Who is Javed Ahmad Ghamidi?

Early Life

Ustadh Javed Ahmad Ghamidi was born on April 7, 1952, near the village of Jiwan Shah in the Sahiwal district of Punjab. His ancestral village was Daud, a town in the Sialkot district. His father, Muhammad Tufail Junaydi, was associated with his ancestral profession of farming. After the death of his father, Noor Elahi, he became interested in medicine and spent the rest of his life in this work. Muhammad Tufail Junaydi was a traveler on the path of Sufism. He entered this valley at the age of twenty or twenty-two and remained a picture of loyalty and perseverance throughout his life. He passed away in 1986.

Early Education

Ustadh Javed Ahmad Ghamidi received his early education from the primary schools of Pakpattan and Paka Sidhar (Sahiwal district). During his school education, he began studying Arabic and Persian from Maulvi Noor Ahmad Sahib. How this began and what he studied in this regard is described by Ustadh Ghamidi in one of his writings as follows:

"I was studying in school, but my father was not satisfied with it. His wish was that along with this, I should also learn Arabic, Persian, and Sanskrit. No way seemed possible. During this time, he took a job on the estate of Mian Muhammad Hussain Bodla near Pakpattan. After working there for two or three months, when he was satisfied, my mother also decided to move with him to Mian Sahib's village. This village was about two to two and a half miles from Paka Sidhar, a station on the railway line going to Samasata. I was taken from the M.C. Primary School in Pakpattan and enrolled in the school in Paka Sidhar. It was a one-room school that didn't even have mats. We would break branches from the bushes in the desert along the railway line, clean the floor with their leaves, and sit on them. There was a small mosque in the village. When my father went there for prayer, he would take me with him.

Maulvi Noor Ahmad Sahib was the Imam and Khatib of that mosque. From what I remember now, I think he probably belonged to the Deobandi school of thought. When my father talked to him about my education, he said: I will teach him Arabic and Persian. My father was extremely happy. Then, on the advice of my mother, it was decided that after coming from school, I would rest for a little while. After that, I would go to the mosque for the Asr prayer, and until Maghrib, Maulvi Sahib would teach me Persian and Arabic.

When we moved, I was in the third grade. This series of studying under Maulvi Noor Ahmad Sahib continued until the fifth grade. He taught me Arabic up to 'Sharh Jami' and Persian up to Sheikh Attar's 'Pandnama'. The fifth-grade exams were about to take place when my father became angry with Mian Sahib for some reason and left the job and returned to Pakpattan. I also had to come back, and therefore my education under Maulvi Sahib was also interrupted. However, the interest did not end. It is said that where there is a passion in the heart, a guide is not required; I would find some teacher myself while searching and continue to study the books of Dars-e-Nizami under his guidance. By the ninth grade, I had finished all the books of arts. Now the tenth-grade exam was ahead, so all attention was focused on it, and the series of Arabic education was broken once again."

Matriculation and a Passion for Reading

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi joined Islamia High School, Pakpattan, in the sixth grade and passed his matriculation exam from there. During his matriculation years, his interest in reading grew immensely. He requested the principal to exempt him from regular class attendance to provide him with the opportunity for day-and-night study. The principal, with great kindness, made this arrangement. Ghamidi writes:

"When my tenth year began, my interest in philosophy, Sufism, literature, and history had grown significantly. This was the influence of the company of my father and those who visited him. If I came across any book on these subjects, I could not rest until I had finished it. There was time for this as well, although school engagements were somewhat of a hindrance. I felt I should find a way out of this. Driven by this passion, one day I requested my teacher and the school's headmaster, Syed Sher Muhammad Sahib, to exempt me from attending lessons. I wanted to study with complete focus. I told him that if he gave me a room in the hostel, I would not disappoint him with my tenth-grade results, God willing. Syed Sahib was a teacher of extraordinary character. I am still amazed at how he agreed. After a few moments of pause, he said: 'You won't break my trust, will you?' I reassured him, and the very next day, he provided this facility. Furthermore, he granted me an additional favor by allowing me to move all the books of my choice from the school library to that room. It wasn't exactly a garden corner, but every form of 'leisure and a book' was available. I stayed in that room until the tenth-grade exams."

College Years

After passing his matriculation from Islamia High School, Pakpattan, Ustadh Javed Ahmad Ghamidi enrolled in Government College, Lahore. From there, he passed his B.A. and Honors in English Literature (Part I) in 1972. Describing his college days, he writes:

"After the tenth grade, I entered Government College, Lahore. Philosophy and English Literature were my elective subjects. For my B.A. Honors, I also chose English Literature. Government College at that time was like a galaxy of shining stars in the world of knowledge and literature. Students had access to the company of scholars and literati such as Professor Mirza Munawwar, Sabir Lodhi, Ghulam-us-Saqlain Naqvi, Malik Bashir-ur-Rehman, Professor Siraj, Professor Saeed Sheikh, Professor Bakhtiar Hussain Siddiqui, and Dr. Muhammad Ajmal. Professor Ashfaq Ali Khan was the principal of the college. There was a very good library in the college for readers. The Punjab University Library and the Punjab Public Library were also not far away.

The Lahore of that era was a world of knowledge in itself. Great pillars of knowledge and literature like Maulana Syed Abul A'la Maududi, Maulana Abul Khair Maududi, Maulana Haneef Nadvi, Maulana Idrees Kandhlawi, Maulana Ataullah Haneef, Dr. Sufi Zia-ul-Haq, Dr. Syed Abdullah, Dr. Burhan Ahmad Faruqi, Professor Alam-ud-Din Salik, Professor Yusuf Saleem Chishti, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Shorish Kashmiri, Hafeez Jalandhari, Abid Ali Abid, Ihsan Danish, and Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi were alive. One could visit them whenever one wished to benefit from them. Some of these elders were also willing to teach. Thus, upon my request, Dr. Sufi Zia-ul-Haq Sahib taught me 'Maqamat-e-Hamadani' and Maulana Ataullah Haneef taught me parts of 'Darimi'.

I stayed at Government College for about five years. My routine was to leave home in the morning, attend college lessons, then sit in a library until evening, or visit these elders in their company. For new books, Ferozsons and United Publishers offered the facility where one could read for as long as one wished; the shop people generally did not interfere. I would visit these shops and spend hours looking at books. During that time, I made plans to write some books and even wrote something, but these remained mostly plans. The inclination to write poetry had been there since childhood. I wrote poetry during that time as well, and some of it was published in the 1968 and 1969 issues of Ferozsons' English monthly 'Pakistan Review' and some other journals. However, the focus remained on reading. Therefore, my days and nights at college were spent in this luxury."

The Beginning of Practical Struggle

During his college years, Ustadh Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, together with a few friends, decided to establish an institution named "Daira-tul-Fikr" (The Circle of Thought). The objective was to launch a movement for an Islamic revolution, with this institution serving as its intellectual and scholarly center. A subsequent goal was to establish a Dar-ul-Uloom (educational institute) to train the next generation of leaders for the movement, thereby addressing the perceived shortcomings in the Jamaat-e-Islami movement. Daira-tul-Fikr was later renamed "Dar-ul-Ishraq." This struggle continued for three to four years, though the institution frequently faced interruptions due to a lack of financial and human resources. Describing its history, Ghamidi writes:

"The era in which I came of age was one of institutions and organizations established for Islamic revolution. One is naturally influenced by their surroundings. Thus, during college days, some friends and I decided to establish an institution called 'Daira-tul-Fikr.' Among them, my dear friend Dr. Sajid Ali was the most prominent; he is currently the head of the Philosophy Department at Punjab University. I had a rented room on Link McLeod Road. I wanted to publish a magazine from there titled 'Khayal.' The institution began in that very room. The purpose was to initiate a movement for an Islamic revolution, where this institution would act as an intellectual and leadership center. We also intended to establish a Dar-ul-Uloom to select future leaders from its graduates. It was a romantic ideal; we thought the gaps remaining in Maulana Syed Abul A'la Maududi's group could be filled this way.

For two or three months, we met and studied in that room on McLeod Road, but it became clear that we needed to spend more time together. Consequently, friends living in hostels decided to leave them, pooling their allowances and expenses to rent a house that would serve as the movement's center. My home was near Lahore Railway Station in Mohalla Sultanpura. We found a nearby house, and everyone moved in. We proposed the name 'Jamia Al-Hamra' for our Dar-ul-Uloom and decided to publish a journal called 'Al-Hamra.' On friends' advice, we chose type printing instead of calligraphy. Those who have experienced this method know how prone it was to proofread errors. Unfortunately, after correcting the proofs and handing them to the press, we found that not a single error had been fixed in the final print. We had to discard the entire batch—a first lesson in our inexperience.

Soon after, we had to vacate that house. After months of searching, we found a house in Model Town (J Block, No. 29) and resumed work. In June 1971, we met Advocate Chaudhry Muhammad Anwar and his friend Syed Badr Bukhari, who were impressed by our program. They suggested starting a Quran study circle (Dars-e-Quran) in their neighborhood on Allama Iqbal Road. It began on July 7, and we students gained the patronage of elders, notably Syed Arshad Bukhari and Sheikh Muhammad Arshad. They were both friends who worked at WAPDA and had been regular attendees of Dr. Israr Ahmed's lessons. For about two years, this series of teaching and learning continued, and soon we had enough people to establish a formal organization under the leadership of Syed Badr Bukhari. Maulana Abdul Rahman Madni, a distinguished scholar of the Ahl-e-Hadith, also joined us. However, this arrangement did not last long; Badr Bukhari Sahib was at an age where leading such an organization was not easy, and it was dissolved within months.

In March 1973, we printed a journal called 'Ishraq' under Daira-tul-Fikr, hoping for a declaration to make it a regular publication, but obtaining the declaration proved difficult. A few months later, our landlord increased the rent, and unable to meet the demand, we had to leave the Model Town house. After months of being scattered, we finally found a place in Garden Town (Ahmed Block). Friends gathered once again, equipment was restored, and the cycle of teaching and learning began again. Some friends disliked the name 'Daira-tul-Fikr,' so we adopted 'Dar-ul-Ishraq' instead. Of the students initially involved, only Dr. Sajid Ali and I remained. New companions included Sheikh Afzal Ahmed, Mustansir Mir, Chaudhry Ilyas Ahmed, and Chaudhry Muhammad Rafiq. Our friend Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan is also a memory of this era; though not formally part of the institution, he was considered one of us, as were Asghar Niazi and Muhammad Tariq Mecken."

Relationship with Maulana Maududi

Ustadh Javed Ahmad Ghamidi became acquainted with Maulana Maududi during his school years. This introduction eventually led to his membership in "Jamaat-e-Islami," which lasted for some time before it was terminated. Despite this, his personal bond and profound respect for Maulana Maududi remained constant throughout Maududi's life and continues to this day. Describing this relationship, Ghamidi writes:

"After passing the fifth-grade examination, I moved to Islamia High School for further education. It was likely during my sixth or seventh grade that I met Mr. Nasiruddin Humayun, who taught us History. This meeting was significant because it was through him that I was first introduced to the name and work of Maulana Syed Abul A'la Maududi. I read all of Maulana's books by borrowing them from him. It was a new world of knowledge and action.

The annual gathering of the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba was held in those days at Daud Garden, Daroghawala. A few friends and I came to Lahore from Islamia High School with Mr. Humayun to attend this gathering. It was there that I saw Maulana Syed Abul A'la Maududi for the first time. What a heart-winning personality he was! It seemed as if every element of nature's beauty had contributed to his persona. Later, I had opportunities to meet him and observe him closely. In terms of knowledge and practice, excellence of character, wisdom, insight, and courage, the figures who could be named alongside him are few indeed. This is not just my impression; anyone who had the honor of meeting him, speaking with him, or working with him would testify to this."

As mentioned earlier, Ghamidi's practical efforts through "Daira-tul-Fikr" and later "Dar-ul-Ishraq" faced frequent interruptions due to financial and human resource shortages. During this time, Maulana Maududi learned of these efforts and challenges and decided to patronize the work. However, this arrangement did not last long. Ghamidi explains how this support began and how it eventually came to an end:

"During that period, I often had the opportunity to visit Maulana Syed Abul A'la Maududi. One day, during a visit, this work was mentioned. Maulana asked for details and was introduced to my colleagues. I shared our difficulties and the obstacles causing interruptions, and requested his patronage. Maulana graciously accepted. Following his guidance, a joint bank account in our names was opened at Habib Bank, Ichhra, where Maulana began contributing 1,000 rupees monthly from his own pocket.

We moved from Garden Town to a building provided by him at 1-A Zaildar Park, Ichhra, near his residence. Maulana intended for it to be organized as a branch of 'Idara Ma'arif-e-Islami' or as a new institution. Earlier, at his initiative, I had become a member of 'Jamaat-e-Islami,' but this decision was not well received by some senior members of the party. Consequently, a campaign began against us, and within seven or eight months, I realized that working there under those circumstances would be impossible. Mr. Aslam Salimi conveyed the party's request that the building be vacated to be used as an election office. This situation made our course clear. We consulted, sought Maulana's permission, and, at the invitation of Chaudhry Ilyas Ahmed, decided to move to his village, Muridke, near Lahore. We arrived there in late 1976. On January 11, 1977, I received a letter from Maulana Fateh Muhammad, the Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami Punjab, informing me that my membership had been terminated without giving any reason.

This period of connection and separation was a significant experience in my life. I witnessed the greatness of an era closely, prayed alongside him, conversed with him, and learned the etiquette of life and lessons in patience and wisdom. I heard his perspective on historical events, his scholarly disagreements with Maulana Islahi, and his respectful impressions of Imam Farahi. I also heard stories of his love for Abul Kalam Azad, Muhammad Ali Jauhar, and Allama Iqbal.

These companionships are the treasure of my life, and I still remember Maulana as a son remembers his father. I consider his community my own, and despite numerous disagreements on policy and strategy, I feel a bond with them similar to what one feels for their family. I hold no grievances against those who led the campaign against me; I assume they did what they thought was best for the party.

In our final meeting before he left for the United States, Maulana told me: 'I have high expectations of you. Always listen attentively to your critics. If they stoop low, adopt the path of "passing by with dignity." If they try to provoke you, refuse to be provoked despite their slanders. God will then be with you, and you will, God willing, defeat them in your own field.' This advice has always been before me through the ups and downs of life."

Introduction and Mentorship with Maulana Islahi

In 1973, during his college years, Ustadh Javed Ahmad Ghamidi was introduced to Maulana Amin Ahsan Islahi. At that time, Maulana Islahi was working on his monumental tafsir, "Tadabbur-i-Quran." Ghamidi was profoundly influenced by his personality, thought, and work, and thus began his period of mentorship under him. Describing the details, he writes:

"After passing the BA Honors Part 1 examination, I was in my final year when I happened to see some books by Imam Hamiduddin Farahi. This was an amazing world of knowledge, vision, and insight that unfolded as soon as I turned the pages of these books. In the preface of one of these books, there was a mention of the Imam's distinguished student, Maulana Amin Ahsan Islahi. The words were likely: 'The second of the two, as they both refined themselves with the etiquettes of Imam Farahi.' A strong desire arose in my heart to meet the Maulana. A friend from the 'Islami Jamiat' told me that he was staying in a village outside Lahore. I knew that Dr. Israr Ahmed also had some connection with him. In those days, Dr. Israr had a clinic in a neighborhood in Krishan Nagar and lived there. I left the library and reached his house after asking around. Dr. Israr was talking to his friends in the back room of the clinic. I asked about the Maulana, and he told me that, by a stroke of luck, he had arrived just that day from his village, Rahmanabad, and was currently staying with his son-in-law, Nauman Ali, in WAPDA Colony. I had a bicycle. I understood the address and set off for WAPDA Colony. By the time I arrived, it was around Maghrib. I asked a passerby for guidance, and he pointed ahead. The Maulana was coming out for prayers. I stepped forward and offered my greetings. This was my first meeting with the Teacher of the Imam.

The Maulana likely stayed in Lahore for two weeks. I would visit him daily and return as if I had toured a new world. These meetings with the Teacher of the Imam were the first time I experienced a true intellectual opening—that religion is not just something to be accepted, but can be understood and explained. The reality became clear that the Quran is a decisive word, a criterion for everything in religion and Sharia, and God's proof for the entire world. In its light, we can evaluate Hadith, Jurisprudence, Philosophy, Sufism, History, and Biography. For me, this was the discovery of a 'new' Quran.

I submitted that I wanted to become a student of the Quran according to his method. After giving some background of my education, I asked what I should do for this. The Maulana provided a long list of foundational books in various sciences and arts, which required years of labor to read, understand, and internalize. The Maulana said: 'If you want to study this way, you must remove thoughts of leadership from your soul and isolate yourself for knowledge, vision, reflection, and contemplation. Decide that even if your own shadow does not support you, you will stand by the truth. No one can enter our sanctuary of knowledge without this resolve and intention.'

This was the final day. The next day, the Maulana was returning to his village. I examined my heart and mind, weighed the consequences, and decided that very day to bid farewell to college and join the Maulana's school of learning the next day, sparing no effort to acquire the necessary knowledge. My second period of studentship began from this point. It was an evening in 1973. This cycle continued for approximately ten years. During this period, the Maulana himself taught me. I studied the Quran (from Surah Zukhruf to the end), Muwatta Imam Malik, the principles of reflection on the Quran and Hadith, and some discussions on modern philosophy according to his method. The Maulana used to say that people who read little but write much have become many in this era. His instruction was: 'Pick up the pen only when a new reality comes before you.' Therefore, in this period of studentship, I had little courage to write. I wrote poetry, and I didn't have much interest in writing prose. However, a few things in Urdu and Arabic came from my pen, but they were such as any novice writer might produce."

Introduction to Ghamidi's Scholarly Works

After completing his education, Javed Ahmad Ghamidi decided to begin his scholarly and research work in 1983. He describes the details of this journey in his book "Maqamat" as follows:

"When this stage of education ended in 1983, such a state of unrest had arisen in the world of my beliefs that everything seemed to be shifting from its place. Jurisprudence, Scholastic Theology, Sufism—all were seeking their foundations in the Quran. What is the correct interpretation of religion? All the answers that had come forward until then were under the shadow of critique. The palace of my concepts had collapsed, and the new construction now demanded a new arrangement. The next seven years were sacrificed to this arrangement. During this period, I know not how many valleys I crossed, how many paths I sought, how many turns I took, and where the thirst of thorns was quenched by the blisters of my feet. It was a strange journey. One destination followed another, and it was unknown what would come next.

During this time, if I wrote anything, it was only out of necessity. In the 'temple of concepts' where a state of 'carving, worshipping, and then breaking' had arisen, what could I say to others? This period passed in this way, until in 1990, the ground was finally levelled for the foundation of a new construction. I was nearing forty years of age. Clarity had largely been achieved in thought and vision, and the plan of work was also clear. I organized a program of authorship and composition and began working accordingly. For the past several years, I have been working according to this plan. Much has been done, and much remains. If God's grace remains with me, that too will be accomplished. A few days ago, when 'Mizan' reached completion, I felt that on this occasion, this story should be told."

Among his books, some have been completed and others are in progress:

Al-Bayan: A translation and commentary of the Quran.

Mizan: A comprehensive statement of Islam as understood by Ghamidi.

Burhan: Specialized in the critique of discussions where his viewpoint differs from other scholars.

Maqamat: A collection of selections from his writings other than the first two books.

Al-Islam: A concise summary of "Mizan."

Ilm al-Nabi, Fiqh al-Nabi, Seerat al-Nabi: These three books are intended for the collection, critical editing, and compilation of Hadith and historical accounts.

Khayal-o-Khama: A collection of his poetry.

Mission

In 1983, Javed Ahmad Ghamidi decided to establish a research and educational institution named "Al-Mawrid." Its objectives were defined as scholarly research on Islamic sciences, their dissemination, and the education and training of people accordingly. This institution continues to thrive. Ghamidi Sahib describes its vision as follows:

"This institution was established on the realization that the process of 'Tafaqquh fi al-Din' (understanding of religion) is no longer being carried out on correct lines among Muslims. Sectarian biases and the competing struggles of politics have made the call to religion based purely on the Quran and Sunnah alien to many. The Holy Quran, the foundation of this religion, has been reduced to a book for memorization and recitation. In religious seminaries, sciences that were at most means to reach the Quran have become ends in themselves. Hadith has been detached from its foundations in the Quran and Sunnah, and all emphasis is on studying the principles and branches of a particular school of thought and proving its superiority over others. This institution has been established to reform this situation. Its primary objective is scholarly research on Islamic sciences, their wide-scale dissemination through all possible means, and the education and training of people accordingly. The key points of the methodology adopted for this purpose are:"

Knowledge & Research

Granting fellowships to distinguished scholars and researchers of religion.

Assigning scholarly, research, educational, and dawah projects to capable individuals, either on their own proposal or by the institution.

Providing the necessary environment, libraries, and other facilities for scholars and researchers.

Education & Training

Organizing seminars, workshops, and short courses on religious subjects.

Conducting distance learning (DL) courses via the internet.

Establishing training centers and schools for both religious and modern sciences.

Dissemination

Publishing journals in Urdu, Arabic, and English.

Establishing websites in these languages on the internet.

Organizing the publication of research, lectures, and speeches of scholars, and preparing audio/video media.

Introducing the work of scholars and researchers to the public on a wide scale.

Promoting the introduction of the institution and its objectives among the people.

The work described under "Knowledge & Research" and "Dissemination" is largely underway. Under "Education & Training," schools for religious and modern sciences are at the top of future plans. "This institution is now the pivot of all my efforts. For whatever days of my life remains, I have dedicated them to this cause, besides my own scholarly works. I pray to Almighty God for sincerity in knowledge and action."

"Is it any wonder if kings show favor to the beggar?"