Khurshid Ahmad

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Khurshid Ahmad (March 23, 1932 in Delhi - ) is a renowned research scholar, an educationist, an economist, a versatile writer and a preacher of Islam. He holds Bachelor’s degree in Law and Jurisprudence, Master’s degrees in Economics and Islamic Studies, and also an Honorary Doctorate (Ph.D) in Education.

Professor Khurshid Ahmad

His in-depth comparative study of the oriental as well as occidental philosophies in religion, academics, economics, constitutional matters and commitment for Islam has led him to be entrusted with key positions in the national as well as international organizations on these socio-economic and other multi-dimensional disciplines.

Prof Khurshid Ahmad has held the portfolio of the Federal Minister of Planning and Development and has been Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Govt of Pakistan (1978-79). As an academician, he taught at the Karachi University (1955-68) and was a research scholar at the University of Leicester, UK. He has served as Chairman, International Institute of Islamic Economics, International Islamic University, Islamabad (1983-87); President, International Association of Islamic Economics, Leicester, UK (1984-92); Member, Supreme Advisory Council, International Centre for Research and Islamic Economics, King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah (1979-83); Vice President, Standing Conference on Jews, Christians and Muslims in Europe, Berlin and London (1974-78); Member, Advisory Council, Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, Selly Oak Colleges, Birmingham, UK (1976-78); Member, National Hijra Committee, Govt of Pakistan (1978-83); Member, Committee of Jurists to Evaluate Islamic Laws in Sudan (1986-87); Member, International Review Committee, Islamic Research and Training Institute, Islamic Development Bank, Jeddah(1988-89).

He was elected and remained member of Senate of Pakistan for two terms (1985-l997) and was also Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Economic Affairs and Planning.

Prof Khurshid is Founder and Chairman of both Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad and The Islamic Foundation, Leicester (UK). He is member of Boards of Trustees of Islamic Centre, Zaria (Nigeria); International Islamic University, Islamabad; Foundation Council, Royal Academy for Islamic Civilization, Amman (Jordan); and Vice President of Islamic Research Academy, Karachi and Lahore.

Prof Ahmad has been editing a number of ideologically oriented magazines and periodicals. He authored and edited about 35 books each in English and Urdu (total 70) and contributed to a large number of magazines. He has so far participated in over 100 international conferences and seminars in his personal as well as representative capacities.

In view of his pioneering work and contributions towards the development of Islamic Economics as an academic discipline, he was awarded the First Islamic Development Bank Award for Economics in 1988. His contributions to the Islamic cause were recognized in the form of King Faisal International Prize,1990. In recognition of his services in Islamic Economics & Finance, he was given 5th Annual Prize of American Finance House, La'Riba, USA in July 1998.

Khurshid Ahmad became a member of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT) in 1949 and was elected as Nazim-e-A’ala (President) of that organisation in 1953. He formally joined Jama’at-e-Islami Pakistan in 1956. Besides several other responsibilities he is presently editor of the Tarjumanul Quran, a monthly publication of Jamaat-e-Islami.