An Interview with Dr. Muhammad Ahamd Ghazi [Part I]

An Interview with Dr. Muhammad Ahamd Ghazi [Part I]
mahmoud_ghaziNote: Dr. Mahmoud Ahamed Ghazi was one of the great scholars and thinkers of the Islamic world from Pakistan. He was the Judge of the Federal Shariat Court of Pakistan. From his previous positions and responsibilities can be mentioned: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs of Pakistan for three years; founding member of International Islamic University Islamabad, vice president of this university for 12 years and a few years as its president. At the time of this interview he was based in Doha working with a newly established scientific and academic centre in Qatar.

Last spring, in 2009 upon the invitation of Shaikh-ul-Islam Maulana Abdul Hameed, President of Dar-ul-Uloom Zahedan, he traveled to Iran and visited Dar-ul-Uloom Zahedan. During his one week stay at the largest Islamic seminary of the Sunni community in Iran, he delivered scholarly speeches on different topics.
The eminent Muslim thinker passed away on in Islamabad, Pakistan. He was 60. Darululoom Zahedan held a special seminar in honor of late Dr. Mahmoud Ahmed Ghazi some days later.  
Talking about his scientific and research activities, he said, “The main subject of my interest is jurisprudence and Islamic history. In Islamic history I have tendency in revivalism and renewal history among Muslims, especially renewal history in last three centuries. So far, approximately around thirty books of me have been published and distributed which some of them are in Arabic, some in Urdu and some in English language.”
Dr. Ghazi expressed his point of view about educational system of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) saying, “Since the establishment of IIUI, its programmers have been intending to use the experiences of prevalent education systems in sub continent; and with keeping them in mind chalk out an educational system for this Islamic university.  There are four famous educational systems in the subcontinent which are representing four schools of thought: 1.Aligrah school of thought, 2. Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband school of thought, 3. Nadwat-ul-Ulema school of thought, 4. Jamia Millia Islamia Delhi school of thought. The efforts of the IIUI authorities have been to use the experience of these four educational systems and train a generation that along with gaining skill and expertise in Islamic teaching and values is able to recognize the needs and challenges of the day remove them and seek remedies for them”.
Replaying us about the necessity of changing the educational system of religious schools, Dr. Ghazi said, “I think this is a serious need. Those Ulama who are learning law, economics, management and other useful disciplines- that can be used to serve Islam or by them Islamic revealed knowledge can be presented with a new method to the world- they can do good services for Islam; and the training of such Ullama is the need of Islamic society today”.
About the way of using the leading resource centers and universities of western world, he said: “In my view, those people should go to western universities who are matured in terms Islamic education. They should be the standard-bearers and propagators of Islam. They should go to West with this intention to apply research methods being practiced over there, use West’s libraries and adopt whatever is fine. Dr Ghazi praised the role of Ulama and seminaries (madrssas) in the Islamic awaking and outlined religious education of the masses and reviving religious consciousness among them as their prime responsibilities.
He added more: “Ulama should not be the rivals of rulers and political leaders instead they should play the role of devoted and honest advisers and assistants for them. Ulama should fulfill the duty of telling truth and try to direct their respective nations and governments in the same way; and by training and preaching moral values they should be the guardians of their societies.

By: M. Shahnavazifar & Shabir Ahamd Samadani

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