Mirwaiz Yusuf Shah

Mirwaiz Muhammad Yusuf Shah (19 February 1894 – 12 December 1968) was a religious leader and politician in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir during the British Raj. He served as the Imam (head priest) of the Jama Masjid in Srinagar, a position that is also known as the "Mirwaiz of Kashmir" (head of Islam in Kashmir). He relegated the majority of his political career to opposing the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference of Sheikh Abdullah, including siding with Pakistan during the First Kashmir War. He moved to Azad Kashmir and eventually served as the president of Azad Kashmir.

Early life
Yusuf Shah was born on 19 February 1894 (13 Shaban 1311 Hijri) at Rajauri kadal to Ghulam Rasool Shah. In 1925, Shah started his education with Darul Uloom Deoband, where he was taught the hadith by Anwar Shah Kashmiri. In 1931, he succeeded Attiqullah as the mirwaiz of Kashmir.

Political career
In 1932, Mirwaiz Muhammad Yusuf Shah was among the founding leaders of the political party All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference founded by Sheikh Abdullah and Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas. However, after a year, conflicts occurred between Abdullah and Muhammad Yusuf Shah. By the time of the 1934 elections for the Praja Sabha (legislative assembly), Yusuf Shah had formed a separate party called "Azad Muslim Conference". The party contested five Muslim seats in Srinagar, against the Muslim Conference, and lost all of them.

In order to expand the group, Abdullah wanted to allow people of other religions to join it. This was opposed by Muhammad Yusuf Shah who felt that he was "betraying the cause of the Muslims". Consequently, Abdullah founded the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference. However the Muslims of Kashmir felt that it was a representative body of the Indian National Congress.

As a result, under the leadership of Muhammad Yusuf Shah, Muslim Conference entered into an alliance with the All India Muslim League and in July 1947, the party passed a resolution demanding the accession of the state of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan based on "geographic, economic, linguistic, cultural and religious conditions".

In 1947, Mirwaiz Muhammad Yusuf Shah went to exile in Azad Kashmir. He has also been the president of Azad Kashmir twice, once in 1952 and another in 1956. He also served in the ministry of education.

On 12 December 1968, Mirwaiz Muhammad Yusuf Shah died at Rawalpindi.

Literary works
Shah wrote the first Kashmiri translation and exegesis of Quran.

Legacy
After Yusuf Shah's departure for Azad Kashmir, Sheikh Abdullah appointed Moulvi Atiqullah as the Mirwaiz. Upon Atiqullah's death in 1961, Yusuf Shah's nephew Moulvi Mohammad Farooq was appointed as Naib Mirwaiz by Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad. After Yusuf Shah's death in 1968, Farooq became a full Mirwaiz.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that Yusuf Shah represented and supported the Kashmiri people's political desires. He also said that contributions made by him are "unmatchable". Farooq also said that he also opposed the split of the Muslim Conference and pleaded for the resolution of the Kashmir issue in Pakistan and at international level.