It is with utmost grief and regret that we announce the death of yet another outstanding pioneer of Islamic work in North America. Br. Mohammed Naziruddin Ali departed his temporary abode on the afternoon of the blessed day of Friday, December 1, 2006 in Chicago, his first home in North America about forty years ago. Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Rajaioon.
Ameer of ICNA, Dr. Khurshid Khan’s Message:
"We were shocked and deeply grieved hearing the sad news of the passing away of Br. Naziruddin Ali, a veteran Islamic worker who served in many leadership positions in the U.S. for over forty years. Innaa Lillahi wa Innaa Ilaihi Raji’oon.
May Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) bless his soul and give him high place in Jannah, and may He grant fortitude and solace to the bereaved family. We offer our hearfelt sympathies and condolences to his near and dear ones, which include not only his relatives but a very long list of his friends and admirers."
Dr. Talat Sultan, former president, Islamic Circle of North America shares his memmories and sentiments:
Br. Naziruddin was a graduate in Engineering from the famous Jamia
Osmania in Hyderabad, India. He received his Masters in Industrial
Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology [IIT] in Chicago.
He served as the president of the IIT chapter of the Muslim Student
Association of the U.S. and Canada and soon was elevated to the
position of the Regional Representative. Latter, Br. Naziruddin became
the second person in the old MSA’s history to serve as its Continental
president for two terms.
After the establishment of ISNA, Br. Naziruddin gave up his lucrative
job in Chicago to take up the challenge of strengthening the most
important of ISNA’s institutions, the North American Islamic Trust
[NAIT]. He served as the General Manager of NAIT for more than twenty
years.
Br. Naziruddin was a calm and quite gentleman who did not like much
pomp and show. He was very humble and polite even with his
sub-ordinates and treated them all equally with respect. He was
thoroughly dedicated to MSA, ISNA and NAIT and worked night and day for
their development. He was indeed a true replica of the Quranic verse,
Allazina Yadu’na Rubbahum bil Ghadate wal Ashe’ Yuriduna Wajhuhu!
[They are those who call for their Lord day and night, because they
seek His pleasure (18:28)].
I had known Nazir Bhai almost all his years in the U.S. as one of my
closest personal associates in the Islamic work. Our two families have
also been very close. I found him as the most loyal, hospitable,
generous, kind and considerate person.
He left behind his widow Sr. Aijaz, two daughters, Roofi [her husband,
Iftikhar and two daughters and a son] and Asra and a son, Azhar and his
wife Azra and their two children. Among his four brothers is Br.
Khairatuddin Ahmed, himself a veteran Islamic worker in Springfield,
Ohio. His only sister with her husband, Br. Yusuf Ali lives in New
York. They all must solace in the fact that the big loss is not only
theirs, it is also a great set back for the Islamic work in North
America.
May Allah forgive all his sins and grant him the highest place in the paradise.[Ameen].
