Muhammad Shafi Okarvi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Muhammad Shafee 2 February 1930 |
| Died | 24 April 1984(1984-04-24) (aged 54) |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Children | Kaukab Noorani Okarvi |
| Alma mater | Ashraf ul Madaris |
| Known for | His vigorous and inspiring speeches |
| Occupation | Religious scholar |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Jurisprudence | Hanafi |
| Tariqa | Naqshbandi(Mujaddidi) |
| Movement | Barelvi(Jamaat Ahle Sunnat) |
| Muslim leader | |
| Arabic name | |
| Personal (Ism) | Shafīʿ شفيع |
| Patronymic (Nasab) | ibn Karam Ilāhī ibn Allāh Ditta ibn Imām ad-Dīn بن كرم إلهي بن الله دتة بن إمام الدين |
| Toponymic (Nisba) | al-Awkārwī الأوكاروي al-Kīmkaranī الكيمكرني |
Muhammad Shafee Okarvi (Urdu:اردو نام: محمد شفیع اوکاڑوی; 2 February 1930 – 24 April 1984), also known by his honorific as Maulana Muhammad Shafee Okarvi, was a Pakistanireligious scholar and orator. He was one of the founders of theJamaa'at-e-Ahle-Sunnat[1][2][3] Pakistan and the Gulzaar-e-Habeeb Trust. He has received various honors from the Pakistani government and private institutes including theSitara-e-Imtiaz. Over a span of thirty-eight years, Okarvi delivered over 18,000 speeches on many religious topics.[4]
Okarvi was born inKhem Karan, East Punjab, India, to Haaji Shaiekh Karam Ilaahi, a local businessman. He was the eldest son of seven siblings. He began his education by learning to read and memorise theQuran and he completed middle school.[5]
Okarvi married at a young age and fathered eleven children, these being five sons and six daughters. In 1952, however, his two eldest sons, three-year-old Muneer Ahmad and 14-month-old Tanveer Ahmad, died within a week of each other. His eldest son,Kaukab Noorani Okarvi, continues his father's religious work.[6][7]
In 1947, after migrating from India, he and his father built Masjid Ghausiyah in Okara. In 1950, he began leading Friday prayers and teaching the congregation at Jaame Masjid Muhaajireen inSahiwal and became the head of the Department of Religion at Birla High School (renamed Sutlej Cotton Mills High School) in Okara.[8]
From 1952 to 1953, he contributed to theTahreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Khatm-e-Nubuwwat, which is an organization created to persecute Ahmadi Muslims. In 1954, he also established the Jaami'ah Hanafiyah Ashraf-ul-Madaaris onGrand Trunk Road in Okara and remained one of its mentors and sponsors.[8]
In 1955, he visitedKarachi for the first time when he lectured at the Jaame Masjid Aaraam Bagh on the firstLaylat al-Qadr. The following year he became the lecturer andImam of Memon Masjid and he foundedJamaat Ahle Sunnat and became its first chairman.[9][10]
Okarvi preached in theFar East, Middle East,India,Palestine,South Africa,United Arab Emirates,Mauritius and many other countries.[11] He sold 100,000 cassettes of his speeches in South Africa before 1980.[12] Video cassettes of his speeches are also widely distributed internationally.
In 1962, Okarvi travelled toBaghdad,Syria,Karbala,Beirut,Jeddah,Makkah andMadinah. He visited the shrines of many spiritual and religious scholars as well as many notable mosques and historical holy places.[13]
In 1976, Okarvi established in South Africa,Anjuman Ahl-e-Sunnat Wa Jamaa'at.[2][3]
In 1974, Okarvi formed the Jamaa'at e Ahle Sunnat in Durban, South Africa, which attracted up to 10,000 members.[14]
Okarvi made the journey to Mecca for Hajj, Ziyaarat and Umrah sixteen times.[13]
He was elected to theNational Assembly of Pakistan in 1977.[15]
He was made the Chief of Tahreek-e-Khatm-e-Nabuwwat in Sahiwal district in 1952-1953.[16]
Okarvi was arrested for his persecution of theAhmadiyya Muslim community. He remained in Montgomery prison for 10 months. During this period of imprisonment, his first two sons, Muneer Ahmad (3 years old) and Tanveer Ahmad (1+1⁄4 years old), died within a week.[17]
On 16 October 1962 in Khadda Market, Karachi, an assassination attempt was made on Okarvi during one of his speeches.[18][19] He received wounds on his neck, shoulders, head and upper back. Okarvi stayed under treatment in the hospital for two and a half months. While giving his statement to the police officer Okarvi said:
He did not appoint a lawyer for this case or follow any hearings. On recovery he occupied himself in preaching Islam and delivered his very first lecture at the same place where the attempted assassination happened.
In 1974, Okarvi had a heart attack. In 1975, he had another heart attack and came to Karachi, where he received cardiac treatment for six weeks. On 20 April 1984, he delivered his last speech at the congregation of Jum'ah Salaat at Jaame Masjid Gulzar-e-Habeeb. That evening, Okarvi had a third heart attack and was admitted to theNational Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. After three days, on 24 April 1984, he died at the age of 54.[21]
On 23 March 1985, PresidentZia-ul-Haq awarded theSitara-e-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) to Okarvi due to his contributions and religious services in Pakistan.[1]In 2013, he was posthumously awarded theNazaria-i-Pakistan Trust Gold Medal by Chief MinisterShahbaz Sharif as aPakistan Movement activist.[22]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
