* Muslim world has lost a remarkable scholar and thinker – Dr Wajid Akhter
The entire global academics and the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) among others have expressed condolences on the passing of Professor Khurshid Ahmad, an eminent academic and a leading figure in Jamaat-e-Islami of Pakistan.
Muslim News gathered that the renowned Islamic economist and author of multiple books including “Islam: Its Meaning and Message” returned to his Creator on Sunday, April 13, in Leicester, United Kingdom, at the age of 93.
Khurshid Ahmad was one of the direct students of Sheikh Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi, the founder of Jamaat-e-Islami in Pakistan.
A towering figure in contemporary Islamic thought, Prof. Ahmad was widely recognised as a pioneer in the field of Islamic economics and an influential voice in the modern Islamic intellectual tradition.
In a career spanning academia, politics, and civil society, he authored over 30 books, was honoured with numerous international awards – including the King Faisal International Prize (Saudi Arabia) and the La Riba Prize (United States) – and served as a senator and federal minister in Pakistan.
In the United Kingdom, Prof Khurshid Ahmad’s contributions were both profound and enduring. In 1973, alongside his close associate Khurram Murad, he co-founded the Islamic Foundation in Leicestershire. Serving as its founding chairman for over two decades, he helped establish it as a premier institution of Islamic scholarship, research, and education.
Under his leadership, the Foundation became a beacon of intellectual activity, fostering more profound understanding of Islam in the West and contributing significantly to the development of British Muslim identity and thought.
The Islamic Foundation played a critical role in the educational and civic development of the growing Muslim community in Britain during the latter half of the 20th century. Its publishing work, training programmes, and interfaith engagement shaped the discourse on Islam and Muslims across the UK and beyond.
Prof. Khurshid Ahmad’s influence extended to many individuals and institutions. He was a mentor, a visionary, and a spiritual guide to a generation of British Muslim leaders committed to serving their faith and communities.
Dr Wajid Akhter, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: “Today the Muslim world has lost a remarkable scholar and thinker. Prof. Khurshid Ahmad was not only a leader in Islamic economics but also a moral voice of clarity and conviction. His founding of the Islamic Foundation in the 1970s laid the groundwork for a generation of British Muslim scholarship and civic engagement.
“We owe a profound debt to his contributions. His legacy lives on through the institutions he built, the books he authored, and the countless individuals he inspired. We sit in the shade of trees planted by him and his contemporaries.
May Allah, the Most Merciful, grant Professor Khurshid Ahmad Jannat al-Firdaus, and grant his family sabr (patience) during this difficult time.”
The Muslim Council of Britain honours Professor Khurshid Ahmad’s extraordinary legacy and prays for his eternal peace.”
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