after completing his ll.b. in 1902, he started his legal practice in hyderabad sindh. he started his public career as vice president of the hyderabad municipality. hidayatullah was also the first non-official president of the hyderabad district board. in 1921 he became a member of the bombay legislative council. in the same year, he was appointed a minister in the bombay government, an office which he occupied till 1928 when he was made a member of the executive council of the governor of bombay. he served in this capacity until 1934. he received the title of "khan bahadur" from the british government, which also knighted him in the 1926 new year honours and further appointed him a knight commander of the most exalted order of the star of india (kcsi) in the 1933 birthday honours.