Thursday, April 15

Veteran religious scholar Dr Israr Ahmed passes away


Veteran Islamic scholar, writer of a large number of religious books and founder Tanzeem-e-Islami Dr Israr Ahmed passed away here early Wednesday morning.
According to son of the scholar, Dr Israr Ahmed was suffering from back pain and heart disorders for a long time, and he felt severe back pain on Tuesday night. Dr. Israr refused to go to the hospital and Dr. Aamir Aziz checked him at his residence. The renowned scholar breathed his last at 3:30am of Wednesday morning.
Despite being MBBS doctor dedicated life to the service of the Quran and Hadith, 78-year-old Dr Israr had left behind four sons and five daughters to mourn his death. He was suffering from backache and cardiac disorder since long. Dr Israr Ahmad was born on April 26, 1932 in Hissar (a district of East Punjab, now a part of Haryana) in India. He graduated from King Edward Medical College (now University) in 1954 and later got Master degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Karachi in 1965.
Dr Israr worked briefly for Muslim Students’ Federation during the Independence Movement and, following the creation of Pakistan in 1947, for the Islami Jamiat Talba and then for the Jama’at-e-Islami, since as a young student, he was influenced by founder Jama’at-e-Islami Syed Abul Ala Maududi.
In 1971, Dr. Israr Ahmad gave up his medical practice to devote himself full time to the Islamic services. In 1972, he helped to establish the Markazi Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Qur’an Lahore. He also founded the Tanzeem-e-Islami, which was established in 1975. This he did after developing differences with Maulana Maududi. That is why, initially the Tanzeem-e-Islami was considered to be an off-shoot of the Jama’at-e-Islami Pakistan.
During his stint with the Maulana, he remained Nazim-e-Ala of the Islami Jamiat Talba during his student life. After finishing his studies, he became a member of Jama’at-e-Islami. Founder of the ‘Society of the servants of the Holy Quran’, the deceased also headed Quran Academy, which was developed into a chain of Quran Academies in Pakistan.
Dr. Israr Ahmed relinquished the leadership of Tanzeem-e-Islami in October 2002 on grounds of bad health and his son Hafiz Aakif Saeed is the present Ameer of the Tanzeem to whom all rufaqaa (fellows) of Tanzeem renewed their pledge of Baiyah.
Dr. Israr Ahmad first appeared on Pakistan Television in 1978 in a programme called Al-Kitab. This was followed by other programmes, known as Alif Lam Meem, Rasool-e-Kamil, Umm-ul-Kitab and the most popular of all religious programs in the history of Pakistan Television, the Al-Huda, which made him a household name throughout the country.
Dr. Israr Ahmad was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 1981. He wrote a large number of books in Urdu on various aspects of Islam and Pakistan. He devoted all his life for the revival of the system of caliphate.
His supporters describe him as having spent the last forty years actively engaged in reviving the Qur’an-centred Islamic perennial philosophy and world-view with the ultimate objective of establishing a true Islamic State, or the System of Khilafah. Dr Israr was sceptical of the efficacy of parliamentary politics of give-and-take in establishing an Islamic politico-socio-economic system.
Controversy had also accompanied statements he has made about Ali ibn Abu Talib (RA), Jews and conflict with non-Muslims.
He was well-known among Muslims across the world for his profound knowledge of the Quran and contemporary affairs. He has delivered lectures on Islam in almost all the parts of south Asia as well as in the Middle East, Europe and America. His series on the interpretation of the Holy Quran, Bayaan-ul-Quran, is famous and is being aired by various TV channels. He was also often seenhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif on Peace TV, a Mumbai based 24/7 Islamic channel broadcast internationally.
His Namaz-e-Janaza was held after Asr prayer at Khalid Market ground, Model Town extension, Lahore. His funeral, led by his son Hafiz Aakif, was prominently attended by the JIP leaders including Syed Munawwar Hassan, Liaqat Baloch, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Hafiz Idrees, Head Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (S) Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, MNA Naseer Bhutta and other notables of the society, and a large number of Dr Israr’s followers. He was buried at the local graveyard on the Wednesday evening.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

yes,i think he was a great person and he was complete person he write many books for the purpose of educating the people

Anonymous said...

I am pretty sure he was a great man, I just started listening to his lectures on 'Quran Tafseer' and talks on history and world politics.The way he talks about muslims how they are being humiliated all over the world is true and he had the solution of it too inspired me.May Allah give him jannatul Firdaus.Ameen!