->Wallu2 at 07:41, 24 August 2021

2021-08-24T07:41:59Z

New page

{{Use Pakistani English|date=May 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Raja Sahib Mahmudabad
| native_name = {{nq|راجا صاحب محمود آباد}}
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Amir Ahmed Khan {{nq|امیر احمد خان}}
| birth_date = {{birth date |df=yes|1914|11|05}}<ref name=pf/>
| birth_place = [[United Province]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1973|10|14|1914|11|05}}<ref name=pf/>
| death_place = [[London]], [[England]]
| resting_place = Near Tomb of Imam Raza [[Mashhad]], [[Iran]]
| citizenship = [[British India]], [[Pakistan]], [[United Kingdom]]
| alma_mater = [[La Martiniere Lucknow]]
| occupation = {{unbulleted list| Politician | Writer | Scholar }}
| spouse = Rani Kaniz Abid
| parents = {{unbulleted list| Maharaja [[Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan]] (father)}}
| child = Raja Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan
}}

'''Mohammad Amir Ahmed Khan''' {{Nastaliq|راجا صاحب محمود آباد}}, titled as the [[Raja]] of [[Mahmudabad, India|Mahmudabad]] (5 November 1914 – 14 October 1973) <ref name="pf"/> was a prominent [[politician]] and leader of the [[All India Muslim League]], during the [[Pakistan Movement]].<ref name="pf">{{cite web|title=Raja Sahib of Mahmudabad|url=http://www.humsafar.info/pio_raja_sahib_of_mahmudabad.php|work=Pioneers of Freedom website|access-date=5 May 2018}}</ref>

He served as Managing Trustee from 1940–1944 of [[Madrasatul Waizeen]], a centre of [[Shia Islam]]ic education founded by his father located in [[Lucknow]].

== Titles and honours ==
*Khan Bahadur Khan
*Amirul Omara
*Saeedul Mulk Muzzafar Jung Ghanzanfaru-daula

== Literary and cultural aspects ==
He carried on the family tradition and was an accomplished [[Poet|poet]] in [[Urdu language|Urdu]] and [[Persian language|Persian]]. He composed a number of ruba'iyat, salaams, and marsiya as well as some ghazals and nazms under the takhalus (nom de plume) of 'Bahr' and 'Mahbub'. One of his previously unpublished marsiya, entitled Jawn Martyr of Karbala Lamented, has been recently published in London.

== Inheritance and legacy ==
He inherited the Estate of Mahamudabad <ref>[http://www.wmf.org/project/kothi-qila-mahmudabad Kothi, Qila Mahmudabad on World Monuments Watch website] Retrieved 6 May 2018</ref> in 1931 upon death of his father [[Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan|Maharaja Sir Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan]].<ref name="pf"/> After his demise, his Estate was taken over by the [[Government of India]] under 'Enemy Properties Act'. His wife Rani Kaniz Abid and his only son and heir Raja Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan remained an Indian citizen and fought a case for recovery of their ancestral Estate for reclaiming their heritage worth millions of [[Indian Rupees|rupees]] and the case is, at present, in high profile legal dispute in India. He won the case after 37 herculean years winning through district court, High Court of Bombay, and the [[Supreme Court of India]] which gave a landmark judgement in 2005 ordering "vacant possession" to his properties. Yet to date, the order is far from implementation as the Indian Government continues to bring emergency ordinances in order to block the Supreme Court order; so the case is back in the courts.<ref>{{cite news|title=Enemy Property Bill: A Raja's Lost Legacy|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/enemy-property-bill-a-raja-s-lost-legacy-47223|access-date=6 May 2018|newspaper=NDTV|date=26 August 2010}}</ref>

== Pakistan Movement ==
He was one of the youngest members of Working Committee of [[All India Muslim League]] in 1937. In the same year 1937, he founded [[All India Muslim Students Federation]], which later mobilized into a strong vocal support for [[Pakistan Movement]].<ref name="pf"/><ref name=findpk>[http://www.findpk.com/cybercity/pof/raja_sahib_of_mahmudabad.html Profile and commemorative postage stamp info of Raja Sahib of Mahmudabad on findpk.com website] Retrieved 6 May 2018</ref> However, he was against the [[partition of India]]. When the Muslim League passed the [[Lahore Resolution|resolution at Lahore]], he stood against it and formed [[All-India Jamhur Muslim League]] in 1940 to counter the move. The first session of this party was held at [[Muzaffarpur]], [[Bihar]]. Raja Saheb was elected its President and [[Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi|Dr. Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi]] as General Secretary.<ref>South Asian History And Culture,Routledge,London,ISSN.1947-2498.Vol.2.Taylor and Francis Group.pp16-36</ref>

Later on, he changed his mind under the influence of [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]], who was a long time family friend and eventually supported the idea of a separate Muslim state. Maharaja Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan had created a trust with [[Motilal Nehru]], Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Deputy Habibullah and Chaudhary Bam Bahadur Shah amongst others to administer the estate as his son was still a minor. Motilal Nehru died before the Maharaja and after the latter's death in 1931, Mohammad Ali Jinnah became the dominant personality on the board.<ref name=paned>{{cite web |url= https://www.questia.com/read/105038993/remembering-partition-violence-nationalism-and |title=Remembering Partition: Violence, Nationalism, and History in India |first=Gyanendra |last=Pandey |work= |year=2001}}{{dl|date=July 2021}}</ref> He said that "...the idea of a separate Muslim state in India stirred the imagination of the Muslims as nothing else had done before."<ref name="paned" />

== Migration ==
In 1945, before the [[Independence of India]], he migrated to Iraq.<ref name="uci">[http://www.uppercrustindia.com/posts/52/The-Riyasat-Of-Raja-Mehmoodabad.html The Riyasat of Raja of Mehmoodabad] by Farzana Behram Contractor. Retrieved 6 May 2018</ref> He subsequently moved to Pakistan in 1957.<ref name="uci"/> He later settled down in [[London]].<ref name="pf"/>

== Life in London ==
He was the first Director of the [[Islamic Cultural Centre]] in [[London]], and devoted rest of his life in supervising the building of the ''Regent Park Mosque''.<ref name="pf"/><ref name=findpk/> He was the moving force behind the World of Islam Festival [http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/197603/the.world.of.islam-its.festival.htm] held in 1976 in the [[United Kingdom]]. [[Ali Allawi]] reminisces about the events of 1976.<ref>Ali Allawi, former Iraqi Minister, fondly remembers the instrumental role of Raja of Mahmudabad in the organisation of the Festival in [http://pulsemedia.org/2010/12/22/the-crisis-of-islamic-civilization/ The Crisis of Islamic Civilization] Retrieved 6 May 2018</ref>

==Death==
He died in London on 14 October 1973 but was buried in [[Mashhad]] in [[Iran]].<ref name="pf"/><ref name=findpk/> He is survived by his two daughters, Bari Rajkumari Ammatul Hussein Imam and Choti Rajkumari Rabab Mehdi, and was succeeded by his son [[Raja]] [[Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan]] who has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh.{{cn|date=August 2018}}

==Legacy==
The Mehmoodabad area of [[Karachi]] is named after him. Raja Sahib of Mahmudabad used to practice strict self-denial and self-discipline for religious reasons in his personal life. That is why his house in [[Karbala]], Iraq and all his wealth was gifted to the [[Government of Pakistan]].<ref name=findpk/>

In 1990, [[Pakistan Post|Pakistan Postal Services]] issued a commemorative postage stamp in his honor in its 'Pioneers of Freedom' series.<ref name=findpk/>

== Further reading ==
*Syed Ishtiaq Husain. [https://books.google.com/books?id=dHdCAAAAYAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s Glimpses of Freedom Movement: The Life and the Times of Raja Saheb of Mahmudabad]. Mehboob Academy, Karachi (1990)
*Khwaja Razi Haider. Raja Sahib Mahmoodabad: Hayat-o-Khidmaat. Quaid-i-Azam Academy, Karachi

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Pakistan Movement}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mohammad Amir Ahmed Khan}}
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:1973 deaths]]
[[Category:All India Muslim League members]]
[[Category:Indian royalty]]
[[Category:Iraqi people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:Leaders of the Pakistan Movement]]
[[Category:Indian Shia Muslims]]
[[Category:Pakistani emigrants to the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Pakistani Shia Muslims]]
[[Category:People from Sitapur district]]
[[Category:Pakistani expatriates in Iraq]]
[[Category:Poets in British India]]

Mohammad Amir Ahmed Khan - Revision history

->Wallu2 at 07:41, 24 August 2021