Javed Ahmad Ghamidi

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Javed Ahmed Ghamidi
SI
Ghamidi at Georgetown University, USA, 27 May 2015.
Founder and Patron Al-Mawrid (A Foundation for Islamic Research and Education) (Principal Research Fellow of Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning)
Personal
Born (1952-04-18) 18 April 1952 (age 72)
Islamic history
  • Modern philosophy
    • Notable idea(s)
    • Separation of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) from Sharia
    (Divine law)
  • Clear delineation of rules governing the primary sources of religion
  • Complete framework for study of Islam, Counter Discourse to mystical interpretation of Islam:
    Political Theorist
    • Poet
    Muslim leader
    Influenced by
    Influenced
    AwardsSitara-i-Imtiaz
    Websitejavedahmadghamidi.com//

    Javed Ahmad Ghamidi (

    romanized: Jāvēd Aḥmad Ghāmidī; April 7, 1952)[3] is a Pakistani philosopher, educationist, and a scholar of Islam. He is also the founding President of Al-Mawrid Institute of Islamic Sciences and its sister organisation Danish Sara.[4]

    He became a member of the

    Wasatiyyah, on the popular electronic media of Pakistan.[7]
    Currently he is Principal Research Fellow and Chief Patron of Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning in United States. Javed Ahmad Ghamidi was named in The Muslim 500 (The World's Most Influential Muslims) in the 2019, 2020 and 2021 editions.

    Early life

    Javed Ahmed Ghamidi was born as Muhammad Shafique (later he renamed himself as Javed Ghamidi) on 18 April 1952

    Arifwala in (District Pakpattan), Punjab, Pakistan.[9] His family village settlement was Dawud in Sialkot. His father, Muhammad Tufayl Junaydi, was a landowner, involved in medicine and a committed follower of tasawwuf until his death in 1986.[10]

    Ghamidi and his two elder sisters grew up in a Sufi household. His early education included a modern path (matriculating from Islamia High School,

    Qur'an with Nur Ahmad of Nang Pal).[7]

    His first exposure to traditional Islamic studies was in the Sufi tradition. After matriculating, he came to Lahore in 1967 where he is settled ever since. Initially, he was more interested in Literature and Philosophy. He later graduated from Government College, Lahore, with a BA Honours in English Literature & Philosophy in 1972.[11]

    Ghamidi encountered the works of Hamiduddin Farahi, a scholar of the Quran by chance in a library. Finding mention of Amin Ahsan Islahi (who advanced Farahi's thought) in this work inspired Ghamidi to meet Islahi who resided in Lahore during that time. This encounter would change Ghamidi's focus from philosophy and literature, to religion.[12] In 1973, he came under the tutelage of Amin Ahsan Islahi (d. 1997), who was destined to who have a deep impact on him. He was also associated with scholar and revivalist Abu al-A‘la Mawdudi (d. 1979) for several years. He started working with them on various Islamic disciplines particularly exegesis and Islamic law.

    In his book, Maqamat (مقامات), Ghamidi starts with an essay "My Name" (میرا نام) to describe the story behind his surname, which sounds somewhat alien in the context of the Indian Subcontinent. He describes a desire during his childhood years to establish a name linkage to his late grandfather Noor Elahi, after learning of his status as the one people of the area turned to, to resolve disputes. This reputation also led to his (grandfather's) reputation as a peacemaker (مصلح). Subsequently, one of the visiting Sufi friends of his father narrated a story of the patriarch of the Arab tribe Banu Ghamid who earned the reputation of being a great peacemaker. He writes, that the temporal closeness of these two events clicked in his mind and he decided to add the name Ghamidi to his given name, Javed Ahmed.[13] Taxila.[14]

    Views

    Some of the works of Ghamidi

    Ghamidi's conclusions and understanding of Islam, including the Sharia, has been presented concisely in his book Mizan with the intention of presenting the religion in its pure shape, cleansed from tasawwuf, qalam, fiqh, all philosophies and any other contaminants.[15]

    In his arguments, there is no reference to the Western sources, human rights or current philosophies of crime and punishment.

    Islamic modernists and progressives on the subject.[7]

    Jihad

    The only valid basis for

    ulema if the state is newly established.[17] No person, party or group can take arms into their hands (for the purpose of waging Jihad) under any circumstances. Another corollary, in his opinion, is that death punishment for apostasy was also specifically for the recipients of the same Divine punishment during Muhammad's times—for they had persistently denied the truth of Muhammad's mission even after it had been made conclusively evident to them by God through Muhammad.[18]

    According to Ghamidi, the formation of an

    'amr bi'l-ma'ruf wa nahi 'ani'l-munkar (preservation and promotion of society's good conventions and customs and eradication of social vices); this, in Ghamidi's opinion, should be done in modern times through courts, police, etc. in accordance with the law of the land which, as the government itself, must be based on the opinion of the majority.[19]

    Gender interaction

    Ghamidi argues that the Qur'an states

    harassed in Medina.[20][21][22][23] He further claims that the Qur'an has created a distinction between men and women only to maintain family relationships.[24]

    Penal laws

    According to Ghamidi:

    • The Islamic punishments of hudud (Islamic law) are maximum pronouncements that can be mitigated by a court of law on the basis of extenuating circumstances.[25]
    • The
      diyya (monetary compensation for unintentional murder); the determination of the amount—for the unintentional murder of a man or a woman—has been left to the conventions of society.[25]
    • Ceteris paribus (all other things being equal), a woman's testimony is equal to that of a man's.[26]
    • Rape is
      rajm) in Muhammad's time were also punished under hirabah for raping, sexually assaulting women, and spreading vulgarity in society through prostitution.[25]
      جاوید احمد غامدی

    Sources of Islam

    According to Ghamidi, all that is Islam is constituted by the

    ahadith only explain and elucidate what is contained in these two sources and also describe the exemplary way in which Muhammad followed Islam.[28] The Sharia is distinguished from fiqh, the latter being collections of interpretations and applications of the Sharia by Muslim jurists. Fiqh is characterised as a human exercise, and therefore subject to human weakness and differences of opinion. A Muslim is not obliged to adhere to a school of fiqh.[7]

    Democracy

    While discussing the Afghan Taliban, Ghamidi wrote:[29]

    The Taliban say that democracy is a concept alien to Islam. The ideal way to set up an Islamic government in our times is the one that they adopted for Mullah Omar's government in Afghanistan. The constitution, the parliament, and elections are nothing but modern day shams. ... I can say with full confidence on the basis of my study of Islam that this viewpoint and this strategy are not acceptable to the Qur'ān. It prescribes democracy as the way to run the affairs of the state. The Qur'ān (42:38) says: amruhum shūrā baynahum (the affairs of the Muslims are run on the basis of their consultation). 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Whosoever pledges allegiance to anyone without the collective consent of the Muslims presents himself for the death sentence." It is true that, in Muslim history, monarchy and dictatorship have often been accepted forms of government. Some people also believe that the head of government should be a nominee of God Himself. However, the principle the Qur'ān spells out is very clear.

    — Javed A. Ghamidi, Islam and the Taliban

    Morals and ethics

    Ghamidi writes on moral and ethical issues in Islam.[30] He states:

    After faith, the second important requirement of religion is purification of morals. This means that a person should cleanse his attitude both towards his Creator and towards his fellow human beings. This is what is termed as a righteous deed. All the sharī‘ah is its corollary. With the change and evolution in societies and civilizations, the sharī‘ah has indeed changed; however faith and righteous deeds, which are the foundations of religion, have not undergone any change. The Qur'an is absolutely clear that any person who brings forth these two things before the Almighty on the Day of Judgement will be blessed with Paradise which shall be his eternal abode.[31]

    Interaction with other Islamic scholars

    Like

    Jamaat-e-Islami to present a full-fledged critique of Mawdudi's understanding of religion. Khan's contention is that Mawdudi has completely inverted the Qur'anic worldview. Ghamidi, for his part, agreed with Khan that the basic obligation in Islam is not the establishment of an Islamic world order but servitude to God, and that it is to help and guide humans in their effort to fulfill that obligation for which religion is revealed. Therefore, Islam never imposed the obligation on its individual adherents or on the Islamic state to be constantly in a state of war against the non-Islamic world. In fact, according to Ghamidi, even the formation of an Islamic state is not a basic religious obligation for Muslims.[19] Despite such extraordinary differences and considering Maududi's interpretation of "political Islam" as incorrect, Ghamidi in one of his 2015 interviews said that he still respects his former teacher like a father.[32]

    Ghamidi's thought and discourse community has received some academic attention in the recent past by Pakistani scholar Dr. Husnul Amin whose critical analysis of Ghamidi's thought movement has received academic attention.[33] Amin traces the history of secessionist tendencies within the mainstream Islamism, and its ruptures, and then critically examines Ghamidi's emergence and proliferation in society as an unprecedented phenomenon.[34] Ghamidi's views and discourse on Islam and democracy have also been examined in another cited research paper.[35]

    Awards and recognition

    In 2009, Ghamidi was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz, the third highest civilian honor of Pakistan.[36]

    Resignation from Council of Islamic Ideology

    See also:
    Hudood Ordinance

    Ghamidi resigned in September 2006

    Zia-ul-Haq's Islamization. The Hudood Ordinances have been criticised for, among other things, a reportedly difficult procedure to prove allegations of rape.[41]

    Public appearances

    Ghamidi has appeared regularly on dedicated television programs. His television audience consists of educated, urban-based middle-class men and women between the ages of 20–35, as well as lay Islamic intellectuals and professionals. Ghamidi's religiously oriented audience tends to be dissatisfied with the positions of traditional ulema and Western-educated secular-liberal elite, and find his interventions and ideas more sensible, moderate, and relevant.[42]

    Criticism

    Some books highly critical of Ghamidi are, Fitna-e-Ghamdiyat (فِتنئہ غامدیت) by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf[47] and Fitna-e-Ghamdiyat ka Ilmi Muhasbah (فِتنئہ غامدیّت کا عِلمی محاسبہ) by Muhammad Rafiq.[48]

    Exile from Pakistan

    Ghamidi left Pakistan in 2010 as a result of opposition to his work and threat to his life and his close ones.[49] In a 2015 interview with Voice of America, Ghamidi explained his reason for departure was to safeguard the lives of people near him[50] including his neighbours who had begun to fear for their safety.[51] Some of his close associates had already been killed like Muhammad Farooq Khan and Dr. Habib-ur-Rehman.[51] Ghamidi maintained that his work of education was not affected by his departure because of modern communication.[50] Ghamidi, also regularly appears on Ilm-o-Hikmat, a Pakistani Dunya News show.[52] He has stated his desire to return in the future when circumstances change.[51]

    Ghamidi moved to Dallas, Texas, USA as of July 2019, to support establishment of Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning, an initiative of Al-Mawrid US and an educational institute named after himself.[53]

    Publications

    Ghamidi's books include:[54]

    • Al-Bayan (Volume 1 to 5)
    • Mizan میزان
    • Burhan برہان
    • Maqamat مقامات
    • Al-Islam الاسلام
    • Khayal-o-Khamah

    English Translation of his works by Dr. Shehzad Saleem:

    • Al-Bayan (Volume 1 and 5)
    • Islam: A Comprehensive Introduction
    • Selected Essays of Javed Ahmed Ghamidi
    • Islam: A Concise Introduction
    • The Qur'ān Translated

    See also

    References

    1. ^ "اسلام اور تصوف (1)".
    2. ^ "Al-Mawrid".
    3. ^ Ahmed Ghamidi, Javed. "Birth Date on his official website".
    4. ISBN 9780195125580
      .
    5. ^ Council's two new members appointed Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Press Release 30-01-06
    6. ^ "The Team".
    7. ^ a b c d e Masud(2007)
    8. ^ Ahmed Ghamidi, Javed. "Birthdate on official site".
    9. ^ Sheikh, Majid (22 October 2017). "The history of Lahore's Kakayzais". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
    10. ^ "Early life of Javed Ahmad Ghamidi". Javed Ahmad Ghamidi. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
    11. ^ Ghamidi's resume Archived 1 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine
    12. ^ Baksh, Ammar (8 June 2017). "Javed Ahmed Ghamidi: A brief Introduction to his life and works". Archived from the original on 19 January 2021.
    13. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
    14. ^ says, Faiz: The Idol Breaker! « Saad Ahmed Javed BAKHSH. "Faiz: The Idol Breaker! – by Saad Ahmed Javed – LUBP". Retrieved 17 March 2019.
    15. ^ Al Mawrid Hind (2 July 2017). "Introduction to 'Meezan' at International Book Fair | New Delhi | Javed Ahmad Ghamidi". YouTube (in Urdu). Retrieved 10 July 2020.
    16. ^ Mizan, The Islamic Law of Jihad Archived 21 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine
    17. ISBN 978-9698799083
      . It is obvious...that jihad becomes obligatory only in the presence of a ruler...whose political authority has been established either through nomination by the previous ruler similar to how Abu Bakr transferred the reins [of his Khilafah to Umar] or through the pledging of allegiance by the ulema
    18. ^ Islamic Punishments: Some Misconceptions Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Renaissance – Monthly Islamic Journal, 12(9), 2002.
    19. ^ a b Iftikhar(2005)
    20. ^ Quran 24:27-31
    21. ^ Quran 33:58-61
    22. ^ Quran 33:32-34
    23. ^ Mizan, Norms of Gender Interaction Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
    24. ^ Mizan, The Social Law of Islam
    25. ^ a b c Mizan, The Penal Law of Islam Archived 27 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine
    26. ^ The Law of Evidence Archived 11 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Renaissance – Monthly Islamic Journal, 12(9), 2002.
    27. ^ Q5:33, 50+ translations, islamawakened.com
    28. ^ a b c Mizan, Sources of Islam Archived 14 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine
    29. ^ Ghamidi, Javed Ahmad (May 2009). "Islam and the Taliban". Renaissance. Translated by Asif Iftikhar. Lahore.
    30. ^ Agha, Saira (11 August 2018). "Pride of Pakistan: Javed Ahmad Ghamidi". Daily Times. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
    31. ISBN 978-9698799731
      .
    32. ^ Adil Khan (14 June 2015), JAVED AHMED GHAMIDI a talk with Voice of America 2015, retrieved 20 May 2016
    33. ^ Rana, Muhammad Amir (23 July 2017). "THE FAILED RATIONALIST". DAWN.
    34. ISBN 978-969-7576-57-9
      .
    35. JSTOR 23643959
      .
    36. ^ "List of civil award winners". DAWN.COM. 16 August 2009. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
    37. ^ Editorial: Hudood laws, Ghamidi's resignation and CII — government wrong on all counts Archived 14 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Daily Times, 22 September 2006
    38. Pakistan Government. Archived from the original
      on 28 September 2007.
    39. ^ Musharraf rejects Ghamdi's resignation, Daily Times, 6 November 2006
    40. ^ MMA threatens to quit Parliament over Hudood laws, Zee News, 5 September 2006.
    41. ^ WAF rejects Hudood law amendments, Dawn, 13 September 2006.
    42. ^ Ahmad, Mumtaz (12 February 2010). "Media-Based Preachers and the Creation of New Muslim Publics in Pakistan". NBR Special Report. 22.
    43. ^ "GeoTV Geo News Latest News Breaking News Pakistan Live Videos".
    44. ^ "GeoTV Geo News Latest News Breaking News Pakistan Live Videos". Archived from the original on 12 April 2008.
    45. ^ "Videos | Aaj Islam". Javed Ahmad Ghamidi. 1 February 2019. Archived from the original on 1 February 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
    46. ^ "Ilm-O-Hikmat, Allama Javed Ahmad". Dunya News. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
    47. ^ Yusuf, Hafiz Salahuddin (July 2015). Fitna-e-Ghamdiyat (PDF). Gujranwala.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
    48. ^ Rafiq, Muhammad. Fitna-e-Ghamdiyat ka Ilmi Muhasbah. Lahore: Maktabah-e-Qur'aniat.
    49. ^ Paracha, Nadeem F. (26 March 2017). "SMOKERS' CORNER: The Invisible Scholar". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
    50. ^ a b Adil Khan (14 June 2015), JAVED AHMED GHAMIDI a talk with Voice of America 2015, retrieved 6 May 2016
    51. ^ a b c Mohsin Zaheer (30 May 2015), Why Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Left Pakistan and When To Return?, archived from the original on 21 December 2021, retrieved 6 May 2016
    52. ^ Dunya News (3 July 2016), Ilm o Hikmat 3 July 2016 – Special Talk on Shab e Qadar with Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, archived from the original on 21 December 2021, retrieved 7 August 2016
    53. ^ AP News (9 October 2019), Javed Ahmed Ghamidi to Inaugurate His Institute in Dallas, Texas
    54. ^ "Books". Al-Mawrid. Retrieved 27 January 2020.

    Further reading

    External links

    1. Al-i-Imran, and a major portion of An-Nisa
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