Sir Mian Muhammad Shafi | |
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| Born | (1869-03-10)10 March 1869 |
| Died | 7 January 1932(1932-01-07) (aged 62) Lahore, Punjab, British India |
| Alma mater | Government College, Lahore Forman Christian College Middle Temple |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, politician |
| Known for | Co-founder ofAll-India Muslim League[1] |
Sir Mian Muhammad Shafi,KCSI CIE (10 March 1869 – 7 January 1932) was alawyer andpolitician fromBritish 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]
Mian Muhammad Shafi was born on 10 March 1869 inLahore, thecapital of thePunjab inBritishIndia.[4][5] His father's name was Mian Din Muhammad and he belonged to the aristocraticArainMian family of Baghbanpura, Lahore.
He was educated atGovernment College, Lahore as well asForman Christian College, Lahore.[2][5] In 1889 he went toLondon to study for the Bar and was admitted atMiddle Temple where his cousinMian 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 theAnjuman-I- Islamia. He returned to India in 1892 and began his legal career inHoshiarpur whilst also enrolling at theAllahabad and Lahore High Courts.
Mian Muhammad Shafi was a supporter of thePakistan Movement and an advocate againstBritish rule. The nameAll-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 annualAll India Muhammadan Educational Conference, at theAhsan Manzil Palace, Shahbagh,Dhaka that was hosted by Nawab SirKhwaja Salimullah (1871 – 1915). The meeting was attended by 3,000 delegates and presided over byNawab Waqar-ul-Mulk. The other founding members were NawabMohsin-ul-Mulk,Syed Ameer Ali, and MualanaMohammad Ali Jouhar.[1]
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 theImperial 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 theSimon Commission visited India and, again, at the firstRound Table Conference 1930–31.[4]
His two daughters namelyBegum Jahan Ara Shah Nawaz and Begum Geti Ara Bashir Ahmad earned fame as leading Muslim women who took active part in thePakistan Movement. He was married to Mehrunissa, elder sister of SirAbdul Rashid.
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.
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