachelor of Science in medicinal chemistry in 1942. He obtained his master’s degree in pharmacy from the same University in 1945.
Hakeem Mohammad Saeed actively involved in the Movement for Pakistan. At the time of independence in 1947, Hakeem Saeed shifted to Karachi accompanied by his wife and only daughter. He settled in Karachi with his small family and founded Hamdard Laboratories and rendered his services to the nation throughout his life. In 1952, he joined Ankara University in Turkey and obtained PhD degree in Pharmacy.
Expertise and Scholarships
Hakeem Mohammad Saeed displayed his expertise in Pakistan and started ruling in the field of Eastern medicines. He kept continuing his research in medicine effortlessly. In 1948, he made Pakistan popular in medical biology and medicine. In 1953, he adhered to Sindh University as the associate professor of pharmacy. In 1963, he had some differences with the Federal Government; however, he resigned from his post in the University. He became a popular public figure in 1964 when he criticized Lieutenant-General Wajid Ali Khan Burki and Surgeon General of Army Medical Corps Pakistan, the high-profile officer was leading the Ministry of Health in the period of Ayub Khan. Saeed refuted the statement of General Wajid Burki against Eastern medicine and homoeopathy. However, Hakeem sahib started writing articles and he organized conferences and campaigned for Eastern medicine. Subsequently, Ayub Khan had to pass a law to legalize Eastern medicine to save the integrity of his government among the public.
Hakeem Mohammad Saeed established his own Hamdard University in Karachi where he taught students and served the nation as the 1st voice-chancellor and as a professor.
The topmost service of his life is the organization of Madinat-al-Hikmah campus in Karachi. It constitutes Hamdard University with various institutes like Hamdard College of Medicine and Dentistry, Hamdard Al-Majeed College of Eastern Medicine, Hafiz Muhammad Ilyas Institute of Herbal Sciences, Hamdard Institute of Education & Social Sciences, Hamdard Institute of Management Sciences, Hamdard Institute of Information Technology, Hamdard School of Law, Faculty of Engineering Science & Technology, Hamdard Public School and Hamdard Village School. Bait-al-Hikmah, the major and well-stocked library of Pakistan is also an essential part of Madinat-al-Hikmah.
Books and Journals
He wrote and edited more than 2000 books and various journals in Urdu and English on multiple subjects as education, Islam, Pakistan, Science, Medicine and Health. He wrote travelogues and many books for children. He also composed number of multiple journals such as Hamdard Islamicus, Hamdard Medicus, and Journal of the Pakistan Historical Society “Historicus”, Hamdard Sehat and Hamdard Naunehal by editing in short and easy form. He served for several years as an editor “Payami”, the Urdu edition of UNESCO’S Journal-Courier. Saeed took part in various international conferences on medicine, science, education and culture and travelled widely to many countries of the world. While in Pakistan, he structured various international and national conferences on most important topics. Saeed formed two broadly attended national forums: Hamdard Shura (for leaders of public opinion) and Naunehal Assembly (for children). He held offices and memberships in dozens of national and international organizations related to education and healthcare. He opened two journals, Hamdard Medicus and Hamdard Islamicus. Hamdard-e-Sehat, which was previously being issued under his editorship since 1940, also appeared from Karachi in 1948. For young readers, he started a magazine “Hamdard Naunehal”, and established a separate division, Naunehal Adab, to create high-quality books for children.
Awards and Acknowledgement
World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged his effortless services in the field of medicine and health. Hakeem Mohammad Saeed promoted medicine the mission his father started in India before patrician.
In 2002, for the recognition of his great services, he was awarded Nishan-e-Imtiaz by the government of Pakistan.
Tragic Death
Hakeem Mohammad Saeed who was ruling over the heart of every Pakistani was brutally assassinated on October 17, 1998, early in the morning. Former Premier Mian Nawaz sharif accused of MQM for the murder and the police arrested many members of MQM for the investigation. Four of the arrested members were tortured to death by the police during the investigation. At that time many political parties started blaming each other, and the actual cause of murder is still hidden from Pakistani’ public. However, the investigation of the massacre of Hakeem Mohammad Saeed must be probed through an independent commission.
May Allah rest his soul in peace in Jannah(Heaven). Amen!
