Member of Imperial Legislative Council of India
Sir Mian Muhammad Shafi
,
KCSI
CIE
(10 March 1869 ? 7 January 1932) was a
lawyer
and
politician
from
British India
.
[2]
As a practising barrister, he quickly gained renown and during the 1920s and 1930s he came to be regarded as one of India's leading lawyers.
[3]
Early life and education
[
edit
]
Mian Muhammad Shafi was born on 10 March 1869 in
Lahore
, the
capital
of the
Punjab
in
British
India
.
[4]
[5]
His father's name was Mian Din Muhammad and he belonged to the aristocratic
Arain
Mian family of Baghbanpura
, Lahore.
He was educated at
Government College, Lahore
as well as
Forman Christian College
, Lahore.
[2]
[5]
In 1889 he went to
London
to study for the Bar and was admitted at
Middle Temple
where his cousin
Mian Shah Din
had been studying for the past two years. Whilst in London he took an active role in politics, becoming president for a term of the London branch of the
Anjuman-I- Islamia
. He returned to India in 1892 and began his legal career in
Hoshiarpur
whilst also enrolling at the
Allahabad
and Lahore High Courts.
Foundation of All India Muslim League
[
edit
]
Mian Muhammad Shafi was a supporter of the
Pakistan Movement
and an advocate against
British rule
. The name
All-India Muslim League
was proposed by a number of Muslims including Sir Mian Mohammad Shafi in the founding meeting of the League that was held on 30 December 1906 on the occasion of the annual
All India Muhammadan Educational Conference
, at the
Ahsan Manzil
Palace, Shahbagh,
Dhaka
that was hosted by Nawab Sir
Khwaja Salimullah
(1871 – 1915). The meeting was attended by 3,000 delegates and presided over by
Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk
. The other founding members were Nawab
Mohsin-ul-Mulk
,
Syed Ameer Ali
, and Mualana
Mohammad Ali Jouhar
.
[1]
Punjab Muslim League
[
edit
]
Mian Muhammad Shafi organized a Muslim Association in early 1906, but when the All-India Muslim League was formed, he established its powerful branch in the Punjab of which he became the General Secretary. This branch, organized in November 1907, was known as the Punjab Provincial Muslim League.
[4]
He was also a member of the Simla Deputation in 1906. In 1909, and again in 1912, Shafi was nominated to the Provincial Legislative Council. In 1911, 1914, 1917, he was a member of the
Imperial Legislative Council
.
[2]
He was appointed a CIE in 1916. In July 1919, Mian Muhammad Shafi, who had been elected as the President of the Chief Court Bar, became a member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council during 1919?24. His tenure as Education Member was marked by many important developments, including the setting up of the Muslim University of Aligarh. He was also acting Vice-President of the Governor-General's Executive Council 1922?25.
[2]
He was Council's member for education, health and later also for Law; also, he was knighted in 1925 with the KCSI.
[6]
Mohammad Shafi supported the government in Simon commission in 1927 Muslim league session in Lahore.
After completing his term, he again became active in Muslim politics and played an important role when the
Simon Commission
visited India and, again, at the first
Round Table Conference
1930?31.
[4]
His two daughters namely
Begum Jahan Ara Shah Nawaz
and Begum Geti Ara Bashir Ahmad earned fame as leading Muslim women who took active part in the
Pakistan Movement
. He was married to Mehrunissa, elder sister of Sir
Abdul Rashid
.
Death
[
edit
]
He died on 7 January 1932 and was buried in his ancestral graveyard in Baghbanpura, Lahore.
[4]
[5]
Sir Shafi was married twice and was survived by his children: Mian Muhammad Rafi, Begum Jahanara Shah Nawaz, Begum Geti Ara Bashir Ahmad and Mian Iqbal Shafi.
Titles
[
edit
]
- 1869?1916: Mian Muhammad Shafi (he had just one title 'Mian' during this period)
- 1916?1925: Mian Muhammad Shafi, CIE (the title of 'Sir' by the British government was added in 1919)
[4]
- 1925?1932: Sir Mian Muhammad Shafi, KCSI, CIE (knighted by the British government in 1925)
[6]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
Further reading
[
edit
]
- Pershotam Mehra,
A Dictionary of Modern Indian History (1707?1947)