After completion of his secondary education, Jafarov studied in at Moscow State University graduating with a cum laude degree in law in 1912.

[2] In 1912, when Fourth Duma of Russian Empire convened in Saint Petersburg, Mammad Yusif Jafarov was elected by the Muslim population of Baku, Ganja and Erivan governorates to represent them in state parliament.

On March 9, immediately after Russia's February Revolution, the interim government established the Transcaucasian Committee of the Duma.

Due to the absence of the Speaker Alimardan Topchubashov who was at the Versailles Peace Conference and eventually achieved the de facto recognition of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in January by the Council of Allied Powers,[3] Jafarov served as the acting speaker and head of government until April 27, 1920, when Azerbaijan was occupied by Bolshevik 11th Red Army and ADR ceased to exist.

[2] During the Soviet rule of Azerbaijan SSR, Jafarov retired from politics and worked as a legal counselor at Azerbaijani wine-making and cotton-wool trusts.