Shah Ahmad Noorani

Shah Ahmad Noorani (Urdu: شاہ احمد نورانی‎; 1 October 1926 – 11 December 2003, known as Allama Noorani), was a Pakistani, Sunni-Barelvi Islamic scholar, mystic, philosopher, revivalist and an ultra–conservative politician.
He graduated with BA in Arabic language from the Allahabad University and later certified from the Darul Uloom in Meerut, he established himself as renowned Islamic scholar and worked in the developing the Islamic philosophy as well as helping found the World Islamic Mission in 1972.

Early life

Ahmad Noorani was born in Meerut, British India (now India), into an ultra-religious Urdu-speaking family on 1 October 1926. His father, Abdul Aleem Siddiqi was also an Islamic scholar and had accompanied him on Islamic missionary tours to various parts of the world in his early youth. He received his BA degree in Arabic language from the Allahabad University, and certified from the Darul-Uloom in Meerut in Islamic jurisprudence. His family moved to Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan after the partition of India. He established World Islamic Mission in 1972 which is based in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Career

He was elected as member of the National Assembly from Constituency NW-134 (Karachi-VII) after participating in general elections held in 1970 on Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan's platform. The JUP is main Sunni Barelvi political party of Pakistan. Second time he was elected as MNA from Constituency NA-167 (Hyderabad-II) in Pakistani general election, 1977. Since then, his influence on national politics further grew and eventually becoming a Senator in 1980s. After disassociating from politics in 1990s, he made his notable come back after rigorously opposing and further forming a ultra–conservative alliance to oppose the regime of President Pervez Musharraf. Assuming the presidency of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), he was known to have use tough rhetoric against Musharraf and formed a public support against Musharraf's policies in the country.

Death

On 12 December 2003, Noorani suffered a massive heart attack when he was preparing to leave his residence situated in F-8/4 sector for the Parliament House to address a press conference along with other opposition leaders at 12 noon. He is now buried in Abdullah Shah Ghazi Mausoleum in Karachi.