Monthly Archives: July 2013

Abd Rab Al-Rasul Sayyaf obtained a B.A. from the College of Theology in Kabul University in 1967, and an M.A. in Hadith from Al-Azhar University in Cairo in 1971.

Mr. Sayyaf emerged as a significant Muslim activist as early as 1963 when he founded the first Afghan Islamic movement. While serving as a professor of Hadith (Prophet Mohammad’s sayings) at Kabul University, he strove to unite Afghan Muslims around the principles of Islam through his copious lectures, publications, and preaching activities. He was tortured and jailed for six years because of his part in the resistance to the 1973 communist coup in Afghanistan and narrowly escaped execution. Following his discharge in 1980, he fled to Peshawar, Pakistan, where he was chosen as a non-partisan independent to help unify an alliance formed under the name of “The Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan.” Other leaders soon seceded the Union, while Sayyaf converted it into a party under his own leadership. Two years later, he joined with other factions in a courageous fight against the communists that resulted in their expulsion from his country. An eloquent speaker of Arabic, Sayyaf led delegations in the early 1980’s to Islamic Summits and Foreign Ministers’ Conferences in Taif, Islamabad and Niger, to garner support for his country and his party.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Fahd Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud held major political offices before becoming a Crown Prince in 1975, then King of Saudi Arabia in 1982.

King Fahd’s lifelong commitment to the service of Islam transcended the boundaries of Saudi Arabia to reach Muslims in virtually all parts of the world, and could only be paralleled with his able leadership of the world’s most influential Islamic state and his unfaltering efforts to maintain and enhance the stability, prosperity and progress of his country.

His reign is identified with countless achievements in economic, political, social, and educational fields. In terms of service to Islam, these achievements included the most elaborate expansion and refurbishment of the two Holy Mosques in seven centuries, with the result of greater safety and comfort for the 3-4 million Muslims who gathered each year in the holy places to perform Hajj. They also included the establishment of the monumental King Fahd Complex for Printing the Holy Qur’an. Up to 10 million copies of the Qur’an in Arabic and other languages are produced annually and distributed worldwide. King Fahad also supported personally or through his government more than 200 Islamic centers, over 1,200 mosques, over 200 colleges, and around 2,000 schools for Muslim children worldwide. The King Fahd Academies in major world capitals such as London, Bonn, Moscow, and Washington D.C. provide Muslim children living in those cities with an education of the highest modern standard while tying them to their religion, culture, and language. To encourage communication between Islamic and other cultures, King Fahd also supported the establishment of Chairs and Islamic and Arabic studies institutes in some of the most prestigious international universities.

King Fahd’s support of Muslim solidarity and rapport, and his role in resolving conflicts between Islamic states, defending Muslims’ rights and providing boundless relief to destitute Muslims are further examples of his commitment to serve Islam.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

After his early education in Bangkok, Tunku Abdulrahman traveled to study in St. Catherine’s College at Cambridge University, where he received a BA in law and history in 1925. After returning to Kada, he joined the Civil Service, first as a Cadet in the Legal Advisor’s office, then as a District Officer in several districts. In 1951, he became the President of United Malays National Organization (UMNO). He traveled in all parts of the Federation to promote unity. In 1955, the UNMO won the first general elections in the Federation and Tunku Abdulrahman became a Chief Minister. In the same year, he led a delegation for talks with the British that led to the independence of Malaya in 1957, and Abdulrahman became the country’s first Prime Minister. He was reelected for a second term, during which he convened talks with the British that led to the unity of the Federation and the emergence of the new nation of Malaysia. HRH Prince Tunku Abdulrahman led the Malaysian liberation movement during the British occupation of his country, where he is known as the Father of Independence.

In 1960, Prince Abdulrahman founded the Birkim Islamic Society, which supported Cambodian Muslim refugees in Malaysia. He was also the first Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference and a Founding Member of the Islamic Development Bank.

He was also the sponsor of the Regional Council for Islamic Daawa for South-East Asia and the Pacific in Kuala Lumpur.

Prince Tunku Abdulrahman was awarded Honorary Doctorate degrees from Cambridge University, Aligarth Muslim University of India, Seoul National University, Areneta University in the Philippines, and the universities of Malaya, Sydney and Saigon.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

As a child, Hasanein Makhlouf memorized the Holy Qur’an and learned basic principles of Islam from his father, who was then a prominent Islamic scholar. He joined Al-Azhar Institute at the age of 11, and pursued his higher studies at the School of Sharia in Cairo.

After graduation, Shaikh Makhlouf taught for two years in Al-Azhar then joined the Islamic legal system. He served as a judge in various parts of Egypt, until he became a Vice-Chairman of the Supreme Sharia Court, a Director of Religious Seminaries, and a member of Al-Azhar Academy for Islamic Research in Egypt. He also served twice as the Mufti of Egypt and was a Founding Member of the World Muslim League, and a Member of the Council of the Islamic University in Al-Medinah Al-Munawwarah (Saudi Arabia).

Shaikh Makhlouf was a renowned Muslim scholar; his distinguished contributions to Islamic studies, which spanned several decades, included the authorship of many important and widely circulated texts, including Kalimat al-Qur’an, Safwat al-Bayan, Al-Fatawi and Kitab al-Muareeth. He traveled extensively in the Islamic world preaching Islamic teachings and values, and helping in the establishment of Islamic educational and social institutions. Shaikh Hasanein Makhlouf received several national accolades, including the Egyptian State Prize in Social Sciences and the National Medal of Arts and Sciences (First Order).

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Abdulaziz Bin Baz’s father died when he was three and by the age of 13; therefore, he had to work to help support his family. Despite this, he was relentlessly pursuing studies of the Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), and Tafsir. By the age of 20, he lost his sight completely due to a mysterious eye infection. This did not deter him from continuing his education under the tutelage of many prominent teachers of Islam and Arabic language in his country until he became one of the most learned Islamic scholars in the world. He served first in the judiciary field and taught at the College of Shariah (Islamic Law) in Riyadh. Subsequently, he became a Vice-President, a President and then a Chancellor of the Islamic University in Al-Madinah. In 1975, he was named a Chairman of the Department of Islamic Research and Guidance. In 1993, he was appointed as a Grand Mufti, the highest religious authority in Saudi Arabia, as well as a Head of the Commission of Senior Islamic Scholars in that country. He was also a Chairman of the Constituent Council of the World Muslim League.

Shaikh bin Baz dedicated his life to the spiritual guidance of his students and the Muslim community at large, and was particularly concerned with the state of the Islamic world.

His intense knowledge of Islamic doctrine and sharia and significant contributions to Islamic research and education gained him the respect of Muslims worldwide. He authored numerous books and articles dealing with different aspects of the Islamic religion. He was also a prolific speaker both in public and in his mosque, and devoted much of his time providing counseling for people.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud received his education in Arabic language and Islamic studies under the tutelage of prominent Saudi scholars. As a young prince, he participated in his father’s efforts to unify the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, serving at one time as the Governor of Makkah, then as a Minister of Interior. He also led the Saudi delegation for negotiation of a border dispute with Yemen that successfully led to the conclusion of the Taif Agreement between the two countries in 1934.

During the reign of King Faisal, he was named Crown Prince and, following Faisal’s assassination in 1975, he became Saudi Arabia’s fourth monarch, reigning from 1975 to 1982. Not long after his accession, he launched the second Five Year Plan, which set in train much of the infrastructural development on which the future health and prosperity of the Kingdom was to depend.

King Khalid’s religious upbringing influenced his reign. He continued the tradition of his predecessors: modernizing his country without compromising its commitment to Islamic teachings. Under his leadership, the Kingdom developed at an exceptionally fast pace while remaining stable, secure, and adhering to Islamic values. He was a devout Muslim who strove relentlessly to promote Islam and encourage solidarity and cooperation among Muslim countries. He also fostered numerous philanthropic projects in Islamic countries and ardently supported Muslim minorities worldwide.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Dr. Natsir combined religious and public education. He received his first degree from the College of Education in Bandung and was subsequently awarded an honorary doctorate from the Islamic University in Jakarta. He worked as a teacher, an educator, and an administrator during the years of Dutch occupation of his country. In 1945, he joined anti-colonial efforts. He became a member of the Indonesian parliament, founded Masjumi (The Council of Muslim Associations of Indonesia) in 1946, and was a Minister of Information for four years. During his tenure, he vehemently opposed proposals to turn Indonesia into a confederacy and championed the unity of the republic.

Dr. Mohammad Natsir was not only a leading figure in the struggle against occupation in Indonesia, but also one of the leaders of the modern Islamic movement in that country.

In 1950, Natsir became Indonesia’s Prime Minister only to resign a year later following clashes with Indonesia’s Sukarno, who was heading towards autocratic rule. By the late 1950’s, Sukarno had banned Masyumi, and in 1961, he imprisoned Dr. Natsir and other leaders of the movement. They were released four years later by Suharto, who deposed Sukarno in a military coup. Following their release, Dr. Natsir and other leaders of the banned Masjumi, formed the Indonesian Supreme Council for the Islamic Daawa (invitation to join Islam) in Jakarta, and focused on public education, establishing mosques, assisting students and farmers, and promulgating Islam throughout Indonesia.

In 1967, he was selected a vice president of the International Islamic Conference held in Pakistan. He was a founding member and, at one time, a Vice-President of the Islamic World League. He published several articles and books, mostly dealing with questions of Islam and modern civilization, the foundations of Islamic government, Islam and World peace, and similar topics.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Abu Al-Hasan Al-Nadawi studied Hadith 1 and Tafseer 2 in addition to the Arabic, Persian, and English languages and Arabic literature. He founded the Indian Islamic Academy and dedicated his life to the teaching and propagation of Islam in India and other countries. He was a member of the Arabic language academies of Syria and Jordan, the Advisory Council of the Islamic University of Al-Madinat Al-Munawwarah (Saudi Arabia), the Association of Islamic Universities. He was also a founding member of the Islamic World League. He served as a professor of Hadith, Tafseer, Arabic Literature, and Logic in Dar Al-Ulum College in Aligarth, and traveled extensively throughout the Islamic World to promulgate the teachings of Islam. He was an invited speaker to many universities in India and the Arab world.

Al-Nadawi is regarded as one of the most significant Islamic thinkers of modern times. In addition to numerous articles and essays, he authored more than 50 books on Islam or Islamic topics in Urdu, Arabic (16 books), Persian, and English. Among his most famous books are Islam and the World, Muslims in India, Saviors of the Islamic Spirit, and Biography of Sayyid Uthman Ahmad Al-Shahid. He also wrote many books for Muslim children in India, explaining Islam and emphasizing its values.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Abu Ala’a Al-Mowdoodi received home education before moving to formal education. However, his undergraduate studies in Dar Al-Uloom, Hyderabad, were disrupted by the death of his father, and he moved on to journalism for a living, while continuing his self-education. At the age of 17, he wrote his magnum opus, Tarjuman al-Quran, a coveted series providing brief but powerful commentary of the Holy Qur’an in Urdu. This was followed by a series of copious publications, including Mabadi’ al-Islam (Principles of Islam), which was translated to numerous  languages, and Tafhim al-Quran (The Meaning of the Qur’an) in which he tried to simplify the meanings of the Qur’an in order to bring it closer to the understanding of ordinary  people. Of particular significance is his book Islamic Law and Constitution which embodied his views on the doctrine and philosophy of Islam and the divinity of Islamic laws. He was the founder of Jamaat-e-Islami in India, a religious political movement to promote Islamic values and principles. It is currently the oldest religious party in Pakistan. His political struggle led to his imprisonment several times. In 1953, he was sentenced to death, but overwhelming public pressure forced the government to commute his sentence to life imprisonment and eventually to release him.

Sayyid Abul Ala’a Al-Mowdoodi was a renowned Pakistani journalist, theologist, and promulgator of Islam throughout the Indian subcontinent.

Al-Mowdoodi is regarded as one of the most influential Islamic philosophers of the 20th century. His life and thought have been researched by Muslim and non-Muslim scholars worldwide. His vast knowledge and prolific writings inspired many Muslims to adhere to the spirit and values of Islam.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.