Jalaluddin Umri, former Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, and former Vice President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, died Friday in New Delhi.
He was 87.
“The Indian Muslim Community has today lost one of its prominent and outstanding leaders with the demise of Moulana Jalaluddin Umri, renowned Islamic Scholar and former Ameer, Jama’at-e-Islami Hind,” wrote T Arifali, national general secretary of JIH.
Umri was born in 1935 in a village called Puttagram, District of North Arcot, Tamil Nadu, British India. He was a graduate of Jamia Darussalam, Oomerabad, Tamil Nadu. He recieved a master’s degree in Islamic Studies from Jamia Darussalam. He also received a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Aligarh Muslim University.
Jalaluddin Umri began his association with Jamaat-e-Islami Hind during his student years. After completing his studies, he dedicated himself to its research department. He officially became its member in 1956. He served as the city Ameer of Jama’at of Aligarh for a decade, and the editor of its monthly Zindagi-e-Nau for five years. Later, the Jama’at elected him to its All-India deputy Ameer, which he served for four consecutive terms (sixteen years). In 2007, the Jama’at’s Central Council of Representatives elected him its Ameer (Chief). He was again re-elected as Jama’at’s Ameer in 2011. Jalaluddin Umri has been elected as Ameer, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind for the fourth term (April 2015 – March 2019)
Jalaluddin Umri was widely-considered, among the Islamic circles of India, an authority on human rights and Muslim family system.
He had written many books in Urdu language, later translated in various languages.
