Zafar Ali Khan (1874– 27 November 1956) ( – ), also known as Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, was a Pakistani writer, poet, translator and a journalist who played an important role in the Pakistan Movement against the British rule.
Well-versed in Islamic as well Western knowledge such as the latest trends in economics, sociology and politics, he has been considered as one of the fathers of Urdu journalism.
Early life
Zafar was born into a Punjabi Jat family of the Janjua clan in Sialkot, British India. He received his early education at Mission High School, Wazirabad, Wazirabad 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; stood fifth in his batch.
Career
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 , founded by his father Maulvi Sirajuddin Ahmad.
Relation with the Ahmadiyya Movement
Zafar Ali Khan's relationship with the Qadiani movement was belligerent. He was among the vanguard, who censured Mirza Ghulam Qadiani for writing poems mocking him. He even wrote the preface to the book "His Holiness", which was written as a refutation of the Qadiani movement. Later on, when Pakistan was created he was an ardent participant of the 1953 Tehreek e Khatm e Nabuwat (a movement against the Qadianis), writing fervorous articles against them.
Poetry
He chose to write in Urdu. Khan's interest in poetry began in his childhood. His poems have religious and political sentiments. He was especially versed in impromptu compositions. His poetical output includes Baharistan, Nigaristan, and Chamanistan. His other works are Marka-e-Mazhab-o-Science, Ghalba-e-Rum, Sayr-e-Zulmet and an opera Jang-e-Roos-o-Japan.
Most popular Naats
'Woh shamaUjalaa jis ne kiya 40 baras tak ghaaron mein' sung by Mehdi Hassan, a Radio Pakistan production, a popular Naat written by Zafar Ali Khan '' sung by Muneeba Sheikh, a Pakistan Television production, a popular Naat written by Zafar Ali Khan
Death
He died on 27 November 1956, in Wazirabad, Punjab. His funeral prayer was led by his companion Mohammad Abdul Ghafoor Hazarvi.
Memorials and legacy
Sahiwal Stadium, а multi-purpose stadium in Sahiwal, Punjab, was renamed as Zafar Ali Stadium in his honour. It is used for football and cricket games. The stadium holds 10,000 people.
He served the Pakistan Movement and was an outspoken activist against British rule. Recognising Zafar Ali Khan's contributions to the Pakistan Movement, the Punjab government in Pakistan established a 'Maulana Zafar Ali Khan Trust' that initiated the 'Zafar Ali Khan Award' for outstanding journalists to be awarded every year. A public degree college in Wazirabad is named after him as Government Molana Zafar Ali Khan Degree College.
Pakistan Post issued a commemorative postage stamp in his honor in its 'Pioneers of Freedom' series.
Books
Some of his notable publications include:
Poetry
Bahāristān
Nigāristān
Camanistān
Rahāristān
Armag̲h̲ān-i Qādiyān
Kulliyāt-i Maulānā Ẓafar ʻAlī K̲h̲ān
Ḥabsiyāt
Nashīd-i Shīrāz, collection of Persian poems and articles published in different periodicals K̲h̲amistān-i Ḥijāz, poetry about Muhammad
Essays
G̲h̲albah-yi Rūm : ek tārīk̲h̲ī tafsīr, historical commentary of Sūrat ar-Rūm on the victory of Romans over the Persians and the Muslims over the Meccan polytheists as predicted by Koran in AD 615 Taqārīr-i Maulānā Ẓafar ʻAlī K̲h̲ān̲, speeches of the author, especially in regard with the Khilafat movement Lat̤āʼifuladab, on the relation between literature and Islam Mʻaās̲h̲irat, on the social sciences Jamāluddīn Afg̲h̲ānī : yaʻnī itiḥād-i Islāmī ke muharrik-i aʻzīm, Misr, Ṭarkī, Īrān aur Hindūstān ke z̲arīʻah ʻalim-i Islām man̲, biography of the Muslim reformer and independence fighter Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī
Plays
Jang-i Rus va Japān : yaʻnī ek tārīk̲h̲ī ḍrāmā, a play on the Russian Japanese War, 1904–1905