He was a multifaceted personality. Hakim Said was born on 9th January 1920 in Delhi in pre-partition days during the British rule in the Sub-Continent. His father was associated with herbal medicine business and had established Hamdard Dawakhana in 1906 in Delhi, India.
Hakim Said got his early education in Delhi where he learnt Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and English and studies Holy Quran. At the age of 20, in 1940, he obtained the degree in Unani Medicine from Ayurvedic, and Unani Tibia College, Delhi.
After completing his education he joined Hamdard and looked after the affairs of Hamdard's herbal medicines business with his elder brother Hakim Abdul Hameed.
As a result of partition, he migrated from India to Pakistan in January 1948 along with his wife and daughter.
Before migrating to Pakistan his teacher Maulana Kazi Sajjad Hussain told his brother Hakeem Abdul Hameed that let Hakim Said migrate of Pakistan, he will come back after facing difficulties. But Hakim Said did not go back, faced all the problems and achieved most of his goals, he set after his migration. Hakim Said rented a room for Rs 12 a month where he started the practice of Tibb.
After practicing Tibb for a few years, Hakim Said established Hamdard Dawakhana and started manufacturing herbal medicines. Hakim Mohammed Said's hope for a bright future was the young generation of Pakistan. His mission was to provide them proper education so that they should be a true embodiment of the dreams and vision of Quaid-e-Azam, the Founder of Pakistan.
Hakim Mohammed Said was one of the greatest travellers of the world and travelled millions of miles throughout the world. Most of the journeys were in connection with Tibb and the healing process. He also wrote the account of his journeys and his travelogues were published.
He had a number of friends in foreign countries particularly in Turkey, Germany, Kuwait, Iran and Lebanon. His frequent visits to the United States of America also enabled him to develop friendly relations with a number of scholars there.
He was a social reformer and committed to the cause of Pakistan and the young generation. Hakim Said's life mission was to work. Once he had said that he had no work except to work.
Actually there is a saying of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) that "Al-KasibHabibullah" - "The worker is a friend of Allah". No doubt Hakim Said spent his entire life for betterment of humanity. By doing this he had certainly become "Habibullah"---"Friend of Almighty Allah". Hakim Said lived a very simple life. His ambition of life was to serve the people. Therefore he devoted his whole life for this noble cause.
Hakim Said was a prolific writer, and wrote, edited and compiled over 200 books, journals in Urdu and English on Tibb, Medicine, Education, Islam and Pakistan.
Besides travelogues of the countries he visited, he also edited Journals such as "Hamdard Islamicus "Hamdard Medicus" and Journal of the Pakistan Historical Society, "Historicus", "Hamdard Sehat" and "Hamdard Naunehal". Hakim Said was also the Editor of "Payami" Urdu edition of Unesco's Journal "Courier".
Hakim Said participated in more than 100 International Conferences as a delegate from Pakistan. He was also associated with more than 30 Associations and Learned bodies.
On June 17, 1985 Hakim Said laid the foundation stone of Hamdard University where he performed the duties as its first founding Chancellor till his death. Actually establishment of "Madinat al-Hikmah", "City of education, Science and Culture" in the outskirts of Karachi which today houses different institutions of higher education including Hamdard University was a great achievement of Hakim Said and he will be remembered for this great achievement for centuries.
One of his other great achievements was having Eastern medicine recognized at the WHO as Alternative Medicine. Hakim Said was a great philanthropist and always helped needy people and supported worthy causes. The tragic death of Hakim Mohammed Said, a social reformer and a great humanist is not only a loss to the people of Pakistan but also it was a shock for his friends and admirers through out the world. Shaheed Hakim Mohammed Said will always be remembered for his meritorious services for humanity. After his death the Government of Pakistan recognizing his meritorious services for 50 years in the field of Education, Tibb and Social Welfare awarded Shaheed Hakim Mohammed Said with Nishan-e-Imtiaz in 2000.
(The writer is HEC Eminent Scholar and former Director Quaid-e-Azam Academy Karachi. Email:[email protected]
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017