Qamaruzzaman Azmi
Encyclopedia
.
Allama Maulana Qamaruzzaman Azmi (Urdu
: قمرالزمان اعظمى) is a prominent scholar in the Ahle sunnah wal jamah and Sufism. Millions of people across the Indian Sub-Continent, Middle East, Europe, America and Canada revere and respect him. The Times of India wrote on 2 November 2010: "Allama Azmi is undoubtedly the most sought-after preacher of Ahle sunnah wal jamah".
He is the Khalifa of Imam
Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi's son Mustafa Raza Khan
and Sayyad Mukhtar Ashraf of Kicchocha Sharif. He is Secretary-General of the World Islamic Mission
.
Maulana Shahid Raza OBE Chairman of the UK's Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board wrote: "Allama Azmi is not only the Imam of oration admired for his public lectures which have inspired millions of young and old Muslims in the sub continent, Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America but he is also a great Islamic Thinker of the 21st Century".
Maulana Shahid Raza OBE further argues that: "Allama Azmi's importance lies primarily in his awareness of the problems faced by Muslims when confronted with modernity. His familiarity with western philosophical and cultural ideas coupled with his vast knowledge of the Islamic sciences and orthodox as well as modern trends in Islamic thought has resulted in him being a figure of intellectual force in the field of a revival of Islamic environment. He believes that the future of the Ummah is in the hands of Muslims themselves. Poverty and humiliation of Muslims in the contemporary world has always been a prime concern for him, however he considers that Muslims themselves are largely responsible for this downfall due to a lack of education, activism and an aspiring soul".
Phillip Lewis (1994) quotes Allama Azmi in his book Islamic Britain: Religion, Politics and Identity among British Muslims, that Islam and secular society can co-exist and "the widely shared perception that secular necessarily implies irreligion is simply wrong. In India, he contends, a secular state can offer security to Muslims since it is compatible with acknowledging that religion is important and, that in a religiously plural environment the state does not allow believers in one religious tradition to enjoy a privileged status. All are citizens with equal rights. Indeed, in India, Muslims are allowed to conform to their own Muslim family law".
Allama Azmi is a force for equal rights for women and argues that women must be allowed to play their role in creating a just and evil-free society and is opposed to extremism and terrorism. He argues that those who use the name of Islam to terrorise are enemies of Allah and Islam. No injustice or assault, real or imagined, can be an excuse for resorting to violence and maiming innocents.
, Pakistan
, Middle East
, South Africa
, Europe
, United States
and Canada
have written hundreds of articles on him.
A collection of his scholarly speecheshas been published in three volumes. Volume one was put together by Maulana Mohammed Rehan Raza Misbahi and Maulana Abdullah Azmi in a 376-page book consisting of twelve speeches entitled Khutbaat-e-Muffakir-e-Islam (Speeches of the Great Thinker of Islam) published by Maktaba Taiba, Mumbai, India.
Volume two was put together by Maulana Mohammed Sajid Hussain Qadri in a 512-page book consisting of nineteen speeches entitled Khutbaat-e-Muffakir-e-Islam (Speeches of the Great Thinker of Islam) and published by Maktaba Taiba, Hyderabad. This was launched by Tajus-Shari'a Hazrat Maulana Mufti Akhtar Raza Khan and Mohaddith-e-Kabir Hazrat Allama Zia-ul-Mustafa.
Volume three was put together by Imran Hussain Chaudhary in a 240-page book consisting of eleven speeches entitled Ilmi taqreeray'n (scholarly speeches) and published by the Sunni Foundation in 2008 in Pakistan.
His collection of poetry Khayabaan-e-Midhat volume one was published in 2007 by Maktaba Taiba, Mumbai, India and volume two in 2011 by the Sunni Foundation in Pakistan. He has written more than 200 articles which are being collated and published in volumes under the title Maqaalat-e-Muffakir-e-Islam. His books like Jamaal-e-Mustafa are already in circulation within India.
Allama Azmi's missionary life spans nearly fifty years. During this period, he has helped to build many organisations and institutions all over the world such mosques, colleges and universities in America, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany
, Norway
, Belgium
and India
. Al-Jame-atul-Islamia
in Raunahi alone had four hundred Ulemas graduate in 2011. He has been presented with hundreds of awards and certificates of appreciations including the recent Mufti-e-Azam Gold Medal Award by the Raza Academy in Mumbai where a collection of articles by scholars and key figures from the world on his life and contributions were published in a book entitled Tajal-liyat-e-Qamar.
in the State of Uttar Pardesh, India to a deeply religious and educated family. He was given the name Mohammad Qamaruzzaman Khan Azmi. His father was Molvi Abdul Hameed Khan who was the son of Molvi Abdul Samad Khan. He learnt Persian and Urdu from his father and grandfather and obtained initial Islamic education from a local institution called Anwar-ul-Uloom.
Allama Azmi became known for his piety and the great intellectual and scholarly abilities from an early age. He was admitted into one of India's best Islamic Institutes, Ashrafia, Azamgarh at the age of twelve. From there he went onto to Nadwatul Ulama University and at the age of eighteen he completed his Aalim degree and returned to Al Jamiatul Ashrafia
where he was awarded the Dastar-e-Fazilat (Turban of Honour) and the Sanad (Islamic degree) by the hands of the founder of that University, His Holiness Hafiz-e-Millat Hazrat Maulana Abdul Aziz Muhaddith-e-Muradabadi.
He was commissioned in 1966 at the age of eighteen by His Holiness Hafiz-e-Millat Hazrat Maulana Abdul Aziz Muhaddith-e-Muradabadi to go to Faizabad
(near Lucknow
) to start his missionary work. There at the age of eighteen years he established the Islamic university, Al-Jame-atul-Islamia
, which is now recognised as one of India's top Islamic universities.
, was made in the Holy City of Mecca
Ra'ees-ul-Qalam Hazrat Allama Arshadul Qaudri invited Hazrat Allama Azmi to join him as its Joint-Secretary-General and he then moved to Bradford
, UK in 1974. By doing so, he became one of the first to begin missionary work in Europe, America and Canada.
. These include:
These mosques and Islamic centres were built with involvement and supervision of above named people and Allama Azmi. There are some other centers which were formed with the support of the World Islamic Mission like Al-Suffa Public School, Al-Quba Public School etc.
describes Huzoor Mufakkir-e-Islam as the chief mentor and guide of Sunni Dawat-e-Islami. He attends the Annual International Ijtema in Mumbai which attracts 150,000-200,000 people each year. The Sunni Dawat-e-Islami is an international organization working in India, United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Africa, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It has established numerous large institutions including:
• Noor-e-Madina College
• Heera School
• Malik bin Dinar College
• Qadria College
• Ismail Habib Mosque
, the world famous poet Meraj Faizabadi' and leading international organisations like the Sunni Dawat-e-Islami
which states him on its website as its Chief Mentor and Guide. His students include Allama Mufti Qamar-ul-Hassan the Mufti-e-Azam of America; Allama Farogh-ul-Qadri, the Chief Imam of Khizra Mosque in Glasgow; Allama Abu Zahra Rizvi, Allama Arshad Misbahi, the Chief Imam of Manchester Central Mosque; Dr Musharraf Hussain
,Director of Karimia Institute; Maulana Faisal Noorani; Dr Waqar Azmi
OBE;
Allama Maulana Qamaruzzaman Azmi (Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
: قمرالزمان اعظمى) is a prominent scholar in the Ahle sunnah wal jamah and Sufism. Millions of people across the Indian Sub-Continent, Middle East, Europe, America and Canada revere and respect him. The Times of India wrote on 2 November 2010: "Allama Azmi is undoubtedly the most sought-after preacher of Ahle sunnah wal jamah".
He is the Khalifa of Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi's son Mustafa Raza Khan
Mustafa Raza Khan
Mustafa Raza Khan, commonly known among the Muslims of South Asia as Mufti e Azam e Hind, was born in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1892. His father, Ahmed Raza Khan was the founder of the Barelvi school of Sunni Islam in South Asia.. His grandfather, Moulana Naqi Ali Khan Mustafa Raza Khan,...
and Sayyad Mukhtar Ashraf of Kicchocha Sharif. He is Secretary-General of the World Islamic Mission
World Islamic Mission
The World Islamic Mission is an international Muslim organisation of Sunni Muslims. It was started by Qaid-e-Ahle Sunnat Hazrat Shah Ahmad Noorani Siddiqi, Hazur Aalmi Muballigh e Islam Pir Syed Ma'roof Hussain Shah Arif Qadri Naushahi and Ra'ees-ul-Qalam Hazrat Allama Arshadul Qaudri in Holy...
.
Maulana Shahid Raza OBE Chairman of the UK's Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board wrote: "Allama Azmi is not only the Imam of oration admired for his public lectures which have inspired millions of young and old Muslims in the sub continent, Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America but he is also a great Islamic Thinker of the 21st Century".
Maulana Shahid Raza OBE further argues that: "Allama Azmi's importance lies primarily in his awareness of the problems faced by Muslims when confronted with modernity. His familiarity with western philosophical and cultural ideas coupled with his vast knowledge of the Islamic sciences and orthodox as well as modern trends in Islamic thought has resulted in him being a figure of intellectual force in the field of a revival of Islamic environment. He believes that the future of the Ummah is in the hands of Muslims themselves. Poverty and humiliation of Muslims in the contemporary world has always been a prime concern for him, however he considers that Muslims themselves are largely responsible for this downfall due to a lack of education, activism and an aspiring soul".
Phillip Lewis (1994) quotes Allama Azmi in his book Islamic Britain: Religion, Politics and Identity among British Muslims, that Islam and secular society can co-exist and "the widely shared perception that secular necessarily implies irreligion is simply wrong. In India, he contends, a secular state can offer security to Muslims since it is compatible with acknowledging that religion is important and, that in a religiously plural environment the state does not allow believers in one religious tradition to enjoy a privileged status. All are citizens with equal rights. Indeed, in India, Muslims are allowed to conform to their own Muslim family law".
Allama Azmi is a force for equal rights for women and argues that women must be allowed to play their role in creating a just and evil-free society and is opposed to extremism and terrorism. He argues that those who use the name of Islam to terrorise are enemies of Allah and Islam. No injustice or assault, real or imagined, can be an excuse for resorting to violence and maiming innocents.
Books about him
A lot has already been written about Allama Azmi throughout the world. Saut-ul-Azhar, the Egyptian newspaper recently carried an extensive piece on his life, contributions and scholarly orations. Elsewhere, newspapers and journals in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
have written hundreds of articles on him.
A collection of his scholarly speecheshas been published in three volumes. Volume one was put together by Maulana Mohammed Rehan Raza Misbahi and Maulana Abdullah Azmi in a 376-page book consisting of twelve speeches entitled Khutbaat-e-Muffakir-e-Islam (Speeches of the Great Thinker of Islam) published by Maktaba Taiba, Mumbai, India.
Volume two was put together by Maulana Mohammed Sajid Hussain Qadri in a 512-page book consisting of nineteen speeches entitled Khutbaat-e-Muffakir-e-Islam (Speeches of the Great Thinker of Islam) and published by Maktaba Taiba, Hyderabad. This was launched by Tajus-Shari'a Hazrat Maulana Mufti Akhtar Raza Khan and Mohaddith-e-Kabir Hazrat Allama Zia-ul-Mustafa.
Volume three was put together by Imran Hussain Chaudhary in a 240-page book consisting of eleven speeches entitled Ilmi taqreeray'n (scholarly speeches) and published by the Sunni Foundation in 2008 in Pakistan.
His collection of poetry Khayabaan-e-Midhat volume one was published in 2007 by Maktaba Taiba, Mumbai, India and volume two in 2011 by the Sunni Foundation in Pakistan. He has written more than 200 articles which are being collated and published in volumes under the title Maqaalat-e-Muffakir-e-Islam. His books like Jamaal-e-Mustafa are already in circulation within India.
Allama Azmi's missionary life spans nearly fifty years. During this period, he has helped to build many organisations and institutions all over the world such mosques, colleges and universities in America, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Al-Jame-atul-Islamia
Al-Jame-atul-Islamia
Al-Jame-atul Islamia is one of the largest and most reputable Islamic seminaries of the Ahle sunnah wal jamah Muslims in India. It is located in Raunahi near Lucknow, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in India.-History:...
in Raunahi alone had four hundred Ulemas graduate in 2011. He has been presented with hundreds of awards and certificates of appreciations including the recent Mufti-e-Azam Gold Medal Award by the Raza Academy in Mumbai where a collection of articles by scholars and key figures from the world on his life and contributions were published in a book entitled Tajal-liyat-e-Qamar.
Early years
Allama Azmi was born on 23 March 1946 in the district of AzamgarhAzamgarh
Azamgarh is a town in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is headquarters of Azamgarh district and Azamgarh Division.-History:Azamgarh, one of the easternmost districts of the State, once formed a part of the ancient Kosala kingdom, except the north-eastern part of it which was included in the...
in the State of Uttar Pardesh, India to a deeply religious and educated family. He was given the name Mohammad Qamaruzzaman Khan Azmi. His father was Molvi Abdul Hameed Khan who was the son of Molvi Abdul Samad Khan. He learnt Persian and Urdu from his father and grandfather and obtained initial Islamic education from a local institution called Anwar-ul-Uloom.
Allama Azmi became known for his piety and the great intellectual and scholarly abilities from an early age. He was admitted into one of India's best Islamic Institutes, Ashrafia, Azamgarh at the age of twelve. From there he went onto to Nadwatul Ulama University and at the age of eighteen he completed his Aalim degree and returned to Al Jamiatul Ashrafia
Al Jamiatul Ashrafia
Al Jamiatul Ashrafia is the largest Islamic seminary of Sunni Barelwi Muslims of India. It is also known among AhleSunnah Circles as Oxford of Barelwis. It is located in Mubarakpur, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-History:...
where he was awarded the Dastar-e-Fazilat (Turban of Honour) and the Sanad (Islamic degree) by the hands of the founder of that University, His Holiness Hafiz-e-Millat Hazrat Maulana Abdul Aziz Muhaddith-e-Muradabadi.
He was commissioned in 1966 at the age of eighteen by His Holiness Hafiz-e-Millat Hazrat Maulana Abdul Aziz Muhaddith-e-Muradabadi to go to Faizabad
Faizabad
City of Faizabad , previous capital of Awadh, is the headquarters of Faizabad District and a municipal board in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, situated on the banks of river Ghaghra . Faizabad has a twin city of Ayodhya, which is considered to be the birthplace of Rama...
(near Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
) to start his missionary work. There at the age of eighteen years he established the Islamic university, Al-Jame-atul-Islamia
Al-Jame-atul-Islamia
Al-Jame-atul Islamia is one of the largest and most reputable Islamic seminaries of the Ahle sunnah wal jamah Muslims in India. It is located in Raunahi near Lucknow, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in India.-History:...
, which is now recognised as one of India's top Islamic universities.
Migration to UK
In 1973 when the agreement to establish the first international Sunni organisation, the World Islamic MissionWorld Islamic Mission
The World Islamic Mission is an international Muslim organisation of Sunni Muslims. It was started by Qaid-e-Ahle Sunnat Hazrat Shah Ahmad Noorani Siddiqi, Hazur Aalmi Muballigh e Islam Pir Syed Ma'roof Hussain Shah Arif Qadri Naushahi and Ra'ees-ul-Qalam Hazrat Allama Arshadul Qaudri in Holy...
, was made in the Holy City of 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...
Ra'ees-ul-Qalam Hazrat Allama Arshadul Qaudri invited Hazrat Allama Azmi to join him as its Joint-Secretary-General and he then moved to Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, UK in 1974. By doing so, he became one of the first to begin missionary work in Europe, America and Canada.
India
- Allama Azmi in 1964 at the age of eighteen laid the foundations of Al-Jame-atul-IslamiaAl-Jame-atul-IslamiaAl-Jame-atul Islamia is one of the largest and most reputable Islamic seminaries of the Ahle sunnah wal jamah Muslims in India. It is located in Raunahi near Lucknow, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in India.-History:...
(Islamiya University) in Raunahi, Faizabad, India. This institute is now affiliated with the prestigious Al-Azhar UniversityAl-Azhar UniversityAl-Azhar University is an educational institute in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 970~972 as a madrasa, it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. It is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. In 1961 non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.It is...
, CairoCairoCairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and recognised as one of the top Islamic universities in India. The graduates of this university are serving in India, Europe, United States, Africa and the Middle East. The successful establishment of the Islamiya University inspired others in the neighboring districts and Hazrat then played a significant role in supporting those neighbourhoods to establish institutes in their localities. As a result there are now Sunni institutions after every 10 to 15 miles in that region.
- Allama Azmi has extraordinary relations with Al Jamiatul AshrafiaAl Jamiatul AshrafiaAl Jamiatul Ashrafia is the largest Islamic seminary of Sunni Barelwi Muslims of India. It is also known among AhleSunnah Circles as Oxford of Barelwis. It is located in Mubarakpur, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-History:...
since the era of His Holiness Huzoor Hafiz-e-Millat. When His Holiness Huzoor Hafiz-e-Millat planned to convert this institutions to an Arabic university, Allama Azmi pledged his support to make this a reality. He attended numerous meetings with Hafiz-e-Millat (R.A.) to progress this and by the time Allama Azmi came to the UK in 1974 the arrangements for the first Arabic University were in place. During Allama Azmi’s stay in the UK, he received an offer to manage the Asharafiya University. This offer was generated from His Holiness Huzoor Hafiz-e-Millat. However, it was almost impracticable for Allama Azmi to leave the vital responsibilities and to make the swift move back to India.
United Kingdom
- Allama Azmi went to Bradford, UK in 1974 at the invitation of Hazrat Allama Arshadul Qaudri to work along with him on the platform of World Islamic Mission. Since his arrival to the UK huge work was done in a very short period of time. These included:
- The establishment of the Islamic Missionary College (IMC)
- The establishment of the International Dar-ul-Iftaa
- The establishment of Al Falaah (an organisation for young people)
- The publication of Al-dawat-ul-Islamiya - Monthly Islamic Journal
- In 1979 Allama Azmi moved to Manchester and within a short period of time he laid the foundations of Ibad-ur-Rehman Trust and built a huge mosque with capacity to hold 2,500 worshippers at a cost of £1.5 million. Kulliyat-ud-dirasatil Islamiya (College of Islamic studies) was formed under his supervision costing £1 million. He also established a monthly journal as its chief editor, The Monthly Hijaz London, which became a very popular globally.
- Allama Azmi travelled on a regular basis to Leicester between 1976 to 1978 to cultivate the land for a mainstream Sunni institution. This is before Allama Shahid Raza Naeemi came to Leicester. Allama Azmi chose the Southerland Mosque to deliver his lectures. However, he had to debate and hold 'manazara' because it was controlled by Jamaat-e-Islami. However, the speeches of Hazrat Allama Azmi unveiled the true face of the Jamaat-e-Islami and soon the mosque became part of the Sunni mainstream.
- Allama Azmi participated in the foundation of Masjid Noor-ul-Islam Bolton with Hazrat Sayyid Noorani Baba.
- Allama Azmi visited numerous times the Al-Khizra Mosque in Glasgow Scotland which is shaped with enormous support of World Islamic Mission. Hazrat Allama Arshadul Qadri also visited this mosque for a few times. There was sufficient support of Allama Azmi sahib to establish this centre.
The Netherlands & Norway
Many mosques which were founded in the headship of Hazrat Allama Shah Ahmed Noorani Siddiqi (Alihirrahmah), Hazrat Allama Arshadul Qadri (Alihirrahmah), Hazrat Maulana Shahid Raza OBE and Allama Azmi in the Netherlands and NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. These include:
- Jamia Masjid-e-Taibah, Amsterdam, Holland
- Jamia Anwaar-e-Qoeba Masjid, Utrecht, Holland
- Masjid Anwar-e-Madina, Eindhoven, Holland
- Masjid Gulzar-e-Madina, Zwolle, Holland
- Masjid Al firdaus, Lelystad, Holland
- Madinatul Islam College, Den Haag, Holland
- Al Madina Masjid, Den Haag, Holland
- World Islamic Mission Mosque, Oslo, Norway
These mosques and Islamic centres were built with involvement and supervision of above named people and Allama Azmi. There are some other centers which were formed with the support of the World Islamic Mission like Al-Suffa Public School, Al-Quba Public School etc.
United States and Canada
- Masjid-e-Al Noor, Huston, Texas: this is the first purpose built mosque for Ahlus-Sunnah in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. This is a massive mosque with a huge vicinity. Allama Azmi laid the foundations for this great center and worked to help build it.
- Islamic Centre Chicago: this centre was founded under the guidance of Hazrat Mufakkir-e-Islam Allama Azmi and Hazrat Shaikh-ul-Islam Maulana Sayyid Madni Ashrafi.
- Masjid Noor-ul-Haram, Toronto, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
: Allama Azmi has been visiting Canada for many years. Following the death of Qaid-e-Ahle Sunnat Allama Shah Ahmed Noorani Siddiqi (Alihirrahmah), Hazrat became the Chairman of World Islamic Mission Canada. Hazrat Qaid-e-Ahle Sunnat presided over this organization previously. An 11 acre land has been purchased to build the biggest mosque in Canada. The Masjid Noor-ul-Haram is now entering a phase when work could begin.
Sunni Dawat-e-Islami
The Sunni Dawat-e-IslamiSunni Dawat-e-Islami
Sunni Dawat-e-Islami is a non-political Sunni movement to propagate the Quraan and Sunnah.-Foundation:Sunni Dawat-e-Islami was founded by Maulana Shakir Ali Noori in 1991 in India...
describes Huzoor Mufakkir-e-Islam as the chief mentor and guide of Sunni Dawat-e-Islami. He attends the Annual International Ijtema in Mumbai which attracts 150,000-200,000 people each year. The Sunni Dawat-e-Islami is an international organization working in India, United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Africa, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It has established numerous large institutions including:
• Noor-e-Madina College
• Heera School
• Malik bin Dinar College
• Qadria College
• Ismail Habib Mosque
His mentees and students
His mentees include figures like Azmi Maulana Obaidullah KhanAzmi Maulana Obaidullah Khan
Shri Azmi Maulana Obaidullah Khan, a politician from the Indian National Congress party, is a member of the Parliament of India representing Madhya Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. He is also known as one of the prominent and spellbound speakers to address...
, the world famous poet Meraj Faizabadi' and leading international organisations like the Sunni Dawat-e-Islami
Sunni Dawat-e-Islami
Sunni Dawat-e-Islami is a non-political Sunni movement to propagate the Quraan and Sunnah.-Foundation:Sunni Dawat-e-Islami was founded by Maulana Shakir Ali Noori in 1991 in India...
which states him on its website as its Chief Mentor and Guide. His students include Allama Mufti Qamar-ul-Hassan the Mufti-e-Azam of America; Allama Farogh-ul-Qadri, the Chief Imam of Khizra Mosque in Glasgow; Allama Abu Zahra Rizvi, Allama Arshad Misbahi, the Chief Imam of Manchester Central Mosque; Dr Musharraf Hussain
Musharraf Hussain
Musharraf Hussain is a Scientist, Educationist and a world fame Religious Scholar in Nottinghamshire, UK.-Biography:Musharraf Hussain is the Chief Executive of the Karimia institute Nottingham and the Chief Editor of The Invitation a family magazine, managing director of national bilingual...
,Director of Karimia Institute; Maulana Faisal Noorani; Dr Waqar Azmi
Waqar Azmi
Dr. Waqar Azmi OBE is the chairman of Waterhouse Consulting Group and EU Ambassador of Intercultural Dialogue . Prior to this, he was the UK Government’s Chief Diversity Adviser at the Cabinet Office. He worked at the highest levels with responsibility for driving forward Government priorities...
OBE;
What leaders & critics say
- His Holiness Mufti-e-Azam-e-Hind Hazrat Maulana Mustafa Raza KhanMustafa Raza KhanMustafa Raza Khan, commonly known among the Muslims of South Asia as Mufti e Azam e Hind, was born in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1892. His father, Ahmed Raza Khan was the founder of the Barelvi school of Sunni Islam in South Asia.. His grandfather, Moulana Naqi Ali Khan Mustafa Raza Khan,...
who was the holy son of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan BarelviBarelviBarelvi is a term used for the movement of Sufi , Sunni Islam originating in the Indian subcontinent.The Movement is known as Ahle Sunnat movement to its followers....
made him his Khalifa. His Holiness would wish to be present to listen to Allama Azmi's speech. He was so fond of Allama's speech that during Raipur's Ijtima, whilst being fragile with old age, he said to the organisers to bring him to the stage before Allama Azmi's speech so that he could listen to it. On this occasion, however, he wasn't brought on time and, therefore, was very upset that he missed Allama's speech. At another Ijtima in Jabal Pur Allama Azmi cut his speech short since there were many other great scholars and speakers present, however, His Holiness asked him to continue and complete his speech.
- His Holiness Hafiz-e-Millat Allama Abdul Aziz Muradabadi, founder of Al Jamiatul AshrafiaAl Jamiatul AshrafiaAl Jamiatul Ashrafia is the largest Islamic seminary of Sunni Barelwi Muslims of India. It is also known among AhleSunnah Circles as Oxford of Barelwis. It is located in Mubarakpur, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-History:...
Mubarakpur was present at an Ijtima in Mubarakpur listening to Allama Sahib's speech on 'Namaaz' (Salaah). Allama Sahib spoke for three hours leaving the audience in awe. His Holiness stood up and asked: "O people, there are many of you who like me are over the age of seventy in this audience. Can you tell me if you have ever heard a greater speech than this. The audience replied: "No". Then His Holiness said: "From this day on I award him the title of "Khateeb-e-Azam" (the Great Orator). Please note that in the audience the current Shaikh-ul-Hadith of Al Jamiatul Ashrafia, Hazrat Allama Mohammad Ahmed Misbahi was also present.
- The scholar Allama Abul Wafa Faseehi Ghazipuri (who was given the title Sahbaan-ul-Hind after the great orator of Iran) would be in awe when Allama Sahib spoke.
- The scholar Hazrat Allama Mushtaq Ahmed Nizami said: "This is the good fortune of the Ahle sunnah wal jamah that a great scholar like Allama Qamaruzzaman is amongst us".
- Ra'ees-ut-Tahrir Hazrat Allama Arshadul Qaudri: "In the line up of Ulema there are few who have achieved greatness in both writing and oratory skills and can answer the challenges of the modern world with such mastery. He is unique in the Ahle sunnah wal jamah".
- Bahr-ul-Uloom Hazrat Allama Mufti Abdul Mannan Sahib wrote in one of his articles that Maulana Qamaruzzaman's greatness is such that he could prepare a speech for hours just on one or two words of Hafiz-e-Millat. In his introductory remarks at a programme at Al Jamiatul AshrafiaAl Jamiatul AshrafiaAl Jamiatul Ashrafia is the largest Islamic seminary of Sunni Barelwi Muslims of India. It is also known among AhleSunnah Circles as Oxford of Barelwis. It is located in Mubarakpur, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-History:...
he said: "The most difficult subjects that can only be taught by great scholars are brought to life with ease by Allama Azmi Sahib in an inspiring and beautiful way".
- Syed Shahabuddin, Indian Foreign Services (IFS) and Leader of the Insaf PartyInsaf PartyInsaf Party , was a Muslim political party. IP was founded by Syed Shahabuddin in 1989 as a split from the Janata Party, as a protest against the tie-up between V.P. Singh and Bharatiya Janata Party. When the V.P. Singh government fell in 1990, IP was dissolved.Syed Shahabuddin later revived IP,...
, after hearing Allama Sahib's speech, said: "This is the first speech after one of the great founding fathers of India, Maulana Abu Kalam Azad and the great orator, Maulana Azad Subhani that I have been so overwhelmed by". This programme was held in Gaya and Hazrat Maulana Syed Shah Sirajul Huda and Hazrat Maulana Qamaruzzaman Gayani were present.
- Iftikhar ArifIftikhar ArifIftikhar Hussain Arif, PP, SI, HI commonly known as Iftikhar Arif is an Urdu poet, scholar and littérateur from Pakistan. His style is romantic Urdu poetry. He has headed Academy Adbiyat, the Pakistan Academy of Letters and currently, he is the Chairman of Muqtadra Quami Zaban, the National...
, the author, poet and Chairman of Muqtadra, Pakistan wrote in the Jang newspaper: "Qamaruzzaman is a great faqee'h, poet and writer and this is unique as the three don't come together in one".
- Iftikhar Azmi, the writer, used to attend regularly the 'Dars' given by Allama Sahib in Bradford and in one of his articles he commented on the 'magical way' of Allama Sahib's Tafseer".
- An Urdu poet and writer, Professor Giyassuddin Qureshie of Newcastle University used to attend Allama Sahib's Dars in Leeds regularly. That's where he learnt about Imam Ahmed Raza Khan and fell so much in love that he translated the 'Salaam-e-Raza' and 'Al-Daulatul Makkiya' in English poetry.
- Allama Shahid Raza OBE, Chairman of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board said: "Allama Azmi is not only the 'Imam' of oration admired for his public lectures which have inspired millions of young and old Muslims in the sub continent, Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America but he is also a great Islamic Thinker of the 21st Century".
- Sahibzada Sayyid Hamid Saeed KazmiHamid Saeed KazmiHamid Saeed Kazmi was the Pakistani federal Minister for Religious Affairs, belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party under the cabinet of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani. Kazmi was born in a well-to-do religious family; his father, Ahmad Saeed Kazmi, was a prominent Sufi and Islamic scholar. He...
, Cabinet Minister for Religious Affairs, Government of PakistanGovernment of PakistanThe Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...
wrote: "Hazrat Allama Azmi is not only the king of oration but as a thinker there is no one like him in modern day". He went on to write: "When I listen to his great speeches I feel like revisiting mine; when I hear his intellectual thoughts I feel guided; when I experience his beautiful manners I feel exposed".
- The Times of IndiaThe Times of IndiaThe Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
wrote on 2 November 2010: "There are two kinds of Sunni Muslims in the world: those who have met or heard Allama Qamaruzzaman Azmi and those who haven't. His lucid speeches peppered with repeated references to Quranic commandments and the life of the Prophet and his companions have a charismatic effect; they go straight to the heart. Unlike many rabble-rousing parochial preachers and Islam-supremacist televangelists Azmi uses words to calm nerves, close breaches and salve wounds".
- Munaf Solaiman, President of the World Islamic MissionWorld Islamic MissionThe World Islamic Mission is an international Muslim organisation of Sunni Muslims. It was started by Qaid-e-Ahle Sunnat Hazrat Shah Ahmad Noorani Siddiqi, Hazur Aalmi Muballigh e Islam Pir Syed Ma'roof Hussain Shah Arif Qadri Naushahi and Ra'ees-ul-Qalam Hazrat Allama Arshadul Qaudri in Holy...
, Canada: "Canadian Muslims from coast to coast look forward to the continued presence of Muffakir-e-Azam Allama Qamar-uz-Zaman Azmi here in Canada where he has already left a legacy which only a scholar of his magnanimity and humility can hope to achieve".
- Taj Mohammad Qadri of Al-Azhar UniversityAl-Azhar UniversityAl-Azhar University is an educational institute in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 970~972 as a madrasa, it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. It is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. In 1961 non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.It is...
, CairoCairoCairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
in his article on Allama Sahib's life published in the Egyptian newspaper Saut-ul-Azhar wrote: "The great contemporary thinker for Islamic issues, a great scholar of Islam, and a great orator Allama Maulana Qamaruzzaman Azmi is known not only all over the Indian sub-continent but all over the world".
- Professor Waqar Ahmed who is the Chair of NanotechnologyNanotechnologyNanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
& Advanced Manufacturing and Head of Institute of Nanotechnology & Bioengineering as well as Leader of NanomedicineNanomedicineNanomedicine is the medical application of nanotechnology. Nanomedicine ranges from the medical applications of nanomaterials, to nanoelectronic biosensors, and even possible future applications of molecular nanotechnology. Current problems for nanomedicine involve understanding the issues related...
and NanoengineeringNanoengineeringNanoengineering is the practice of engineering on the nanoscale. It derives its name from the nanometre, a unit of measurement equalling one billionth of a meter....
Research Group at the University of Central LancashireUniversity of Central LancashireThe University of Central Lancashire is a university based in Preston, Lancashire, England.The university has its roots in The Institution For The Diffusion Of Useful Knowledge which was founded in 1828. In 1992 it was granted University status by the Privy Council...
wrote: "Allama Azmi is one of the most lucid and original thinkers of his generation. He is internationally renowned for the depth of his knowledge on all aspects of Islam. However, I have been most impressed with his interest and appreciation of science and technology and its importance in modern Islamic society. For two decades I have had the privilege of listening to his numerous lectures and debates. His insights, guidance and love have provided the foundational pillars for my own success and happiness. His dynamic powerhouse style has inspired thousands of Muslim professionals in Manchester to live a pious life. Allama Azmi is not only a great leader but also a truly amazing and wonderful human being".
- Jim Karygiannis M.P., House of Commons of Canada: on 13 July 2002 awarded a certificate of commendation to Allama Azmi for his services and wrote: "In my capacity as Member of Parliament it gives me great pleasure to commend the renowned Islamic scholar Maulana Qamaruzzaman Azmi".
- Sir Iqbal SacranieIqbal SacranieSir Iqbal Abdul Karim Mussain Sacranie, OBE served as General Secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain until June 2006. He arrived in UK in 1969. He was founding Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain , and served four further years as Secretary General from 2002 to 2004 and 2004 to...
, Founding Secretary-General, the Muslim Council of Britain: "Just before the formation of the Muslim Council of BritainMuslim Council of BritainThe Muslim Council of Britain is a self-appointed umbrella body for national, regional, local and specialist organisations and institutions from different ethnic and sectarian backgrounds within British Islamic society. It was established in 1997 to help Muslims, to increase education about the...
(MCB), I was part of the major consultation process meeting senior leaders and scholars of the Muslim community in the UK. I had the pleasure of meeting Allama Sahib and sought his advice as one of the leading Islamic scholars in the UK. I was not only inspired but deeply impressed with his foresightedness and vision for the Muslim community in the UK. His fullest support and encouragement for the Muslim community in the UK to work together under one umbrella body was instrumental in setting up of MCB. I have valued immensely his guidance and counsel over the years."
- Mohammed Sarwar, former Member of Parliament, House of Commons of the United Kingdom: "Allama Azmi is a great scholar and personality of the Muslim world. His powerful orations, depth of knowledge, grip over current affairs and deep passion for driving change for the better is exceptional. His presence in Scotland over the years has had a huge positive impact on the life of Muslim communities and is highly commendable".
See also
- North Manchester Jamia MosqueNorth Manchester Jamia MosqueNorth Manchester Jamia Mosque, is a Mosque in the Cheetham Hill, area of Manchester, England, run under the headship of His Eminence Muffakir-e-Islam Hazrat Allama Maulana Qamaruzzaman Azmi by the Ibadur-Rahman Trust. It is one of the largest Muslim centres in Europe...
- Al-Jame-atul-IslamiaAl-Jame-atul-IslamiaAl-Jame-atul Islamia is one of the largest and most reputable Islamic seminaries of the Ahle sunnah wal jamah Muslims in India. It is located in Raunahi near Lucknow, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in India.-History:...
- World Islamic MissionWorld Islamic MissionThe World Islamic Mission is an international Muslim organisation of Sunni Muslims. It was started by Qaid-e-Ahle Sunnat Hazrat Shah Ahmad Noorani Siddiqi, Hazur Aalmi Muballigh e Islam Pir Syed Ma'roof Hussain Shah Arif Qadri Naushahi and Ra'ees-ul-Qalam Hazrat Allama Arshadul Qaudri in Holy...
- Sunni Dawat-e-IslamiSunni Dawat-e-IslamiSunni Dawat-e-Islami is a non-political Sunni movement to propagate the Quraan and Sunnah.-Foundation:Sunni Dawat-e-Islami was founded by Maulana Shakir Ali Noori in 1991 in India...
- Ahmed Raza Khan
- Mustafa Raza KhanMustafa Raza KhanMustafa Raza Khan, commonly known among the Muslims of South Asia as Mufti e Azam e Hind, was born in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1892. His father, Ahmed Raza Khan was the founder of the Barelvi school of Sunni Islam in South Asia.. His grandfather, Moulana Naqi Ali Khan Mustafa Raza Khan,...
- BarelviBarelviBarelvi is a term used for the movement of Sufi , Sunni Islam originating in the Indian subcontinent.The Movement is known as Ahle Sunnat movement to its followers....
- AzmiAzmi-Given name:* Azmi Bishara, Arab politician* Azmi Khalid, Malaysian politician* Azmi Nassar, Israeli football manager* Azmi Turgut, Turkish basketball player* Mikhled Al-Azmi, Kuwaiti politician-Surname:Mainly adopted by people from Azamgarh...
- AzamgarhAzamgarhAzamgarh is a town in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is headquarters of Azamgarh district and Azamgarh Division.-History:Azamgarh, one of the easternmost districts of the State, once formed a part of the ancient Kosala kingdom, except the north-eastern part of it which was included in the...
External links
- http://allamaazmi.com/
- Allama Qamaruzzaman Azmi