Khwaja Qamar ul Din Sialvi
Encyclopedia
Khwaja Qamar ul Din Sialvi (Khwaja Qamar ul Din Sialvi) (1906–1981) known as Shaykh-ul-Islam was a Pakistani
religious leader and politician. He is a waliullah (Sufi saint) of the Chishti order. He founded the political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan
(JUP) and became its president in 1970.
1324 A.H. (7 July 1906), in Sial Sharif
in the Punjab Province of British India
. He was the eldest son of Hazrat Zia-ud-din Sialvi. He was familiar with the Quran by the age of nine. He received his religious education at several institutions, including ones in Mecca
and Ajmer
.
When his age was four years, four months and ten days, Khawaja Diya’ al-Din enrolled him to memorise the Qur’an in the class of Hafiz Karim Bakhsh. He very quickly memorised the Qur’an in a short span of time. Following that, capable teachers taught him Persian and Arabic etymology and syntax with much joy and hardwork and this capable student accepted all that he was taught with much joy and enthusiasm. When he was very young and was reading the Kanz al-Daqa’iq, during this time he wrote a commentary on a difficult issue within the Kanz al-Daqa’iq in the Arabic language. After seeing it, great learned scholars were left amazed. This written piece caused a greater sense of enhancing the education and upbringing of this student in the heart of his father; Khawaja Diya’ al-Din. As a result, he looked towards a distinguished scholar from the Khayr Abadi family of knowledge and wisdom, Maulana Mu’in al-Din Ajmayri. At that time, he was the principal teacher at Madrasa ‘Uthmaniyya Dar al-Khayr in Ajmayr (India) and so for some time, Khawaja Diya’ al-Din sent his beloved son to Ajmayr in pursuit of education. Later on, Maulana Ajmayri was brought from Ajmayr to Siyal and Khawaja Qamar al-Din continued acquiring knowledge from him. A student of Maulana Ajmayri, Maulana Muhammad Husayn, also began teaching in Siyal at Dar al-‘Ulum Diya’ Shams al-Islam. Khawaja Qamar al-Din studied philosophy and logic with one of the leading masters of the Khayarabadi tradition, Maulana Muhammad Din Budhwi, who was considered unparalleled in his age in the rational sciences as well as in many other subjects. Khawaja Qamar al-Din completed these various sciences and disciplines from these learned scholars. He also completed the Dawra Hadith with Maulana Ajmayri, who consequently bestowed the sanad and ijaza of hadith narration to him.
The pursuing of a referendum in the province of Sarhad was much dangerous as the Khan Brothers had great influence and power here and they were blind devotees of Gandhi. The Red Shirts movement was accepted here to such an extent that in every town and village of the Sarhad province, red flags were waving. If in this referendum the Muslim League was defeated then the dream of Pakistan would have become dispersed and diminished before any interpretation could be given. The bravery of the people who paved the way for the success of the Muslim community in Sarhad, without a doubt at the front of this group, you would clearly see the shining face of Khawaja Qamar al-Din.
He became the president of the Sargodha
branch of the Muslim League. He went to all corners of subcontinent to vote for the Muslim League in the election of 1946. He particularly walked along with Pir of Zakori in North-West Frontier Province
to vote for the independence of Pakistan in the referendum of 1947. After the inception of Pakistan, he wrote to Quaid-e-Azam to congratulate him and emphasize the need for promulgation of Islamic laws. Replying his letter Quaid-e-Azam wrote "Efforts on part of Mashaikhs in the Pakistan Movement are highly commendable. Rest assured Islamic laws will be promulgated in Pakistan."
In the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
, Sialvi donated all the ornaments of his family to the Pakistan Army
. In 1970 he became the president of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) and under his leadership party won eighteen seats in the National Assembly
. Under his leadership, the party fared very well in the election of 1970. He was twice nominated as a member of the Islamic Ideology Council, where he worked hard to Islamicize the existing laws.
Sialvi was awarded Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence), the fourth-highest award of Pakistan, by the president of Pakistan in 1981. He died in a road accident on July 20, 1981 (17th Ramadan). After his death Khawaja Hazrat Muhammad Hameed Uddin Sialvi was appointed Sijjada Nasheen of Aaastana e Aalia Siaal Sharif by Peer Pathan Ghareeb Nawaz. His son continued his all missions and built new mosques, langar khana, many new rooms for guests and constructed computer department in Darul Aloom Sharif. Today every facility is available in Sial Sharif.
Pakistani
Pakistani may refer to:Person associated with Pakistan* Demographics of Pakistan* List of PakistanisPakistani as a language:* Urdu, national language of Pakistan* Languages of PakistanOther:* Pakistani cuisine- See also :...
religious leader and politician. He is a waliullah (Sufi saint) of the Chishti order. He founded the political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan
Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan is a political party in Pakistan. It is part of the Islamic Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, that won at the last legislative elections, 20 October 2002, 11.3 of the popular vote and 53 out of 272 elected members.This party belongs to the Sunni current, which in...
(JUP) and became its president in 1970.
Early life and education
Khwaja Qamaruddin Sialvi was born on 24 Jumada al-awwalJumada al-awwal
Jumada al-awwal is the fifth month in the Islamic calendar.We can also find the alternative spelling Jumada al-Ula.The origin of the word is as follows: the word Jumda, from which the name of the month is derived, is used to denote dry parched land: land devoid of rain, and hence denote the dry...
1324 A.H. (7 July 1906), in Sial Sharif
Sial Sharif
Sial Sharif is a village in the Sargodha District of Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in Sahiwal Tehsil and lies 48km away from the city of Sargodha, about midway on the Sargodha-Jhang road.Its population is about 1,100 people...
in the Punjab Province of British India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. He was the eldest son of Hazrat Zia-ud-din Sialvi. He was familiar with the Quran by the age of nine. He received his religious education at several institutions, including ones in Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
and Ajmer
Ajmer
Ajmer , formerly written as Ajmere, is a city in Ajmer District in Rajasthan state in India. Ajmer has a population of around 800,000 , and is located west of the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur, 200 km from Jodhpur, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from...
.
When his age was four years, four months and ten days, Khawaja Diya’ al-Din enrolled him to memorise the Qur’an in the class of Hafiz Karim Bakhsh. He very quickly memorised the Qur’an in a short span of time. Following that, capable teachers taught him Persian and Arabic etymology and syntax with much joy and hardwork and this capable student accepted all that he was taught with much joy and enthusiasm. When he was very young and was reading the Kanz al-Daqa’iq, during this time he wrote a commentary on a difficult issue within the Kanz al-Daqa’iq in the Arabic language. After seeing it, great learned scholars were left amazed. This written piece caused a greater sense of enhancing the education and upbringing of this student in the heart of his father; Khawaja Diya’ al-Din. As a result, he looked towards a distinguished scholar from the Khayr Abadi family of knowledge and wisdom, Maulana Mu’in al-Din Ajmayri. At that time, he was the principal teacher at Madrasa ‘Uthmaniyya Dar al-Khayr in Ajmayr (India) and so for some time, Khawaja Diya’ al-Din sent his beloved son to Ajmayr in pursuit of education. Later on, Maulana Ajmayri was brought from Ajmayr to Siyal and Khawaja Qamar al-Din continued acquiring knowledge from him. A student of Maulana Ajmayri, Maulana Muhammad Husayn, also began teaching in Siyal at Dar al-‘Ulum Diya’ Shams al-Islam. Khawaja Qamar al-Din studied philosophy and logic with one of the leading masters of the Khayarabadi tradition, Maulana Muhammad Din Budhwi, who was considered unparalleled in his age in the rational sciences as well as in many other subjects. Khawaja Qamar al-Din completed these various sciences and disciplines from these learned scholars. He also completed the Dawra Hadith with Maulana Ajmayri, who consequently bestowed the sanad and ijaza of hadith narration to him.
Career
After completing his education, Sialvi tenaciously opposed British rule in India, and worked hard for the establishment of a state for the Muslims of India. The British were displeased that he was working against them and offered him the title of "His Holiness", the highest spiritual title in the British Raj, for giving up his opposition. Sialvi turned down the offer and burnt the letter conveying it to ashes. As a penalty for his defiance, his land was confiscated, he was prohibited from making speeches, and he was thrown into jail, but he continued his opposition.Muslim League
When Pakistan movement began for the independence of India, the Congress was at the forefront whose leadership was in the hands of some prejudiced and narrow-minded Hindus. However, the deceit of the main Hindu leaders had allured many Muslims to their tune and to raise their same voice. Many Muslim scholars, leaders and the learned had become devotees of Indian nationality and stood side by side with the Hindu leaders. At that moment Qa’id A‘zam Muhammad ‘Ali Jinnah demanded the formation of Pakistan. Khawaja Qamar al-Din – through his light of firasat – perceived the truth of Qa’id A‘zam’s position whilst great intellectuals of that time could not decide whether the claim of Qa’id A‘zam had any acceptance or weight in it or not, or whether it is practicable or not. Khawaja Qamar al-Din, with firm resolve and certainty, announced his assistance and loyalty to Qa’id A‘zam in the struggle to acquire Pakistan. History testifies that this man of truth, whatever step he took he did not stop until he reached his desired destination and objective.The pursuing of a referendum in the province of Sarhad was much dangerous as the Khan Brothers had great influence and power here and they were blind devotees of Gandhi. The Red Shirts movement was accepted here to such an extent that in every town and village of the Sarhad province, red flags were waving. If in this referendum the Muslim League was defeated then the dream of Pakistan would have become dispersed and diminished before any interpretation could be given. The bravery of the people who paved the way for the success of the Muslim community in Sarhad, without a doubt at the front of this group, you would clearly see the shining face of Khawaja Qamar al-Din.
He became the president of the Sargodha
Sargodha
Sargodha is a city in the Sargodha District of Punjab province, Pakistan.Sargodha is located in the northwest of Pakistan. It is the eleventh largest city of Pakistan and also known as Pakistan's best citrus-producing area. It is an agricultural trade centre with various industries...
branch of the Muslim League. He went to all corners of subcontinent to vote for the Muslim League in the election of 1946. He particularly walked along with Pir of Zakori in North-West Frontier Province
North-West Frontier Province
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...
to vote for the independence of Pakistan in the referendum of 1947. After the inception of Pakistan, he wrote to Quaid-e-Azam to congratulate him and emphasize the need for promulgation of Islamic laws. Replying his letter Quaid-e-Azam wrote "Efforts on part of Mashaikhs in the Pakistan Movement are highly commendable. Rest assured Islamic laws will be promulgated in Pakistan."
In the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. This conflict became known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947...
, Sialvi donated all the ornaments of his family to the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
. In 1970 he became the president of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) and under his leadership party won eighteen seats in the National Assembly
National Assembly of Pakistan
The National Assembly of Pakistan is the lower house of the bicameral Majlis-e-Shura, which also compromises the President of Pakistan and Senate . The National Assembly and the Senate both convene at Parliament House in Islamabad...
. Under his leadership, the party fared very well in the election of 1970. He was twice nominated as a member of the Islamic Ideology Council, where he worked hard to Islamicize the existing laws.
Sialvi was awarded Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence), the fourth-highest award of Pakistan, by the president of Pakistan in 1981. He died in a road accident on July 20, 1981 (17th Ramadan). After his death Khawaja Hazrat Muhammad Hameed Uddin Sialvi was appointed Sijjada Nasheen of Aaastana e Aalia Siaal Sharif by Peer Pathan Ghareeb Nawaz. His son continued his all missions and built new mosques, langar khana, many new rooms for guests and constructed computer department in Darul Aloom Sharif. Today every facility is available in Sial Sharif.
Sources
- Anwar Qamaeria انوار قمریہ سوانح, A biography of Khwaja Qamar ul Din Sialvi, by Ghulam Ahmed Sialvi.