Maulana Ziauddin Islahi

Maulana Ziauddin Islahi

Ziauddin Islahi (1937 – 2 February 2008) was an Islamic scholar who served as Director and Secretary of the Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy Azamgarh India (1988–2008) and as Director of Madarsatul Islah, Saraimir Azamgarh India until 2008.

Ziauddin Islahi was born to a religious family in 1937 in the village of Saharya, near Nizambad, in Azamgarh district, India. He studied in Madarsatul Islah, Saraimir. He was a student of Akhtar Ahsan Islahi, a disciple of Hamiduddin Farahi. His elder brother Qamruddin Islahi was also a student of Madarsatul Islah and of Amin Ahsan Islahi, the famous disciple and heir of Hamiduddin Farahi. After completing his education, the young Ziauddin joined Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy as a research scholar (Rafiq) in 1957 when Shah Moinuddin Nadvi was Director of The Academy. Ziauddin Islahi became Director and Secretary of The Academy in 1988 after the death of Syed Sabahuddin Abdur Rahman. He had also served as Nazim (Director) of Madarsatul Islah, Azamgarh till his last breath. He was a member of management committees of Darul-uloom Nadwatul Ulama in (Lucknow), Darul Uloom Tajul Masajid (Bhopal) and Jamiatul Falah (Azamgarh) and several other Muslim institutes and organisations across India. He was also a member of Majlis-e-Amala of UP Urdu Academy and Member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board. He had also served as Member of Court in Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh for several terms.

Ziauddin Islahi addressed numerous seminars and conferences on literary, religious and social issues in India and abroad. For his contributions in Arabic, he received the President of India Award in 1995 during the presidency of Shankar Dayal Sharma.

Islahi died in a car accident in Varansi (Banaras) on 2 February 2008. The accident took place on Friday, 1 February, between Sanjarpur and Phariha in Azamgarh. He was rushed to a hospital in Azamgarh, but, due to the serious nature of his injuries, he was shifted to Benaras Hindu University Medical College in Varansi, where he died. His wife was also injured in the accident but she survived. He was survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters.

Islahi's association for more than half a century with the Shibli Academy prompted the Academy management to bury him within the premises where Shibli Nomani, his son Hamid Nomani and former Secretary Sabahuddin Abdur Rahman were buried. The Janazah & Tadfeen took place on 3 February 2008, led by Rabey Husni Nadvi, rector of Darul-uloom Nadwatul Ulama in (Lucknow) and President of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.