Originally Posted by Cogito Ergo Sum

"I cannot understand the logic of those who have been deliberately and mischievously propagating that the Constitution of Pakistan will not be based on Islamic Shariat...

No doubt there are many people who do not quite appreciate when we talk of Islam. Islam is not only a set of rituals, traditions and spiritual doctrines, Islam is also a code for every Muslim which regulates his life and his conduct even in politics and economics and the like."
~Address to Karachi Bar Association in January 25, 1948

Jinnah was a politician, NOT an ideologue. He was a pragmatist, not an idealist or a visionary. I don't say this with any intention to imply that I consider him overrated--I just think we praise him for all the wrong reasons.

As a practitioner of realpolitik, Jinnah said what his audience wanted. His words were adapted to the appease the particular section of the population listening to him. There are his speeches delivered in KPK (erstwhile NWFP), where the highlight is the "Islamic" facet of Muslim League's struggle. Then there are his speeches delivered in modernized urban areas, where he glorified modern democratic ideals.

Also notice the fact that though many Ulema were against him (Maududi etc), many (like the Usmanis) joined him. They didn't do so because they were convinced that Jinnah's Pakistan and "Shariah" were going to be mutuall exclusive. In fact, quite the opposite. I just quoted one of his speeches where he talks about Sharia. When you say at one place that all (Muslims and non-Muslims) will be equal and then talk about Sharia at another place; I don't think it should take a rocket-scientist to appreciate the contradiction. Sharia does not give equality to Muslims and non-Muslims (in case you are unaware, I am stating one contradiction).

Bottom-line: Jinnah himself didn't know what kind of a state Pakistan would become once it came on the map of the world. In fact, nobody knew. That is why you see many diverse groups with a variety of different ideologies participating in the struggle for Pakistan: all of them thought that the ideological framework of the state that would come into being as a consequence of their struggle would be similar to their own ideologies. On one hand, this helped the cause of Pakistan. On the other, it proved to be a recipe of utter confusion that prevails to this day about the "Pakistan ideology/Jinnah Ka Pakistan".