Ibtisam Ilahi Zahir | |
|---|---|
ابتسام الٰہی ظہیر | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 12 January 1972 |
| Parent |
|
| Political party | Jamiat Ahle Hadith (2018-present) |
| Alma mater | |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Jurisprudence | Ahl-i Hadith |
| Movement | Salafism |
| Residence | Lahore |
Ibtisam Ilahi Zahir [a] (born 12 January 1972) is a Pakistani Islamic scholar. A member of the Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith and is known for his inter-Islamic activities, promoting unity between the Madhhabs within Islam. [1] [2]
He is the eldest son of Ehsan Elahi Zaheer. [3]
Ibtisam Ilahi Zahir was born 12 January 1972 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. [4] His father, Ehsan Elahi, was a renowned Islamic scholar who belonged to the Sethi clan. He has two other well-known brothers, Hisham and Mutasim. [2]
He studied from the Crescent Model School and passed his matriculation from there. After that, he joined Government College Lahore and passed the pre-engineering college examination from there. [5]
He then enrolled at the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore. While there, he also memorized the Quran. [2]
After the assassination of his father Ihsan Ilahi Zahir, He led his own faction of the Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith against the mainstream group led by Sajid Mir. [6] However, in 2018, He merged his faction into Sajid Mir's faction. [7] [8]
In 2003, He was banned from entering the city of Faisalabad during the Muharram procession of Shias. [9] Ibtisam was a part of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA). [10]
In 2012, He campaigned against NATO's resumption of strikes in Pakistan under the umbrella of Difa-e-Pakistan Council. [11] and under Hafiz Saeed's Jamaat-ud-Dawa, He participated in pro-Palestinian rallies amidst the 2014 Gaza war. [12]
In 2020, He was part of the clergy that pushed for Tahaffuz Bunyad-e-Islam bill to be implemented. [4]
He contested the 2024 general election on the NA-132 constituency of Kasur, ultimately losing to Shehbaz Sharif. [13]
In 2024, after He toured the United Kingdom, four mosques were assessed by Charity Foundation for association with an "Islamic extremist" cleric. [14] [2] [15]