(Asif, Karachi)
Name: Muhammad Ilyas QadiriAge: 69 YearsKnown As: Islamic ScholarFounder of the international movement for the preaching of Quran and Sunnah, Dawat-e-Islami, Maulana Ilyas Qadiri has a following of millions in 6 continents. Here are some facts about his life that you probably didn’t know: He was born to a humble family in 1950 in Karachi, Pakistan. His father passed away one year after his birth in the Holy Mina during Hajj season. He grew up in Karachi with a religious mindset all thanks to his mother’s moral upbringing. He had to work from an early age to support his family after his eldest brother’s demise in a train accident. He sold twig-brooms and confectionary items on road-side stalls to earn a living. He was always keenly interested in learning Islamic knowledge through the company of Islamic scholars and reading books. He had been an avid follower of Sunnah from an early age. He recalls:I have never shaved my beard nor trimmed it, even in times when most people did not keep a beard and it was frowned upon in the society. To spread the call towards righteousness, he founded a movement in 1981, “Dawat-e-Islami” whose message has currently reached more than 190 countries. In the early days of this movement, he would tour remote villages and travel in shabby public buses to deliver speeches and call towards Allah. Due to his relentless efforts, Dawat-e-Islami is currently working in more than 106 departments. His most notable achievement is turning the youth towards the path of Allah Almighty. His simple yet profound speeches have brought a revolution in the lives of many sinful people especially the youth. He is a spiritual guide of the Qadiri Sufi order. He is particularly inspired by the works and writings of Imam Muhammad Ghazali (1058-1111) and Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (1856-1921). For his great religious services, he is known as “Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat” (The Leader of Ahl-us-Sunnah). At the age of 69, he still holds 2-3 hour Q&A sessions for the Ummah every week at the global center of Dawat-e-Islami, “Faizan-e-Madinah” in Karachi where he answers questions on a variety of topics ranging from Islamic beliefs to spiritual cures. He has authored more than 100 books and booklets in Urdu on a variety of Islamic topics, many of which have been translated in a number of foreign and local languages. His speeches are also translated and dubbed in around 35 languages. Some Arab Sufi masters and scholars came to visit him. One of them remarked:If Allah Almighty asks me on Judgment Day if I spent time in the company of a pious person, I would reply that I sat in the company of Ilyas Qadiri for a while. To learn more about his life and character,To follow him on Facebook, go to:Facebook.com/ilyasqadriziaee