Mirwaiz Yusuf Shah

Mirwaiz Muhammad Yusuf Shah (19 February 1894 – 12 December 1968) was a mirwaiz of Kashmir. He also served as a President of Azad Kashmir.

Muhammad Yusuf Shah
President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir
In office 30 May 1956 – 8 September 1956
Preceded by	Colonel Sher Ahmed Khan
Succeeded by	Sardar Mohammad Abdul Qayyum Khan
In office 2 December 1951 – 18 May 1952
Preceded by	Captain General Syed Ali Ahmed Shah
Succeeded by	Raja Muhammad Haydar Khan (interim)
Mirwaiz of Kashmir
In office 1931–1968
Preceded by	Atiqullah
Succeeded by	Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq
Personal details
Born	(1894-02-19)19 February 1894 Rajauri, Jammu and Kashmir, British India
Died	12 December 1968(1968-12-12) (aged 74) Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Political party	All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference
Relations	Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq (nephew)
Alma mater	Darul Uloom Deoband

Early life

Yusuf Shah was born on 13 Shaban 1311 Hijri (19 February 1894) at Rajauri to Ghulam Rasool Shah.[1] In 1925, Shah started his education with Darul Uloom Deoband, where he was taught the ahadith by Anwar Shah Kashmiri. In 1931, he succeeded Attiqullah as the mirwaiz of Kashmir. In 1968 when he died, he was succeeded by his nephew Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq who had been his deputy since 1961.[2]

Political career

In 1932, Yusuf Shah along with Sheikh Abdullah and Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas founded the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference to oppose the king Maharaja Hari Singh's rule.[3] However, after a year, conflicts occurred between Abdullah and Yusuf Shah. In order to expand the group, Abdullah wanted to allow people of other religions to join it. This was opposed by Yusuf Shah who felt that he was "betraying the cause of the Muslims". Consequently, Abdullah founded the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference. However the Muslims of Kashmir felt that it was a representative body of the Indian National Congress.[3]

As a result, under the leadership of Yusuf Shah, Muslim Conference entered into an alliance with the All India Muslim League and in July 1947, the party passed a resolution demanding the accession of the state of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan based on "geographic, economic, linguistic, cultural and religious conditions".[3]

In 1947, Yusuf Shah went to exile in Azad Kashmir.[4] He has also been the president of Azad Kashmir twice, once in 1952 and another in 1956.[1] He also served in the ministry of education.[4]

On 12 December 1968, Yusuf Shah died at Rawalpindi.[4]

Literary works

Shah wrote the first Kashmiri translation and exegesis of Quran. [5]

Legacy

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that Yusuf Shah represented and supported the Kashmiri people's political desires.[6] He also said that contributions made by him are "unmatchable".[7] Farooq also said that he also opposed the split of the Muslim Conference and pleaded for the resolution of the Kashmir issue in Pakistan and at international level.[8]

References

1. "Mirwaiz Yousuf Shah". Lost Kashmiri History. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
2. "House Of Mirwaiz". Kashmir Scan. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
3. "Mirwaiz Mohammad Yusuf Shah". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
4. "Govt bars separatists from paying homage to Mirwaiz Yousuf Shah". Rising Kashmir. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
5. Rizwi, Syed Mehboob. "Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Shah Kashmiri Mir Waiz". Tarikh Darul Uloom Deoband [History of the Dar al-Ulum Deoband]. 2. Translated by Murtaz Husain F Quraishi (1981 ed.). Deoband: Darul Uloom Deoband. pp. 103–105.
6. "Rally to memorize Yousuf Shah". Kashmir Insider. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
7. "Mirwaiz Vows to Continue Moulvi Yousuf Shah's Mission". Kashmir Life. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
8. "Rally held to remember Mirwaiz Yousuf Shah". Pak Observer. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.