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Reverted good faith edits by Billjones94 (talk): Unexplained and dubious, especially changing the wikilink

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{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{multiple issues|
{{close paraphrasing|source=https://books.google.com/books?id=-2s9BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA249|date=October 2018}}
{{over-quotation|date=October 2018}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Syed Shamsul Huda
| image = Syed Shamsul Huda (Nawab,1913).jpg
| caption = Huda in 1913
| birth_date = {{birth year|1862}}
| birth_place = [[Brahmanbaria]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]]
| father = Shah Syed Reazutullah
| death_date = {{death date and age|1922|10|14|1862|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Calcutta]], Bengal Presidency, British India
}}
Nawab Sir '''Syed Shamsul Huda''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|KCIE}} (1862 – 14 October 1922) was a Muslim political leader, scholar and a member of the Bengal Executive Council in [[British India]]. He became the first Indian Muslim President of the reformed [[Order of British India|Legislative council]] of [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|undivided Bengal]] in 1921.<ref name=bpedia>{{cite Banglapedia|title=Huda,_Nawab_Syed_Shamsul}}</ref>

==Education==
[[File:Gokarna Nawab Bari.jpg|thumb|right|Gokarna Nawab Bari Complex, Brahmanbaria]]
Huda was born in the village of [[Gokarna, Bangladesh|Gokarna]], now known as Gokarna Nawab Bari Complex, in [[Nasirnagar Upazila]], [[Brahmanbaria District]], which was earlier integrated into the greater [[Comilla District]] that was a part of [[Hill Tipperah]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nasirnagar.brahmanbaria.gov.bd |title=Nasirnagar Upazilla |website=Bangladesh National Portal}}</ref><ref>[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_princes_K-W.html Princely States of India]</ref> His father was Syed Riazat Ullah, the editor of ''The Doorbeen'', a Persian-language weekly journal. His primary education—in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali, and the science of Islam—was completed at home under his father. He was then admitted to Hooghly High Madrasah at [[Calcutta]] to complete a traditional education. After that, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from [[Presidency College, Kolkata|Presidency College]] in 1884, and a [[Bachelor of Law]] (BL) degree from [[Calcutta University]] in 1886. He received a Master of Arts (MA) degree, in Persian, privately from Presidency College in 1889.

Huda was schooled in many fields of knowledge, and became one of the most eloquent, articulate, and educated Muslims of his generation. He had an important role as [[List of modern-day Muslim scholars|Muslim scholar]], leader, and politician in [[British India]] at the beginning of the twentieth century.<ref name="Khan2013p249">{{cite book |last=Khan |first=Muhammad Mojlum |author-link=Muhammad Mojlum Khan |year=2013 |title=The Muslim Heritage of Bengal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-2s9BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA249 |publisher=Kube Publishing |page=249 |isbn=978-1-84774-059-5}}</ref>

==Career==
Huda joined the Calcutta Madrasah in 1885 as a lecturer in Arabic and Persian. Two years later, he left the madrasah to practice law before the Calcutta High Court<ref name="Khan2013p249"/> and gradually became involved in politics.

The [[Indian National Congress]] was established in 1885 by Calcutta's Hindu leaders. This political body was proposed to symbolize all the people of India, together with Hindu and Muslim population. Prominent Indian Muslim leaders including Sir [[Syed Ahmad Khan]] [[Order of the Star of India|CSI]], [[Nawab Abdul Latif]] and [[Syed Ameer Ali]], firstly gave their full support to this political body. But later on, the Hindu Congress leaders began practicing partition. Muslim leaders called Second Annual Meeting of the Calcutta Union about the political attitude and future plan of the Congress in 1895. Syed Shamsul Huda attended and addressed to stop the issue on the title of "Indian Politics and the Muhammadans" and in this way he became the top of the political dialogue. In his speech, he highlighted the political rule of the Indian Muslim and suggested ways they could make the Congress more united and effective political body.<ref name="Khan2013p249"/>

Huda's first role as a political leader was in opposing the budget for 1905, in which spending for colleges, hospitals, and other institutions was predominantly for those in districts near Calcutta. He proposed a policy of increased spending for such institutions for [[East Bengal]] as well, which was eventually established, and proved advantageous to the Muslims of Eastern Bengal, while being opposed by elite Hindus. As a man of education, political consciousness, and perception, Huda articulated the new situation. He wrote:

{{quote|I claim that after the creation of the new Province, East Bengal has received a great deal more of personal attention. Before the Partition the largest amount of money used to be spent in districts near Calcutta. The best of Colleges, Hospitals, and other institutions were founded in or near about the Capital of India. Bengal alone now reaps the benefit of those institutions towards which both the Provinces had contributed. We have inherited a heritage of the accumulated neglect of years and cannot be blamed if [we] require large sums to put our house in order.<ref name="Khan2013p251">{{cite book |last=Khan |first=Muhammad Mojlum |author-link=Muhammad Mojlum Khan |year=2013 |title=The Muslim Heritage of Bengal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-2s9BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA251+ |publisher=Kube Publishing Ltd. |page=251 |isbn=978-1-84774-059-5}}</ref>
}}

He also mentioned on another occasion:

{{quote|They [Hindus] have benefited for very many years out of the revenues of Eastern Bengal and have paid very little for its progress and advancement ... I will only say that if Eastern Bengal now for some years costs money, and if that money is to come from any province outside East Bengal, it should come from Western Bengal and the members from that province should not as any rate grumble at it.<ref name="Khan2013p251" />
}}

[[File:LAW OF CRIMES.jpg|thumb|right|Tagore Law Lecture - "The Principles of the Law of Crimes in British India"]]

Huda was made a [[fellow]] of [[Calcutta University]] in 1902. He was invited to give the Tagore Law Lecture, which was published by Butterworth & Co,(India) Ltd, under the title ''The Principles of the Law of Crimes in British India''.<ref>{{cite journal |date=June 1920 |title=Books Received |journal=Harvard Law Review |volume=33 |issue=8 |pages=1084–1086 |jstor=1327638}}; {{cite journal |date=November 1920 |title=Books Received |journal=Yale Law Journal |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=107–108 |jstor=786705}}</ref> He developed a theory of the basic law of offenses, following along the lines of the work of British jurists such as [[Jeremy Bentham]], [[William Austin (author)|William Austin]], and [[William Blackstone]]. He presided over the Provincial [[Muhammadan Educational Conference]] at [[Rajshahi]] in 1904. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of East Bengal and [[Assam]] in 1908. He was a President of the [[All India Muslim League]] in 1910. He became a member of the [[Imperial Legislative Council]] between 1911 and 1915, as a Leader for the Muslims of East Bengal.

{{quote|He is one of the leaders of public opinion in his Province, and is On the forefront of all movements concerning the Mohammadan community.<ref name="Khan2013p251" />
}}

[[File:Executive Council (1912-1917).jpg|thumb|left|Executive Council: [[Thomas Gibson-Carmichael, 1st Baron Carmichael|Thomas Gibson-Carmichael]] (seated) and (standing left to right) Huda, [[William Duke (colonial governor)|Frederick William Duke]], and P C Lion Chitty]]

Between 1912 and 1919, Huda was a member of the [[List of governors of Bengal|governor]] of [[Bengal Presidency|Bengal]]'s executive council.<ref>''Elite Conflict in a Plural Society: Twentieth-century Bengal'', J. H. Broomfield, University of California press, page 51; ''Who's who in India'', Poona 1923; and ''Who's Who, 1923'' (London, 1923).</ref> He was awarded the title of ''[[nawab]]'' in 1913. He was made [[Order of the Indian Empire|KCIE]] [[1916 Birthday Honours|in 1916]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Islam |first=Sirajul |year=2012 |chapter=Nawab |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Nawab |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> He was designated a judge on the [[Calcutta High Court]] in 1917, becoming the second Muslim from Bengal to occupy a seat, after Justice [[Syed Ameer Ali]].

[[Thomas Gibson-Carmichael, 1st Baron Carmichael|Thomas Gibson-Carmichael]] stated:

{{quote|In all my endeavours to promote the welfare and to meet the legitimate desires of your community (Musalmans) I have been ably advised by my colleague the Hon'able Nawab Sir Syed Shamsul Huda; and I am glad to take this opportunity to testify to the fact that in my judgement the Mohamedan community in Bengal could have had no more sympathetic or better advocate than he has been.<ref name="Khan2013p252" />
}}

Huda became the first Indian Muslim president of the reformed [[Order of British India|legislative council]] of [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|undivided Bengal]] in 1921.

{{quote|His term of office as the first President of the Bengal Legislative Council under the reformed constitution was the crowning distinction of a career in which he had already earned honours enough to satisfy the ambition of most men. In accepting that office he rendered the greatest service within his power to Bengal and to the Reforms - a service which will always be held in honourable remembrance. Until failing health compelled his retirement he gave his energies and his exceptional abilities ungrudgingly for the benefit of his countrymen, who will treasure his memory with gratitude.<ref name="Khan2013p252" />
}}

[[Surendranath Banerjee]] stated:

{{quote|
The late Nawab Shahib was not a sectarian in any sense of the word. He never made any distinction between Hindus and Muhammadans. He was devoid of all class hatred. He was never unreasonable in his demands for the rights and claims of his co-religionists. In fact he was a gentleman in the highest sense of the word.<ref name="Khan2013p252">{{cite book |last=Khan |first=Muhammad Mojlum |author-link=Muhammad Mojlum Khan |year=2013 |title=The Muslim Heritage of Bengal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-2s9BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA252+ |publisher=Kube Publishing Ltd. |page=252 |isbn=978-1-84774-059-5}}</ref>
}}

{{quote|
Throughout his whole life Sir Shamsul Huda worked for the cause of Islam and he had no other aim in this world. Even if this statement is somewhat exaggerated, there is no doubt that the progress and development of the Muslims of Bengal was very close to his heart. He worked round the clock to improve the existential condition of his fellow Muslims during his long and distinguished career as a jurist, leader and politician.<ref name="Khan2013p253" />
}}

==Contributions to education==
Huda was a patron of the Muslim students of Bengal during a difficult period. He created student accommodations by founding the Carmichael Hostel for rural university-going Muslim students in Calcutta. For the establishment of the Elliot Madrasah Hostel in 1898, he obtained two-thirds of the funds from the government, with the remainder, a sum of Rs. 5,400, being contributed by the Nawab [[Abdul Latif]] Memorial Committee. Huda created the post of "assistant director for Muslim education" for each division.

He sanctioned the large sum of Rs. 900,000 from the Bengal government to purchase land to establish a government college for Muslims in Calcutta. Because of the [[First World War]], the opening ceremony was postponed until 1926, when [[Sher-e-Bangla|Abul Kasem Fazl-ul-Haq]] became education minister of the united province.<ref name="autogenerated4"/>

In 1915, on his ancestral property, he founded Gokarna Syed Waliuallah High School, which was named after his same-aged uncle.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gupta |first=Amita |date=2007 |title=Going to School in South Asia |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |page=49 |isbn=978-0-313-33553-2}}</ref> It was the first government-aided school in [[Nasirnagar Upazila]] for Hindu and Muslim students.

[[Dhaka University|The University of Dhaka]] was established in 1921 by [[Lawrence John Lumley Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland|Lawrence Ronaldshay]], the [[Governor of Bengal]], who served as [[chancellor (education)|chancellor]] and who designated Huda as a life member of the university. On Huda's recommendation, Lord Ronaldshay appointed Sir [[Ahmad Fazlur Rahman|A. F. Rahman]] as a provost.<ref name="Khan2013p252"/>

Huda financed the journals ''Sudhakar'' (1889), ''The Urdu Guide Press'', and ''The Muhammadan Observer'' (1880).<ref name="autogenerated4">''Indian Muslim and Partition of India'', S.M. Akram, Atlantic Publishers and Distributors, pages 298–299.</ref> Religious constraints prevented women from gaining an education in Bengal. He supported and encouraged the Bengal Women's Education Project, founded by [[Begum Rokeya]] for women's education and development.<ref>{{cite book |last=Amin |first=Sonia Nishat |date=1996 |title=The World of Muslim Women in Colonial Bengal, 1876-1939 |publisher=Brill |page=158 |isbn=978-90-04-10642-0}}</ref>

==Death==
Huda lived at 211 Lawyer Circular Road, Calcutta. He died on 14 October 1922, at the age of 61, and was buried in Tiljola Municipal graveyard. ''The Calcutta Weekly Notes'' wrote of his death:

{{quote|Starting life as a vakil of the Calcutta High Court, he took for years a leading part in the affairs of his own community, the city and the University and served with distinction in the Legislative Councils of the Province and the Government of India. As a vakil he long enjoyed a leading practice. For tact, breadth of mind, fair-mindedness and a shrewd yet well balanced judgement which seldom failed to take in the essentials of the most complicated situation at a glance, he had hardly an equal and few indeed on this side of India to surpass him. His genial temperament won him many friends in nearly every walk of life. He filled several high offices but his services to the public will be chiefly remembered in connection with his appointment as a Member of the Executive Council during Lord Carmichael’s Governorship of Bengal. In this capacity, his countymen found in him a staunch and powerful champion of their just claims and [he] was trusted by Hindus and Mahomedans alike, which itself was a significant tribute to his independence of outlook, catholicity and large heartedness... Sir Shamsul Huda has passed away at the time when his countrymen have stood in the greatest need of that happy combination of qualities which make leadership and which he possessed in a pre-eminent degree.<ref name="Khan2013p253">{{cite book |last=Khan |first=Muhammad Mojlum |author-link=Muhammad Mojlum Khan |year=2013 |title=The Muslim Heritage of Bengal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-2s9BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA253+ |publisher=Kube Publishing Ltd. |page=253 |isbn=978-1-84774-059-5}}</ref>
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Huda, Nawaab Syed Shamsul}}
[[Category:1862 births]]
[[Category:1922 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Brahmanbaria district]]
[[Category:Nawabs of Bengal]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire]]
[[Category:Indian knights]]
[[Category:Bengali educators]]
[[Category:Bengali politicians]]
[[Category:Bengali Muslims]]
[[Category:People of British India]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian educators]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian educators]]

Syed Shamsul Huda - Revision history

imported>HTDCourtney: cleanup

>Dhtwiki: Reverted good faith edits by Billjones94 (talk): Unexplained and dubious, especially changing the wikilink