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President of International Islamic University Greets Mowahid on His Book
(This message by Dr Mumtaz Ahmad, President, International Islamic University,was read out by Senator Nilofar Bakhtiar at the launch of Pakistan Link columnist Mowahid Shah’s book “Will & Skill” at Islamabad earlier this summer)
I have known Mowahid Shah since the early 1980’s when I was at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC. As a public intellectual, as an attorney and as a community activist, he was always in the forefront for the cause of Islam, Muslim World and Pakistan. In the immediate backdrop of the Islamic revolution in Iran, and especially during the American hostage crisis, it wasn’t easy for Muslim intellectuals in the United States to say anything positive about Iran, or even about Islam. Most Muslim intellectuals either became apologetic about Islam or, worse, joined the chorus to denounce what was at that time called “fundamentalist Islam”.
 Not Mowahid Shah. His was one of the few voices in Washington that, with extraordinary courage and brilliant lucidity, articulated the concerns of Muslims all over the world – from Palestine to Kashmir, and from the US support of Muslim monarchs and dictators from Egypt to Iran.
Not only that. Mowahid’s doors were always open for the Muslim and Pakistani immigrants to give them legal and moral support and for the community leaders to defend their civil liberties. Throughout his stay in Washington, Mowahid was both a source of strength for the community and a source of inspiration for Muslim youth. Unlike many in the community, Mowahid never sought publicity for what he did for Muslims and Pakistanis and always shied away from the usual politicking among the so-called Pakistani community leaders.
In the United States, his help, support and friendship was always above partisan loyalties of Pakistani politics. His two strong identities – Muslim and Pakistani – were the only criteria that defined his relationships with others.
Mowahid Shah continued his struggle for social justice, a progressive Islamic Pakistan, and good government when he returned to Pakistan and served his home country. And thank you Mowahid for your friendship, and for your longstanding services for the cause of Islam, Muslims and Pakistan.
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