Maulana Ziauddin Islahi
Maulana Ziauddin Islahi
By Afzal Usmani
Maulana Ziauddin Islahi (b. 1937, d. 2nd Feb. 2008) , was a Islamic scholar and Director & Secretary of prestigious Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy Azamgarh India (1988-2008), and Nazim (Director) of Madarsatul Islah, Saraimir Azamgarh India till 2008.
Maulana Ziauddin Islahi was born in 1937 in a small village Saharya, near Nizambad, Azamgarh (UP) India in a very religious family. He studied in Madarsatul Islah, Saraimir. He was a student of Maulana Akhtar Ahsan Islahi, a famous disciple of Maulana Hamiduddin Farahi. His elder brother Maulana Qamruddin Islahi was also a student of Madarsatul Islah and of Maulana Amin Ahsan Islahi, the famous disciple and heir of Maulana Hamiduddin Farahi. After completing his education, the young Maulana Ziauddin joined Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy as a research scholar (Rafiq) in 1957 when Maulana Shah Moinuddin Nadvi was Director of The Academy. Maulana Ziauddin Islahi became Director and Secretary of The Academy in 1988 after the death of Syed Sabahuddin Abdur Rahman. He had also served as Nazim (Director) of Madarsatul Islah, Saraimeer Azamgarh till his last breath. He was a member of management committees of Nadwatul Uloom (Lucknow), Darul Uloom Tajul Masajid (Bhopal) and Jamiatul Falah (Azamgarh) and several other msulim institutes and organisations across India. He was also a member of Majlis-e-Amala of UP Urdu Academy and Member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board. He had also served as Member of Court in Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh for several terms.
Maulana Ziauddin Islahi was a prolific writer and orator. His famous books are;
1. Musalmano Ki Taaleem
2. Hindustan Arabon Ki Nazar Mein – Part I & II
3. Tazkarat -ul- Muhaddesin – Part I, II & III
4. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
5. Izahul Quran
6. Intekhab, Kalam Iqbal Suhail
Maulana Ziauddin Islahi addressed numerous seminars and conferences on literary, religious and social issues in India and abroad. For his contributions in Arabic, he received President of India Award in 1995 during the presidency of Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma.
Maulana Ziauddin Islahi, died in fatal accident on 2nd February 2008 at 6:30 AM in Varansi (Banaras) India. The accident took place on Friday, 1st February, between Sanjarpur and Phariha in Azamgarh. Maulana Ziauddin Islahi was traveling in a taxi with his wife. They rushed to a hospital in Azamgarh but due to the serious nature of injuries, he was shifted to Benaras Hindu University Medical College in Varansi where he died on the early morning of 2nd February 2008. His wife was also injured in the accident but she survived. Maulana Ziauddin Islahi had survived with his wife, 3 son and2 daughters. Maulana Ziauddin Islahi's association for more that half a century with The Shibli Academy and his key role to promote the cause of The Shibli Academy played an important role in the decision of the emergency meeting of The Academy Management to bury him within The Academy premises where Maulana Shibli Nomani, his son Hamid Nomani and former Secretary Sabahuddin Abdur Rahman were buried. The Janazah & Tadfeen took place on 3rd February 2008 at 10:30 AM in Darul Musanneefin Shibli Academy (Shibli Manzil), Azamgarh India. Maulana Syed Rabey Husni Nadvi, rector of Nadwatul Uloom (Lucknow) and President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board lead the Janazah Prayer.
 |
 |
 |
Condolence Meeting on the Death of Maulana Ziauddin Islahi
By the Name of Allah Taala
Marhum in the Department of Islamic Studies, A.M.U. Aligarh
On the sad demise of Maulana Ziauddin Islahi (Director of Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy and Nazim of Madrasatul Islah, Azamgarh) in a road accident on 2nd Feb.2008, a Condolence Meeting was held on 7th Feb. in the Department of Islamic Studies (A.M.U.).The meeting, presided over by Prof. Muhammad Salim Qidwai, former Chairman of the Department, was conducted by Prof. Zafarul Islam Islahi.
Giving account of the long and close relationship of Maulana Ziauddin Islahi with the Department of Islamic Studies, Prof. Sayyid Ahsan, Chairman of the Department, stated that he had also personal attachment with him and had visited Darul Musannefin several times with his maternal uncle (mamun) Prof. Sayyed Salman Nadvi. He used to be kind enough to accept the invitation of the Department for participating in the seminars, delivering key-note address or Extra-Mural lecture. He also contributed several articles in the Majallah-i- Ulum-i- Islamiah, the Urdu journal of the Department. Zafarul Islam Islahi, who took part in the Namaz-i- Janazah and tadfin of Maulana Marhum, gave the account of the fatal accident, his Namaz-i- Janazah in the spacious ground of Shibli College and burial in complex of Darul Musannefin on 3rd Feb. He further observed that his tragic death was really an irreparable loss of the whole ummah.He had been the member of the University Court for two terms. It shows his eminence and scholarship that the different departments of the oriental studies in the University felt elated by his presence in their seminars and other academic programmes.
In this condolence meeting, attended by a large number of staff members, research scholars and students from the different departments of the University, observations about Maulana Ziauddin Islahi Marhum were expressed by Prof.Sayyed Ehtisham Ahmad Nadvi, Prof. Muhammad Yasin Mazhar Siddiqi, Prof. Ishtiyaq Ahamd Zilli, Maulana Sultan Ahmad Islahi, Dr. Jamshed Ahmad Nadvi and Dr. Abu Sufyan Islahi. It was observed by the speakers in general that Maulana Ziauddin Islahi has left very deep impact on the academic world as an Alim, scholar, writer, editor of Maarif and Director of Darul Musannefin, an academic institute of international repute. His devotion to the cause of Islamic learning, depth in study, valuable contribution to different subjects of Islamic and oriental studies and maintaining high standard in academic work were some of the significant aspects of his academic life. He was author of several books including Izah al- Quran, Tazkirah al- Muhaddithin, Hindustan Arabon ki Nazar Mein, Chand Arbab-i- Kamal, Musalmanon ki Talim, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad- Mazhabi Afkar, Sahafat aur Qaumi Jadd-o-Jahd. Besides, hundreds of articles, editorials, reviews and obituaries published in the Maarif and other journals of Indo-Pak sub- continents are also significant contribution to the Islamic and oriental Studies.
His fifty years long association with the Darul Musannefin (30 years as Rafeeq /Fellow &20 years as Nazim /Director) and serving this great centre of research and publication (which had been always under financial constraint) with exemplary patience and full sense of duty has really created a history. Working as the editor of Maarif for 20 years without any compromise with its high standard and regularity in publication was also a great achievement of Maulana Marhum. With his great scholarship and holding the post of the Director of an internationally famous institution, his qualities of simplicity, modesty, open mindedness, hospitality and encouragement of youngers have made his personality quite popular and respectable among the people of different walk of life.
It was also highlighted by speakers in the meeting that a notable aspect of his personality was his deep involvement with problems faced by the Indian people, particularly Muslims. His observations and comments on the burning issues in the editorials used to be touchy and thought- provoking. Such comments were regular feature of his editorials in the Maarif. The issues which caught his special attention included: protection of Muslim Personal law, minority character of A.M.U. and its peaceful functioning, religious and cultural identity of the Indian Muslims, development of Madrasahs and other religious and academic institutions of Muslims, progress of Urdu language, educational and socio-economic uplift of Muslims, rights of minorities under the democratic and secular government and communal disturbances and the problem of security of Muslims. Significantly enough, his last editorial in the Maarif (January, 2008) was wholly devoted to discussion on the problem and solution of the protection of the religious and cultural identity of Muslims in India. Besides, Maulana had special interest in the Muslim education. He regularly contributed articles and editorials on this subject. The last issue of Majallah-i- Ulum-i- Islamiah (a bi- annual journal of the Dept. of Islamic Studies, A.M.U.) contained a very important article of Maulana Ziauddin Islahi, entitled “Musalmanon ki Talim-Masail,Mushkilat aur un ka Hall. By coincidence, his last published book is “Musalmanon ki Talim” (review of this book by Zafarul Islam Islahi appeared in the Milli Gazette, 1-15 April, 2007).A chapter of this work ( Islam aur Talim-i- Niswan) is actually the enlarged version of the paper presented by Maulana Ziauddin Islahi on 3rd Feb.2006 in the Extra-Mural Lecture programme in the Dept. of Islamic Studies (A.M.U.).
In his presidential remarks, Prof. M.Salim Qidwai stated that Maulana Ziauddin Islahi was not only well-known as a reputed alim, eminent scholar and noted writer, but was also quite popular and highly respected as a simple, modest and pious person. In fact, the best tribute to him would be to imbibe his worthy qualities and to work for the welfare of the Darul Musannefin which he served for half a century with great dedication and selflessness. The programme, started with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Maulana Sadiq Akhtar Nadvi, came to end with the Dua of Dr. Faizan Ahmad Beg.
May Allah Taala bless Maulana Ziauddin Islahi with His Maghfirah and Rahmah.
Zafarul Islam Islahi
A.M.U. Aligarh
Condolence Meeting on the Death of Maulana Ziauddin Islahi at Idarah Ulum Al-Quran Aligarh
