Israr Ahmed Biography

Name : Dr Israr Ahmad

Date of Birth : 26 April 1932

Birth Place : Hisar, Punjab (A district of East Punjab, now a part of Haryana )

Residence : Sahiwal, Punjab

Death: Apr 14, 2010 ((aged 77, Lahore)

Famous : Pakistani Islamic scholar

Author of : 60 books on Islam and Pakistan

1st Ameer of Tanzeem-e-Islami (1975–2002)

Early Life and Education

• Birth and Family Background: Born on 26 April 1932 in Hisar, Punjab, India, to a Ranghar Muslim Rajput family.
• Family Relocation: Moved to Montgomery (now Sahiwal) due to his father’s civil service job.
• High School: Graduated from a local high school in Montgomery

Higher Education

• Medical Degree: Attended King Edward Medical University in Lahore, graduated with an MBBS degree in 1954.
• Islamic Studies: Obtained a master’s degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Karachi in 1965.

Early Political Involvement

• Independence Movement: Worked briefly for the Muslim Student’s Federation.
• Post-Independence Activities: Joined Islami Jami`yat-e-Talaba, and later Jamaat-e-Islami in 1950.
• Departure from Jamaat-e-Islami: Left in 1957 due to differing views on involvement in national politics.

Founding of Tanzeem-e-Islami

• Departure from Jamaat-e-Islami: Left in 1956 due to its involvement in electoral politics.
• Tanzeem-e-Islami: Founded this organization to emphasize the implementation of Qur’an, Sunnah, and Sharia in all life spheres.
• Views on Caliphate: Advocated for the restoration of the Caliphate and believed Pakistan should be its foundation.
• Western Influence: Opposed Western values, considering them a threat to Islam and Pakistan.
• Democratic Governance: Considered it un-Islamic.

Further Studies and Philosophy

• Interest in Islam and Philosophy: Grew after moving to Karachi in the 1960s.
• University of Karachi: Studied Islam and deepened his philosophical interests.

Books and Contributions

• Authorship: Authored around 60 books on Islam and Pakistan.
• Translations: 29 books translated into several languages, including English (as of 2017).

Religious and Political Views

Governance

• Ahmad opposed modern democracy and the prevalent electoral system.
• Believed in a true Islamic state where the ruler can overturn majority decisions of an elected assembly.

Relationship with Abul Ala Maududi

• Considered himself a product of Maududi’s teachings.
• Opposed Jamaat-e-Islami’s involvement in power politics.
• Advocated for a “revolutionary methodology” and a “disciplined organization.”

Anti-Shi’i Views

• Became part of Saudi Arabia’s anti-Shiite campaign in the 1980s.
• Delivered popular Friday sermons in Lahore, attacking Khomeini and Shi’ism.
• Campaign contributed to sectarian violence, resulting in approximately 4,000 deaths between 1987 and 2007.

Role of Women

• In 1982, Ahmad stated that women should be barred from all professions except medicine and teaching.

Cricket

• Urged then-president Zia-ul Haq to ban the game of cricket.