MOULANA ABDUL SATTAR KHAN NIAZI

(1915-2001)

By: Muhammad Aslam Alveri

Moulana Muhammad Abdul Sattar Khan Niazi (1915-2001) is known as a prominent

leader of the Muslim Students Federation, a valiant freedom-fighter of the Pakistan Movement,

and a sincere and truthful politician of Pakistan. He was a zealous worker of the Muslim

League and took a prominent part in its reorganization since 1936 and actively participated in

the movement started by Quaid-i-Azam to achieve the political emancipation of Indian

Muslims and secure an honourable place for them in the socio-economic structure of India. He

was a loyal soldier in the army of the Muslim League led by Quaid-i-Azam which ultimately

won Pakistan. His dynamic personality awakened the dormant qualities of Muslim youth and

harnessed them for purposes of achieving their destiny. He entertained no compromise on his

convictions.
 He was born in Village Attock Paniala in Tehsil lsa Khail, District Mianwali on the 1 st of

October 1915, in a prominent Niazi family. His father's name was Zulfiqar Khan.

After passing his Matriculation Examination from lsa Khail, in 1933, he joined the

lsha'at-i-Islam College, Lahore founded by Allama lqbal, to acquire religious (dini) education,

and obtained the two-year course Diploma of Mahir-i-Tabligh (Preaching Specialist) with first

position, and passed the Punjab University's Honors in Persian (Munshi Fazil) Exam. from the

same institution. Subsequently he passed his Intermediate, B.A. and M.A. (Arabic) Exams. from

the Punjab University in 1936, 1938 and 1940 respectively, the last from the lslamia College

Lahore, where he joined as Professor of lslamiyat in 1942, after having obtained another Master's

degree in Persian in 1941. He was later promoted as the Head of the Department of lslamiyat in

1945.

The early student life of Moulana Abdul Sattar Khan Niazi is marked with an active

struggle for the creation of Pakistan as a student leader. He joined active politics in 1936 when

he founded the Punjab Muslim Students Federation, along with Mian Muhammad Shafi (Meem

Sheen), Dr. Abdul Salam Khurshid, Moulana Muhammad lbrahim Ali Chishti, Hamid Nizami

and Justice Anwar-ul-Haq, on the behest of Allama lqbal, and became its third President in 1939.

He had been elected President of District Muslim League, Mianwali in 1938 and presented his

"Khilafat-i- Pakistan Scheme" to the Quaid-i-Azam in Delhi in 1939. He played a prominent role

in the March 1940 Session of the All India Muslim League held at Lahore and organized

Khilafat-i-Pakistan Conference on this occasion under the auspices of the Punjab Muslim

Students Federation which was addressed by luminaries such as the Raja of Mahmood Abad

(Amir Muhammad Khan), Ch. Khaliq-uz-Zaman and Sardar Aurang Zeb Khan.
 Having been re-elected as the President of District Muslim League Mianwali in 1942, he

organized the first annual session of the Punjab Muslim League at Lyallpur, where the Quaid

was given a resounding reception. Elected as a Councilor of the Punjab Muslim League and the

All India Muslim League 1943, he became Acting Secretary-General of the former in 1944.

Sartaj Aziz, Hakim Aftab Ahmad Qarshi, Majid Nizami, Qasim Rizvi, Zakiuddin Pal, Javed

Iqbal and many other renowned persons were included among his students who as a result of his

training and mind making performed key role in Pakistan moment and thereafter. He set about

restoring a sense of purpose to them, and emphasized the Two Nations Theory.

He resigned his position at the lslamia College under the direction of the Quaid to devote

his energies to political work and was elected to the Punjab Legislative Assembly in 1946.

During this election he played a remarkable active role, as he did in the subsequently held

historical convention of the All India Muslim League, held in Imperial Hotel, Delhi in April

1946. As usual his undaunted and courageous leadership during the Muslim League's anti-Khizr

Hayat agitation was recognized by all. Tehrik-i-Pakistan Gold Medal was conferred on him in

August 1987.

He was not formally graduated from any prominent and traditional religious institution

but due to his sincerity and scholarly work, he was widely and equally respected among all

circles of ulema and sufis. He had cordial relationships with great spiritual leaders like Amir –i-

Millat Pir Jama‘at Ali Shah Mohaddis Alipuri, Khawaja Qamaruddin Sialvi and Pir Amin ul

Hasnat of Manki Sharif. In 1946 elections, he played key role in organizing and gaining

overwhelming support of thousands ulema and religious service providers associated with widely

spread and highly respected networks of sufi circles of Punjab for Muslim League.
 After the emergence of Pakistan, he pursued an upright and independent course within

and outside the Punjab Legislative Assembly. Maulana Abdul Sattar Khan Niazi was elected as

Secretary General of the All- Pakistan Awami Muslim League in 1950 under the President ship

of Husain Shaheed Suhrawardy. Re-elected to the Assembly in 1951, he convened an All

Pakistan Islamic Teachings Convention in March 1952. His valiant stance in the Khatm-i-

Nabuwwat Movement of 1953 almost took him to the gallows, his death sentence having been

commuted to life imprisonment and later honourable acquittal in 1955.

He opposed the Tashkent declaration staunchly and joined the Jamiyyat –i-Ulama-i-

Pakistan in 1970. In 1975, he became the Secretary General of the party and played a very

effective and important role in cobbling the Pakistan National Alliance together. He undertook

long tours to Islamic and Western countries in connection with Tablighi activities. He played his

best innings in national politics in partnership of the most respected and visionary religious

leader and world renowned scholar Moulana Shah Ahmad Noorani. He was elected to the

National Assembly in 1988 and 1990, joining the Federal Cabinet as the Minister for Local

Government and later Religious Affairs; He played a crucial role in the passage of Shariat Bill

(1991).

He was elected to the Senate of Pakistan in March 1994 for a six year term and rendered

remarkable services as a member of the Senate Standing Committees on Information and

Broadcasting and on Water and Power and on Religious Affairs and Minorities Affairs.

The prime objective of his life continues to remain the enforcement of Shariah in the

country and initiated many projects to undertake concrete research work towards the

achievement of this noble mission. He sought inspiration from the Sufi saints and was formally
associated with Naqshbandi Mujaddadi Sufi order. He was a practicing Muslim and adapted

himself on the true path of Islam by following the tenants of Islam and teachings of the Qur'an

and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Besides, a great politician of high caliber, he was known as a moderate religious scholar

having deep understanding of contemporary Muslim world and profound knowledge of Qur'an

and Sunnah. He vigorously worked for promotion of unity, mutual understanding and harmony

among various sects so as dream of enforcement of Islamic Shariat can be realized in the

country. As a leader of the JUP, Tehrik –i-Nifaz-i-Shariat and Milli Yakjehti Council ,Maulana

Niazi’s, valuable services shall be remembered in the national history.

He was trained to lead a simple life, free of wants, which steeled his character and gave

him courage to live up to his convictions and raised his voice in support of truth. His very life

was a struggle against the forces of evil. Such hardships tended to steel his character and taught

him to lead an abstemious life, caring for and fearing none except Allah. These were the

stimulants which brought out the nobler traits of his character and taught him to live up to his

convictions, leading a life which would serve as beacon light to the strugglers for truth and

freedom of future generations.

After the birth of Pakistan, it was he alone who had the courage to face the fanaticism

of all dictators drunk with power. He had to undergo rigorous imprisonment during these

periods. He actually lived up to his convictions and professions and took a leading part in the

Tehrik –i- Khatm-i- Nabuwwat , national struggle against Ayyub, Bhutto, Yahya Khan and

Ziaul Haq governments. Having withstood the combined onslaught of British Imperialism and

Hindu fanaticism did not give serious consideration to the threats, intimidations and
insinuations of post-partition regime in Pakistan. He stood like a rock against the storm of un-

Islamic and anti- Pakistan ideas and policies advanced by so- called secular leaders. He never

bothered about the petty challenges of lesser leaders and like a true Muslim he stuck to his post

and resolved to face the calamities with courage and perseverance. He was regarded as one of

the most popular orators of Pakistani politics. The exceptional qualities of sincerity,

forbearance, fearlessness, perseverance, patience and contentment which the jail life had

developed in his character, are profoundly reflected in his speeches.

Moulana Niazi led a life of simplicity and austerity and as a true Muslim; he was never

attracted by worldly pleasures. He was a selfless but fearless person who was afraid of none

except Allah. In ordinary life he was very witty, cheerful and affectionate to his workers and

companions. He belonged to a very noble and affluent family and also inherited valuable

property. But he spent all his income to support the poor, needy and oppressed people. He

possessed the rare qualities of sincerity, piety, straightforwardness, fearlessness and above all

the spirit of contentment and sacrifice. He was gifted with versatile qualities of political

wisdom, religious insight, patriotic spirit, strong will and above all overwhelming love with

the Prophet (SAW) which is rarely visible in our time.

He was deeply impressed by the Muslim heroes and dignities like Hazrat Khalid bin

Walid, Salahuddin Ayyubi, Hazrat Mujaddid Alif Sani, Tipu Sultan and Allama Iqbal and

was the living symbol of Iqbal's conception of Mumin (True Muslim). Moulana Abdul Sattar

Khan Niazi remained unmarried and devoted all his life and time for the cause of the nation,

propagation of Islam and unshakable commitment for Pakistan. The very recommendations of
 different high level ministerial committees, constituted by him provide practical solutions to

the menace of terrorism, sectarian violence, poverty and many other socio-economic evils

faced by the nation. As a matter of fact, Moulana belonged to the illustrious tribe of great

heroes of early Islam. He appeared to be the very embodiment of truth and sincerity, truly

reflecting the meaning of the following immortal couplet of Iqbal-the Poet of the East:

Hazar khauf hu per zaban hu dil ki rafiq

Yahi raha hai azal say qalandarun ka tariq

(In spite of all sorts of fears, let the heart remain a peer of the tongue. Since time

immemorial, this has been the way of the undaunted.)

In 1995 a hip fracture severely handicapped him but he continued his national activities in

pursuit of his Islamic commitment, despite this physical set back. He died in Mianwali District

Hospital as a result of heart failure on the 2nd of May 2001 and was buried in accordance with his

will in the Complex founded by him near Rokhri Morr, Mianwali. In recognition of his

meritorious services for the nation, the title of Mujahid –i- Millat and Zegham –i- Islam were

conferred upon him.