Qamaruzzaman Azmi

Who is Qamaruzzaman Azmi?

Maulana Qamaruzzaman Azmi is a prominent scholar in the Barelvi movement, and has been described by The Times of India reporter Mohammed Wajihuddin as "the most sought after scholar of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah," a term with which the movement describes itself. In 2011 a document published by, but not necessarily representing the views of, the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center of Jordan, The Muslim 500: The World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims, 2012, Second Edition, listed him as one of the "500 Most Influential Muslims in the World" and said that he had for over 50 years been building many organizations and institutions, mosques, colleges and universities all over the world.

Phillip Lewis quotes Allama Azmi in his book Islamic Britain: Religion, Politics and Identity among British Muslims, that Islam and secular society can co-exist and "the widely shared perception that secular necessarily implies irreligion is simply wrong. In India, he contends, a secular state can offer security to Muslims since it is compatible with acknowledging that religion is important and, that in a religiously plural environment the state does not allow believers in one religious tradition to enjoy a privileged status. All are citizens with equal rights. Indeed, in India, Muslims are allowed to conform to their own Muslim family law".