Israr Ahmed

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Muslim Scholar
Modern era
Founder of Tanzeem-e-Islami
Name
Israr Ahmad
Birth April 26, 1932
School/tradition Ahl-e-Sunnat wal Jama’at
Main interests Islamic law and Quranic exegesis
Notable ideas Theo-Cracy and Modern Islamic State
Influenced by Muhammad Allama Iqbal, Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Amin Ahsan Islahi and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan

Israr Ahmed, SI, (Urdu: اسرار احمد) is a South Asian Muslim religious figure well-known among Muslims in Pakistan, India, the Middle East, and North America[citation needed]. He is the founder of the Tanzeem-e-islami, an off-shoot of the Jamaat-e-Islami. He was born on April 26, 1932 in Hisar District (a district of East Punjab, now part of Haryana) in India. Dr. Israr Ahmad is the second son of a government servant.

He currently has a daily show on Peace TV, a 24/7 Islamic channel broadcast internationally.

Contents

[edit] Early life and education

Dr. Israr Ahmad was born on April 26, 1932 in Hisar (a district of East Punjab, now a part of Haryana) in India, the second son of a government servant. He graduated from King Edward Medical College (Lahore) in 1954 and later received his Master's degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Karachi in 1965. He came under the influence of Abul Ala Maududi as a young student, worked briefly for Muslim Student's Federation in the Independence Movement and, following the creation of Pakistan in 1947, for the Islami Jamiyat-e-Talaba and then for the Jama`at-e-Islami. Dr. Israr Ahmad resigned from the Jama`at in April 1957 because of its involvement in the electoral politics, which he believed was irreconcilable with the revolutionary methodology adopted by the Jama'at in the pre-1947 period.

[edit] Influences

His thought has been influenced by Muhammad Iqbal, Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Amin Ahsan Islahi, Farahi, Dr. mohammad Rafi-ud-Din, Abul Kalam Azad, Shabbir Ahmed Usmani, and Mahmood ul-Hasan and he has himself affirmed that he has synthesized his vision of Islam from these diverse sources. He has also repeatedly acknowledged the deep influence of Shah Waliullah Dehlavi, the 18th century Indian Islamic leader, anti-colonial activist, jurist, and scholar. On numerous occasions he has said that he realized early enough that establishing an Islamic politico-socio-economic system in a country was a revolutionary process and unlikely to materialize through parliamentary politics of give-and-take.

[edit] Religious work

While still a student and an activist of the Islami Jami`yat-e-Talaba, Dr. Israr Ahmad became a Mudarris (or teacher) of the Holy Qur'an. Even after resigning from the Jama`at, he continued to give Qur'anic lectures in different cities of Pakistan, and especially after 1965 spent a great deal of time studying the Quran.

In 1967 Dr. Israr Ahmadin wrote “Islamic Renaissance: The Real Task Ahead”, a tract explaining his basic belief. This was that a rebirth of Islam would be possible only by revitalizing Iman (faith) among the Muslims -- particularly educated Muslims -- and the propagation of the Qur'anic teachings in contemporary idiom and at the highest level of scholarship is necessary to revitalize Iman. This undertaking would remove the existing dichotomy between modern physical and social sciences on the one hand, and Islamic revealed knowledge on the other.

In 1971 Ahmad gave up his medical practice to devote himself full time to the Islamic revival. In 1972 he established or helped establish the Markazi Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Qur'an Lahore, Tanzeem-e-Islami was founded in 1975, and Tahreek-e-Khilafat Pakistan was launched in 1991.

Dr. Israr Ahmad first appeared on Pakistan Television in 1978 in a program called Al-Kitab; this was followed by other programs, 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. Although he did not like to receive it personally, Dr. Israr Ahmad was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 1981. He has to his credit over 60 Urdu books on topics related to Islam and Pakistan, 9 of which have been translated into English and other languages.

[edit] Tanzeem-e-Islami

Ahmed believes in what he calls “Islamic revolutionary thought,” which consists of the idea that Islam - the teachings of the Qur'an and the Sunnah - must be implemented in the social, cultural, juristic, political, and the economic spheres of life. The credit for reviving this dynamic concept of Islam in the Indian subcontinent, after centuries of neglect and dormancy, goes to Allama Muhammad Iqbal. The first attempt towards the actualization of this concept was made by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad through his short-lived party, the Hizbullah. Another attempt was made by Maulana Sayyid Abul A`la Maududi through his Jama`at-e-Islami; however, the decision by the Jama`at after the creation of Pakistan to take part in the electoral process instead of continuing the original revolutionary methodology gradually resulted in its degeneration from a pure Islamic revolutionary party to a mere political one.

When Jama’t-e-Islami entered in the electoral process in 1956, a group of individuals including Dr. Israr Ahmed resigned on account of their disagreement with the leadership of the Jama‘at on significant policy matters. They came together and tried unsuccessfully to form an organized group that was expected to fulfill the vacuum created by the post-1947 change in the direction and course of Jama‘at-e-Islami. A resolution was passed which subsequently became the Mission Statement of Tanzeem-e-Islami.

While continuing his Quranic lectures, decided there was a lack of effort to create an Islamic renaissance through the revolutionary process. He decided to step-in and call people to make a disciplined organization and he therefore laid the foundation of Tanzeem-e-Islami.

In the context of Qur'anic exegesis and understanding, Dr. Israr Ahmad is a firm traditionalist of the genre of Maulana Mehmood Hassan Deobandi and Allama Shabeer Ahmad Usmani; yet he presents Qur'anic teachings in a scientific and enlightened way, being also a disciple of Allama Iqbal and Dr. Muhammad Rafiuddin, and also because of his own background in science and medicine. Concerning the internal coherence of and the principles of deep reflection in the Qur'an, he has essentially followed the thinking of Maulana Hameed Uddin Farahi and Maulana Ameen Ahsan Islahi, though even here he has further developed their line of argument. Dr. Israr Ahmad believes in a dynamic and revolutionary conception of Islam, and in this regard he is a disciple of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Maulana Sayyid Abul A`la Maududi.

For the last forty years or so, Dr. Israr Ahmad has been actively engaged not only in reviving the Qur'an-centered Islamic perennial philosophy and world-view but also reforming the society in a practical way with the ultimate objective of establishing a true Islamic State, or the System of Khilafah. He has widely traveled abroad and the audio and video tapes of his Qur'anic discourses in Urdu and English languages have circulated in thousands throughout the world.

A master's thesis, entitled Dr. Israr Ahmad's Political Thought and Activities, was written by Ms. Shagufta Ahmad in the Islamic Studies department of Canada's Mac Gill University. This thesis is available from Markazi Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Qur'an Lahore.

[edit] Position on Shia

"Shia would be treated the same way as Sunnis were treated in Iran."[1]

[edit] Poor Health

Dr. Israr Ahmed relinquished the leadership of Tanzeem-e-Islami in October, 2002 on grounds of bad health and Hafiz Aakif Saeed is the present Ameer of the Tanzeem to whom all rufaqaa of Tanzeem renewed their pledge of Baiyah.


[edit] Urdu Works

[edit] Quran Aur Hamari Zindagi

  • Musalmanoun Per Quran Kai Hakook
  • Rah-e-Nijat(Surah Asar Ki Rooshani Mein)
  • Quran Aur Aman-e-Alam
  • Jihad Bil Quran Aur Is Kai 5 Mahaz
  • Quran Ki Sooratoun Sa Ijmali Tajzeeya
  • Quran Aur Hamari Zimaidariyan
  • Azmat-e-Quran
  • Quran Ki Kuwat-e-Taskheer
  • Duniya Ki Azeem Tareen Naimat-Quran
  • Infiradi Nijat Aur Ijtimayi Falah Kai Liya Quran Ka Laayamal
  • Taaruf-e-Quran Aur Azmat-e-Quran

[edit] Sunnat Aur Seerat

  • Rasool-e-Kamil(SAW)
  • Nabi(SAW) Se Hamare Taaluk Ki Bunyadain
  • Miraj-e-Nabi(SAW)
  • Shaheed-e-Mazloom
  • Saniha-e-Karbala
  • Maseel Essa(AS),Ali Murtaza(RA)
  • Azmat-e-Mustafa
  • Arbaeen-e-Nuvi

[edit] Haqeet-e-Deen

  • Tauheed-e-Amali
  • Eid-ul-Azha aur Falsafa-e-Qurbani
  • Azmat-e-Saum
  • Azmat-e-Sayam o Qayam Ramadhan
  • Mutalibat-e-Deen
  • Zindagi, Maut Aur Insaan
  • Ataat ka Qurani Tasaawer
  • Marwaja Tasawaf, Salook-e-Muhammadi Yani Ehsan Islam
  • Jihad Fi Sabeel-Allah
  • Ejad-o-Ibda Alam Se Alami Nizam-e-Khilafat Tak
  • Khatam-e-Naboowat Kai 2 Mafhoum Aur Takmeel Risalaat Kai Takazai
  • Haqeeqat-e-Iman

[edit] Islami Nizam-e-Hayat

  • Islam Ka Moashi Nizam
  • Islam Mein Aurat Ka Maqam
  • Shaadi Biya Kai Ziman Mein Aik Islahi Tahreek
  • Islam Mein Adal-e-Ijtimayi Ki Ahmeeyat
  • Ehad-e-Hazir Mein Islami Riyasat Aur Maeshat

[edit] Ahya Islam Aur Islami Tahreekain

  • Islam Ki Nishaat-e-Saaniya (Karne ka Asal Kam)
  • Daawat Rujool-ul-Quran ka Manzar aur Paseemanar
  • Tanzeem-e-Islami ka Taareekhi Paseemanzar
  • Tahreekh Jamat-e-Islami(Hakeeki Mutala)
  • Tareekh Jamat-e-Islami Aik Gumshuda Baab
  • Azam-e-Tanzeem
  • Jamaat-e-Sheikh-ul Hind Aur Tanzeem Islami
  • Taaruf Tanzeem Islami
  • Hisaab Kamobeesh Aur Guzareeh-e-Ahwalai Waqai
  • Maulana Maudoodi Aur Mein
  • Mazhabi Jamatoun Ka Bahami Taawun Aur Tanzeem Islami

[edit] Islami Inkalaab

  • Nabi(SAW) Ka Maksaad-e-Behsaat
  • Minhaj-e-Inkalaab Nabi(SAW)
  • Islam Kai Inkalaabi Fikar Ki Tajdeed-o-Tahmeel
  • Rasool-e-Inkalaab(SAW) Ka Tareeka-e-Inkalaab
  • Hizb Allah Kai Ausaaf

[edit] Faraiz-e-Deen

  • Daawat-e-Allah
  • Qurb-e-Ellahi Kai 2 Muraatib
  • Faraiz-e-Deen Ka Jamai Tasawour
  • Ummat-e-Muslima Kai Liya Seh Nukatti Layamaal
  • Hub-e-Rasool(SAW) Aur Iss Kai Takaaze
  • Islami Nazm-e-Jamaat Mein Baiyat Ki Ahmeeyat

[edit] Millat-o-Siyasaat

  • Islam Aur Pakistan
  • Istehkam-e-Pakistan
  • Istehkam-e-Pakistan Aur Masale Sindh
  • Allama Iqbal Aur Hum
  • Pakistan Mein Nizam-e-Khilafaat, Kiya, Kiyoun, Kaise
  • Sabiqa Aur Maujooda Musalmaan Ummatoun Ka Maazi, Haal Aur Mustakbil
  • Issayat Aur Islam
  • Pakistan Ki Siyasaat Ka Pehle Awami Aur Hangami Daur
  • Shia-Sunni Mufhammat Ki Zaroorat Aur Ahmeeyat
  • Pak-Bharat Mufhamiyat Aur Masal-e-Kashmir Ka Haal
  • Maujooda Alami Haalat Mein Islam Ka Mustaqbil
  • Pakistan Kai Wajood Ko Lahak Khatraat Aur Khadshaat
  • Basaer
  • Allama Iqbal, Quad-e-Azam Aur Nazriy-e-Pakistan

[edit] English Works

  • Minhaj-e-Inqalab-e-Nabawi.
  • Nida.
  • Meesaq (Pact), monthly magazine
  • Hikmat-e-Quran (Wisdom of Quran), Monthly magazine.
  • The Obligations Muslims owe to the Quran.
  • The way to Salvation in the light of Surah Al-Asr.
  • Rise and Decline of Muslim Ummah.
  • The Quran and World Peace.
  • Islamic Renaissance - The Real Task Ahead.
  • Calling People Unto Allah.
  • Tragedy of Karbala.
  • Muhammad(SAW) The Objective of His Appointment.
  • Lessons From History.
  • Three- Point Action Agenda for the Muslim Ummah.
  • Baiyah: The Basis for organization of a Revivalist Party in Islam.
  • Khilafah in Pakistan, What Why and How?
  • Obligations to God.
  • Religious Obligations of Muslim Women.
  • The Call of Tanzeem-e-Islami.
  • The Reality of Tasawwuf.
  • The Genesis of Tanzeem-e-Islami.
  • Synthesis of Iman

[edit] See also

v • d • e
Islamism in South Asia
General ideology
Organisations
Leaders
Events and controversies

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Daily Times SECOND OPINION: Politically wrong anger of the UK Pakistanis — Khaled Ahmed’s TV Review

[edit] External links

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