Pakistan: Abdus Salam, the Muslim Newton

Asif Arif

The day throughout Pakistan should celebrate with pride and joy the 88th anniversary of the first Muslim Nobel prize in physics, how not to write a post about this man who brought an unprecedented revolution in the world of physics. However, the impact is much broader than the intellectual revolution that has aroused. Muslim first recipient of this award, all Muslims of the world should now remember some of his memories and his work. However, we see that neither Pakistan nor the Muslim world rose, despite some intellectuals who shout loud and clear, the injustice been the memory of this revolutionary man.

Being absolutely not a physicist by training, I could here be content with a purely superfluous remark, surely absurd to some physicists to view the superficiality of it. Dr. Abdus Salam was a Pakistani physicist (1926 - 1996) known for his work on the electroweak interaction, synthesis of electromagnetism and the weak interaction. This unification has earned him alongside his counterparts Sheldon Glashow and Steven Weinberg, the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1979, provided that the contribution of each physician was very independent from each other.

Abdus Salam's contribution to the Muslim world

The contribution of Dr. Abdus Salam to the Muslim world is not only unprecedented, it is historical. It must be borne in mind that until 1979, no Muslim was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. The quality of work, experience and uniqueness of his research have certainly determined the consent of the Nobel Committee to award him the time this distinction in 1979, yet, as I wrote, Dr. Abdus Salam was not only the engine of an intellectual revolution, he was also responsible for a revolution in the Muslim world. Many countries, including Italy, wanted to offer Dr. Abdus Salam, before he gets the Nobel Prize (he was tipped wide) nationality. The idea was to get a Nobel prize obtained by the country which has granted citizenship to Abdus Salam upstream. His response was, however, no appeal, this Nobel Prize will go to Pakistan and any other country. This detail, which marks the commitment of Dr. Abdus Salam to his country of origin, is crucial if not critical to assess the degree of indifference of Pakistan with regard to this great man that I discuss in the last part of this post. The other major contribution of Dr. Abdus Salam to the Muslim world is that it has introduced an unprecedented spirituality in a world dominated by rationality. During his speech at the award ceremony of the Nobel Prize, Dr. Abdus Salam was traditionally dressed in a turban and Indo-Pakistani clothing.

When he had to deliver his speech, he read a passage from the Koran! Here unprecedented he left the Muslim world contribution, not only that, it was a brilliant scientist, but also that he was able to link his spirituality with his knowledge.

The contribution of Abdus Salam education Education is a universal value. It is used to fight many ailments that plague even today our world. Dr. Abdus Salam was not content to propose a theory of physics and to continue his research in his corner. He wished shared his knowledge and disseminate it worldwide. Not only did he want to spread his knowledge, but he also had the desire to disseminate the knowledge of others. He then created the institute " International Centre for Theoretical Physics "(ICTP), Italy, thinking indeed that science is" the common heritage of humanity. " This institute it possible to bring together researchers from developing countries to train and enable them to meet other researchers. The idea was thus to share scientific knowledge and encourage countries to invest in the development and research in the formation of their own researchers to be born and grow a dynamic education in these countries. He served until the end of his life, more flesh at various universities as a foreign scientist.

Pakistan and Dr. Abdus Salam

Pakistan has always maintained a relationship disdain vis-à-vis Dr. Abdus Salam. Although some steps have been taken - such as issuing a stamp with his name - it remains that Dr. Abdus Salam has not received the respect it deserves Pakistan. Large Pakistani intellectuals, including the famous Hassan Nissar, join my position. The latter was indignant contempt of Pakistan with regard to this man who has shaped his way, the world of physics. But why such disdain?

Abdus Salam was an Ahmadi Muslim. Particularly persecuted Muslim minority in Pakistan, as I have written many times in the columns of HuffPost , Ahmadis claim to be Muslims or "large Muslim families" deny him that right. since Ordinance XX, Muslims Ahmadis have no right to perform acts which are related to Muslim identity.

Institutes that Dr. Abdus Salam had established Pakistan currently fall into disrepair because the government failed to renovate and take care. The tomb of Dr. Abdus Salam, on which was written "first Muslim Nobel physics prize" has been the subject of willful damage.

Now you can read the following inscription: "first Nobel Prize in Physics" the mention of "Muslim" has been removed.