Grand Mufti laid to rest in Karachi
Besides heading the Dar ul Uloom, Usmani wrote over 30 books on Islamic education
Thousands of followers, notables from different walks of life, ulema, and dignitaries attended the funeral prayers for renowned religious scholar of Pakistan, Mufti Mohammad Rafi Usmani, who passed away in Karachi on Friday night after a protracted illness.
Mufti Usmani was known for his coveted title “Mufti-eAzam Pakistan” (the Grand Mufti of Pakistan). The funeral prayers yesterday morning were led by his younger brother, Justice (retired) Taqi Usmani, who is also a renowned religious scholar and an expert in Islamic jurisprudence.
Taqi Usmani mentioned that noted Islamic scholars in Pakistan through a consensus opinion had granted the revered title of Mufti-e-Azam to his elder brother keeping in view numerous scholarly achievements of the deceased in Islamic studies.
Mufti Usmani was laid to rest in the burial area within the premises of his renowned religious seminary, Darul Uloom Karachi, in the Korangi area of the city.
He was buried next to the grave of his father, late Mufti Shafi Usmani, who founded the Dar ul Uloom and also took part in the movement
for creating a separate homeland for Muslims of the Indian subcontinent.
The funeral prayers were attended by noted religious scholars and followers from different parts of the country. Sindh Governor, Kamran Khan Tessori, and the chief of the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, were among the notable participants.
Mufti Usmani was born in Deoband town in pre-partition India in 1936. Besides heading the Dar ul Uloom, he wrote over 30 books on various aspects of Islamic education. He massively contributed to the promotion of Islamic teachings in Pakistan soon after it came into being.
He served as a member of the syndicate of two wellreputed public sector universities, the University of Karachi and NED University of Engineering & Technology. He was the patron of Wifaqul Madaris which is the controlling authority of the religious seminaries in Pakistan.