Intellectuals, journalists, scholars and businessmen paid glowing tributes to the late Qazi Hussain Ahmad, former Jamaat-e-Islami Amir, in a special program held in his memory at the campus of the University of Management and Technology (UMT). The program was organized by UMT in collaboration with Pakistan Business Forum and AFAQ.
Eulogizing the services rendered by the religious scholar and politician, the speakers were unanimous in declaring that the vacuum left by the demise of Qazi would never be filled. The speakers included Dr Shabbir Ahmad Mansoori, Asif Luqman Qazi, Mujeebur Rham Shami, Orya Maqbool Jan, Zaeem Qadri, Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad, Shahid Warsi and Amirul Azeem. UMT Rector Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad said Qazi Hussain was unique.
“He belonged to a family of clerics; he was like the sun that rises every morning to dispel darkness. Qazi Sahib was the rock that never got broken even when it was hit by waves. He was the lighthouse that gave direction to all who were illuminated by its light,” Murad said.
Dr Hasan said we may have buried Qazi Sahib’s body but his influence and lasting contributions to the cause of Islam will always be remembered. Dr Hasan said it was Qazi who gave new life to the cause of the unity of Muslim Ummah. He gave voice to the sufferings of the Kashmiri Muslims. He raised his voice against oppression of Muslims anywhere in the world. Dr Hasan said Qazi was a leader who saw what others could not foresee.
“He was the personification of goodness and his vision astounding,” he said. Maududi Academy Director Dr Shabbir Ahmad Mansoori said the uniqueness of Qazi was that every person felt a personal loss in his death. He said that Qazi was the personification of both “jehad and ijtehad”. He was a great orator and could sway people by the force of his argument.
Amirul Azeem said Qazi Hussain Ahmad joined the Jamaat-e-Islami in 1970 and worked tirelessly for its progress.
“He went from village to village, door to door, met people from all walks of life. His passion and commitment to the Jamaat-e-Islami was well known and acknowledged by every single worker of the Jamaat,” Azeem said.
Reminiscing about the vision of Qazi, Amirul Azeem said he began working on Central Asia way back in the seventies and produced Russian translations of Islamic literature. “No one except Qazi Sahib could have foreseen the significance that these areas would assume towards the close of the century. He alone foresaw how the stage was being set for a uni-polar world in the guise of crisis after crisis such as the Gulf War, Iraqi occupation and the Afghan war,” he said. AFAQ Executive Director Shahid Warsi said the funeral prayers Qazi Hussain Ahmed were held in 35 countries and the Imam-e-Kaaba himself offered prayers for him.
“Only a leader with a global status can have such a following. Qazi Sahib visited AFAQ in 2006 and showed keen interest in research and educational projects undertaken by AFAQ. He was opposed to the rising number of educational institutions offering secular education in Pakistan and wanted to change this state of affairs,” Warsi said.
Renowned journalist and Mujibur Rahman Shami said he met Qazi Sahib in 1972 through a mutual friend. “Even then, Qazi Sahib displayed a special interest in the possible turn of events in Central Asia and Afghanistan. Qazi Hussain Ahmed was a workaholic; it seems that he never rested and his efforts had a global impact. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Tehreek-e-Islami in Afghanistan,” Shami said.
Elaborating on Qazi’s contribution in the development of the Jamaat in Pakistan, he said that he ensured a distinct status to it on the political scene.
“His efforts were crucial in the formation of the Milli Yak Jehti Council, the MMA and the IJI. After Maulana Maududi, he was the most well known face of the Jamaat and was a household name,” he said.
Muslim League (N) MNA Zaeem Qadri said it was a great honor for him to say a few words in reference to the memory of a man who belonged to all Pakistanis, irrespective of their political affiliation. He said Qazi Hussain Ahmed had the gift of convincing people through the sheer force of logic. He also conveyed a special message of condolence from Nawaz Sharif.
Asif Luqman Qazi, son of the late Qazi Hussain Ahmad, said the greatest service that educational institutions like UMT can render is to educate the young generation about the characteristics that made Qazi Hussain Ahmed so great.
“The mission of educational institutions should be to nurture leaders whose hearts beat for the Ummah. The lasting memories of my father are that of a person who loved humanity, who wanted to unite the Muslim Ummah, who devoted every ounce of his energy towards this cause, who gave hope to others and in the end, departed for the hereafter as a man who had fulfilled the mission of his life,” he said. The ceremony concluded on a short documentary on the life of the Late Qazi Hussain Ahmad and a special dua.
