HAPPY BIRTHDAY, VLADIMIR LENIN!

Happy birthday to you, comrade Vladimir Lenin!

Today is the 150th birthday of Vladimir Lenin - whose name was never Nikolai Lenin. He was born today (April 22) in the year 1870 CE. He was christened Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov because his father's name was Ilya and he was born in Simbirsk (Ulyanovsk), a city in western Russia. The death of his father made him lose his faith in God and the execution of his elder brother (for plotting to kill the Tsar) drove him further to plan a communist revolution in Russia. In October 1917 CE, Lenin founded the first Marxist government in the history of the world when Bolsheviks overthrew Nicholas II, the successor of the King Lenin's brother was accused of plotting against. After the revolution, Lenin became a tyrant. When the election results didn't come in his favor, he rejected them. As an oppressor, he signed the death sentence of many political rivals. On a pathway of blood and groans, sighs and moans, he walked to his dream of making communism successful. He ruled for some years and then passed away in January of 1924 CE. After his death, Joseph Stalin (not his real name) took over and became USSR's new leader. Lenin wasn't buried instead his body was mummified for public sight. He still is on display in Moscow where you can see the suited-booted body of the man who is considered to be one of the most influential people in human history. The word Lenin is actually derived from the river Lena. 

Why do we celebrate Lenin's birthday? Was he a good person? Should we respect him as a man who did good for humanity? Well, Lenin wasn't a good guy. He was a tyrant who spilled blood of many innocent people. If God sends him to hell for all his persecutions and atrocities, it will be an act of justice. We cannot respect Lenin like we respect Gandhi, MLK or Mandela. But we should respect him for his political genius. Lenin wasn't just a leader, he was also an important communist thinker. He had his own beliefs, his own philosophies and his own plans for the Russian people. If you are a student of political science, you have to respect Sun Tzu, Machiavelli, Adam Smith, Thomas Hobbes, Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin and others. Nobody (in an university) cares if these guys were rapists, racists, murderers, frauds or what. We don't worship them, we don't venerate them. We care about their political thoughts only. We study Lenin. When we study him, we observe how he viewed the world, which factors he considered to be faults in the world order and how he planned to rectify those faults. We, the students of International Relations, do condemn his acts of oppression. But, just like we hate Genghis but admire his military strength at the same time, we also hate Lenin for his crimes against humanity but admire his political intellect as well.

I have always been fascinated by Lenin's charisma. When I was a child, I used to study a book about the biography of 100 great men. Though the book was written by a Pakistani author who had his own religious inclinations (due to which he included the Four Rashidun Caliphs, Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah and Imam Husayn in the list as well). But I found about many great historical personalities from that book. Michael H. Hart is known for creating a list of 100 most influential figures in our history. His list is also famous because he graded Prophet Muhammad - peace and blessings be upon him and his purified descendants - as the most influential guy in the world, both politically and religiously - even greater than Jesus Christ whom he ranks 3rd, after Isaac Newton. Lenin comes on number 84, right after Mani. My father was also influenced by the communist propaganda when he was a child (and he hasn't completely healed yet). Me too was a communist in my teenage. I still remember how I went to a Facebook Marxist page and posted that I had converted to communism. I don't adhere to Marxism or feminism now because I see the flaws they have. Marxism accuses a certain class (the Bourgeoisie) of being the reason why Proletariat suffer. Feminism accuses patriarchy of being the reason why men & women suffer all over the world. I consider both of these beliefs to be false. But that doesn't stop me from respecting and admiring the philosophy behind both Marxism and feminism.

Just a month ago, I commented on a Facebook post about something (I think it was something about secularism or equality) and a guy called me out for having Lenin's face as my display picture. I have been a victim of name-calling because of that. I don't know why I use Lenin's picture on my Facebook profile. I don't have any special feelings for comrade Lenin. He was a mass murderer. But I think I still love the way he brought a revolution in Russia. Therefore, when that guy called me out, I tried to explain to him that you can still admire Lenin for his political genius if you also hate him for being a fanatic oppressor. Just like you can write songs about how charismatic Rasputin was even though you hate him for being a fraud and probably a rapist. Here is what some eminent personalities have said about Lenin. I will not quote Marxist, anarchist or Bolshevik quotes here because, obviously, they will find in Lenin no error or fault.

Lenin and Trotsky were the men of the hour and under their fearless, incorruptible and uncompromising leadership the Russian proletariat has held the fort against the combined assaults of all ruling class powers of earth.

(Eugene V. Debs - American socialist leader)

I honor Lenin as a man who completely sacrificed himself and devoted all his energy to the realization of social justice. I do not consider his methods practical, but one thing is certain: men of his type are the guardians and restorers of humanity.

(Albert Einstein - German-American physicist)

There was no doubt or vagueness in Lenin's mind ... But he lives, not in monuments or pictures, but in the mighty work he did, and in the hearts of hundreds of millions of workers today who find inspiration in his example and the hope of a better day.

(J. Nehru - Indian Prime Minister)

Soon after my arrival in Moscow I had an hour's conversation with Lenin in English ... I think if I had met him without knowing who he was, I should not have guessed that he was a great man ... His strength comes, I imagine, from his honesty, courage, and unwavering faith - religious faith - in the Marxian gospel.

(Bertrand Russell - American philosopher)

Russell further comments that Lenin was indeed driven by an honest belief in Marxist propaganda which he though would benefit the Russian people. But he had two main faults. (I) He was rather orthodox and fanatic about communism. (II) He was a cruel guy. Therefore, Russell declared him to be a reincarnation of Oliver Cromwell. I too believe that Lenin's extremism and his oppression with respect to the spread of Marxist ideas were his errors. But I will not compare him to the greatness of Oliver Cromwell. Lenin was beneath Cromwell - the terminator of English monarchy. Now, let's see what the national poet of Pakistan has to say about comrade Vladimir Lenin of USSR.

Iqbal wrote an entire Urdu poem regarding Lenin. Its name is Lenin Khuda Kay Huzoor Me (Lenin In The Presence Of God). The poem is set in the Other World where Lenin, after his death, is presented before the Lord. There Lenin excuses himself for his atheism because, apparently, he failed to comprehend the nature of God. He also complains to the Almighty about how life is difficult for a laborer in the world. You can read the original verse in Urdu here. Let me quote just two verses just now for your amusement.

تو قادر و عادل ہے مگر تيرے جہاں ميں  

ہيں تلخ بہت بندہ مزدور کے اوقات 

کب ڈوبے گا سرمايہ پرستی کا سفينہ؟ 

دنيا ہے تری منتظر روز مکافات  

You are capable and just but in your world 

Quite harsh are the timings of a laboring mate 

When will the ship of capitalism will sink? 

For the day of retribution, your world doth wait

(M. Iqbal - Indian poet-philosopher)

Iqbal was also an admirer of Karl Marx whom he had termed as a Moses without tajalli (the miracle in which God showed His face to Moses and he fell unconscious) and a Jesus without the Crucifix. I don't think that it's fair to criticize a person and call him a munafiq (hypocrite) if he admires Lenin for his political genius and the amazing revolution he brought. We have people like Einstein, Russell, Iqbal and Nehru respecting Lenin for the same stuff.

Again, today is the 150th birth anniversary of comrade Vladimir Lenin. I wish all the socialists in the world, the Pakistani community of Marxists and the entire Russian Federation glad tidings on this merry occasion. May God help us fight oppression, corruption and poverty, create a single world government and eradicate hunger, ignorance and injustice from the face of the earth!

Proletarier aller Länder vereinigt Euch!

(The Communist Manifesto)