It is with deepest sadness that I write this obituary in the honour of my teacher and mentor, Professor Khurshid Ahmad, who sadly passed away on April 13 at the age of 93 years at his home in Leicester. To Allah we belong and unto Him we return. (Qur’an 2: 156).
Born in 1932 in Delhi, India, Professor Khurshid was a towering intellectual, a visionary Islamic economist, a prolific writer and speaker and an active parliamentarian. Above all, he was a principled thought leader, inspired by the Qur’an, its vision for man and society, and the Sirah, (the character and teachings of the blessed Prophet Muhammad).
A pioneer in modern Islamic economics and interfaith dialogue, he had a profound impact on Islamic intellectual thought for over half a century. His commitment to policy development and education was deeply rooted in Islamic values, and his scholarship and public service shaped generations of minds across the Muslim world and beyond.
Following the birth of the State of Pakistan, Professor Khurshid’s family migrated from Delhi to Karachi. He quickly excelled in academia, earning degrees in Economics (First class honours), Law (LL.B.), and Islamic Studies (M.A.). He received several honorary doctorates from several prestigious institutions around the world. The University of Malaya, Malaysia, awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in Education in 1982, Loughborough University in the UK awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in Literature in 2003, and the International Islamic University Malaysia awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in Islamic Economics in 2006. He served as an active member of the Senate of Pakistan for more than two decades and prior to that, in 1978, he held the position of Federal Minister for Planning and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of Pakistan.
Professor Khurshid Ahmad received multiple awards for his contributions to academia and Islam. The Islamic Development Bank honoured him with its highest award in 1989 for his extensive contributions to the field of Islamic Economics. He received the prestigious King Faisal Award for his service to Islam in 1990, and in 2010, the Government of Pakistan awarded Professor Khurshid the Nishān-i-imtiāz, the highest civil award. In 1979, he established the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad, as the first non-governmental think tank in Pakistan. He was also a founding trustee of the International Islamic University, Islamabad, the founding chairman of the University of Management and Technology, Lahore and a board member of several organisations across the Muslim world.
In 1973, he established the Islamic Foundation as a dedicated centre for research, publishing, inter-faith dialogue and higher education in the city of Leicester. His primary vision as he articulated was to enable Muslims and humanity at large to discover the true potential of Islam, to support Muslims to become active participants in helping to build a plural, respectful and harmonious society. In one introductory remark he said, “We believe Islam is an ethical and moral approach to life for mankind, unlocking its potential to achieve justice and peace, progress and success.” Through his founding role at The Islamic Foundation, he nurtured people and institutions that continue to inspire critical thinking and bridge-building among communities, nations, and faiths.
The Islamic Foundation has since published over 400 titles and is currently situated in a 9-acre campus in the tranquil village of Markfield, the campus is home to The Markfield Institute of Higher Education, which was opened in 2003, by then HRH the Prince of Wales.
He taught me many things. Firstly, the comprehensive understanding of Islam and its integration with life to achieve the best of human ideals. This cannot be better put than as he did in the *Muslim*, FOSIS’s journal, in 1968, and kindly reproduced on *Salaam* blog recently:
“The belief in Islam is not a mere metaphysical conception; nor is it a jumble of barren words. It is a dynamic belief, a revolutionary doctrine, a historical force and a concord with destiny. It endows life with a lofty purpose. It crowns man with a noble outlook and a clear vision. It answers the riddles of the universe and solves the problems of existence. It enables man to live a dignified life. It tames his passions and directs his emotions into noble channels and spurs him to make his destiny glorious. This belief is a living reality and possess a sparkling eloquence which radiates from the words and deeds of its followers.
“Belief in Allah is a covenant, to order the whole of life according to the tenets of Islam, to attune the manners to the ethics of the Qur’an, and to follow the example of the Prophet in every walk of life.”
He explained to me the message of Surah Ad-Duha (93) when facing difficult and challenging times; remembering the promise of Allah of a better future, gratitude for Allah’s immense provisions and attending to the sufferings of the less privilege. And he explained to me that the path to rediscovering the blessings of Islam in our lives and the world is to turn our outlook on Islam upside down. Rather than going from history, traditions, Sunnah to the Qur’an, begin with the Qur’an.
May Allah Almighty accept his lifelong service to the Ummah, elevate his ranks in Jannah, and grant his family and loved one’s strength and sabr.
(Photo credit: The Islamic Foundation)
Farooq Murad
CEO, The Islamic Foundation
