Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Islahi, an eminent Islamic scholar, author, orator and member of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s Central Advisory Council (CAC), breathed his last at Fortis Hospital, Noida, UP on December 21 following a short illness. He was 89.
Born on 9 July 1932 in UP’s Bareilly District, Muhammad Yusuf received his primary education in Bareilly. He memorised the Qur’ān and also learnt Tajweed. After passing high school, his father Shaikh-ul-Hadees Maulana Abdul Qadim Khan sent him to Madrasa Mazahir ul Uloom, Saharanpur for Islamic studies. Later he joined Madrasatul Islah, Sarai Mir, Azamgarh, UP for higher studies, where he studied under Maulana Akhtar Ahsan Islahi and Maulana Ameen Ahsan Islahi, and received Sanad Fazilat with distinction therefrom.
After becoming a member of JIH in 1953, he held several key positions. He had been a member of the JIH’s apex body Central Council of Representatives as well as its CAC for a pretty long time. He was the Rector of Jamiatus Salehat, Rampur, UP, a renowned institution for higher Arabic and Islamic education for girls. The Markazi Darsgah-e-Islami, Rampur also ran under his guidance. He was founder editor of well-known Urdu magazine, Zikra, now being brought out in the name of Zikra Jadeed Monthly.
He authored about 60 popular books in Urdu, which were translated into several other languages including English. Aadab-e Zindagi (Etiquette of Life in Islam), Aasaan Fiqh (Easy Jurisprudence), and Sachcha Deen Series (Islamic textbooks for schools) are his best-circulated books. His other popular books include Khatm-e-Nabuwwat Qur’ān ki Raushni Mein (The End of Prophethood in the Light of the Qur’ān), Masael aur Unka Hal (Problems and Their Solution), Buraiyon ke Toofan mein Aap Kiya Karen (What You Should Do in the Face of Ever Rising Evils), Qiyadat ke Ausaf aur Ummat ki Zimmedariyan (Leadership Qualities and Responsibilities of the Ummah), Izzat ki Zindagi aur Hindustani Musalman (Living with Dignity and Indian Muslims).
He used to spend a few months every year in the United States, the UK, Japan and Australia, presenting lectures on Islamic subjects.
A 9-member high-level delegation of JIH led by Vice President Er. Muhammad Salim rushed to Rampur to attend his funeral prayer. Other members of the team included Mr. Muhammad Ahmad, Maulana Dr. Muhammad Raziul Islam Nadvi and Maulana Mohiuddin Ghazi.
His funeral prayer was led by his son Salman in the lawn of Shadi Ghar adjacent to Markazi Darsgah-e-Islami, and later he was laid to rest in the graveyard near Masjid-e-Qallash (close to Goiya Talab and Qila-i-Mualla).
He left behind his five sons Sayeed Akhtar, Saad, Saud, Salman and Salim and two daughters who are all well-settled. His wife had died earlier.