Maqbool Hussain Zaidi
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Colonel
Maqbool Hussain Zaidi (1914–1969) was the founder of Imambargah Colonel Maqbool Hussain
in Rawalpindi
. He was born in Delhi
, India
during colonial rule. Zaidi joined All India Radio
but later quit to join the British Army. On the inception of Pakistan
, he migrated to Rawalpindi and joined the Pakistan Army. In Rawalpindi, he founded an Imambargah and became a popular figure in Rawalpindi in general and the Shiite community in particular. He promoted the tradition of religious processions marking the martyrdom of Imams. To this day the major procession in Rawalpindi departs from Imambargah Colonel Maqbool Hussain on Ashura
and Chehlum. Zaidi believed that the only way keep religion separated from politics was to avoid taking donations and contributions from institutions or bodies other than private individuals for organisations such as the one he founded. To this day, Imambara Colonel Maqbool Hussain is managed in the same tradition.
Zaidi was commissioned in the 2nd Battalion 15 Punjab Regiment (now 10 Punjab) and saw active service during World War II
on the Burma Front
. A lawyer by education, he pursued a very successful law career after retirement from the army in 1962. As a lawyer Zaidi became renowned for his charity work.
Lt. Col. Syed Maqbool Hussain Zaidi died on 14 Oct 1969 in Rawalpindi leaving behind a widow, Mrs W. F. Hussain, three daughters - Nasreen Zahra, Tasneem Zehra and Tanveer Zehra - and three sons - Syed Mehdi Alamdar Hussain Zaidi, Syed Mohammad Iftikhar Hussain Zaidi and Syed Hashim Viqar Hussain Zaidi.
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Maqbool Hussain Zaidi (1914–1969) was the founder of Imambargah Colonel Maqbool Hussain
Imambargah Colonel Maqbool Hussain
An Imambargah is a place where Shia Muslims gather to mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussain bin Ali . These mourning sessions also serve to educate the people regarding religious matters....
in Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
. He was born in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
during colonial rule. Zaidi joined All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
but later quit to join the British Army. On the inception of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, he migrated to Rawalpindi and joined the Pakistan Army. In Rawalpindi, he founded an Imambargah and became a popular figure in Rawalpindi in general and the Shiite community in particular. He promoted the tradition of religious processions marking the martyrdom of Imams. To this day the major procession in Rawalpindi departs from Imambargah Colonel Maqbool Hussain on Ashura
Day of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...
and Chehlum. Zaidi believed that the only way keep religion separated from politics was to avoid taking donations and contributions from institutions or bodies other than private individuals for organisations such as the one he founded. To this day, Imambara Colonel Maqbool Hussain is managed in the same tradition.
Zaidi was commissioned in the 2nd Battalion 15 Punjab Regiment (now 10 Punjab) and saw active service during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
on the Burma Front
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
. A lawyer by education, he pursued a very successful law career after retirement from the army in 1962. As a lawyer Zaidi became renowned for his charity work.
Lt. Col. Syed Maqbool Hussain Zaidi died on 14 Oct 1969 in Rawalpindi leaving behind a widow, Mrs W. F. Hussain, three daughters - Nasreen Zahra, Tasneem Zehra and Tanveer Zehra - and three sons - Syed Mehdi Alamdar Hussain Zaidi, Syed Mohammad Iftikhar Hussain Zaidi and Syed Hashim Viqar Hussain Zaidi.