Qazi Zafar Hussain
Encyclopedia
Khan Sahib
, Qazi Zafar Hussain came from a qadi
's family which had, since the 16th century, been prominent among the landed aristocracy of the Soon Valley
. He belonged to Awans
tribe of ancient repute. He was awarded the title of Khan Sahib
by the British Crown. This was a formal title, a compound of khan (leader) and sahib (Lord), which was conferred in Mughal Empire and British India. Although his father, Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad
forbade his descendants to establish Dargah
, he was considered Sajjada Nashin
by the people of his area. "Sajjada nashins" David Gilmartin asserts, "claimed to be the descendants of the Sufi, ‘saints’, intermediaries between the Faithful and their God, and this cut against the grain of Islamic orthodoxy......in kind, of their special religious status, these sajjada nashins had become men of local standing in their own right." However he never claimed to be a Sajjada Nashin. In the Punjab, the sajjada nashin or pir families were not so rich in terms of land as the great land lords of Punjab but these sajjada nashin or pir families exerted great political and religious influence over the people. The British could not administer the area without their help and no political party could win the election without their help.
In the early days of Pakistan movement
he supported the Unionist Muslim League
, Malik Umar Hayat Khan
and Sir Sikander Hayat Khan, for the political interest of his tribe
, and used his political and social influence to help the people of his area. After 1937, he began to support Punjab Muslim League
in the greater interest of Muslims of his area. He used his family and political influence to help the people of his area.
, Soon Valley
. He was the youngest son of Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad
, and youngest brother of 'Raees-Azam Naushera' Qazi Mazhar Qayyum
. He was a descendant of Hazrat Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph
of Islam from Al-Abbas ibn Ali. He was great great grandson of Qazi Kalim Ullah, the famous Muslim qadi and jurist of Naushera
in the time of Mughal Emperors.
He was the first child in the family who got western education along with the religious education. He got matriculation certificate from Government High School Naushera
, and then went to Lahore to get further education and got the degree of veterinary Doctor. He started his career as veterinary Inspector in the Remount Department of British Army in India. He also served in the World War I.
He was a keen collector of horses. He established a stud farm at Hazel Pur, Renala Khurd
, where In 1913, Renala Khurd Stud State Farm leased out 5,000 acres (20 km²) of land to the Punjab government to cater to the needs of the army for horses, fodder and dairy products, and the tenancy agreements continued. Renala Khurd is famous for its horses, and horses from Renala Khurd Stud State Farm have won international derby races many times. After his death, this stud farm was look after by his son Lieutenant Colonel Qazi Altaf Hussain
by the British Crown in recognition of his services. This was a formal title, a compound of khan (leader) and sahib (Lord), which was conferred in Mughal Empire and British India. It was a title of honour, one degree higher than Khan
, conferred on Muslims of British India, and awarded with a decoration during British rule in India.
, he was an admirer of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
educational policies. Although he himself could not go to Aligarh, he sent his two elders sons, Qazi Altaf Hussain and Qazi Fiaz Hussain, to Aligarh Muslim University
, and preferred Aligarh Muslim University to Government College Lahore, for his sons. His second son Qazi Fiaz Hussain, however left his studies incomplete at Aligarh University, and went to Sial Sharif
and became a Sufi.
, Sir Sikander Hayat Khan, for the interest of his tribe and the people of his area. He believed like other leaders of the party that economic liberation should precede political liberation or else it would fail. The party won all the elections between 1923 and 1937. During this time, when the Unionist Party formed governments in the Punjab Province, lot of constructive work was done towards debt relief and irrigation system, and a province like Punjab was much dependant on the irrigation system for its agricultural land.
Sufi Sarwar in his book The Soon Valley criticized Qazi Zafar Hussain for supporting the Unionist party, but we must not forget that during that period (1923–1937) the Muslim League was not active in the Punjab. Sir Muhammad Iqbal
himself was also a supporter of Unionist Party at that time. According to Ian Talbot, Iqbal and other urbanite Muslim members of PLC (1927–30) shared Fazl-i-Hussain views that Muslim interests could be better served through the Unionist Party, than by adopting a purely Muslim political platform. Samina Yasmeen writes in Communal Politics in Punjab (1925–1947) that "the birth of Unionist Party though was a tool to implement British policy, yet it would be not fair to ignore the contribution of those people who had joined the party with the belief that it will stand for the development of rural masses and would play its role for equitable distribution of monetary resources. They were also optimistic that not only the party would deal with the debt problem but would also take steps to achieve rightful share in services and educational institutions for rural youth. It was propagation of these issues that enabled Unionist rural elites to win over the support of common peasantry who joined the party with the hope that their problems would be resolved."
appealed to the Muslims of Punjab to support Muslim League, he started thinking about the support of Muslim League, and when in 1937 Sikander-Jinnah pact was signed he started supporting Muslim League.http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a790406572
In 1943, when Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah came to Lyallpur
and addressed a gathering of over 2 million in the Dhobi Ghat Ground, he arranged a cavalry for the political rally and provided horses for the cavalry of Muslim students, led by his elder son Qazi Altaf Hussain. His second son Qazi Fiaz Hussain sat next to Quaid-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
He was one of those Muslim rural elites who during the 1946 Punjab Provincial Assembly Election, supported Punjab Muslim League
, and, without its victory in Punjab in that election", in the words of Ian Talbot, "the Muslim League would not have gotten Pakistan".
He supported Khwaja Qamar ul Din Sialvi
, who was president of District Shahpur Muslim League. He was also very influential in his region. They appealed to their people to vote against Tiwanas who were trying to defeat the Punjab Muslim League candidates in their constituencies. It was their efforts that Muslim League candidates won 100% seats in the constituencies of their area. Ian Talbot, writes
"Another leading Chisti, sajjada nashin, Pir Qamaruddin of Sial Sharif held a meeting on the outskirts of the Kalra estate in which he publicily challenged Khizr and Allah Baksh to come to terms with the Muslim League. ‘I have never begged for anything in my life before’, he declared, ‘but today I have come out of my home to beg for votes, believing God is present here (the meeting was being held in a mosque) it is Islamic to ask for vote and "religious" to give them.
The Muslim League is purely a religious movement in which all the rich, poor, sufis and scholars are participating. Not as a pir but even as a Muslim, I have repeatedly advised Nawab Allah Baksh who is my Murid not to desert the Muslims at this critical time."
He died in 1968 at Hazel Pur, Renala Khurd, and was buried in Naushera
, Soon Valley
.
Khan Sahib
Khan Sahib - a compound of khan and sahib - was a formal title of respect and honour, which was conferred exclusively on Muslim, Parsi and Jewish subjects of the British Indian Empire...
, Qazi Zafar Hussain came from a qadi
Qadi
Qadi is a judge ruling in accordance with Islamic religious law appointed by the ruler of a Muslim country. Because Islam makes no distinction between religious and secular domains, qadis traditionally have jurisdiction over all legal matters involving Muslims...
's family which had, since the 16th century, been prominent among the landed aristocracy of the Soon Valley
Soon Valley
The 'Soon Valley' The 'Soon Valley' The 'Soon Valley' (Urdu: The 'Soon Valley' ([[Urdu]]: The 'Soon Valley' ([[Urdu]]: [[وادئ سون)]] or Soon Sakesar is one of the famous valleys of [[Pakistan]] situated in the central [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]] province. The Valley is situated in the north west...
. He belonged to Awans
Awan (Pakistan)
Awan , is a South Asian Zamindar tribe, putatively of Arab origin, living predominantly in northern, central, and western parts of Punjab, Pakistan...
tribe of ancient repute. He was awarded the title of Khan Sahib
Khan Sahib
Khan Sahib - a compound of khan and sahib - was a formal title of respect and honour, which was conferred exclusively on Muslim, Parsi and Jewish subjects of the British Indian Empire...
by the British Crown. This was a formal title, a compound of khan (leader) and sahib (Lord), which was conferred in Mughal Empire and British India. Although his father, Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad
Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad
Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad , was an eminent legal scholar of Qur'an, Hadith, and the Hanafi school of Islamic law . As a master of all the branches of contemporary knowledge of Islam, he was an acknowledged authority on Muslim jurisprudence...
forbade his descendants to establish Dargah
Dargah
A Dargah is a Sufi shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint. Local Muslims visit the shrine known as . Dargahs are often associated with Sufi meeting rooms and hostels, known as khanqah...
, he was considered Sajjada Nashin
Sajjada nashin
The Sajjada Nashin is the descendant of a Sufi Pir or descendant of a disciple of a Pir, who tends to the shrine which is erected over the Pir's tomb or grave, known as a Dargah or Mazar....
by the people of his area. "Sajjada nashins" David Gilmartin asserts, "claimed to be the descendants of the Sufi, ‘saints’, intermediaries between the Faithful and their God, and this cut against the grain of Islamic orthodoxy......in kind, of their special religious status, these sajjada nashins had become men of local standing in their own right." However he never claimed to be a Sajjada Nashin. In the Punjab, the sajjada nashin or pir families were not so rich in terms of land as the great land lords of Punjab but these sajjada nashin or pir families exerted great political and religious influence over the people. The British could not administer the area without their help and no political party could win the election without their help.
In the early days of Pakistan movement
Pakistan Movement
The Pakistan Movement or Tehrik-e-Pakistan refers to the historical movement to have an independent Muslim state named Pakistan created from the separation of the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent, partitioned within or outside the British Indian Empire. It had its origins in the...
he supported the Unionist Muslim League
Unionist Muslim League
The Unionist Muslim League, also known simply as the Unionist Party was a political party based in the province of Punjab during the period of British rule in India. The Unionist Party mainly represented the interests of the landed gentry and landlords of Punjab, which included Muslims, Hindus and...
, Malik Umar Hayat Khan
Malik Umar Hayat Khan
Major General Sir Malik Mohammed Umar Hayat Khan GBE KCIE MVO , was a soldier of the Indian Empire, one of the largest landholders in the Punjab, and an elected member of the Council of State of India...
and Sir Sikander Hayat Khan, for the political interest of his tribe
Awan (Pakistan)
Awan , is a South Asian Zamindar tribe, putatively of Arab origin, living predominantly in northern, central, and western parts of Punjab, Pakistan...
, and used his political and social influence to help the people of his area. After 1937, he began to support Punjab Muslim League
Punjab Muslim League
When the All-India Muslim League was founded at Dacca, on 30 December 1906 at the occasion of the annual All India Muhammadan Educational Conference, It was participated by the Muslim leaders from Punjab, i.e., Sir Mian Muhammad Shafi, Mian Fazl-i-Hussain, Abdul Aziz, Khawaja Yusuf Shah and Sh....
in the greater interest of Muslims of his area. He used his family and political influence to help the people of his area.
Early life and career
He was born of famous qadi's family of NausheraNaushera
Naushera, also Naoshera, Urdu نوشهره is a village and one of the 51 Union Councils of Khushab District in the Punjab Province of Pakistan.. Naushera is the main town of Soon Valley. Situated in the heart of Soon Valley, Naushera is surrounded by high hills, beautiful lakes, jungles, natural pools...
, Soon Valley
Soon Valley
The 'Soon Valley' The 'Soon Valley' The 'Soon Valley' (Urdu: The 'Soon Valley' ([[Urdu]]: The 'Soon Valley' ([[Urdu]]: [[وادئ سون)]] or Soon Sakesar is one of the famous valleys of [[Pakistan]] situated in the central [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]] province. The Valley is situated in the north west...
. He was the youngest son of Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad
Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad
Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad , was an eminent legal scholar of Qur'an, Hadith, and the Hanafi school of Islamic law . As a master of all the branches of contemporary knowledge of Islam, he was an acknowledged authority on Muslim jurisprudence...
, and youngest brother of 'Raees-Azam Naushera' Qazi Mazhar Qayyum
Qazi Mazhar Qayyum
Qazi Mazhar Qayyum 'Raees-Azam Naushera', came from a qadi's family which had, since the 16th century, been prominent among the landed aristocracy of the Soon Valley. He belonged to Awans tribe of ancient repute. He was the famous "Hakeem" , especially of Muslim medicine and unani medicine of Soon...
. He was a descendant of Hazrat Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
of Islam from Al-Abbas ibn Ali. He was great great grandson of Qazi Kalim Ullah, the famous Muslim qadi and jurist of Naushera
Naushera
Naushera, also Naoshera, Urdu نوشهره is a village and one of the 51 Union Councils of Khushab District in the Punjab Province of Pakistan.. Naushera is the main town of Soon Valley. Situated in the heart of Soon Valley, Naushera is surrounded by high hills, beautiful lakes, jungles, natural pools...
in the time of Mughal Emperors.
He was the first child in the family who got western education along with the religious education. He got matriculation certificate from Government High School Naushera
Naushera
Naushera, also Naoshera, Urdu نوشهره is a village and one of the 51 Union Councils of Khushab District in the Punjab Province of Pakistan.. Naushera is the main town of Soon Valley. Situated in the heart of Soon Valley, Naushera is surrounded by high hills, beautiful lakes, jungles, natural pools...
, and then went to Lahore to get further education and got the degree of veterinary Doctor. He started his career as veterinary Inspector in the Remount Department of British Army in India. He also served in the World War I.
He was a keen collector of horses. He established a stud farm at Hazel Pur, Renala Khurd
Renala Khurd
Renala Khurd is a growing city of Okara District in the north east of the Punjab province of Pakistan. The city is the headquarters of Renala Khurd Tehsil - an administrative subdivision of the district. Its approximate height above sea level is about...
, where In 1913, Renala Khurd Stud State Farm leased out 5,000 acres (20 km²) of land to the Punjab government to cater to the needs of the army for horses, fodder and dairy products, and the tenancy agreements continued. Renala Khurd is famous for its horses, and horses from Renala Khurd Stud State Farm have won international derby races many times. After his death, this stud farm was look after by his son Lieutenant Colonel Qazi Altaf Hussain
Title of Khan Sahib
In 1945, he was awarded by the title of Khan SahibKhan Sahib
Khan Sahib - a compound of khan and sahib - was a formal title of respect and honour, which was conferred exclusively on Muslim, Parsi and Jewish subjects of the British Indian Empire...
by the British Crown in recognition of his services. This was a formal title, a compound of khan (leader) and sahib (Lord), which was conferred in Mughal Empire and British India. It was a title of honour, one degree higher than Khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
, conferred on Muslims of British India, and awarded with a decoration during British rule in India.
Aligarh Movement
Like his father, Qazi Mian Muhammad AmjadQazi Mian Muhammad Amjad
Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad , was an eminent legal scholar of Qur'an, Hadith, and the Hanafi school of Islamic law . As a master of all the branches of contemporary knowledge of Islam, he was an acknowledged authority on Muslim jurisprudence...
, he was an admirer of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
Syed Ahmed Khan
Javad-ud Daula, Arif Jang, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, KCSI , commonly known as Sir Syed, was an Indian educator and politician, and an Islamic reformer and modernist...
educational policies. Although he himself could not go to Aligarh, he sent his two elders sons, Qazi Altaf Hussain and Qazi Fiaz Hussain, to Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University ,is a residential academic university, established in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan as Mohammedan Angelo-Oriental College and later granted the status of Central University by an Act of the Indian Parliament in 1920...
, and preferred Aligarh Muslim University to Government College Lahore, for his sons. His second son Qazi Fiaz Hussain, however left his studies incomplete at Aligarh University, and went to Sial Sharif
Sial Sharif
Sial Sharif is a village in the Sargodha District of Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in Sahiwal Tehsil and lies 48km away from the city of Sargodha, about midway on the Sargodha-Jhang road.Its population is about 1,100 people...
and became a Sufi.
Unionist Muslim League
After 1923, when Unionist party was formed by Sir Fazl-e-Hussain, he supported the Unionist Muslim League, Malik Umar Hayat KhanMalik Umar Hayat Khan
Major General Sir Malik Mohammed Umar Hayat Khan GBE KCIE MVO , was a soldier of the Indian Empire, one of the largest landholders in the Punjab, and an elected member of the Council of State of India...
, Sir Sikander Hayat Khan, for the interest of his tribe and the people of his area. He believed like other leaders of the party that economic liberation should precede political liberation or else it would fail. The party won all the elections between 1923 and 1937. During this time, when the Unionist Party formed governments in the Punjab Province, lot of constructive work was done towards debt relief and irrigation system, and a province like Punjab was much dependant on the irrigation system for its agricultural land.
Sufi Sarwar in his book The Soon Valley criticized Qazi Zafar Hussain for supporting the Unionist party, but we must not forget that during that period (1923–1937) the Muslim League was not active in the Punjab. Sir Muhammad Iqbal
Muhammad Iqbal
Sir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
himself was also a supporter of Unionist Party at that time. According to Ian Talbot, Iqbal and other urbanite Muslim members of PLC (1927–30) shared Fazl-i-Hussain views that Muslim interests could be better served through the Unionist Party, than by adopting a purely Muslim political platform. Samina Yasmeen writes in Communal Politics in Punjab (1925–1947) that "the birth of Unionist Party though was a tool to implement British policy, yet it would be not fair to ignore the contribution of those people who had joined the party with the belief that it will stand for the development of rural masses and would play its role for equitable distribution of monetary resources. They were also optimistic that not only the party would deal with the debt problem but would also take steps to achieve rightful share in services and educational institutions for rural youth. It was propagation of these issues that enabled Unionist rural elites to win over the support of common peasantry who joined the party with the hope that their problems would be resolved."
Muslim League
When, in May 1936, Sir Muhammad IqbalMuhammad Iqbal
Sir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
appealed to the Muslims of Punjab to support Muslim League, he started thinking about the support of Muslim League, and when in 1937 Sikander-Jinnah pact was signed he started supporting Muslim League.http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a790406572
In 1943, when Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah came to Lyallpur
Lyallpur
Lyallpur may refer to* the former name of Faisalabad city, Pakistan* Lyallpur Town, a municipal area of Faisalabad city, Pakistan...
and addressed a gathering of over 2 million in the Dhobi Ghat Ground, he arranged a cavalry for the political rally and provided horses for the cavalry of Muslim students, led by his elder son Qazi Altaf Hussain. His second son Qazi Fiaz Hussain sat next to Quaid-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
He was one of those Muslim rural elites who during the 1946 Punjab Provincial Assembly Election, supported Punjab Muslim League
Punjab Muslim League
When the All-India Muslim League was founded at Dacca, on 30 December 1906 at the occasion of the annual All India Muhammadan Educational Conference, It was participated by the Muslim leaders from Punjab, i.e., Sir Mian Muhammad Shafi, Mian Fazl-i-Hussain, Abdul Aziz, Khawaja Yusuf Shah and Sh....
, and, without its victory in Punjab in that election", in the words of Ian Talbot, "the Muslim League would not have gotten Pakistan".
He supported Khwaja Qamar ul Din Sialvi
Khwaja Qamar ul Din Sialvi
Khwaja Qamar ul Din Sialvi known as Shaykh-ul-Islam was a Pakistani religious leader and politician. He is a waliullah of the Chishti order. He founded the political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan and became its president in 1970.-Early life and education:Khwaja Qamaruddin Sialvi was born on 24...
, who was president of District Shahpur Muslim League. He was also very influential in his region. They appealed to their people to vote against Tiwanas who were trying to defeat the Punjab Muslim League candidates in their constituencies. It was their efforts that Muslim League candidates won 100% seats in the constituencies of their area. Ian Talbot, writes
"Another leading Chisti, sajjada nashin, Pir Qamaruddin of Sial Sharif held a meeting on the outskirts of the Kalra estate in which he publicily challenged Khizr and Allah Baksh to come to terms with the Muslim League. ‘I have never begged for anything in my life before’, he declared, ‘but today I have come out of my home to beg for votes, believing God is present here (the meeting was being held in a mosque) it is Islamic to ask for vote and "religious" to give them.
The Muslim League is purely a religious movement in which all the rich, poor, sufis and scholars are participating. Not as a pir but even as a Muslim, I have repeatedly advised Nawab Allah Baksh who is my Murid not to desert the Muslims at this critical time."
He died in 1968 at Hazel Pur, Renala Khurd, and was buried in Naushera
Naushera
Naushera, also Naoshera, Urdu نوشهره is a village and one of the 51 Union Councils of Khushab District in the Punjab Province of Pakistan.. Naushera is the main town of Soon Valley. Situated in the heart of Soon Valley, Naushera is surrounded by high hills, beautiful lakes, jungles, natural pools...
, Soon Valley
Soon Valley
The 'Soon Valley' The 'Soon Valley' The 'Soon Valley' (Urdu: The 'Soon Valley' ([[Urdu]]: The 'Soon Valley' ([[Urdu]]: [[وادئ سون)]] or Soon Sakesar is one of the famous valleys of [[Pakistan]] situated in the central [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]] province. The Valley is situated in the north west...
.
See also
- Khan SahibKhan SahibKhan Sahib - a compound of khan and sahib - was a formal title of respect and honour, which was conferred exclusively on Muslim, Parsi and Jewish subjects of the British Indian Empire...
- Unionist Muslim LeagueUnionist Muslim LeagueThe Unionist Muslim League, also known simply as the Unionist Party was a political party based in the province of Punjab during the period of British rule in India. The Unionist Party mainly represented the interests of the landed gentry and landlords of Punjab, which included Muslims, Hindus and...
- All-India Muslim League
- Malik Umar Hayat KhanMalik Umar Hayat KhanMajor General Sir Malik Mohammed Umar Hayat Khan GBE KCIE MVO , was a soldier of the Indian Empire, one of the largest landholders in the Punjab, and an elected member of the Council of State of India...
- Sir Sikander Hayat Khan
- Sir Muhammad IqbalMuhammad IqbalSir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
- Mohammed Ali Jinnah
- Soon ValleySoon ValleyThe 'Soon Valley' The 'Soon Valley' The 'Soon Valley' (Urdu: The 'Soon Valley' ([[Urdu]]: The 'Soon Valley' ([[Urdu]]: [[وادئ سون)]] or Soon Sakesar is one of the famous valleys of [[Pakistan]] situated in the central [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]] province. The Valley is situated in the north west...
- Sir Syed Ahmed KhanSyed Ahmed KhanJavad-ud Daula, Arif Jang, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, KCSI , commonly known as Sir Syed, was an Indian educator and politician, and an Islamic reformer and modernist...