Khaliq Qureshi: The Lone Crusader for Islamic Reawakening

By Saeed Qureshi

Soft-spoken and humble, Khaliq Qureshi, the founder of One Man Mission for the Muslim Unity is a remarkable person. His paramount dream is the Islamic renaissance with its pristine glory. His heart pains over the decline of the Muslims and their persecution in the present times. 

But he sternly believes that by emulation of the life and teachings of the Holy Prophet of Islam Muhammad (peace be upon him), Muslims can regain their splendid past. Khilafat-e-Rashida is the model of Islamic governance that Khaliq Qureshi exhorts the Muslim rulers to establish in their territories. 

This is the only route to the salvation of the oppressed, tyrannized and in some instances enslaved Islamic countries, he emphasizes. Khaliq Qureshi has an intellectual approach towards the debacle of the Islamic nation continuing for the past several centuries and has therefore contemplated for years to explore as to how they can overcome this calamitous phase and rediscover their lost or faded grandeur and redeem their status of a noble nation. 

Not minding what other do in this direction, he launched a solo yet monumental endeavor   One-Man Mission of the Muslim Unity in 1995 and ever since has steadfastly embarked upon this. With an unshakable faith in the divine help coupled with an indomitable will, he has not spared any effort that is not directed towards the spread and dissemination of his universal message for the salvation of the Islamic world from the prevailing downfall. 

    

A person of immaculate integrity and self abnegation, Mr. Qureshi has been funding his mission all by himself. Except the house that will be the property of his family, the rest of his possessions are dedicated to his mission. Perhaps there is no parallel of such a spirit of sacrifice as demonstrated by Khaliq Qureshi. Understandably all the movements and missions are carried from contributions and funds from the whole community whether at the national level or local level. 

As compared, the mission of Mr. Qureshi takes precedence over them and is on a much higher moral pedestal than many others who worked for the uplift or welfare of their community, but who depended upon the material or financial support of the community members.

 Temperamentally Mr. Qureshi is a pacifist, therefore he cannot imagine of employing violent or aggressive methods for the dissemination of his momentous program that is so inextricably linked to the destiny of Muslim states around the world. To begin with, he wrote countless letters to the rulers of Islamic states on the grave challenges facing the Islamic world. He beckoned and appealed to some of them to take up the onerous responsibility of steering the Islamic countries out of the prevailing impasse.

He originally pinned his hopes on former President Suharto of Indonesia and the incumbent Prime Minister Mahathir Muhammad of Malaysia to spearhead the Islamic resurgence movement for rehabilitation of the Islamic splendor. He went all the way to Indonesia and Malaysia to personally plead with them the inevitability and dire need of     pulling the Muslims out of the abyss in which they were sunk.

Unfortunately he could not deliver his vital message of Muslim unity to these leaders personally owing to their preoccupations. However he continued with his ‘crusade with pen’ which definitively brought about to a fair degree salutary changes in the perceptions of those whom he addressed. They not only readily responded to his thoughtful reflections on the plight of the Muslim world but also agreed with him in totality on the imperative need of such a unity.

But the Muslim world is so deeply torn apart and its Islamic fabric so fragile that despite pious planks nothing could be done practically. But Mr. Qureshi remained undaunted and least despaired. He has divine intuitions which constantly impel him to steadfastly pursue his noble mission without caring for the outcome.But outcome would be there. This is what Mr. Qureshi staunchly trusts .His holds that sufferings and hardships in life are also a part of divine will. These ought to be therefore accepted and endured with gratitude and as pre-ordained by almighty God.

This is the kind of unshakable belief in the mercifulness of God that keeps Mr. Qureshi unswerving on his chartered path of forging unity and brotherhood among the Muslims all over the world. Once it is done and once Muslims revert to the shining period of Khilafat-e Rashida, no country how strong or antagonistic could inflict any harm anymore them.

In the course of his passionate crusade for Islamic revivalism and to bring into limelight the grave atrocities being perpetrated by the oppressors on their Muslim populations, he wrote important and rather inspirational letters to the heads of non Muslim states, United States being one of them. His letters written to President Clinton and the first lady make impressive and persuasive reading. His correspondence, letters, communications and their replies are now compiled in his recently published book, A ONE MAN MISSION FOR THE MUSLIM UNITY. 

Mr. Qureshi has presented this valuable book to almost all the heads of states and governments, the ambassadors of the Islamic countries and to international organizations. The front page carries the image of the valley of spacious ARAFAT in Mecca also known as JABAL-E-AR RAHMA. It is a fascinating book and brings into sharp focus the Muslim tragedies all over the world particularly in Chechnya, Kashmir and Palestine. 

Mr. Qureshi calls his mission as strategy of non violence and civil dialogue and friendly persuasion. The Muslims are encouraged to read this book to understand the depth and significance of Mr. Qureshi’s message. The book is available on website onemanmission.org.

Mr. Qureshi felt that if no Muslim leader is willing to lead and articulate the sufferings of the Muslims, then at least the search for such an outstanding person should continue by someone as Mr. Qureshi who is so profoundly distressed over the affliction of the Islamic Ummah. It was precisely for this reason that Mr. Qureshi launched his “ONE MAN MISSION FOR MUSLIM UNITY”.

Mr. Qureshi wants the Muslim leaders to engage the non Muslim leaders in a civilized dialogue and help in ending the occupation and oppression of the Muslims in various parts of the world. He postulates that the Muslim world should know that neither terrorism nor extremism or fundamentalism will bring them the glorious era. 

He has a firm conviction that to achieve their pristine glory the Muslims should earnestly study and follow the life and character of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers whose tenure is known as Khilafat-e-Rashida. Besides Muslims should have unflinching faith in Allah and build the sterling character of a true Muslim. He says that the reward of deeds depends upon the real intentions of a person and the success comes through the divine will.