Muhammad Abdullah Ghazi

{{short description|Pakistani Islamic scholar and political figure (1935-1998)}} {{EngvarB|date=February 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox religious biography | name = '''Muhammad Abdullah Ghazi'''<br>{{lang|ar|محمد عبد اللہ غازی}} | image = Maulana Abdullah1992.jpg | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1935|6|1}}<br/>({{circa|29th [[Safar]] 1354 [[Hijri year|AH]]}}) | birth_place = [[Basti-Abdullah]], [[Baluchistan (Chief Commissioner's Province)|Balochistan]], [[British Raj]] | death_place = [[Lal Masjid, Islamabad|Lal Masjid]], [[Islamabad]], [[Pakistan]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1998|10|17|1935|6|1}}({{circa|26th [[Jumada al-Thani]] 1419 [[Hijri year|AH]]}}) | death_cause = [[Assassination]] | resting_place_coordinates = 33.7311462, 73.0517133 | resting_place = [[Jamia Faridia]], [[Islamabad]] | religion = [[Islam]] | nationality = [[Pakistani]] | citizenship = {{Flag|British India|name= British Indian}} (1935–1947)<br>{{Flag|Pakistan|name= Pakistani}} (1947–1998) | children = [[Abdul Aziz Ghazi]] <br /> [[Abdul Rashid Ghazi]] | teacher = *[[Yusuf Banuri|Allama Yusuf Banuri]]<br/> *[[Mufti Mahmud| Mufti Mehmood-ur-Rehman]] *[[Muhammad Shafi|Mufti Muhammad Shafi]] | office1 = 1st Chancellor of [[Jamia Hafsa]] | term_start1 = 1989 | term_end1 = 17 October 1998 | predecessor1 = ''None (office created)'' | successor1 = [[Abdul Aziz Ghazi]] | office2 = Member of [[Council of Islamic Ideology]] | term_start2 = 1980 | term_end2 = 17 October 1998 | signature = Maulana abdullah signature.png | signature_alt = maulana abdullah | office3 = Member of [[Parliament of Pakistan#1981 Majlis-e-Shoora|1981 Majlis-e-Shoora]] of [[Parliament of Pakistan]] | successor3 = | term_start3 = 1981 | term_end3 = 1988 | alma_mater = [[Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia]]<br /> [[Jamia Qasim Ul Uloom| Jamia Qasim-ul-Uloom]] | honorific prefix = [[Sheikh al-Hadith|Sheikh al-Hadīṯh]]<br/>[[Mufti]] | movement = [[Deobandi]] | denomination = [[Sunni]] | office4 = [[Grand Mufti]] and [[Khatib|Federal Khatib]] of [[Islamabad]] | term_start4 = 1993 | term_end4 = 17 October 1998 | successor4 = Vacant | predecessor4 = ''None (office created)'' | school = | home_town = [[Basti-Abdullah]], [[Rajanpur]] | jurisprudence = [[Hanafi school|Hanafi]] | caption = Muhammad Abdullah Ghazi in [[1992 in Pakistan|c. 1992]] | honorific suffix = | students = [[Awrangzib Faruqi]]<br/> [[Manzoor Mengal]]<br/> [[Atta-ur-Rehman (politician)|Atta-ur-Rehman]] | relations = [[Umme Hassan]] (daughter-in-law) | module0 = {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office =1st Chancellor of [[Jamia Faridia]] | term_start = 1971 | term_end = 17 October 1998 | predecessor = ''None (office created)'' | successor = [[Abdul Aziz Ghazi]] | office2 = [[Imam]] and [[Khatib]] of [[Lal Masjid, Islamabad|Lal Masjid]] | term_start2 = 1967 | term_end2 = 17 October 1998 | predecessor2 = ''None (office created)'' | successor2 = [[Abdul Aziz Ghazi]] (Imam)<br/>[[Abdul Rashid Ghazi]] (Khatib) | office3 = Chairman of [[Ruet-e-Hilal Committee]] | term_start3 = 1975 | term_end3 = 17 October 1998 | predecessor3 = ''None (office created)'' | successor3 = [[Muneeb-ur-Rehman]] | office4 = Patron of [[Wifaq-ul-Madaris al-Arabia]] | term_start4 = 1980 | term_end4 = 17 October 1998 | predecessor4 = [[Mufti Mehmood]] | successor4 = [[Fazl-ur-Raheem Ashrafi]] }} }} '''Muhammad Abdullah Ghazi''' ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|محمد عبد اللہ غازی}}}} {{circa|1 June 1935}} – 17 October 1998) was a [[Pakistani people|Pakistani]] [[Deobandi movement|Deobandi]] [[Islamic scholar]], [[Theology|theologian]] of the [[Hanafi school]] of [[Islamic jurisprudence]], and a [[Politician|political figure]]. He held several key positions, including the Chairman of [[Ruet-e-Hilal Committee]], the first [[Imam]] and [[Khatib]] of [[Lal Masjid, Islamabad|Lal Masjid]] in [[Islamabad]], the Chancellor of [[Jamia Faridia]] and [[Jamia Hafsa]], the Patron-in-Chief of [[Wifaq-ul-Madaris al-Arabia|Wifaq Al Madaris Al Arabiyah]] and [[Madrassas in Pakistan#Famous Pakistan Madrassas|Jamia Mohammadia]], member of both the [[Aalmi Majlis Tahaffuz Khatm-e-Nubuwwat]] and [[Council of Islamic Ideology]], the President of Markazi Jamiat [[Sunni Islam|Ahlus-Sunnat wal-Jama'ah]] and [[#Idara Alia Tanzeem ul Madaris|Idara Alia Tanzeem ul Madaris]], member of [[Parliament of Pakistan#1981 Majlis-e-Shoora|1981 Majlis-e-Shoora]] during the [[Presidency of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq]] and as [[#Federal Khatib|Federal Khatib]] under [[Farooq Leghari|President Farooq Leghari]] in the [[Second Benazir Bhutto government|29th]] and [[Second Nawaz Sharif government|36th Cabinet of Pakistan]].<ref name=":33">{{Cite book |last=Dolnik |first=Adam |title=Negotiating the Siege of the Lal Masjid |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2015 |pages=53}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref name="geo">{{cite news |title=تحفظ ختمِ نبوت کی تاریخ ساز تحریک |url=https://urdu.geo.tv/latest/204569- |access-date=12 July 2020 |newspaper=GEO TV News website}}</ref>

Ghazi was an alumnus of [[Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia]] and had studied under various scholars including [[Yusuf Banuri|Allama Yusuf Banuri]], [[Mufti Mehmood]], and [[Muhammad Shafi|Mufti Muhammad Shafi]]. He later taught notable students such as [[Aurangzeb Farooqi]], [[Manzoor Mengal]], and [[Atta-ur-Rehman (politician)|Atta-ur-Rehman]] and was also considered a mentor to [[Fazal-ur-Rehman (politician, born 1953)|Fazal-ur-Rehman]].

He was personally appointed by [[Ayub Khan|President Ayub Khan]] to serve as the first [[Imam]] and [[Khatib]] of [[Lal Masjid, Islamabad|Central Mosque Islamabad]] (Lal Masjid), the first mosque established in Pakistan's new capital, [[Islamabad]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kapur |first=Saloni |title=Pakistan after Trump: Great Power Responsibility in a Multi-Polar World |publisher=Cambridge Scholars Publishing |year=2021 |isbn= |pages=187}}</ref>

Ghazi was a close associate of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, a military dictator who became the sixth [[President of Pakistan]], and served as one of his key advisors on religious affairs and was awarded the [[Sitara-i-Imtiaz]] in 1986. He played a significant role in the establishment of [[Zakat Council|Pakistan's Zakat Councils]] and contributed to the drafting of the [[Islamic economics in Pakistan#Other issues|Zakat and Ushr Ordinance of 1980]].<ref name=":9" /> Ghazi was also a key proponent of the proposed [[Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan]] in August 1998.<ref name=":4" />

Ghazi played a significant role in establishing and supporting [[Mosque|mosques]] and [[Madrasa|madrasas]] across the country.<ref name=":6" />

In 1971, he founded [[Jamia Faridia]] in [[Islamabad]], the first Islamic seminary to be established in Islamabad. He taught the [[Kutub al-Sittah|Kutub al-Sitta]] including [[Sahih al-Bukhari|Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī]] at the madrasah, and was known by the title "[[Sheikh al-Hadith|Shaykh al-Hadith]]".<ref name=":2" />

On 17 October 1998, Ghazi was assassinated by unknown assailants while approaching [[Lal Masjid, Islamabad|Lal Masjid]] after teaching a class at [[Jamia Faridia]].<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":0" />

== Early life and education == Muhammad Abdullah Ghazi was born on 1 June 1935 (29th [[Safar]] 1354 [[Hijri year|AH]]) during the [[British Raj]] in the village of [[Basti-Abdullah]], [[Rajanpur District]] into the family of Ghazi Muhammad descending from the [[Mazari (Baloch tribe)#Main clans|Sadwani (Sodvani)]] clan of the [[Mazari (Baloch tribe)|Mazari tribe]] of [[Balochistan|Baluchistan]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |title=Lal Masjid at 40 {{!}} Special Report {{!}} thenews.com.pk |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/563290-lal-masjid-40 |access-date=2022-02-22 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref> a part of [[Baloch diaspora]] [[Baloch people in Punjab|who migrated to Punjab]] from [[Balochistan|Baluchistan]].<ref name=":5">Qandeel Siddique, ''The Red Mosque Operation and Its Impact On the Growth of the Pakistani Taliban'', report for Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), p. 13. [https://www.ffi.no/no/Rapporter/08-01915.pdf Link].</ref>

His father, a [[farmer]], was socially active in the village. Due to his activities, he faced multiple arrests by the [[British Indian Army|British Indian authorities]] and was eventually sentenced to eight years in prison.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Lal Masjid: a history |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/63629-lal-masjid-a-history |access-date=8 February 2021 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref> During his imprisonment, he became more religious and encouraged his son to attend a local [[Madrasa|madrassa]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=18 October 2016 |title=شہیداسلام مولانا عبداللہ شہید شخصیت و کردار۔۔۔تحریر مولاناتنویراحمداعوان |url=https://shaffak.com/news/details/tanvir-awan-003890/ |access-date=8 February 2021 |website=Shaffak |language=ur}}</ref>

In 1946, Ghazi began his [[religious education]] at ''Madrasa Khudam-ul-Qur'an'' in [[Rahim Yar Khan]], where he completed the ''[[Hafiz (Quran)|Hifz]]'' (memorization of the Quran).<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Mansoor |first=Riaz |url=https://archive.org/details/SHAEEDISLAM |title=Hayat Shaheed E Islam (حیات شہیدِ اسلام) |publisher=[[Jamia Faridia#Maktaba Faridia|Maktaba Faridia]] |year=2006 |pages=57}}</ref>

In 1948, after completing his primary education, Ghazi enrolled at [[Jamia Qasim Ul Uloom]] in [[Multan]] for further education, where he studied for 5 years and was a student of [[Mufti Mehmood]].<ref name=":2" />

Afterward, he enrolled at [[Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia]] in [[Karachi]], where he completed the [[Dars-i Nizami]] curriculum and graduated in 1957 as one of the top students of [[Yusuf Banuri|Muhammad Yousuf Banuri]].<ref name=":0" />

After graduating, he served as the imam of Jamia Masjid Rashidiya in [[Malir Town]] for several years.<ref name=":2" /> During this time, he was also a member of the advisory committee for ''[[Bayyināt]]'', a monthly journal published by [[Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia]].<ref name=":2" />

==Lal Masjid== {{Main|Lal Masjid, Islamabad}} When the [[Islamabad Capital Territory|Capital of Pakistan]] was moved from [[Karachi]] to [[Islamabad]], and the first congregational mosque ([[Lal Masjid, Islamabad|Lal Masjid]]) was established, Ghazi became its first [[Khatib|sermon preacher]] in 1967 upon the recommendation of his teacher [[Muhammad Yousuf Banuri]].<ref name=":0" /> [[File:Lal_Masjid_Vintage_Postcard.jpg|left|thumb|1971 [[postcard]] of the [[Lal Masjid, Islamabad|Lal Masjid]].]] Ghazi's sermons drew in thousands of worshippers including prominent political figures such as [[Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]] [[Balakh Sher Mazari]] and [[President of Pakistan|Presidents of Pakistan]] including [[Ghulam Ishaq Khan]], [[Farooq Leghari]] as well as [[General (Pakistan)|General]] [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]] who was a regular visitor to the mosque as before the completion of the Faisal Mosque, The Lal Masjid had been the only main [[congregational mosque]] in the city.<ref name=":33"/> Located in a very central position, the mosque lies in close proximity to the [[Aiwan-e-Sadr|Presidential Palace]] and [[Prime Minister's Office (Pakistan)|Prime Minister's Office]].<ref name="crimson">{{cite news |last1=Khan |first1=Zia |date=15 August 2010 |title=Crimson tide |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/39013/crimson-tide?amp=1 |access-date=7 May 2024 |work=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref>

In 1976, as part of his six-day state visit to Pakistan, [[Khalid of Saudi Arabia|King Khalid]] of [[Saudi Arabia]] also visited the [[Lal Masjid, Islamabad|Lal Masjid]] in Islamabad, where he prayed behind Ghazi,<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Mansoor |first=Riaz |url=https://archive.org/details/SHAEEDISLAM |title=Hayat Shaheed E Islam (حیات شہیدِ اسلام) |publisher=[[Jamia Faridia#Maktaba Faridia|Maktaba Faridia]] |year=2006 |page=236}}</ref> and it was during this visit he initiated the construction of [[Faisal Mosque|King Faisal Mosque]] in Islamabad and toured the nearby seminary, [[Jamia Faridia]].<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Mujtaba Razvi |year=1981 |title=PAK-Saudi Arabian Relations: An Example of Entente Cordiale |journal=Pakistan Horizon |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=81–92 |jstor=41393647}}</ref>

== 1974 Khatm-e-Nubuwwat movement == In 1974, Ghazi became associated with the [[Aalmi Majlis Tahaffuz Khatm-e-Nubuwwat]] (AMTKN), a religious organization dedicated to upholding the doctrine of the [[Seal of the Prophets|finality of prophethood in Islam]]. He played a prominent role in mobilizing support for the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Khatm-e-Nubuwwat and during this period, [[Lal Masjid, Islamabad|Lal Masjid]] served as a key gathering site for rallies and meetings related to the campaign.<ref name=":33" /> Key leaders of the campaign, [[Mufti Mehmood|Mufti Mahmood]] and [[Yusuf Banuri|Allama Yusuf Banuri]], had both been Ghazi's teachers.<ref name="geo" />

The movement ultimately contributed to the passage of the [[Second Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan]].<ref name="jang">{{cite news |author=Mufti Khalid Mahmood |date=7 September 2019 |title=7 ستمبر 1974ء 'یومِ تحفظ ختمِ نبوت' |url=https://jang.com.pk/news/677420 |access-date=10 August 2020 |newspaper=Jang Daily (Urdu newspaper)}}</ref>

== Idara Alia Tanzeem ul Madaris == In 1970, he founded the '''Idara Alia Tanzeem ul Madaris''' '''({{langx|ur|ادارہ عالیہ تنظیم المدارس|4=}})''', an organization dedicated to securing land for the construction of mosques and religious institutions, and served as its first chairman. His efforts focused on both rural and urban areas, including the construction of the Grand Mosque of [[Kalurkot|Kalur Kot]] and several mosques within Islamabad.<ref name=":33"/>

In 1988, he co-founded '''Jamia Mohammadia''' alongside '''Maulana Zahoor Ahmed Alvi''', a close associate. The seminary is the second-largest madrasa in Islamabad, He served as the institution's first patron-in-chief.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |date=2022-10-24 |title=تعارف - Jamia Muhammadia, F-6/4, Islamabad. (Urdu) |url=https://jamiamuhammadia.org/about/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |language=ur}}</ref>

== Ruet-e-Hilal Committee == In 1975, He was appointed as the first chairman of the newly established [[Ruet-e-Hilal Committee]], a government body operating under the [[Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony|Ministry of Religious Affairs]], responsible for announcing the sighting of the [[new moon]], which determines the [[Islamic calendar]] and [[Islamic holidays]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-30 |title=New Ruet-e-Hilal Committee chairman appointed |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/766711-govt-appoints-new-chairman-for-ruet-e-hilal-committee |access-date=2021-01-03 |website=The News International |language=en}}</ref>

Ghazi served in this position until his death, after which he was succeeded by [[Muneeb-ur-Rehman|Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman]].<ref name=":9">{{Cite book |last=Mansoor |first=Riaz |url=https://archive.org/details/SHAEEDISLAM |title=Hayat Shaheed E Islam (حیات شہیدِ اسلام) |publisher=[[Jamia Faridia#Maktaba Faridia|Maktaba Faridia]] |year=2006 |pages=108}}</ref>

== 1977 Nizam-e-Mustafa movement == In 1977, Ghazi played a prominent role in the [[Nizam-e-Mustafa]] movement, a populist Islamist campaign demanding the replacement of [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]]'s secular [[Socialist state|socialist government]] with an [[Sharia|Islamic system of governance]] in Pakistan.<ref name=":33" />

Emerging as a vocal opponent of Bhutto, Ghazi organized and participated in large-scale demonstrations alongside leaders of [[Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam]] (JUI), including his teacher and mentor, [[Mufti Mehmood]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Janjua |first=Simran Saeed |last2=Malik |first2=Mishaal |last3=Malik |first3=Simran Saeed Janjua and Mishaal |date=2024-07-12 |title=Miscalculation or Inevitable? The Lal Masjid Siege and its Legacy |url=https://southasiatimes.org/miscalculation-or-inevitable-the-lal-masjid-siege-and-its-legacy/ |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=South Asia Times |language=en}}</ref>

== Wifaq-ul-Madaris == In 1979, Ghazi was appointed as the Patron-in-Chief of [[Wifaq-ul-Madaris al-Arabia]], and as the regional supervisor for all [[Madrasa|madrassas]] registered under the [[Board of education|educational board]] in [[Islamabad Capital Territory|Islamabad]] and [[Rawalpindi]].<ref name="WM">{{cite web |date=23 October 2007 |title=Profile of Wifaq ul Madaris Al-Arabia, Pakistan |url=http://www.wifaqulmadaris.org/default.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722191704/http://www.wifaqulmadaris.org/default.asp |archive-date=22 July 2012 |access-date=10 August 2020}}</ref>

Ghazi played a key role in establishing Markazi Jamiat Ahle Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, an organization representing the [[Deobandi movement|Deobandi]] [[Ulama|ulema]]. The group aimed to raise awareness and advocate for issues concerning [[Madrasa|madaris]] (Islamic seminaries). Ghazi served as its first president before being succeeded by his deputy and close associate, Maulana Zahoor Ahmed Alvi.<ref name=":10" />

== Majlis-e-Shoora == In 1981, [[Zia-ul-Haq|President Zia-ul-Haq]] established an advisory council to the president ([[Parliament of Pakistan#1981 Majlis-e-Shoora|1981 Majlis-e-Shoora]]''')''', members of the Shoora were appointed directly by Zia, who selected Ghazi as one of his chief advisors on religious affairs.<ref name=":33" />

== 1980 Zakat ordinance == Ghazi played a pivotal role in the creation of Pakistan's [[Zakat Council|Zakat Councils]] and contributed to drafting the [[Islamic economics in Pakistan#Other issues|Zakat and Ushr Ordinance of 1980]].<ref name="CDC-zakat">{{cite web |title=Zakat Ordinance 1980. Chapter No 1 PREMINIARY |url=http://www.cdcpakistan.com/fck_images/file/Zakat_ordinance.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150430210035/http://www.cdcpakistan.com/fck_images/file/Zakat_ordinance.pdf |archive-date=30 April 2015 |access-date=3 December 2014 |website=Central Despository Company}}</ref><ref name="Mohiuddin-110">{{cite book |last1=Mohiuddin |first1=Yasmeen Niaz |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OTMy0B9OZjAC&dq=Zakat+and+Ushr+in+Pakistan&pg=PA110 |title=Pakistan: A Global Studies Handbook |date=2007 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=9781851098019 |page=110 |access-date=4 December 2014}}</ref>

The ordinance was officially promulgated by [[Zia-ul-Haq|President Zia-ul-Haq]] during a ceremony at [[Lal Masjid, Islamabad|Lal Masjid]] in June 1980.<ref name="The Story of Pakistan: The Rules of Democracy2">{{cite web |last=Administration |date=June 2003 |title=Islamization Under General Zia-ul-Haq |url=http://storyofpakistan.com/islamization-under-general-zia-ul-haq/ |access-date=12 August 2012 |work=June 1, 2003 |publisher=The Story of Pakistan: The Rules of Democracy}}</ref><ref name="Salim-117">{{cite book |last1=Salim |first1=Arskal |url=https://archive.org/details/challengingsecul00sali |title=Challenging the Secular State: The Islamization of Law in Modern Indonesia |date=2008 |publisher=University of Hawaii Press. |isbn=9780824832377 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/challengingsecul00sali/page/117 117]-119 |quote=zakat pakistan. |access-date=3 December 2014 |url-access=registration}}</ref>

== Establishing Jamia Faridia == {{Main|Jamia Faridia}}

In 1966, He established a small seminary at [[Lal Masjid, Islamabad|Lal Masjid]], in which there were about 20 to 25 students for the [[Hafiz (Quran)|Hifz class]]. After some time a need was felt to have a bigger place for running this seminary so that a large number of students who were increasing with the passage of time could be accommodated.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Lal Masjid: a history|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/63629-lal-masjid-a-history|access-date=15 January 2021|website=www.thenews.com.pk|language=en}}</ref> [[File:Faisal Mosque from far.jpg|thumb|View of [[Jamia Faridia]] (Left) and [[Faisal Mosque]] from [[Daman-e-Koh]], [[Islamabad]]]] Hence In 1971, a place in the meadows of the [[Margalla Hills]] in the city's Prime [[Sectors of Islamabad#E-sectors|Sector of E-7]], was acquired by Ghazi's [[Madrasa|Idara Alia Tanzeem ul Madaris]] with the help and cooperation of several of his close friends most notably Seth [[Harun|Haroon Jaffer]] (Jaffer Group of Companies), Haji Akhtar Hassan (OSD Kashmir Affairs & [[Finance Secretary (Pakistan)|Finance Secretary]] of [[Azad Kashmir]]), and [[Mohammad Shariff|Admiral Mohammad. Shariff, NI(M), HJ (Rtd)]].<ref name=":2" />

The construction of the seminary's present building was completed in 1984 and was officially named "[[Jamia Faridia]]".<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|date=29 May 2015|title=عالم اسلام کی عظیم دینی درسگاہ جامعہ فریدیہ|url=http://www.nawaiwaqt.com.pk/opinions/29-May-2015/388611|access-date=9 February 2021|website=Nawaiwaqt|language=ur}}</ref>

The seminary was the first ever educational institute to be registered with [[Wifaq-ul-Madaris al-Arabia|Wifaq-ul-Madaris]].<ref name=":7" />

== Faisal Mosque == In 1986, following the completion of the [[Faisal Mosque]], [[Zia-ul-Haq|President Zia-ul-Haq]] invited Ghazi to serve as the mosque's first [[imam]].<ref name="talbot-283-ahmadi">{{cite book |last1=Talbot |first1=Ian |url=https://archive.org/details/pakistanmodernhi00talb |title=Pakistan, a Modern History |date=1998 |publisher=St.Martin's Press |isbn=9780312216061 |location=NY |pages=[https://archive.org/details/pakistanmodernhi00talb/page/283 283] |url-access=registration}}</ref>''<ref name=":22">{{Cite book |last=Mansoor |first=Riaz |url=https://archive.org/details/SHAEEDISLAM |title=Hayat Shaheed E Islam (حیات شہید ای اسلام) |publisher=[[Jamia Faridia#Maktaba Faridia|Maktaba Faridia]] |year=2006 |pages=68}}</ref>''

Ghazi declined the offer, choosing instead to continue his role as the [[Imam]] and [[Khatib]] of Lal Masjid, where he had already established himself as a prominent religious leader and had a significant following.<ref name=":1" />''<ref name=":22"/>'' Ghazi did however lead the inaugural prayer at the newly constructed mosque on 18 June 1988.<ref name="archnet">{{cite web |title=Faisal Mosque |url=http://archnet.org/sites/649 |access-date=12 February 2019 |website=archnet.org |publisher=ArchNet website}}</ref>

== Establishing Jamia Hafsa == {{Main|Jamia Hafsa}}

In 1989, he laid the foundation for '''[[Jamia Hafsa|Jamia Syeda Hafsa]]''', as the women's branch of [[Jamia Faridia]]. Located adjacent to the [[Lal Masjid, Islamabad|Lal Masjid]] near [[Aabpara]],<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |date=12 July 2007 |title=Lal Masjid: a history |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/63629-lal-masjid-a-history |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121041037/https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/63629-lal-masjid-a-history |archive-date=21 January 2021 |access-date=2021-01-15 |website=[[The News International]] |language=en}}</ref> the institution was built on 7,500 square yards of land.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Malik |first=Hasnaat |date=2016-08-25 |title=Jamia Hafsa rebuilding: Govt presents relocation agreement before SC |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1170081/jamia-hafsa-rebuilding-govt-presents-relocation-agreement-sc |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref>

The seminary is the largest women's [[Madrassas in Pakistan#All-female madrassas|madrasa in Pakistan]].<ref name="auto"/>

== Federal Khatib == In 1993, During the [[Second Benazir Bhutto government]], President [[Farooq Leghari]] appointed Ghazi as the Federal (Wifaqi) [[Khatib]] of Islamabad, a government position under the [[Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony|Ministry of Religious Affairs]] and [[Punjab Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department|Islamabad Auqaf Department]] equivalent to that of the Additional Secretary of the Federal Government, which was established to supervise the [[Mosque|mosques]] within the [[Islamabad Capital Territory|capital city]].<ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=LaPorte |first=Robert |date=1997 |title=Pakistan in 1996: Starting Over Again |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2645477 |journal=Asian Survey |volume=37 |issue=2 |pages=118–125 |doi=10.2307/2645477 |issn=0004-4687 |jstor=2645477 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=مولانا محمد عبد اللہ شہیدؒ {{!}} ابوعمار زاہد الراشدی |url=https://zahidrashdi.org/590 |access-date=2021-05-24 |website=zahidrashdi.org}}</ref>

Ghazi continued to serve in this position during the [[Second Nawaz Sharif government]].<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/LalMasjidABriefHistory|title=Lal Masjid : A Brief History|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>

== Afghanistan Tour ==

In 1997, Ghazi, along with a delegation of [[Deobandi movement|Deobandi scholars]], was invited as a state guests by [[Supreme Leader of Afghanistan|Afghanistan's Supreme Leader]], [[Mullah Omar]].<ref name=":0" />

During his visit, Ghazi toured several [[List of Deobandi madrasas|Deobandi madrasas]] in [[Kabul]] and met Mullah Omar, [[Osama bin Laden]], and [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]] in [[Kandahar]].<ref name=":4" />

== Assassination and legacy == According to his biographer, [[#Memoir|Mufti Riaz Munsoor]], Ghazi had a strict schedule that he followed every day. He would walk seven kilometers from his home to his seminary, [[Jamia Faridia]], where he would give lectures to his students. on his way back, he would stop at the [[Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences |Polyclinic Hospital]] to bless the patients and offer them words of encouragement.<ref name=":2" />

[[File:Moulana Abdullah Grave.jpg|thumb|right| Grave of Ghazi at [[Jamia Faridia]]]]

On October 17, 1998, the day of his assassination, Ghazi maintained his usual routine. He walked to [[Jamia Faridia]] to deliver lectures to his students and later stopped at a hospital on his way back. As he approached [[Lal Masjid, Islamabad|Lal Masjid]], a man was waiting for him in the courtyard. The assailant greeted Ghazi before suddenly drawing a gun and firing an entire magazine at him.<ref name=":8"/> The assassin escaped with the aid of accomplices waiting in a getaway car.<ref name=":4"/>

Severely wounded, Ghazi succumbed to his injuries on the way to the same hospital he had visited earlier. Despite being aware of threats against his life, he had consistently refused bodyguards, believing it was better to die alone than endanger others.<ref name=":0" /> He is buried in the courtyard of [[Jamia Faridia]], [[Islamabad]].<ref name=":0" />

The [[President of Pakistan]] [[Muhammad Rafiq Tarar|Rafiq Tarar]] expressed his sadness over the assassination in a letter, adding that ''"Maulana Abdullah Ghazi had spent his whole life for Islam, and kept the tradition of [[Ulama|Ulema]] alive, his struggles will forever be remembered"''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=الفریدیہ |first=جامعۃ العلوم الاسلامیہ |title=تصاویر مولانا محمد عبد اللہ شہید – جامعہ فریدیہ {{!}} Jamia Faridia |url=https://www.jamiafaridia.edu.pk/ |access-date=1 December 2021 |website=تصاویر مولانا محمد عبد اللہ شہید – جامعہ فریدیہ {{!}} Jamia Faridia |language=en}}</ref>

[[Jamia Faridia#Jamia Masjid Abdullah Ghazi|Jamia Masjid Abdullah Ghazi]] ({{langx|ur|{{Script/Nastaliq|جامع مسجد عبد اللہ غازی}}||}}) in [[Sectors of Islamabad#E-sectors|Sector E-7]] of [[Islamabad]] is named after him.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last=الفریدیہ |first=جامعۃ العلوم الاسلامیہ |title=تعارفِ جامعہ فریدیہ - جامعہ فریدیہ {{!}} Jamia Faridia |url=https://www.jamiafaridia.edu.pk/ |access-date=2022-07-15 |website=تعارفِ جامعہ فریدیہ - جامعہ فریدیہ {{!}} Jamia Faridia |language=ur}}</ref>

In his honor his hometown was also renamed "[[Basti-Abdullah]]" and a new seminary named after him was also constructed there, the town gained worldwide attention in 2007 when [[Abdul Rashid Ghazi]] was buried in the courtyard of the seminary,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rashid Ghazi buried as Aziz vows to continue struggle |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/651395-rashid-ghazi-buried-as-aziz-vows-to-continue-struggle |access-date=2021-05-18 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref>

[[Basti Abdullah railway station|Abdullah Railway Station]] near the town is also named after him.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Iqbal|first=Nasir|date=12 July 2007|title=Burial after arrival of relatives: SC|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/256022/burial-after-arrival-of-relatives-sc|access-date=19 October 2021|website=DAWN.COM|language=en}}</ref>

== Investigation ==

Due to a lack of confidence in Pakistan's legal system, [[Abdul Aziz (Pakistani cleric)|Abdul Aziz]], the elder son of Ghazi, initially declined to file a [[First information report|First Information Report]] (FIR). However, his younger son, [[Abdul Rashid Ghazi|Abdul Rashid]], proceeded to file the FIR, prompting a police investigation into the case. After persistent efforts, a suspect was arrested and subsequently identified by an eyewitness during an [[Police lineup|identification parade]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paracha |first=Nadeem F. |date=3 November 2013 |title=Red handed |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1053771 |access-date=8 February 2021 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":11">{{Cite web |date=2018-02-12 |title=Police fail to trace culprits of sectarian killings since 1998 |url=https://nation.com.pk/12-Feb-2018/police-fail-to-trace-culprits-of-sectarian-killings-since-1998 |access-date=2018-02-12 |website=The Nation |language=en-US}}</ref>

Despite this, the suspect was inexplicably released the following day. Abdul Rashid protested the release, warning the authorities that he would pursue [[Complaint|legal action]] if the suspect was not promptly re-arrested. As pressure mounted, he reportedly faced threats, including a warning to withdraw the case or risk suffering a fate similar to that of his father. According to those close to him, this experience marked a turning point in [[Abdul Rashid Ghazi#Post-2001|Abdul Rashid Ghazi's]] life, leading to his disillusionment with the legal system.<ref name="pTime2">{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070712224737/http://www.pakistantimes.net/2007/07/11/top1.htm "Islamabad Red Mosque Cleric Killed"]}} ''[[Pakistan Times]]'', 11 July 2007, retrieved 27 July 2009</ref><ref>Michelle Shephard (9 July 2007), [https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2007/07/09/mosque_crisis_highlights_pakistans_turmoil.html "Mosque crisis highlights Pakistan's turmoil"], ''The Star''. Retrieved 4 June 2019.</ref>

== Memoir ==

In 2005, a memoir was published by [[Jamia Faridia#Maktaba Faridia|Maktaba Faridia]] detailing his life under the name [[iarchive:SHAEEDISLAM |''Hayat Shaheed E Islam'']] ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|حیات شہیدِ اسلام}}|}}) Written b''y Mufti Riaz Munsoor.''<ref name=":2" />

== See more ==

* [[List of Deobandis]] * [[List of Hanafis]]

==References== *Biography Book: [[iarchive:SHAEEDISLAM |''Hayat Shaheed E Islam'']] ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|حیات شہیدِ اسلام}}|}}) {{Reflist|30em}}{{Lal Masjid, Islamabad|state=collapsed}} {{Islamic scholars from Pakistan|state=collapsed}}{{Hanafi scholars}}{{Deobandi movement}}{{Wifaq ul Madaris Al-Arabia, Pakistan}}{{Aalmi Majlis Tahaffuz Khatm-e-Nubuwwat}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghazi, Muhammad Abdullah}} [[Category:1935 births]] [[Category:1998 deaths]] [[Category:Assassinated Pakistani people]] [[Category:Islamic scholars]] [[Category:Deobandis]] [[Category:Baloch people]] [[Category:Pakistani religious leaders]] [[Category:Wifaq ul Madaris Al-Arabia people]] [[Category:Deaths by firearm in Islamabad]] [[Category:Assassinated religious leaders]] [[Category:People from Rajanpur District]] [[Category:Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia alumni]] [[Category:Jamia Qasim Ul Uloom alumni]] [[Category:People murdered in Islamabad]] [[Category:Pakistani Muslim missionaries]] [[Category:Aalmi Majlis Tahaffuz Khatm-e-Nubuwwat people]] [[Category:Hanafis]] [[Category:Pakistani Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam]]