Intro
Maulana Zafar Ali Khan (1873– 27 November 1956) was born into a Punjabi Janjua family in Sialkot, British India. He received his early education at Mission High School, Wazirabad, Gujranwala District., matriculated (10th grade) from Patiala, and passed his intermediate (12th grade) from the Aligarh College. Next, he worked in the postal department of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the same place where his father worked, but resigned over a row with his seniors. He rejoined Aligarh College and gained his BA degree from there. After graduation, Khan was appointed secretary to a Muslim political leader Mohsin-ul-Mulk, then in Bombay. Then he worked for some time as a translator in Hyderabad, Deccan, rising to the post of Secretary, Home Department. He returned from Hyderabad and launched his daily Zamindar newspaper from Lahore which was founded by his father Maulvi Sirajuddin Ahmad, a close associate of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan – was a man of considerable ability and talent.
Interestingly enough, when MGA had died in May of 1908, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan wrote a poem about MGA’s death (see in the below).
A man named Maulvi Sirajuddin Ahmad wrote a small obituary write-up on MGA on June 8th, 1908 wherein he called MGA a “perfect” Muslim (see Zahid Aziz, “The Ahmadiyya Case”). Maulvi Sirajuddin Ahmad also confesses to have visited Qadian in 1877, he pointed out MGA barely spoke. He also indirectly mentioned how MGA was was born in late 1830’s at the latest, not 1835.
In the 1930’s, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan wrote an essay entitled, “An open letter to the King of England” in which he stated that MGA accused Mary of adultery and called Christ a bastard.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________Some of his family members were Ahmadi
Maulana Zafar Ali Khan’s maternal uncle Maulana Muhammad Abdullah Khan (d. 26th April 1935) was a scholar of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Jamaat. This uncle’s two sons, Maulana Mustafa Hasan Khan and Maulana Murtaza Hasan Khan were prominent Lahore Ahmadiyya missionaries and writers. In 1935, Lahori-Ahmadi newspapers reported how the uncle of Maulana Zafar Ali Khan had died.
Page 4 from the issue 27 April 1935. The death news is in column 3. By coincidence in column 1 there is an item about Maulana Zafar Ali Khan’s opposition campaign against Ahmadiyyat.
Pages 1 and 6 from the issue 7 May 1935. This is an obituary. It mentions on page 6 in column 1 (see red line) that the deceased was the “real phopha” of Maulana Zafar Ali Khan. That means husband of the sister of Maulana Zafar Ali Khan’s father (uncle by marriage). As mentioned in these reports, the deceased was father of Maulana Murtaza Khan and Maulana Mustafa Khan, both of whom were missionaries and authors of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. These two were first cousins of Maulana Zafar Ali Khan. The biographies of the three of them are included in the Lahore Ahmadiyya Urdu publication, Yaad-i Raftigan, vol. 2, at this link. Please see p. 102-114.
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1908
Work By Hashmi
26th MAY, 1908, MIRZA GHULAM QADIANI DIED IN LAHORE. AN URDU POEM BY MOLANA ZAFAR ALI KHAN OF “ZAMEENDAR” NEWSPAPER.
Molana Zafar Ali Khan (1873-1956) was a poet, an editor, a political activist, freedom fighter and also a defender of Khatme nabuwwat. Born in the district of Sialkot Punjab, in 1873, he was a graduate of Anglo Mohammedan College, Aligarh.
An ardent supporter of Khilafat Movement, he also had to serve a term of five years in prison for his role in the freedom movement. He died on November 27, 1956 in Lahore. His collections of poems include Baharistan, Nigaristan, and Chamanistan.
He also gave a very tough time to Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmoud Ahmad with regard to the false claims of his father and Jamaat. We present a part of poem which he composed on the death news of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani. The poem is in urdu and has been translated in english by us for our non urdu speaking friends.
Scans
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1912
The ROR of Dec-1913 reports how Mr. Zafar Ali Khan (editor of the Zamindar) was in the Uk when Khawaja Kamaluddin arrived and even met english people with Khawaja Kamaluddin and his team at Woking.
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1913
There is an article by Maulana Zafar Ali Khan in the very first issue of The Islamic Review dated February 1913, the monthly magazine started by Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din from Woking, England. The article is addressed to the British public and is on the topic of the sympathies of the Muslims of British India for the problems of their fellow Muslims in Islamic countries. Maulana Zafar Ali Khan was there at the Woking and praying behind Khawaja Kamaluddin and vice verse.
The ROR of Dec-1913 reports how Mr. Zafar Ali Khan (editor of the Zamindar) was in the Uk when Khawaja Kamaluddin arrived and even met english people with Khawaja Kamaluddin and his team at Woking.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1931
Maulana Zafar Ali Khan opposes Ahmadiyya, Sir Fazl-i-Hussain and many other Ahmadi’s as they go to war over the Kashmir issue.
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1932
Via “The Noble Son” by Jalal ud Din Shams, 1957
Zamindaar, 9 October 1932
“””This is going to become a tall and strong tree. On the one side its branches can be seen spreading in China and on the other they can be seen spreading in Europe. Today my bewildered eyes are regretfully watching that graduates, advocates, professors and doctors of the very highest calibre—who were not impressed with philosophies of the likes of Kant, Descartes and Hegel are declaring their faith blindly, with their eyes closed, in the [God forbid] absurd nonsense of Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani.”””
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1933
In March of 1933, Zafrullah Khan defended Qadiani-Ahmadi’s vs. Muslims in Lahore, in the court of Thakur Kher Singh. The Ahmadi’s were: Syed Dilawar Ali Shah, Hakim Abdul Aziz, Malik Abdur Rahman, Hakim Sirj-ud-Din and M. Zahural Hassan. The Muslims were M. Zafar Ali Khan (of the Daily Zamindar), Abdul Hannan, Maulvi Ahmad Ali, Malik Ahmad Yar Khan, Babu Habib Ullah, Muhammad Baksh Muslim and Lal Hussein Akhtar. M. Zafar Ali Khan refused to pay sureties and was sent to jail.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1934
In, 1934 when the British government banned Zamindar, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, sued and got the government orders revoked by the court. He stood firm against Mirza Ghulam Ahmed and tried to falsify his claim of Prophethood through his rational columns. Essentially all Muslims consider Mirza Ghulam Ahmed a liar and his claim false. He was also mentioned by name at the 1934 Jalsa at Qadian.
The Khalifa at Qadian had his issue with Miss Rufo in this era too. Maulana Zafar Ali Khan mocked the Khalifa via poetry.
A rough translation of the first poem
ITALIAN BEAUTY.
O U THE LAND OF ITALY O U THE SPRING OF GARDEN.
BECAUSE OF U, THE CITY OF LAHORE HAS BECOME A GARDEN
UR NAUGHTY STYLE AND BEAUTY IS LIKE A MESSENGER
GOD OF LOVE YOUR ATTRACTIVE WALK.
MANY HEARTS HAVE MINGLED IN UR BLACK HAIRS.
HUNDRED OF ODORS ASSOCIATED TO EACH THREAD OF UR HAIRS.
THE MAGIC OF YOUR EYES IS CREATOR OF SERENITY.
THE PERFUME OF UR DRESS MAKES MAD.
Ur SANDAL LIKE LEGS ARE LIKE MEASURING GLASS.
AND UR MARBLE LIKE BODY IS THE TOKEN OF JOY.
UR UNDRESS BEAUTY IS THE DECORATION OF NIGHT BARS
BOTH SHAIKH AND BRAHMAN ARE CRAZY OF IT.
WHEN UR DRUNK EYES FELL UPON QADIYAN
IT VANISHES THE JOY OF ZILLI PROPHETHOOD.
I AM ALSO AN ADMIRER OF UR DRUNK EYES.
BECAUSE IT IS AN ANTI QADIYAN MAGIC.
The scan work
A rough translation of the second poem
WHERE HAS GONE THE UNDRESSED BEAUTY OF HOTEL CECIL
THE LOVERS OF THE CITY ASK FROM ZAMINDAR
WHERE HAS GONE THE UNDRESSED BEAUTY OF HOTEL CECIL.
WITH OUR SOUL SHE ALSO TOOK AWAY OUR IMAN
SHE TOOK AWAY EVERYTHING WITH HER.
SHE TOOK AWAY THE FEAR OF ALLAH.
AND SHE ALSO TOOK THE RESPECT OF ALLAH,S PROPHET S.A.W.
SHE WAS LINKS OF THE CHAIN OF THE MASTER
AND SHE TOOK AWAY THE THINGS TO SHOW THE DOOMSDAY.
SHE HAD COME FROM ROME AS A PRIDE.
DON,T KNOW WHICH PLACE OF PRIDE DID SHE GO
LISTENING TO ALL THIS HUE & CRY SAID THE ZAMINDAR.
ALL I KNOW IS THAT SHE WENT TO QADIAN
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1935
He was involved in the Ahrar situation (See page 269/356). He is mentioned in the ROR of July-1935.
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1939
The ROR of March-1939 mentions him and his father.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1956
He died on Nov 27, 1956, in his hometown Karamabad, near Wazirabad, Punjab.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________This news was published in The Nation newspaper. Read complete newspaper of 27-Nov-2012
By Raja Asad Ali Khan Maulana Zafar Ali Kahn was one of the most eminent personalities of the Indian sub-continent who possessed extraordinary abilities ranging from oratory to poetry and from politics to journalism. Due to his extraordinary talent he got prominence among the great political leaders of his time, who were busy in their struggle for an independent sovereign state for the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. Maulana Zafar Ali Khan inherited ‘Zimidar’ from his great father Maulvi Sirajuddin Ahmed Khan and used this newspaper meticulously to launch his anti-imperialism campaign. He rendered incomparable services to the Pakistan Movement and rightly deserved to be acknowledged as the father of Urdu journalism. His columns, published in Zamindar, played a remarkable role in the awakening of the Muslims and in forming their political outlook. He possessed exceptional courage and amazing spirit. He never cared different warnings of the government and ignored them contemptuously. He faced imprisonment but never bowed before the government. The government’s abhorrence against Zimidar was actually a conflict between truth and deceit. It was a war between Maulana Zafar Ali Khan whose pen was the custodian of the millions of Muslims and the foreign government which was suppressing the rights of the Indians with its might. But Maulana was undeterred. Through his columns he exposed government’s oppression meted out to the Indians. He was determined to throw out the British from India. In, 1934 when the Punjab government banned Zimidar, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, sued and got the government orders revoked by the court. He stood firm against Mirza Ghulam Ahmed and exposed his false claim of Prophethood through his rational columns. A British magistrate Sandrus ordered death sentence to Baghat Singh Raj Guru who was also against the foreign government. His struggle was different as he would kill the British officers for their crime to tyrannize innocent people. He was arrested and was sent to gallows. From the Central jail in Lahore, his dead body was taken to Ganda Singwala where his body was cut into pieces and was burnt at the bank of river Sutlaj. His sister Amr Kaur reached the site and collected his putrefied fingers and hands from there/his pyre. She brought them to Lahore and led a protest procession. Maulana also participated in the procession and read some verses; Apart from his magnificent potential of journalism, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan had incredible gift of rhyme. His poetry was a beautiful blend of religious fervor and political sentiments. He had the ability to say spontaneous verses. He was a passionate devotee of the Prophet and his Naatia poetry would enthrall the audience. His poetical harvest was published in “Baharistan”, “Nigaristan”, and “Chamanistan”. Maulana would never miss a chance to snub the British government and the Heavens had provided him ample opportunities to carry out his sacred mission. Shaheed Ghazi Ilam Din had killed a blasphemous and was sent to gallows in the Mianwali jail. The government buried him in Mianwali which infuriated the Muslims in Punjab. They protested and made a unanimous demand to bring Shaeed’s body to Lahore but no one was prepared to give coverage to their voice as Hindus dominated most of the newspapers in Punjab. A large procession led by Lal Din Qaiser reached the office of Zimidar which was the only hope for the Muslims. The crowd shouted slogans of ‘long live Maulana Zafar Ali Khan’. Maulana came out of his office and delivered a fiery speech that mesmerized the protesters. Amid thunderous applause of the people he empathetically assured them that he wouldn’t sleep until Ilam Din’s dead body reached Lahore. Maulana gave a one day deadline to the government to transfer the dead body to Lahore otherwise he would himself lead the protesters to Mianwali. Sensing the gravity of the situation the government transferred the body to Lahore next day and handed it over to the Muslims who buried it in the Miani Sahib graveyard.
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1953
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=23938149995884745&set=a.686737804785959
Came across this rare photo of Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, published in a Lahore-based newspaper in 1953. This is likely one of the last taken before he passed a couple of years later.
Courtesy: Ali Usman Qasmi
______________________________________________________________________________________________Links and Related Essay’s
My protest note on Wikipedia entry about Maulana Zafar Ali Khan
http://www.ahmadiyya.org/allegs/zafar-ali.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zamindar_(newspaper)
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/2017/04/11/maulana-zafar-ali-khan-vs-mahmud-ahmad-and-miss-rufo/
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/?s=Misri
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/2016/08/18/ahmadiyya-and-its-violent-past-the-early-1930s/
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/?s=Multani
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/2017/07/24/who-is-bashir-ahmad-misri/
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/?s=Mannan
Click to access whateminentmuslimssay.pdf
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