Hakim Said

Sir Hakim Said
20th Governor of Sindh Province
In office July 19, 1993 – January 23, 1994
President	Farooq Leghari
Prime Minister	Benazir Bhutto
Preceded by	Mahmoud Haroon
Succeeded by	Mahmoud Haroon
President of the Hamdard Foundation
In office 23 October, 1969 – October 17, 1998 Serving with Sadia Rashid
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	Sadia Rashid
Director of the Hamdard Laboratories
In office August 14, 1948 – October 17, 1998
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	Dr. Ahsan Qadir Shafiq
Vice-Chancellor of Hamdard University
In office August 14, 1948 – October 17, 1998
Chancellor	Mahmoud Haroon
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	Dr. Nasim Ahmad Khan
Personal details
Born	Hakim Muhammad Said January 20, 1920(1920-01-20) New Delhi, British Indian Empire
Died	October 17, 1998(1998-10-17) (aged 78) Karachi, Sindh Province
Resting place	White Graveyard, Karachi
Citizenship	British subject (1920-1948)  Pakistan (1948-1998)
Nationality	Pakistan
Political party	Independent
Children	Sadia Rashid (daughter)
Alma mater	University of Delhi Ankara University
Occupation	Philanthropist, scholar, sufist
Profession	Medical researcher
Cabinet	Bainazir Bhuttoo Government
Religion	Islam
National Awards	Nishan-e-Imtiaz (2002)

Sir Hakim Muhammad Said (Urdu: حکیم محمد سعید; January 9, 1920 - October 17, 1998, NI, PhD), was a prominent and world acclaimed medical researcher, scholar, philanthropist, and a former Governor of Sindh Province of Pakistan from 1993 until 1996. Said was Pakistan's one of the renowned and top medical researcher in the field of eastern medicines who established the Hamdard Foundation in 1948, prior to his settlement in West-Pakistan.

Within few years, the herbal medical products of Hamdard Foundation became household names. Hakim Muhammad Said authored and compiled about 200 books in medicines, philosophy, science, health, religion, natural medicine, literary, social, and travelogues.On October 17 in 1998, Said was assassinated by the group of unknown assailant while he was on his way to attend a medical experiment at the Hamdard Laboratories.

Biography

Youth and Academia

Hakim Muhammad Said was born in New Delhi, British Indian Empire in 1922 to an educated and religious Urdu-speaking class.^[1] His forefathers and family had been associated with herbal medicine business, and had established the Hamdard Waqf Laboratories which, as of today has emerged into one of the largest manufacturer of Unani medicines in the world.^[1] Said attended the local school where he learned Arabic, Persian, Urdu, English and studied the Holy Quran.^[1] At age 18, Hakim passed the university entrance test and went on to attend the University of Delhi in 1938. At there, Said obtained BPharm and B.S. in Medicinal chemistry in 1942.^[1] After his undergraduate degrees, Said joined the Hamdard Waqf Laboratories as a junior researcher and took participation in quality control herbal while formulating the formulas for the medicines.^[1] In 1945, Said attended the post-graduate course, and obtained MPharm in Pharmacy from the same institution. Following the Partition and establishment of Pakistan, Said left his hometown with him wife and a daughter via airline route.^[1] The family settled in Karachi, Sindh Province of West-Pakistan.^[1] He established the Hamdard Laboratories and served its first director until his death in 1998.^[1] In 1952, Said traveled to Turkey where he attended the Ankara University where he was awarded Ph.D in Pharmacy and returned to Pakistan to devote his life for the medicine research.^[1]

Academia

Following his settlement in Pakistan, Said began practicing medicine and continued to research in eastern medicines.^[2] Having established the Hamdard Laboratories in 1948, Said was one the driving force in Pakistan for engaging the research in medical biology and medicines. In 1953, after his doctorate, Said joined the Sindh University as the associate professor of Pharmacy and taught courses in Organic chemistry.^[2] In 1963, Said resigned from his position due to amid differences with the Federal government. In 1964, Said came into public limelight when he gave rogue criticism to Lieutenant-General Vajid Burkie, then-Surgeon General of Army Medical Corps and then high profile officer leading the Ministry of Health under the government of Field Marshal Ayub Khan.^[2] In his own words, Said gave a round of bitter criticism to General and famously quoted, "General [Vajid] Burkie used to say that eastern medicine and homeopathy were quackery".^[2] Said began to write articles organised conferences and lobbied hard for the ban of eastern medicine, and Ayub Khan had to pass a law legalising eastern medicine, due to amid fear of his government's bad credibility.^[2]

In 1985, Hakim Muhammad Said founded and established Hamdard University where he served its first Vice-Chancellor and professor as well.^[2] The establishment of a university which could enliven the intellectual tradition of the educational institutions of the golden era of Muslim civilization had always been his most cherished dream. In fact it was the central point towards which all his endeavors were directed. The actual appearance of the university was just the culmination of a long dedicated and continued effort spanning his whole life.

A great personality of Pakistan

Shaheed-e-Pakistan

Hakim Muhammad Said (1920–1998) was a man of vision and was endowed with many virtues. He was a multifaceted personality, a physician, author of books, and editor of journals, bibliophile, an organizer, an idealist, an innovator, educationist and above all a patriot of the highest order. He sacrificed his life in the service of the nation. In a life span of 78 years he made enormous contributions in the field of health, science, education and culture, which has left an imprint on the course of history for generations to follow.^[3]

He was strictly a man of principles with extraordinary sense of time management. The guidance he gave showed that he was an extraordinary genius, born to guide and lead the people. Although the assassin's bullets extinguished and silenced the noble soul on October 17, 1998, the light of his spirit lives on to inspire and encourage others to follow his mission. Lest we forget what is owed to this remarkable personality, an institution under the name of "IDARA-E-SAID" has been set up in one of his most ambitious projects - Madinat-al-Hikmah - city of education science and culture whose doors are ever open for the seekers of knowledge. The library, housed in Madinat-al-Hikmah is undoubtedly one of the finest seats of learning east of Suez, for scholars and researchers to drink deep from the fountains of learning.

The crowning activity of his life is the establishment of Madinat-al-Hikmah. It comprises Hamdard University with such institutes as 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 [1] (the Library) is also a constituent part of Madinat-al-Hikmah. This is one of the biggest and well-stocked libraries of Pakistan.

His Work

Main article: Scholarship of Hakim Said

Shaheed Hakim Muhammad Said wrote, edited or compiled over 200 books and journals in Urdu and English on Islam, Education, Pakistan, Science, Medicine and Health. Besides writing travelogues of countries he visited, he also wrote books especially for youth and children. He also edited some journals such as Hamdard Islamicus, Hamdard Medicus, Journal of the Pakistan Historical Society “Historicus”, Hamdard Sehat and Hamdard Naunehal. For several years he was also editor of "PAYAMI"- Urdu edition of UNESCO'S journal "Courier". Shaheed Hakim Muhammad Said participated in various international conferences on medicine, science, education and culture and traveled widely to many countries of the world. While in Pakistan he himself organized numerous international and national conferences on topics of prime importance.^[4]

IDARA-E-SAID

Shaheed Hakim Muhammad Said, Research and Documentation Centre

In order to preserve his works, a Research and Documentation Center by the name of Idara-e-Said has been set up. It is a joint venture of Hamdard Laboratories (Waqf) Pakistan; Hamdard University; and Hamdard Foundation Pakistan. Idara-e-Said will project and focus the life and works of Shaheed Hakim Muhammad Said, most particularly in the field of science, education and research, medicine and health care. The project is aimed at collection of Shaheed Hakim Muhammad Said speeches, writings (both published and un-published), personal memorabilia, photographs and artifacts. After the collection of materials related to his life and works, all records will be preserved and displayed in a scientifically arranged and properly managed museum. Hakim Muhammad Said Archives / Museum is being set up at Madinat-al-Hikmah.

Research Projects of Idara-e-Said

Idara-e-Said will also initiate research projects leading to the award of post graduate (M.Phil. & PhD) degrees on the contribution of Hakim Muhammad Said to Islam, education, medicine, sciences & culture. Idara-e-Said will also patronize publications of literature and books written by different authors on the life of Hakim Muhammad Said, his personality, leadership and his endeavors for the propagation and promotion of education and learning. It is a matter of great pleasure that first M.Phil degree on the life and works of Hakim Muhammad Said Shaheed was awarded to Mr. Javed Swati in Hamdard University convocation 2002. His topic of research was “Education Ideas & Perceptions of Hakim Muhammad Said”. Two students are doing PhD from University of Punjab and Sindh University. Some more scholars are doing M.Phil and Ph.D’s from other universities of Pakistan. A Web Site about Shaheed Hakim Muhammad Said has also been developed.

Hakim Said’s motto was: Love Pakistan, Build Pakistan

Contributions to medicine

However, apart from being a great educational leader, Hakim Muhammad Said was also one of the finest exponents of eastern medicine, who had treated millions of patients from all over the world including Pakistan, Europe, Africa and the Middle East by the time of his death in October 1998. He had lent a new dimension to Alternative Medicine having getting it recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). In the fifty years of his active career as a practitioner of Greco-Arab medicine par excellence, Hakim Muhammad Said also achieved international renown as a scholar and researcher in medicine in recognition of his meritorious services and scholarly achievements when he was awarded Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Posthumous) by the Government of Pakistan in 2002.^[5]

1. Hamdard Pharmacopoeia of Eastern Medicine/ Published in Delhi

As a scholar

He was prolific writer, having a large number of books and articles to his credit. He edited many research journals and periodicals on medicine, history and Islam. Hakim Muhammad Said also created two very widely attended national forums: Hamdard Shura (for leaders of public opinion) and Naunehal Assembly (for children). He attended and read papers at numerous conferences all over the world and organized a number of international conferences for the promotion of science in Pakistan in collaboration with national and international organizations including UNESCO and WHO. He also held important offices and memberships of dozens of national and international organizations related to education and health care, the fields to which his contributions are universally acknowledged.

He also attended around 100 International Conferences as a delegate from Pakistan. He was associated with more than 30 international associations and learned bodies. He also launched two world-class journals, Hamdard Medicus and Hamdard Islamicus. Hamdard-e-Sehat, which was already being published under his editorship since 1940, also appeared from Karachi in 1948. To get the young ones involved in good literature and to inculcate a healthy reading habit among them, he launched a magazine, Hamdard Naunehal; and established a separate division, Naunehal Adab, for producing quality books for children.

Death and Investigation

Hakim Muhammad Said was murdered on October 17, 1998. Several MQM workers were arrested and subsequently sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court. Counsel for some of the appellants, Abdul Waheed Katpar, challenged the jurisdiction of the anti-terrorism court. His contention was that the trial in the ATC was wrong because it was not a case of terrorism.^[6] On May 31, 2001 Sindh High Court acquitted all accused. "The defence counsel in appeals had argued for the acquittal because the prosecution had failed to prove any evidence, whether they pertained to confessional statement, witnesses' account, ballistic expert's report and evidence about the recovery of empties and finger-prints. On confessional statements the defense had argued that signatures were obtained first on blank paper while contents of the confession were written afterwards and therefore, they were fabricated evidence."^[7]

Accusations on MQM

On 22 July 2010, the then chief of Intelligence Bureau (IB) Col (rtd) Iqbal Khan Niazi came on media and explained that MQM was falsely accused by the then government of PML-N and Sindh IG Police Rana Maqbool in order to start the state operation to evict the building political fame. He also said that the Joint Investigation Team set up by Intelligence Bureau also found that the accused is not wrongly acquitted. He also confirms that this same allegation became the prime reason for operation against MQM.^[8]

Family

Late Hakim Muhammad Said leaves behind a daughter, Sadia Rashid, who is heading the Hamdard Foundation and the Hamdard Lab. (Waqf) in Pakistan and three grand-daughters. Dr. Mahenemah Munir Ahmed, Amena Mian ( who is married and settled in USA with four children ) and Fatema-Tuz-Zahra Munir Ahmed who has joined her mother and is currently running things at Hamdard.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Saad Hasan (October 17, 2011). "13th death anniversary: Hakim Said, the man of morals and medicine" (HTM). Saad Hasan, correspondent of the Express Tribune. The Express Tribune. http://tribune.com.pk/story/275506/13th-death-anniversary-hakim-said-the-man-of-morals-and-medicine/. Retrieved 10/17/2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Press Release. "Hakim Said, the man of morals and medicine". Pakistan News Today. Pakistan Today. http://pakistannewstoday.com/2011/10/17/13th-death-anniversary-hakim-said-the-man-of-morals-and-medicine/. Retrieved 2011. 
3. ^ Hakim Muhammad Said - Shakhsiyat aur Fun by Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, Qaumi Zaban, Karachi, Pakistan, Vol. 71, No. 5, May 1999, p. 24-31
4. ^ Hakim Muhammad Said - Shakhsiyat aur Fun by Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, Fikr-o-Nazar, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India, Vol. 36, No. 1, 1999, pp. 5-14
5. ^ Hakim Muhammad Said - Hayat wa Khidmat by Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, Aina-e-Tib 2000, Ajmal Khan Tibbia College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India, pp. 18 - 27
6. ^ Counsel Challenges Jurisdiction of ATC, and the Validity of Witnesses
7. ^ All Nine MQM Workers Acquitted by Sindh High Court
8. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_jo_5Tfus0 Statement of ex-chief of Intelligence Bureau (IB) Col (rtd) Iqbal Khan Niazi

External links

• Hakim Said Memorial Lecture, DAWN/The News International, Karachi (Pakistan) 14 October 2004, Thursday, 28 Shabaan 1425

Political offices
Preceded by Mahmoud Haroon	Governor of Sindh 1993 – 1994	Succeeded by Mahmoud Haroon

Persondata
Name	Said, Hakim
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1920-01-09
Place of birth	Delhi, British India
Date of death	1998-10-17
Place of death	Karachi, Pakistan