ANY critical analysis of the fall of Muslim dynasties ruling the subcontinent reveals an important lesson. The prominent reason behind every fall was political instability. From the Mamluks to the Khaljis and from the Tughlaqs to the Lodhis and then from one Mughal emperor to the next, infighting and political weakness decided many a fate.

It is a lesson that nation-states within the Islamic world seem to have ignored in contemporary times. Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and many others have been on that slippery slope for some time.

In our own backyard, factions in Afghanistan have struggled, and are struggling, to somehow opt for political cohesion.

For Pakistanis, the lesson is worth considering, too. We lost a huge part of our territory because the hostile enemy was able to make the most of our own internal political conflicts.

It is in everyone’s own favour to actually empower the political system, or else history loves to repeat itself.

Saman Aftab
Lahore

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2021