DR Sarfraz Hussain Naeemi was born in 1948 in Lahore. He was the third child and second son among four sons and six daughters of Mufti Mohammad Hussain Naeemi, the founder of Jamia Naeemia Lahore.
His ancestors migrated to Pakistan from Muradabad (UP) in India. Dr Naeemi learnt Holy Quran by heart (HIfz) before completing his schooling and later passed Dars-e-Nizami and did M.A. (Islamiat). He went on to pass LLB and Ph.D. (Islamic Studies) from Punjab University. He also passed an Arabic teaching course from Al-Azhar University, Cairo. He was awarded a gold medal for his Arabic degree by Punjab University.
Well versed in Urdu, Arabic and Persian languages, he had been writing columns in newspapers on religious issues and remained editor of Monthly Arafat, Lahore.
He was a soft spoken and humble man who was loved equally by friends and foes, especially by a large number of his students. He had a dynamic personality leading a number of organizations and platforms like Tahaffuz Namoos-e-Rislat Mahaz (TNRM), a group of over 20 Sunni parties working for the cause of Shariah enforcement, Ittehad Tanzimat Madaris Deeniya (ITMD), an association of seminaries boards affiliated with different schools of thought, Naeemian Association. He was secretary of Tanzimul Madaris Pakistan, the seminary board governing all seminaries affiliated with Barelvi School of thought. He remained member of Council of Islamic Ideology, Ittehad Bainul Muslimeen Committee Punjab, Muttahida Ulema Board and others.
He was known for a bold stance on global Muslim issues like victimization and suppression of Muslim movements and invasions on Muslim countries. He raised voice against Gen Musharraf’s decision to provide logistic support to US-led coalition in the war on terror for which he was first removed from his job as Khateeb in Auqaf Department and then arrested briefly. He was again arrested for protesting against the blasphemous caricatures by European press and served few months in prison.
Dr Sarfraz Neemi assumed the position of principal of Jamia Naeemia in 1998 after the death of his father Mufti Mohammad Hussain Naeemi. He has been survived by four daughters and one son, Raghib Hussain Naeemi, who will succeed him as principal of Jamia Naeemia. His funeral will be held on Saturday (today) at Nasir Bagh at 5 pm. He will be buried beside his father’s shrine inside Jamia Naeemia.
