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Muhammad Abdullah Ghazi
Pakistani Islamic scholar and Religio-political figure From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Muhammad Abdullah Ghazi (Urdu: محمد عبد اللہ غازی c. 1 June 1935 – 17 October 1998) was a Pakistani Deobandi Islamic scholar, theologian of the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence, and a Religio-political figure who held several key positions, including the Chairman of Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, the first Imam and Khatib of Lal Masjid in Islamabad, the Chancellor of Jamia Faridia and Jamia Hafsa, the Patron-in-Chief of Wifaq Al Madaris Al Arabiyah and Jamia Mohammadia, the President of Jamiat Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, member of both the Council of Islamic Ideology and Majlis-i-Shura during the Presidency of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and as Federal Khatib under President Farooq Leghari in the 29th and 36th Cabinet of Pakistan.[1]
Ghazi was an alumnus of Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia and was personally appointed by President Ayub Khan to serve as the first Imam and Khatib of Central Mosque Islamabad (Lal Masjid), the first mosque established in Pakistan's new capital, Islamabad.[2]
Ghazi was a close associate of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, the sixth President of Pakistan, and served as one of his key advisors on religious affairs. He played a significant role in the establishment of Pakistan's Zakat Councils and contributed to the drafting of the Zakat and Ushr Ordinance of 1980.[3]
He was a senior member of Aalmi Majlis Tahaffuz Khatm-e-Nubuwwat and was the founder and chairman of Idara Alia Tanzeem ul Madaris.[4][5]
In 1971, he founded Jamia Faridia in Islamabad, the first Islamic seminary to be established in Islamabad. He taught the Kutub al-Sitta including Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī at the madrasah, and was well known by the title "Shaykh al-Hadith".[4]
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Early life and education
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Muhammad Abdullah Ghazi was born on 1 June 1935 (29th Safar 1354 AH) during the British Raj in the village of Basti-Abdullah, Rajanpur District into the family of Ghazi Muhammad descending from the Sadwani (Sodvani) clan of the Mazari tribe of Baluchistan.[6] a part of Baloch diaspora who migrated to Punjab from Baluchistan.[7]
His father, a farmer, was socially active in the village. Due to his activities, he faced multiple arrests by the British Indian authorities and was eventually sentenced to eight years in prison.[8] During his imprisonment, he became more religious and encouraged his son to attend a local madrassa.[9]
In 1946, Ghazi began his religious education at Madrasa Khudam-ul-Qur'an in Rahim Yar Khan, where he completed the Hifz (memorization of the Quran).[4]
In 1948, after completing his primary education, Ghazi enrolled at Jamia Qasim Ul Uloom in Multan for further education, where he studied for 5 years and was a student of Mufti Mehmood.[4]
Afterward, he enrolled at Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia in Karachi, where he completed the Dars-i Nizami curriculum and graduated in 1957 as one of the top students of Muhammad Yousuf Banuri.[9]
After graduating, he served as the imam of Jamia Masjid Rashidiya in Malir Town for several years.[4] During this time, he was also a member of the advisory committee for Bayyināt, a monthly journal published by Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia.[4]
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Lal Masjid
When the Capital of Pakistan was moved from Karachi to Islamabad, and the first congregational mosque (Lal Masjid) was established, Ghazi became its first sermon preacher in 1967 upon the recommendation of his teacher Muhammad Yousuf Banuri.[9]
Ghazi's sermons drew in thousands of worshippers including prominent political figures such as Prime Minister Balakh Sher Mazari and Presidents of Pakistan including Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Farooq Leghari as well as General Zia-ul-Haq who was a regular visitor to the mosque as before the completion of the Faisal Mosque, The Lal Masjid had been the only main congregational mosque in the city.[10] Located in a very central position, the mosque lies in close proximity to the Presidential Palace and Prime Minister's Office.[11]
In 1976, as part of his six day state visit to Pakistan, King Khalid of Saudi Arabia also visited the Lal Masjid in Islamabad, where he prayed behind Ghazi,[12] and it was during this visit he initiated the construction of King Faisal Mosque in Islamabad and toured the nearby seminary, Jamia Faridia.[13]
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1974 Khatm-e-Nubuwwat movement
In 1974, He played a key role in mobilizing support for the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Khatm-e-Nubuwwat, and the mosque became the center of meetings and processions of the movement. the leaders of the movement, Mufti Mahmood and Allama Yusuf Banuri were both Ghazi's teachers. this movement led to the Second Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan.[14]
Idara Alia Tanzeem ul Madaris
Ghazi played a significant role in establishing and supporting mosques and madrasas across the country.[12]
In 1970, he founded the Idara Alia Tanzeem ul Madaris (Urdu: ادارہ عالیہ تنظیم المدارس), an organization dedicated to securing land for the construction of mosques and religious institutions, and served as its first chairman. His efforts focused on both rural and urban areas, including the construction of the Grand Mosque of Kalur Kot and several mosques within Islamabad.[15]
In 1988, he co-founded Jamia Mohammadia alongside Maulana Zahoor Ahmed Alvi, a close associate. The seminary is the second-largest madrasa in Islamabad, He served as the institution's first patron-in-chief.[16]
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Ruet-e-Hilal Committee
In 1975, He was appointed as the first chairman of the newly established Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, a government body operating under the Ministry of Religious Affairs, responsible for announcing the sighting of the new moon, which determines the Islamic calendar and Islamic holidays.[17]
Ghazi served in this position until his death, after which he was succeeded by Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman.[3]
Tehreek Nizam-e-Mustafa
In 1977, Ghazi played a significant role in the "Nizam-e-Mustafa" movement, a populist Islamist campaign aimed at replacing the secular and socialist government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto with an Islamic system of governance in Pakistan.[18]
Wifaq-ul-Madaris
In 1979, Ghazi was appointed as the Patron-in-Chief of Wifaq-ul-Madaris al-Arabia, and as the regional supervisor for all madrassas registered under the educational board in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.[19]
Ghazi played a key role in establishing Jamiat Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, an organization representing the ulema of the twin cities. The group aimed to raise awareness and advocate for issues concerning madaris (Islamic seminaries). Ghazi served as its first president before being succeeded by his deputy and close associate, Maulana Zahoor Ahmed Alvi.[16]
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Majlis al-Shura
In 1981, President Zia-ul-Haq established the an advisory council to the president (1981 Majlis-e-Shoora), Members of the Shura were appointed directly by Zia, who personally selected Ghazi as one of his chief advisors on religious affairs.[15]
1980 Zakat ordinance
Ghazi played a pivotal role in the creation of Pakistan's Zakat Councils and contributed to drafting the Zakat and Ushr Ordinance of 1980.[20][21]
The ordinance was officially promulgated by President Zia-ul-Haq during a ceremony at Lal Masjid in June 1980.[22][23]
Establishing Jamia Faridia
In 1966, He established a small seminary at Lal Masjid, in which there were about 20 to 25 students for the Hifz class. After some time a need was felt to have a bigger place for running this seminary so that a large number of students who were increasing with the passage of time could be accommodated.[24]
Hence In 1971, a place in the meadows of the Margalla Hills in the city's Prime Sector of E-7, was acquired by Ghazi's Idara Alia Tanzeem ul Madaris with the help and cooperation of several of his close friends most notably Seth Haroon Jaffer (Jaffer Group of Companies), Haji Akhtar Hassan (OSD Kashmir Affairs & Finance Secretary of Azad Kashmir), and Admiral Mohammad. Shariff, NI(M), HJ (Rtd).[4]
The construction of the seminary's present building was completed in 1984 and was officially named "Jamia Faridia".[25]
The seminary was the first ever educational institute to be registered with Wifaq-ul-Madaris.[25]
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Faisal Mosque
In 1986, following the completion of the Faisal Mosque, President Zia-ul-Haq invited Ghazi to serve as the mosque's first imam.[26][27]
Ghazi declined the offer, choosing instead to continue his role as the Imam and Khatib of Lal Masjid, where he had already established himself as a prominent religious leader and had a significant following.[8][28] Despite refusing the permanent position, Ghazi did lead the inaugural prayer at the newly constructed mosque on 18 June 1988.[29]
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Establishing Jamia Hafsa
In 1992, he laid the foundation for Jamia Syeda Hafsa, as the women's branch of Jamia Faridia. Located adjacent to the Lal Masjid near Aabpara,[30] the institution was built on 7,500 square yards of land.[31]
The seminary is the largest women's madrasa in Pakistan.[32]
Federal Khatib
In 1993, During the Second Benazir Bhutto government, President Farooq Leghari appointed Ghazi as the Federal (Wifaqi) Khatib of Islamabad, a government position under the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Islamabad Auqaf Department equivalent to that of the Additional Secretary of the Federal Government, which was established to supervise the mosques within the capital city.[12][33][34]
Ghazi continued to serve in this position during the Second Nawaz Sharif government.[35]
Afghanistan Tour
In 1997, Ghazi, along with a delegation of Deobandi scholars, was invited as a state guests by Afghanistan's Supreme Leader, Mullah Omar.[9]
During his visit, Ghazi toured several Deobandi madrasas in Kabul and held a meeting with Mullah Omar, Osama bin Laden, and Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kandahar.[36]
Assassination and legacy
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His biographer, Mufti Riaz Munsoor, wrote extensively about his daily routine. According to Mansoor, Ghazi had a strict schedule that he followed every day. He would walk seven kilometers from his home to his seminary, Jamia Faridia, where he would give lectures to his students. on his way back, he would stop at the Polyclinic Hospital to bless the patients and offer them words of encouragement.[4]
On October 17, 1998, the day of his assassination, Ghazi maintained his usual routine. He walked to Jamia Faridia to deliver lectures to his students and later stopped at a hospital on his way back. As he approached Lal Masjid, a man was waiting for him in the courtyard. The assailant greeted Ghazi before suddenly drawing a gun and firing an entire magazine at him.[37] The assassin escaped with the aid of accomplices waiting in a getaway car.[36]
Severely wounded, Ghazi succumbed to his injuries on the way to the same hospital he had visited earlier. Despite being aware of threats against his life, he had consistently refused bodyguards, believing it was better to die alone than endanger others.[9]
He is buried in the courtyard of Jamia Faridia, Islamabad.[9]
The President of Pakistan Rafiq Tarar expressed his sadness over the assassination in a letter, adding that "Maulana Abdullah Ghazi had spent his whole life for Islam, and kept the tradition of Ulema alive, his struggles will forever be remembered".[38]
Jamia Masjid Abdullah Ghazi (Urdu: جامع مسجد عبد اللہ غازی) in Sector E-7 of Islamabad is named after him.[39]
In his honor his hometown was also renamed "Basti-Abdullah" and a new seminary named after him was also constructed there, the town gained worldwide attention in 2007 when Abdul Rashid Ghazi was buried in the courtyard of the seminary,[40]
Abdullah Railway Station near the town is also named after him.[41]
Investigation
Due to a lack of confidence in Pakistan's legal system, Abdul Aziz, the elder son of Ghazi, initially declined to file a First Information Report (FIR). However, his younger son, Abdul Rashid, proceeded to file the FIR, prompting a police investigation into the case. After persistent efforts, a suspect was arrested and subsequently identified by an eyewitness during an identification parade.[42]
Despite this, the suspect was inexplicably released the following day. Abdul Rashid protested the release, warning the authorities that he would pursue legal action if the suspect was not promptly re-arrested. As pressure mounted, he reportedly faced threats, including a warning to withdraw the case or risk suffering a fate similar to that of his father. According to those close to him, this experience marked a turning point in Abdul Rashid Ghazi’s life, leading to his disillusionment with the legal system.[43][44]
Memoir
In 2005, a memoir was published by Maktaba Faridia detailing his life under the name Hayat Shaheed E Islam (Urdu: حیات شہیدِ اسلام) Written by Mufti Riaz Munsoor.[4]
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References
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