Sayid Jawad Naqvi
# Sayid Jawad Naqvi

Allama Sayed Jawad Naqvi (Urdu: علامہ سید جواد نقوی; born 1952) is a Pakistani philosopher, Scholar, Religious leader , Quran interpreter, Jurist, Peace Activist and theologian of Twelver Shia. Naqvi is the Chancellor of Jamia Urwa-tul-Wusqa Islamic University in Lahore and Principal of Howza ilmeya jamia jaffria Islamic University in Gujranwala, Ummul Kitaab Ladies Islamic University in Lahore, Head/Principal of Deen-ul-Qayyim online Islamic University and Chairman of Siraat Education Schooling System. He is also principal of many Islamic schools. He is often called as the representative of Wilayat-e-Faqih in Pakistan, The Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist, also called the Governance of the Jurist (Persian: ولایت فقیه) . Naqvi has delivered more than 12000 lectures on various topics including Wilayat-e-Fiqh.

Syed Jawad Naqvi is significant for his unique style of preaching of Islam-e-Naab, the pure Islam, stepping away from the traditional practice among Shia Muslims Ulama of confronting Sunni Muslims beliefs and delivering dialogue-filled sermons. He is commonly Known as Ustad-e-Mothram or Syed-e-Mukamat. He focuses on implementing Islam in today's world, rather than living in the past. Naqvi is also the founder of the monthly magazine Masharab-e-Naab. His lectures and speeches make him unique from other Muslim Urdu scholars. He is a staunch supported of the Islamic Revolution of Iran. In many of his speeches he propagates theories of Wilayat-e-Fiqh in a unique style.

In many of his speeches he propagates theories of Wilayat-e-Fiqh in a unique style, and is often called the representative of the Wilayat in Pakistan. He has been a staunch supported of the Iranian Revolution.

## Early life and education

Syed Jawad Naqvi was born on 5 March 1952 at Haripur, Pakistan. He has three PhDs in philosophy, sociology and Islamic jurisprudence. He has studied and taught Islam in Iran for more than 30 years. His most prominent teacher was Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi-Amoli and Ayatollah Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi. He has studied religious philosophy, theology and Shia jurisprudence in Islamic seminaries in Pakistan and Iran. After arriving from Iran he started preaching Islam.

## Career

Naqvi is the principal of Jamia Urwa-tul-Wusqa and Jamia Jaffria, seminaries in Lahore and Gujranwala respectively. He is also the principal of Jamia Ummul Kitaab in Lahore, head of Deen-ul-Qayyim Online Islamic school and Siraat Education School System. Naqvi is also the editor of the monthly magazine Masharab-e-Naab. He is a staunch supporter of the Islamic Revolution of Iran. In many of his speeches he propagates the hard-line version of Wilayat-e-Fiqh. He stands for unity of sects in Pakistan under his banner.

## Jamia Urwa-tul-Wusqa

Allama Syed Jawad Naqvi is the founder and principal of the seminary Jamia Urwa-tul-Wusqa. This seminary is popular in Lahore, Punjab in Pakistan, and other neighboring countries including Iran and India. He is also the founder of Jamia Jaffria and “Jamia Ummul-Kitab”for women; and Jamia Deen-ul-Qayim Virtual Islamic Seminary.

### Jamia Ummul Kitab

Jamia Ummul Kitab is a seminary for girls with 1500 students.

### Jamia Jaffria

Jamia Jaffria was founded by Mufti Jafar Hussain in 1979. It is located in Gujranwala. Now, it is affiliated to Jamia Urwat-ul-Wusqa.

### Jamia Deen ul Qayyim Virtual Seminary

Jamia Deen ul Qayyim is a virtual seminary to deliver education online to registered people from all walks of life with no age limit and prerequisite education.

## Bethat Islamic Research Centre (MATAB) Publications

Naqvi has written many books on the Quran, Pan Islamic Unity, Karbala and Islam including:

* Islam and Secularism
* Adaab-e-Fahm-e-Quran
* Aqdar-e-Ashura
* Fitna Akhruz Zaman
* Wahdat Ummat Ka Faramoush Rukn
* Rasm-i-Shabiri
* Hussain (pbuh)-Waris-e-Anbia
* Karbala ek hi rasta

Although most of his works are in Urdu, some of his publications have been translated into English, such as

* The Candle of the Path of Allah
* Defeated Velvet Revolution in Iran
* Values of Aashura
* The Philosophy of Islam
* The System of Wilayat
* Nuclear Deal or No Deal
* War on Yemen
* Recognition of Quran
* Basis of Wilayat-e-Faqeeh

Syed Zulfikar Ali Mosvi has taken responsibility of translating his important books into Kashmiri such as The System of Wilayat and Rasm-i-Shabiri.

## Bethat Educational TV Channel

Bethat Educational TV Channel is the official satellite TV channel of the Howza e ilmiya Jamia Urwa-tul-Wuthqa. Bethat Educational Islamic TV Channel broadcasts special educational programs for children, women, youth and general public.

## Islamic Awakening Movement

Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi is the founder and leader of movement of Islamic Awakening in the sub-continent. ″Tehreek e Baidari e Ummat e Mustafa SAWW″ was launched in the congregation of 7 October 2012 held at Nasir Bagh Lahore in condemnation of blasphemy against the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Gatherings were held throughout Pakistan in order to initiate a movement against nations such as the USA and Israel who were held responsible for this blasphemy. According to Syed Jawad Naqvi, Tehreek e Baidari e Ummat e Mustafa SAWW (Islamic Awakening Movement) is not an organizational set-up of any political party but it is a socio-cultural and educational movement for the mobilization of Ummah. Islamic Awakening or Islamic revival is global phenomenon of political Islam which started in 20th century and was expedited by Islamic Revolution in Iran.

## Friday Revival

In March 2015, just after the inauguration of Jamia Masjid Allama Mufti Jaffar, Friday prayer has been started there and Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi delivered more than 70 Friday sermons there. His Friday lectures are translated to English and Persian. Soon his famous speeches will be translated into Hindi and Kashmiri languages by Raheislam Educational Organisation.

## Allegations and controversies

In a 2012 report by Hudson Institute, he has been described as pro-Iran and to be financially supported by Iran. Alex Vatanka writes in an article titled "The Guardian of Pakistan's Shia" published by Hudson Institute, a strategic think-tank based in Washington. It says:

   "Accordingly, many of Pakistan’s Shia religious figures have become highly vocal and partisan supporters of Khamenei. For example, Syed Jawad Naqvi, a prominent activist preacher and the head of a recently-launched Shia seminary in Pakistan, idealizes the theocracy in the Islamic Republic of Iran and calls himself a devoted follower of Khamenei. He has additionally published articles as well as a book denouncing Iran’s anti-clerical Green opposition movement.27 Not surprisingly, Naqvi’s seminary was reportedly established in part with financial support from the Iranian state."

In 2019, an article in The News described him of having "uniquely Iran-centered career".

However, Syed Jawad Naqvi has denied that he has received any support from Iran. In the opening ceremony of Jamia Urwatu Wusqa he said that this project is fully supported by local pakistani people. He said that none of his projects is supported by Iran or any other country and not a single penny has been received from outside Pakistan.

As recent as January 2020, he has been described as "a major supporter of Iran’s theocracy" by Foreign Policy, an American news publication.

In 2013, Mohammadi Masjid stopped Naqvi’s sermons after there was scuffle occurred when Police prevented Naqvi's security from entering the mosque, sparking mass protests outside the mosque. Allegedly his security guard was carrying unlicensed weapon. Police accused students of Naqvi, for creating the chaos and roughing up the cameraman, the varsity condemned the irresponsible behavior of the police. Subsequently, Naqvi was banned by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif from lecturing at Mohammadi Masjid in Lahore.

### Views on Iran's System

Naqvi believes that Iran's system is based on Quran. This is against the opinion of major Shia clerics of Iran. In April 2018, Ayatollah Javadi Amoli said:

"The Qur'an calls Satan arrogant, but as far as I recall he has not been addressed as warrior against God in the Qur'an. Interest system of our banks is a war against Allah and His Messenger (PBUH). You may name a year as a year of production and prosperity (the Iranian leader named the previous year the Year of Resistant Economy: Production and Employment), as long as there is interest on loan in banking system, nothing will improve."

Earlier on december 2016, Javadi Amoli said, Bank of Iran sucks blood of the people.

### Views on Azadari of Muharram

In 2020, after his alleged comparison of Azadari with Tarawih during a lecture, Indian daily and weekly Urdu newspapers Sahafat and Nauroz published articles critical to him.

Indian daily and Urdu newspaper Sahafat and Hindi newspaper Bhumitra again criticised his May 29, 2020 Friday sermon, for targeting Indian Shia leadership.

In July 2020 Jawad Naqvi criticised Imamia Students Organisation for not being the pride of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist which sparked a reaction and a resolution by Imamia Students Organization against him.

### Views on women's roles

According to academic scholar Wendy Qian, Syed Jawad Naqvi holds over all socially conservative views about women's roles. Qian says, Naqvi's views on women seems to have been influenced by South Asian conservative Islamic advise literature, and overall he reiterates same views with only addition that he expects women's roles in his idealistic Islamic political revolution in Pakistan, on which he has written a book The Role of Women towards the System of Wilayat. In 2019, Naqvi termed Aurat March Organisers 'Most Evil Of All Women'.

## Works

### Books

Naqvi has written many books on the Quran, Pan Islamic Unity, Karbala and Islam including:

