Moulana Shafi Moonis Sahib is no more!

Moulana Shafi Moonis

Veteran Islamist and old van guard of the Islamic Movement in the Indian subcontinent Moulana Shafi Moonis is no more. He has passed away in New Delhi today. Inna lillahi Wa inna ilaihi rajiwoon. With his demise the Islamic Movement has lost a jewel. An eventful era has come to an end. He was a great tahreeki leader, a contemporary of Moulana Syed Abul A'la Moududi, one who has seen the ups and downs of the tahreek..!

Ameer-e-Jamaat expresses his grief

On his demise Ameer e Jamaat e Islami Hind, Maulana Jalaluddin Umari expressed his deep sorrow and grief and said, ‘a vacuum is created with his demise which seems difficult to fill. His services to the Jamaat and the community are countless and invaluable. May Allah elevate his position.’ (Ameen). More Here
 

Life and times of Moulana Shafi Moonis He was from Muzaffar Nagar District of Uttar Pradesh and born and brought up in a village. He was attached with the socialist group of Congress party. A Salfi Aalim tried to win him over but was originally not successful. As a strategy that Salfi Aalim provided him books written by Maulana Abul Aala Maudoodi. After reading volume three of the book Islam aur Siyasi Kashmakash he was convinced and started participating in the activities of the Jamaat. Thus instead of joining the Salfi movement, which the Salfi Aalim had intended, he was won over by the Jamaat.

He has served the Islamic Movement in various capacities. He was Ameer-e-Muqami of Ghaziabad and when he shifted to Delhi he became Ameer-e-Muqami of the Delhi Jamaat. He has also served as Ameer-e-Halqa of Delhi, Western UP and erstwhile Hyderabad Halqa and Andhra Pradesh zone at various occasions. He had served as Secretary General of the Jamaat for some time. He has been member of the Markazi Majlis-e-Numaindgan and Markazi Majlis-e-Shura for many many decades. Even for this term too he had been elected as a member of Markazi Majlis-e-Numaindgan. Read More 

Jamaat's Iron Man sleeps forever

Moulana was 93 and served the cause of Islam till his last breath. He was a true dayee, mujahid and leader. He was very disciplined and hard worker. I met him last November in the All India Members Conference held in Delhi. I wished him and he gave a brooding look and that's all. He was very frail and weak due to age. Inspite of that he attended the sessions with the zeal of a new convert.

A memorable incident involving Moulana Shafi Moonis
One memorable incident happened at that Ijtima. The conference concluded at the third day itself. The next day a grand public meeting was arranged. It was announced that the meeting would start at 9.00 AM next day. As I was anxious to occupy a seat in the front row I rushed to the auditorium at 8.30AM itself. The auditorium was near empty. Only Dr S. Q. R. Ilyas and some others were there.

Moulana gets down from the dias with the help of volunteers

Then a heartrending incident happened. Moulana Shafi Moonis walked in with the help of two volunteers. They were giving their shoulders to him for support and he moved slowly, slowly step by step. He was very weak and I could feel the difficulty with which he moved his legs. The time was 8.55 AM. With misty eyes I turned back to see the auditorium. It was near empty.

He was there in the dias throughout the programme. It took more than five and half hours. But Moulana Shafi Moonis didn't move from his seat. From where on earth we would bring such dedicated, disciplined workers of the movement. It aches.

நினைவில் நின்ற காட்சி!

மாநாடு முடிந்த பிறகு நான்காம் நாள் பொது நிகழ்ச்சி ஒன்றுக்கு ஏற்பாடு செய்திருந்தார்கள். காலை ஒன்பது மணிக்கு நிகழ்ச்சி தொடங்கும் என அறிவித்திருந்தார்கள். முதல் வரிசையில் இடம் பிடித்து அமர வேண்டும் என்பதற்காக எட்டரை மணிக்கே மாநாட்டுத் திடலில் ஆஜராகிவிட்டோம். நிகழ்ச்சி தொடங்குவதற்கு ஐந்து நிமிடங்களுக்கு முன்பு சரியாக எட்டு ஐம்பத்தைந்துக்கு இரண்டு பேரின் தோள்களில் கைகளை ஊன்றிக் கொண்டு மேடையில் வந்து அமர்ந்துவிட்டார் மௌலானா முஹம்மத் ஷஃபி மூனிஸ். 94 வயது முதியவர் அவர். அறுபதாண்டுகளுக்கும் மேலாக இயக்கப் பணிகளில் ஊறித் திளைத்தவர். அவருடைய ஆர்வத்தைக் கண்டு கண்கள் பனிக்க திரும்பிப் பார்க்கின்றேன். பாதி அரங்கம் காலியாக இருந்தது. 

நிகழ்ச்சி ஐந்து மணிநேரத்துக்கும் அதிகமாக நீடிக்க தம்முடைய இருக்கையிலிருந்து எழாமல் கடைசி வரை பங்கேற்ற அவர் எங்கே? நாம் எங்கே? நேரந்தவறாமையும் ஒழுங்கும் கட்டுப்பாடும் மிக்க அத்தகைய ஊழியர்களை எங்கிருந்து கொண்டு வரப் போகின்றோம்?

And one has to read his last interview. Dr Waquar Anwar interviewed him for Radiance Views weekly. It is pleasing, inspiring to read. The answers are to the point, blunt and very guarded. You can see the typical Shafee Moonis stamp on them. Dr Waquar Anwar has tried very hard to get stuff from the Moulana. But, it might have been a very adventorous experience of him. The Jijhak, dar with which he placed and phrased his questions is very palpable.

The issues raised are varied. You can see the thoughts and personality of the Moulana in it.  Read the full interview Here and Here and Here

Other reports

Pillar of the community

He played an active role in the Muslim community’s affairs during the last five decades and was considered as one of the important pillars of the community in recent decades.

-From Milli Gazette. More Here

Intellectual, visionary, guide and mentor amongst the pioneers of Islamic movement in India, Mr. Shafi Moonis has authored books on personal laws, history of Jamaat and the poems in Urdu.

-From Newzfirst. More Here

And a report in Karavali Times Here

Maulana Moonis was a great pillar of the the Indian Muslim community for the last six decades and played an active and leading role in all the affairs of the community these past decades. A certain void has been created by the death of such a senior leader of the community who was involved with its affairs till his last days. While we deeply condole his sad demise, we pray to Allah ta’ala for his maghfirat and high station in Paradise.

- Syed Shahabuddin, President All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat

Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, working president of the Mushawarat. Here

Read  A glimpse on the last days of Moulana Shafi Moonis!

Br Sadat Husseini has described the last days of Moulana Shafi Moonis Sahib in his own way. It is very moving, mellowing and heartening. You could feel the dynamic personality and charm of the departed leader in this brief mail. More Here and Here