Pioneers of Freedom (Series) (1996-3)

Allama Abdullah Yusuf Ali, a veteran educationist, administrator and a famous scholar was born on 14th April, 1872. He got his early education from Madrassa Anjuman-e-Islam Bombay and subsequently at Wilson College, Bombay University, St. John\'s College, Cambridge and then at Lincoln\'s Inn.
He joined the Indian Civil Service in 1895 and was appointed Assistant Magistrate in 1896, Joint Magistrate in 1899, Assistant Senior Judge in 1902, Deputy Commissioner, District Magistrate, Under-Secretary to Government of India in Finance Department in 1907, acted as Deputy Secretary in 1911-12 and retired from I.C.S. in 1914.
The second phase of his life started thereafter when he proceeded to England and lectured at the Passmore Edwards Institute, Royal Society of Arts and English Goethe\'s society. He also worked as a lecturer in Hindi, Hindustani and Indian Religious Manners & Customs at School of Oriental and African Studies in 1917-18.
He extensively toured Denmark, Sweden and Norway in April-May, 1916 and Holland in October-November, 1920. His varied assignments included Sharfi Khas Counsel at the princely state of Hyderabad Deccan in 1919, Revenue Minister, Hyderabad Deccan in 1921-22, Principal Islamia College, Lahore in 1925-27, fellow and member of the Syndicate, Punjab University during 1925-28, and 1935-37. His educational tour through the near East was of immense importance. He was one of the Indian representatives to the 9th Assembly of League of Nations during 1928.
His world tours took him through Americas, Hawaiian Islands, Japan, China, the Philippines, the Straits of Settlement, Ceylon, through Canada from Halifax to Victoria as guest of National Council of Education in 1932.
He was on the Executive Committee of the World Conference for International Peace through Religion. He conducted a lecture tour of Canada in 1938-39. His services as a Member of Lucknow Bar (1922-24), the Punjab University Inquiry Committee (1932-33), International Congress on Moral Education in London and as President Higher Education Section, AIMEE, or as a member of Golden Jubilee Celebrations during march, 1937 were long remembered.
He also presided U.R Industrial Conference held at Agra (1909), All India Muslim Educational Conference (Nagpur Session-i 910), The Punjab Muslim Educational Conference, Lahore (April 1923), All India Tanzeem Conference Aligarh (28 December, 1925) Separation of Sindh Conference Hyderabad (16 November, 1932), All India Muslim Conference Calcutta (26 December, 1932) wherein he delivered his famous addresses. Of course, his highly valuable English translation of the Holy Quran was a landmark of his illustrious life. His countless treatises on education, religion, socio-economic and political themes render him as a luminous star in the \'galaxy of the Muslim intellectuals of this century whose contribution to the awakening of the Muslim Ummah in general and the muslims of the South Asian Sub-Continent is matchless.
AlIama Abdullah Yusuf All breathed his last on December 10, 1953.
To commemorate the Pioneers of Freedom (Series), Pakistan Post Office is issuing a commemorative postage stamp of Re. 1/- on August 14, 1996.