Ehsan Elahi Zaheer

Infobox_Philosopher
region = Muslim scholar
era = Modern era
color = #B0C4DE
image_caption = Pakistan
name = Ehsan Elahi Zaheer
birth = 1945
death = 1987
school_tradition = Sunni

Ehsaan Ilahi Zaheer (1945-1987) was a Muslim scholar and author from Pakistan.

Biography

As Khalid Ahmad wrote in The Times, His discipleship of the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, Bin Baz, made him a strong man in Pakistan in the Ahle Hadith tradition. He was young and extremely ambitious but was cut down at the beginning of what was perhaps to be a decisive career in the history of Pakistan.

Daily Khabrain Lahore (22 March 2003) published a brief biographical note on late Allama Ehsan Elahi Zaheer of Jamiat Ahle Hadith who was killed by a bomb on 23 March 1987 in Lahore near Qila Lachchman Singh. Along with him four other Ahle Hadith scholars had also died. He had published a number of virulently sectarian monographs in Arabic and was known to receive direct financial assistance from Saudi Arabia. His father did not send him to school but got him trained on Quran and then sent him for more religious education to Jamiya Islamiya in Gujranwala. In 1963, after qualifying, he was sent by the seminary to its headquarters in Madina University from he acquired the highest degree. Back home in 1967 he passed many exams: MA in English, MA in political science, MA in Persian, MA in Urdu and Law. He was made leader of prayers at the mosque in Chinianwali. After he was blown up by a bomb he was taken to a local hospital from where he was taken to Saudi Arabia on orders of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia who sent his personal plane for him.

Birth

He was born on Thursday, May 31st 1945 in the city of Sialkot in Pakistan.

Education

He studied at Jamia Islamiyyah Gujranwala and at Jamia Salafiyyah in Faisalabad before leaving to study abroad at the prestigious Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia, where he studied under well known contemporary Islamic scholars such as Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani and Abd-al-Aziz ibn Abd-Allah ibn Baaz. After graduating from the department of Sharia he returned to his country and pursued further education and received his Masters in Arabic, Islamic Studies, Urdu and Persian.

-al-Qadiyaniyyah [refutation] -ash-Shia Was-Sunnah [refutation] -ash-Shia Wa-Ahlul-Bayt [refutation] -ash-Shia Wal-Qur'aan [which includes over 12,000 narrations of the Shia] -ash-Shia wat-TaShia [refutation] -Baynash-Shia Wa Ahlus-Sunnah [refutation] -Babiyyahs [refutation] -al-Baha'iyyah [refutation] -at-Tassawuf al-Mansha Wal-Masadir [refutation of the Sufis] -al-Ismaa'eeliyyah [refutation] -al-Barailwiyyah [refutation] -A explanation of Kitaab al-Wasilah by Shaikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah -Kitab us-Salah -Saffar Hijaaz & many many more.

During his final year of study at Medina Bin Baz asked him to deliver lectures, a very rare opportunity amongst attending students. During this time his book ‘al-Qadiyaniyyah’ was also to be printed in Madina. Ehsan Elahi however wanted to include on the book ‘Graduate of Madina University' but at that time he had not actually graduated. He went to see Shaikh bin Baaz who was at that time the chancellor of Madina University, Shaikh bin Baaz agreed and granted him permission to do so. Ehsan Elahi then asked the Shaikh ‘What if I fail my degree?’ to which Shaikh bin Baaz replied, ‘I will close the University.’

Death

Zaheer had earned his fair share of controversy during his lifetime due to his well know debates with the leaders of various movements within the Muslim world, whom Zaheer viewed as deviated from the religious practices of the companions of Muhammad and the early generations of Muslims. This led to a number of death threats against him by various extremists, including an assassination attempt when he was visiting the United States and a Fatwa put out for Zaheer's death by Ayatollah Khomeini. [ [http://www.salafimanhaj.com/pdf/SalafiManhaj_ShaykhIhsaan.pdf Biography of Ihsaan Ilahi Thahir] , pg. 38] In particular, his books and debates were known to have gained the ire of and death threats from members of the Barelwi, Shi'a, and Ahmadiyya sects, with previous incidents of extremist members assassinating and kidnapping Sunni Muslim figures. [ [http://www.salafimanhaj.com/pdf/SalafiManhaj_ShaykhIhsaan.pdf Biography of Ihsaan Ilahi Thair] , pg. 39]

These death threats were finally carried out on March 23, 1987. While giving a speech on the biography of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, a bomb which had been planted on the stage exploded eventually killing Zaheer along with 18 attendees; 114 were seriously injured. [Muhammad as-Saayim, Martyrs of the Islamic Da'wah During the 20th Century, Cairo: Daar-ul-Fadeelah, 1992, pg. 166] Of the death toll, nine were also scholars and teachers within the Salafi and Ahle Hadith movements. [Muhammad Ibraaheem ash-Shaybaanee, Ihsan Ilahi Thahir: al-Jihad wal-'Ilm min al-Hayat ilal Mamat, Kuwait: Maktabat Ibn Taymiyyah, pg.23] [Muhammad as-Saayim, Martys of the Islamic Da'wah During the 20th Century, pg. 167] ['Abdul-Qaadir 'Abdul-Kareem, "Aggressive Attempts Made Against the Salafi Movement in Pakistan," Majallat ud-Da'wah (magazine), no. 1115, Monday November 9, 1987, pg.31] Zaheer initially survived the blast and after initial treatment at the central hospital of Lahore, he was transferred for further medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.

He died on 30th March 1987 after spending 22 hours in a Riyadh hospital. Bin Baaz, whilst crying, led his funeral prayer in Riyadh. It was considered one of the most historical funerals ever prayed in Riyadh that included countless scholars and students of Islamic studies. The funeral attendance was estimated at a few thousand, after which his body was taken to the Baqi graveyard. [ [http://almuttaqoon.com/ar/t150.htm Biography on al-Muttaqoon] ] His body was buried next to the grave of Malik ibn Anas.

Works

his famous books: “ash-Shia Was-Sunnah” “ash-Shia Wa-Ahlul-Bayt” “ash-Shia Wal-Qur'aan” “ash-Shiawat-TaShia” “Baynash-Shia Wa Ahlus-Sunnah”"Al brelwiyah"

References

External links

* [http://www.salafimanhaj.com/pdf/SalafiManhaj_ShaykhIhsaan.pdf Biography of Ehsan Elahi Zaheer]