Pir Ali Muhammad Rashdi A Well Known Scholar and Politician of Sindh
Author(s)
Dr.Nasrullah Kabooro , Mrs. Fehmida Memon , Bisharat Ali Lanjwani ,
Download Full PDF Pages: 53-57 | Views: 1488 | Downloads: 540 | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3470758
Abstract
Pir Ali Muhammad Rashdi is one of the Sindhis celebrated politician. He played a vital role in the movement of separation of Sindh from Bombay. He was a renowned worker of freedom movement of Pakistan. He belonged to the feudal family of Sindh. Pir Sahab achievement was not restricted only to the field of politics, nevertheless, he proved himself a great literary personality.
This article sheds light on the political and literary achievements along with his services in the field of journalism. His literary works which were greatly appreciated is also given in this article.
Pir Ali Muhammad Rashdi (1905–1987) was a Pakistani politician, scholar, bureaucrat, journalist and well-known writer. He was from Rashdi Syed, those are calculated in Lakyari Syed's branch. He was the elder brother of scholar Pir Hassam-ud-Din Rashdi.
His father Pir Muhammad Hamid Shah lived at Bahman village, Ratodero Taluka, Larkana District, Sindh. Pir Shahab got his early education from Molvi Muhammad Soomar and Molvi Muhammad Sidiq. He taught himself Persian, Urdu, and English. He also studied English with Marmaduke Pickthall
Pir Ali Muhammad Rashdi and Moulai Shedai were of the same age. Pir Sahib was a versatile and dynamic personality. He has met only a great journalist and competent politician. He was very close to Moulai Shedai.He belongs to Lakhiyaru Syed one of the ancestors Ali Maki migrated to Sindh in 1118 A.D. Ali Maki’s posterity settled in Laki (Dau) and thus they were called Lakhiyari Syeds.Renowned saint Shah Sadruddin Alabyu Ranumat’s lineage s as under:Syed Sadruddin Shah Mehmood bin Shah Hussain bin Shah Chakan in Syed Ali Maki. Syed Badauddin was the brother of Syed Sadruddin.Rashdi Syed جدامجد Syed Muhammad Rashid’s genealogical lineage is as under which reackear to Syed Bahauddin.
Syed Muhammad Rashid bin Syed Muhammad Baqa bin Syed Muhammad Imam bin Syed Fateh Muhammad bin Syed Shukurallah bin Syed Othman bin Shah Khatan bin Shah Sanjar bin Shah Bolan bin Shah Hussain bin Syed Amir Ali bin Syed Bahaudin Alahye Rahmat.Syed Muhammad Rashid left this immortal domain on 1st Shaban, June 1818 A.D.Syed Muhammad Rashid was blessed with two sons; Syed Sibghatullah Shah, who was elected as Sahib-e-Durtan termed as Pir Pagaras. The second son named Syed Muhammad Yasin known as Sahib-a-Alam (Flag) or Jhanday Waro /main Sibghatullah Shah died on 18 February 1813 A.D.
Pir Mian Sibghatullah Shah also had two sons, Syed Ali Muhammad Shah was elder one and Pir Ali Muhammad Rashdi if from this line of parentage. The other one was Syed Gohar Shah whose posterity is known as Pir Sahab of Pagaro. Syed Ali Muhammad Shah renowned in favor of his younger brother Syed Ali Muhammad Shah died on 17th July 1876. (1)
Syed Ali Muhammad Shah Rashidi was born on Friday, the 5th August 1905. He was sent to Madarsah at the age of three.Sindhi the mother tongue was not taught in schools, English ws not considered to study at all as they hated to work under English (Govt service). Persian was considered necessary. Pir Sahib started his education with Persian. Pir Sahib could not study Persian with full conversation as his teacher Mian Mihtab could not teach him well because of his personal problems.
Pir Sahib learned English in his village at Berhmanabad dero Larkana from two Hindu station masters Jeananad and Naraen. Pir Ali Muhammad Rashdi could not get higher studies. In those days one Pir Sahib was staying with his grandfather, at a Memon;s House at Kemkies Sreet. There was a reading room beneath the building. Their Pir Sahib met a …………… young men who told Pir Sahib that his name was Umardin from Talti district Dadu. He further told Pir Sahib that he had done his master and was a gold medalist. He told him that had come with Mian Abdul Rahim Shah of Sajawal and wanted to get a foreign scholarship for had doctorate. Pir Sahib told him that he was studying Persian from a Madarsah. Pir Sahib remarked that he was Pir and landlord and had no need to enter in govt. job, so he did not enter to get an advanced education. Umardin was surprised to hear all that and he advised Pir Sahib to avail the opportunity and get (acquire) higher education. (2).Umardin convinced Pir Sahib’s grandfather to send Pir Sahob in Colonel Brown’s Cambridge School at Dorados. Pir Sahib went to the School but stayed therefore only one day.Pir Sahib told his grandfather about that young man and asked him to help him get a scholarship.
Pir Sahib was a landlord and Piri too. He belonged to a system which was the feudal world around him was full of ignorance, leisure, luxury atrocities all the bad virtues. Landlords (feudal lords) had nothing to do, they wanted their time. In spite of all that Pir Sahib keep himself about from those evils. His contempt for such practices was only because of his mother’s brought up who told him that times were going to change and feudalism and spirit were soon to perish. All get could give was by his hared warn and education and stive to achieve something. (3) Pir Sahib did not go to any college, but ……… due to his own efforts, he not only learned Sindhi and Urdu but also got command on the English language.Pir Ali Muhammad Rashdi was a dynamite and versatile personality, he achieved a lot of success through hand wash there is an analysis of his practical endeavor and important values.
Pir Sahib major accomplishments are in three fields, Journalism- his literary works and his political career.
He revolted against the feudal trends and started his career as a journalist. At the age of 15 he developed interest in writing articles for newspapers, Thus in 1924, he joined Sindhi Newspaper as نامہ نگار and thus started his career as a journalist inspired by Moulana Abul Kalam Azad’s newspaper Al-Hilal الہلال he initiated a monthly newspaper “Al-Rashdi” الراشدی which were printed in Sukkur but was issued from the village. (4)
In 1940, he issued first English newspaper named “Muslim Voice” which printed till 1946. At first, the newspaper was issued from Sukkur and then from Karachi ……….. In 1946, Sindhi’s Progressive Muslim under the leadership of G.M. Sayed came into conflict with Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s Muslim League. To activate their motives on magazine or newspaper named Qurbani as started and Pir Sahib to appointed editor of the newspaper. Except writing editorials he started writing on politics and affirm Qurbani as stopped in 1948. From 1949 to 1959 he remained editor of the newspaper issued from Karachi named “Sindh Observer”. During then particulars period he ………. In literary contents it Dawn News editor Altaf Hussain on literary grounds, which is a significant basic chapter of Pakistan Journalism’s History. After the establishment of Pakistan, his literary works earned him a high esteem and status in journalism. Due to which from 1950 to 1952 he was chosen as the President of All Pakistan Editor’s Association named as Newspaper Editors Conference. The president of Newspaper Editors Conference, he was appointed the head of the delegates of a journalist who visited India, Egypt and United Kingdom. In 1951 he was chosen unanimously President of Journalist Press Commission, which was made to promote Pak-Bharat friendship. Last of his work as a journalist was a weekly newspaper named Eastern Express from 1954 to 1955.Thus he ended his career as a journalist but he ………….. his thrust and for literature and journalism through articles writing which he wrote at different limes. He wrote column in Urdu newspaper “Jang” entitled as Maktoub-e-Mashrique ……. In the same newspaper, he started to new series of a column named Mashriq-o-Maghrib and the other is Waghaira Waghiara. During the same period, he wrote a column named Ran and Pandh in Sindhi newspaper “Ibrat” published from Hyderabad. In the column, he provided valuable information about Hosh Muhammad Sheedi’s (Shaheed-e-Sindh) grievances doctrine. In 1971, he wrote a column in English named “A Point of View” in Daily Jang’s edition published from London. In the year 1975 he ……….. started writing columns series entitled as Impression and Reflection. Throughout his career as a journalist, Pir Sahaib not only promoted a political point of view but he gave novelty ظرافت in the field of journalism(s).
Pir Sahib’s every aspect of life is worth mentioning and قابل رشک but we find no match of his in the field of column writing not only in Sindhi but in Urdu and English. Columns written by Pir Sahib are precious embellished with priceless pleasers in the field of politics, sociology, literary and literature.
He portrayed his ideas in such a marvelous manners that it was impossible for the readers not to get impressed by them.He served as Pakistan's ambassador to the Philippines from 1957 to 1961 and was Doyen of the diplomatic corps there. He also served as ambassador to China for 10 months, during which he concluded negotiations for the border agreement between Pakistan and China that later on, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto signed on behalf of Pakistan. He went Hong Kong for trade and journalism.Rashdi wrote books in Sindhi, Urdu, and English on politics, biographies, local issues and diaries
Keywords
Pir Ali Muhammad Rashdi, Politician of Sindh
References
The family tree of Syed Ali Muhammad Rashdi is traced with Lakhyari Syeds. He belonged to a feudal family. His works are extended in three main institutions i.e. Journalism, Literature, and Politics.He issued 1s newspaper in 1940 and wrote columns for different newspapers till 1974 in Sindhi, Urdu and English languages. The writer has analyzed this period of his life.
Cite this Article: