Eminent Islamic scholar, founder of Darul Uloom Hyderabad, Ameer-e-Shariat Andhra Pradesh and member All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Maulana Hameeduddin Aqil Hussami passed away at his residence on March 12 following a brief illness. He was 82.
Maulana Aqil, who was suffering from lung problem for the last few months, was shifted to his house from a hospital Thursday night after his condition turned critical. He breathed his last at around 4.15 a.m. Friday, family sources said.
The death of the Muslim leader sent shockwaves among the community across the state, especially in the Muslim majority old city of Hyderabad. Hundreds of his followers gathered at his house in Panjesha locality to pay their last respects.
One of the key leaders of Muslims in India, Maulana Aqil was the founder head of Jamia Islamia Darul Uloom, a famous seat of Islamic learning in the city. He was also heading the United Muslim Forum, an apex body of Muslim political and religious organisations. It was formed in 2002 to fight against the harassment of innocent Muslim youth by the police. He was also chairman of Deeni Madaris Federation, which he formed a decade ago to fight the attempts to malign madrasas.
Moulana Aqil and other Muslim leaders, played a key role in the 2004 Andhra Pradesh assembly elections when they declared support to the Congress and extracted a promise from Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy that he would provide reservations for Muslims. After becoming chief minister, Reddy fulfilled the promise.
Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu, Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and other eminent personalities from different walks of life condoled the death of Maulana Aqil.
His funeral prayer was offered after Friday prayers at the historic Makkah Masjid in Hyderabad and the burial took place at Hussamia Chaman, his ancestral graveyard in the old city.