LAHORE - Noted religious scholar and Ameer of the Tableeghi Jamaat Pakistan Haji Abdul Wahab passed away on Sunday morning after prolonged illness at the age of 96.
He was laid to rest the same day in a Raiwind graveyard adjacent to Tableeghi Markaz (Headquarters) after Maghrib prayers.
Late Haji Abdul Wahab was under-treatment in Doctors' Hospital for a couple of months for multiple diseases. He breathed his last in the wee hours of Sunday.
Maulana Nazarur Rehman led his funeral prayer after Maghrib prayer at Raiwind Tableeghi Ijtimah site where thousands of his followers converged to participate in his last rituals. Pakistan International Airlines ran special flights from Karachi to Lahore to facilitate his followers intending to attend funerals.
People from all walks of life including Speaker Punjab Assembly Ch Parvez Elahi and other government dignitaries from Punjab and federal governments attended the funerals.
Eminent political and religious figures have condoled his death terming it a great loss for the country and the Muslim Ummah.
Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his condolences on the demise of the religious scholar. PM Khan said, “Prayers and condolences on the passing of Ameer Tableeghi Jamaat Haji Abdul Wahab who made a major contribution in spreading the message of Islam and peace. He leaves behind a vacuum which cannot be filled easily”.
Haji Abdul Wahab who has following of millions of Muslims worldwide, was born in 1922 in Delhi, India and his ancestral village was Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. After creation of Pakistan, he migrated here with his family and settled in village Burewala, District Vehari.
Haji Abdul Wahab was the third ameer for Tableeghi Jamaat. It is pertinent to note that Muhammad Shafi Quraishi (1903–1971) was the first ameer of the TJ in Pakistan and he was succeeded by Haji Muhammad Bashir (1919–1992). Abul Wahab was also a member of the International Shura (council) of the TJ based in Delhi.
He attended Islamia College Lahore and after completing his graduation worked as tehsildar in pre-partition India in Lahore for some time but left the government job to spread the message of Islam among believers and non-believers. He was a strong supporter of non-violence to spread the cause of Islam.
He met with the founder of the Tableeghi Jamaat Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi in 1944 from whom he got inspiration to propagate the message of Islam. Haji Wahab was listed in top 10 people among 500 influential people of the world.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain also expressed his sorrow and said Haji Wahab spent his life for preaching Islam. Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noorul Haq Qadri also extended his condolences with the family of the deceased.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Nawaz Sharif, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and other leaders including Hamza Shehbaz, Amir Muqam and Marriyum Aurangzeb expressed their condolences to the family of the deceased.
Prominent religious scholar Moulana Tariq Jamil on his Youtube channel said Haji Wahab was greatest personality of the prevailing era who dedicated his life for the promotion of Islam. “I have spent 50 years of my life with Haji Wahab and learnt a lot from him”.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Media Iftikhar Durrani said he was saddened by the death of the leader of Tableegi Jammat and his invaluable services as a religious scholar will always be remembered.
Jamaat-i-Islami Ameer Sirajul Haq said Haji Wahab’s services to spread Islam will be remembered. Jamia Ashrafia clerics also expressed their sorrow over the death of the ameer.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said, “Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has expressed his profound grief over the sad demise of the leader of Tableegi Jammat”.
Senior Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan said Haji Wahab played a historical role in attracting people towards Islam.
A good number of Twitter and Facebook users also expressed their sorrow over the death of Haji Wahab. Adnan Zaheer Khawaja said, “In an era where our Pakistani society is polarized and having majority of fanatics led by scholars spreading hate in the name of sect, culture and caste, Haji Wahab led a non-violent movement of Tableegh spreading peace and harmony”.