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Shah Ahmad Noorani

Shah Ahmad Noorani
Ahmad Noorani in 1985
President of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal
In office
9 October 2002 – 11 December 2003
Preceded byOffice created
Succeeded byQazi Hussain Ahmad
Member of National Assembly of Pakistan
In office
14 April 1972 – 7 March 1977
ConstituencyNW-134 (Karachi-VII)
Personal details
Born
Ahmad Noorani Siddiqi

(1926-10-01)1 October 1926
Meerut, India
Died11 December 2003(2003-12-11) (aged 77)
Islamabad, Pakistan
Resting placeAbdullah Shah Ghazi Mausoleum
CitizenshipPakistan
NationalityPakistani
Political partyJamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan
1970–2002
RelationsFazlur Rahman Ansari (brother-in-law)
ChildrenShah Owais Noorani
ParentMuhammad Abdul Aleem Siddiqi
Residence(s)Islamabad, Pakistan
Alma materAllahabad University
Darul-Uloom Arabia, Meerut
Philosophy career
Era20th Century
RegionIslamic world
SchoolSunnism
Main interests
Islamic philosophy
Modernity
Notable ideas
Revival of Shia-Sunni relations

Shah Ahmad Noorani Siddiqi (1 October 1926 – 11 December 2003, known as Allama Noorani) was a Pakistani Islamic scholar, mystic, philosopher, revivalist and politician.[1][2]

Siddiqi was the founder of the World Islamic Mission, leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) and founder president of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).[1][3]

The JUP was the main Barelvi political party of Pakistan until the establishment of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan in 2015.[4]

Active in politics since the 1970s, agitating against military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s, and after disassociating from politics during most of the 1990s, he made a notable comeback after rigorously opposing the regime of President Pervez Musharraf and further forming an ultra–conservative alliance for joint opposition to the regime.[5] Assuming the presidency of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), he was known to use tough rhetoric against Musharraf and formed a public support against Musharraf's policies in the country.[6]

Early life and education

Ahmad Noorani was born in Meerut, British India (now Uttar Pradesh, India), into an Urdu-speaking Siddiqui Shaikh family on 31 March 1926 (17 Ramadan 1344).[5] His father, Abdul Aleem Siddiqi was also an Islamic scholar and had accompanied him on Islamic missionary tours to various parts of the world in his early youth.[7]

He received his BA degree in Arabic language from the Allahabad University, and certified from the Darul-Uloom in Meerut in Islamic jurisprudence. He became a hafiz-ul-Quran at the age of eight.[1] His family moved to Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan after the partition of India.[5]

He established himself as Islamic scholar and worked in the developing the Islamic philosophy as well as helping found the World Islamic Mission, based in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 1972.[1]

He has been described as a polyglot who "was conversant with 17 languages and eloquent in six, Urdu, Arabic, English, Persian, French and Swahili."[8]

Political career

Member of National Assembly

Noorani was elected as member of the National Assembly from Constituency NW-134 (Karachi-VII) after participating in general elections held in 1970 on Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan's platform.

The second time he was elected as MNA from Constituency NA-167 (Hyderabad-II) in 1977 Pakistani general election. Since then, his influence on national politics further grew and he became a Senator in 1980s.[1]

Role for strengthening democracy in Pakistan

Noorani took stand against the martial law regime of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. His party was one of the founding members of Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) formed on January 10, 1977 and “Pakistan Awami Ittihad” (PAI) in 1988.

During Zia's regime, he raised his voice for the rehabilitation of the political parties, restoration of the judicial powers and finishing the military courts, elimination of the Martial law; and announcement of the election schedule. He was also guiding force for the formation of another electoral alliance Islami Jamhuri Mahaz in May 1999. Through his efforts, Noorani, formed an alliance of six religious, political parties, named as the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), came into being in 2001. He was chosen as its founding President.[9][10]

Religious views

Noorani argued with ideologies such as the Deobandi, Wahhabism, Salafism and Ahl-i Hadith, and most strictly with the Qadiani(The cursed ones). He spent his scholarly life in promoting Barelvism and Ahmed Raza Khan as the Mujaddid (Islamic reviver) of the 14th Islamic century.[2]

Death

On 11 December 2003 (17 Shawwal 1424), Noorani died when he was preparing to leave his residence for the Parliament House to address a press conference along with other opposition leaders at noon.[1][5] The funeral prayer was done in Nishtar Park on Friday and he was buried at the foot of his mother in the graveyard situated in the premises of the Abdullah Shah Ghazi Mausoleum in Karachi.[1]

Condolences

Pervez Musharraf expressed profound grief in a condolence message in which he paid tribute to Noorani for his "great services for Pakistan and his tremendous contributions to national politics. MMA General Secretary Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman described the passing away of Noorani as a "great loss for the whole nation." Fazal said Noorani was a "moderate, polite and kind person and due to his qualities he was elected as chief of the united religious front.[5][6][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wasim, Amir (12 December 2003). "Maulana Noorani passes away: Funeral prayers at Nishtar Park today". Dawn (newspaper). Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Qaid-e-Ahl Sunnat His Eminence Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani Siddiqui Al-Qadiri (RA) Rahmatullah alaih (1926–2003)". Noorani. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Leaders vow to continue Noorani's mission". Dawn (newspaper). 19 January 2004. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  4. ^ Zia Ur Rehman (3 March 2016). "In Qadri's fate, Barelvis see their redemption". The News International (newspaper). Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e Hussain, Shahid (12 December 2003). "Noorani dies of a heart attack". GUlf News. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Shah Ahmed Noorani's death shocks MMA leaders". Daily Times. 12 December 2003. Archived from the original on 24 September 2005. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  7. ^ "World Islamic Mission: Mauritius Branch – Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani Siddiqui Al-Qaderi". Islamic Mission. 4 March 2010. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  8. ^ Obituary in Impact International, volume 34, n° 4, 2004
  9. ^ Abzahir Khan, Muhammad Idrees, Akhtar Hussain (26 July 2016). "Mawlana Shah Ahmad Noorani: His Role in the Restoration of Parliamentary Democracy in Pakistan, 1977-200". Vfast Transactions on Islamic Research. 4 (1): 27–38. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2022.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ EMERGENCE OF RELIGIO-POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IN PAKISTAN AND SWAY AND DISMAY OF THE RIGHTIST JAM’IYYAT ULEMA-I-PAKISTAN-JUP (1970-2003) Dr. Mazher Hussain The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan Muhammad Anwar Farooq The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan IJSSHE-International Journal of Social Sciences, Humanities and Education Volume 1, Number 3, 2017 ISSN 2521-0041
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