Brief Life Sketch of Chaudhry Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan
Following is brief life sketch of Chaudhry Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan,
prepared originally in Urdu by the renowned Ahmadi historian Maulana Dost
Muhammad Shahid Sahib.
- Born on February 6, 1893, in Sialkot.
- Acquired primary education at the American Mission School, Sialkot.
- Saw the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement on September 3, 1904
in Lahore. (since that day Sir Zafarullah Khan considered himself to
be an Ahmadi).
- Visited Qadian for the first time in September, 1905.
- Personally offered allegiance to the Promised Messiah on September
16, 1907.
- Graduated from the Government College, Lahore, in 1911.
- Went to England in August, 1911 and remained there uptil November,
1914. During this period he studied at Kings' College, London, and was
called to the Bar having studied at Lincoln’s Inn. During this period
Chaudhry Sahib also had the occasion to visit various places in England,
Switzerland and Germany, where he zealously propagated articles of his
faith.
- Practised as a lawyer in Sialkot, during the period January 1915 to
July 1916.
- In March 1915, lectured before the Jama’at in Delhi on the topic "The
need for religion".
- Practised in Lahore during the period August 1916 to 1935.
- Pleaded the case of the Jamaat of Monghir in the Bihar High Court,
successfully in December, 1916.
- Remained the Amir of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat Lahore during the period
1919 to 1935.
- Served as a lecturer in the Law College, Lahore, during the period
1919 to 1924.
- Delivered a laudatory Address before the Viceroy of India, on behalf
of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat, in June 1921.
- Presented the Book "Tuhfa Shehzada Wales" (A Gift for the Prince of
Wales) to H.R.H the Prince of Wales, in February 1922.
- In December 1923, delivered a lecture for the first time in the Annual
Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement on the topic "The Onslaught
of the Movement on Christianity and its Effects".
- Read an exhaustive paper at the Conference of Religions held in the
Habibiya Hall, Lahore, in January 1924.
- Served as Secretary to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, the second successor
of the Promised Messiah (as) at the occasion of Shura (Advisory Council)
in 1924. (Sir Zafarullah Khan had the privilege of serving in this capacity
seventeen times).
- Was member of the delegation which represented the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Movement at the All Parties Conference held in 1924.
- Read the paper of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II at the Conference of
the World’s Religions held in Wembley Hall, London, in 1924 (Sir Zafarullah
Khan also acted as Secretary to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II during his
first tour to Europe).
- Was elected a member of the Punjab Legislative Council in 1926.
- On September 2, 1926, the father of Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan,
Ch. Nasrullah Khan who was a companion of the Promised Messiah, breathed
his last.
- In 1927, acted successfully as representative counsel for the Muslims
of the Punjab in the contempt of court case against the ‘Muslim Outlook’.
- Presided at the Delhi Meeting of the All India Muslim League in 1931
and advocated the cause of the Indian Muslims through his presidential
address.
- Participated in the Round Table Conferences held in the years 1930,
1931, and 1932.
- Visited Chicago for the first time and participated in the World Faith
Congress held in the year 1933.
- Presented a Complimentary Memorandum to the Viceroy of India (Earl
of Wellingdon) on behalf of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, in March 1934.
- Remained a member of the Executive Council of the Viceroy of India,
during the years 1935 to 1941.
- Delivered a lecture on the topic 'The Message of Ahmadiyyat', in the
year 1935.
- Became the Minister of Railways in May, 1935.
- On May 16, 1938, the mother of Sir Zafarullah Khan died.
- Wrote a book 'Meri Walda' (My Mother) in the year 1938.
- At the initiation of Sir Zafarullah Khan the Jubilee of the Hazrat
Khalifatul Masih II was organised in the year 1939.
- In 1939, represented India in the League of Nations.
- In 1941, delivered a speech on the topic "Foundation for a New World"
which was broadcasted on All India Radio.
- Was appointed Judge of the Federal Court of India in September 1941,
which post he held until June 1947.
- Was appointed the Agent General of India in China in the year 1942.
- Laid the foundation stone of a place of worship in Lagos in March
1943.
- In 1944, at the instance of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, dedicated
his entire property for the cause of Ahmadiyyat.
- Again in 1944, at the instance of Hazrat Kahlifatul Masih II, joined
in the noble work of translation of the Holy Quran into various languages.
- In 1945, represented India as the Indian Government's nominee in the
Commonwealth Relations Conference, where courageously spoke for the
cause of India’s freedom.
- At the request of the Quaid-e-Azam, represented the Muslim League
in July 1947 before Radcliffe Boundary Commission and presented the
case of the Muslims in highly commendable manner.
- Was the Advisor on Constitutional and Legal Affairs to H.H. the Nawab
of Bhopal, from June to December 1947.
- In December 1947, represented Pakistan in United Nations' General
Assembly as the head of the Pakistan delegation and advocated the stand
of the Muslim world on the Palestinian issue.
- Was appointed by the Quaid-e-Azam as Pakistan's (first) Foreign Minister
which post he held from December 25, 1947 till 1954.
- During 1948 to 1954, represented Pakistan at the Security Council
(UN) and admirably advocated the case of liberation of the occupied
Kashmir, Libya, North Ireland, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco,
and Indonesia.
- Presented to the US president the second edition of the English Translation
of the Holy Quran, in January 1951.
- Met with a major railway accident at Jhimper, in January 1953, from
which he was miraculously saved from even the slightest injury.
- Represented Pakistan at the CENTO Conference held in Manila, in September
1954.
- In 1954, became Judge of the International Court of Justice, The Hague,
which post he held till 1961.
- Laid the foundation of a place of worship in the Hague, in June 1955.
- From July to September 1955, accompanied Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II,
during his second trip to Europe and served his as his interpreter.
- Inaugurated a place of worship in Hamburg, in March 1957.
- In March, 1958, performed Umra and visited the shrine of the Holy
Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) in Medina to pay homage; also met Sultan Abdul Aziz Ibne Saud and
stayed in the royal palace as the Sultan's personal guest.
- Became the Vice President of the International Court of Justice, the
Hague, in the year 1958, which post he held till 1961.
- In 1958, had a place of worship constructed in Daska, Sialkot and
got the translation of the Tafsir-Saghir done of which all costs were
borne by him.
- In December 1958, inaugurated a Convention in Rabwah, in which speeches
in 52 languages were delivered.
- In 1960, at the request of an organisation of the US, wrote a book
called: "Islam - its Meaning for Modern Man".
- From 1961 to 1964, remained Pakistan’s Permanent Representative at
the UN.
- In 1962, met President Kennedy and discussed the Kashmir issue with
him.
- From 1962 to 1963, was President of the UN General Assembly.
- In 1963, inaugurated a place of worship in Zurich.
- In 1963, visited USSR and met its leaders as well as some notable
Russian Muslims.
- In November 1965, visited the Fiji Island and delivered a lecture.
- Performed Hajj in the year 1967.
- Translated the Holy Quran in English in the year 1970.
- In 1970, was elected President of the International Court of Justice,
The Hague, which post he held uptil 1973.
- Stayed in England during the period 1973 to 1983.
- Came back to Pakistan in 1983 till his death in Lahore, on September
1, 1985, after a protracted illness.
[ Chaudhry Muhammad Zafarullah Khan ]