Moulana Israr Ahmed’s death shocks Muslims

HYDERABAD - The demise of renowned Islamic scholar Moulana Israr Ahmed sent shock waves among Muslim community in this Indian city.

Muslim organisations and leaders expressed their shock the death of Moulana Israr Ahmed, the founder of Tanzeem-e-Islami who passed away in Pakistani city of Lahore early Wednesday.

Hundreds of Muslims offered ‘Ghaibana Namaz-e-Janaza’ (or funeral prayers in the absence of body) at Azizia Masjid, one of the biggest mosques in the city, after Maghrib prayers Wednesday evening.

Sheikh Imaduddin, the imam of the mosque, led the prayers. Addressing the gathering, he termed Moulana Israr’s death as the biggest loss for the Islamic world.

He recalled that the ‘dars-e-Quran’ (or translation and interpretation of the Quran) by the scholar and his soul-stirring lectures on the message of the Quran created an awakening in the Muslim ‘ummah’ and reconnected people, especially the youth, to the holy book.

Moulana Israr, who died at the age of 78, was a familiar face for Muslims here and in other Indian cities through his daily discourses on Peace TV and QTV.

The CDs of his lectures and speeches are also popular here.

Moulana Israr, who headed the Quran Academy, had also visited Hyderabad four years ago to deliver a series of lectures.

He was popular in the Indian sub-continent, Middle East and North America for his thought-provoking lectures on the Quran.