Maulana Dr. Kausar Yazdani, a renowned Islamic scholar, author, journalist, activist and former Secretary for Dawah, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), breathed his last on August 29 at his residence in New Delhi following a brief illness. He was 76.
Born at Qattalpur village of Azamgarh district in Uttar Pradeshin 1935,Yazdani did his Matriculation in 1951, BA in 1955 from Shibli College, Azamgarh, and Masters and Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in the Hindi language from Agra University.
Yazdani came in contact with JIH when he was in Intermediate at Tanda. JIH was then writing new chapters in Islamic Dawah and awakening for non-Muslims as well as Muslims. Yazdani, who had not opted for Hindi as a subject in BA, chose Hindi journalism as his lifelong career under the influence of the Islamic movement. It was the time when JIH decided to publish a Hindi magazine and called him for the job in 1957. After some preparations Kanti monthly started its publication in 1958.
When Yazdani joined the Kanti, he did not know the Arabic language. But as he had chosen the Dawah path, he decided to learn Arabic and studied the language from Maulana Salman Qasmi at Rampur. Then he took three years leave to study Arabic and Islamic sciences at NadwatulUlema, Lucknow. Then JIH chief Maulana AbulLaisallowed him to work from Lucknow and granted him the required leave. Maulana Syed AbulHasan Ali Nadvi gave special permission to enrol him for Aalmiat. He cleared all the papers in one year and got Aalmiat degree. Later he completed his Fazilat at Rampur. Kanti was banned during Emergency and its editor jailed for a few months. In this critical period Yazdani did his MA in the Hindi Literature and PhD in 1980. His thesis was on Sufi DarshanevamSadhnakaKramikVikastathaKutban, ManjhanevamJaysee (Development of Mysticism in Hindi with reference to the poetry of Kutban, Manjhan and Jaysee). Yazdani remained its editor for more than 35 years and left it in 1995.
Yazdani introduced Jamaat activities in Delhi, which along with Haryana was granted the status of a zone in 1979. He was named its Amir, the position which he held till 1995 when he was appointed Secretary for Dawah at Markaz.
In 2003 he retired from his active part in the Islamic movement. After retirement he was engaged in translation of rare Islamic manuscripts into the Hindi language. He has to his credit a dozen books and about 40 translated works in Hindi. Recently he translated Bukhari in three volumes. He also wrote more than 500 articles published in different national and international journals and magazines. His most important translated works are DivyaQur’ān (translation of TalkheesTafheemulQur’ān) and Hadith Saurabh(translation of Yusuf Kandhlawi’sMuntakhabAhadith).
His funeral prayer was led by Amir JIH Maulana Syed JalaluddinOmari after Zuhr prayers on August 30. He was laid to rest in Batla House Graveyard. He left behind three sons and one daughter.