Muhammad Hashir Faruqi
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Muhammad Hashir Faruqi | |
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| Born | January 4, 1930 Ghazipur, India |
| Died | January 11, 2022 (aged 92) |
| Nationality | British |
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| Organization | Impact International |
Muhammad Hashir Faruqi (Urdu: محمد ہاشر فاروقی; 4 January 1930 – 11 January 2022) was a British Muslim journalist, scientist, and community activist of Pakistani heritage. He was best known as the founder and editor of Impact International, a long-running English-language current affairs journal focused on the Muslim world.
Early life and education
Faruqi was born in Ghazipur, India, on 4 January 1930.[1] As a student, he was active in the Pakistan Movement and served as secretary of the Muslim Students Union at Kanpur Agricultural College, where he earned a BSc in Entomology.[2]
He later migrated to Pakistan and worked in senior roles within the Department of Agriculture before moving to the United Kingdom in the early 1960s. There, he pursued doctoral research in locust control at Imperial College London.[3]
Career in journalism
In 1971, Faruqi founded Impact International, a biweekly English-language journal focusing on Muslim affairs.[3] The publication aimed to provide informed coverage and promote understanding of Islam among English-speaking audiences. Despite limited resources, Impact reached up to 100,000 readers in more than 80 countries at its peak.[1]
Faruqi interviewed several prominent Muslim leaders, including Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, General Zia-ul-Haq, Yasser Arafat, President Suharto, and Mahathir Mohamad.[2]
In May 1980, he was among the 26 hostages taken during the Iranian Embassy siege in London. Faruqi had been visiting the embassy in a journalistic capacity and was praised for remaining composed during the six-day ordeal.[3]
Impact International ceased publication in the mid-2000s. Faruqi continued to mentor younger journalists and intellectuals through regular gatherings at his home in north-west London.[3]
Community involvement
Faruqi played a key role in establishing several Muslim organisations in the UK. He was involved in the formation of:
- UK Islamic Mission
- Islamic Foundation
- Muslim Educational Trust
- Muslim Aid
- Muslim Council of Britain (MCB)[4]
Between 1994 and 1997, he led a nationwide consultative process known as the National Interim Committee for Muslim Unity (NICMU), which resulted in the founding of the MCB in 1997.[1] Although he never sought office within the MCB, he was a trusted advisor to several of its early secretary-generals.[1]
Awards and recognition
In 2013, Faruqi received the Editor’s Lifetime Achievement Award from The Muslim News, recognising his decades of service to Muslim journalism.[2]
Death and legacy
Faruqi died peacefully in London on 11 January 2022 at the age of 92.[4] He was remembered as a pioneering figure in Muslim journalism, a community organiser, and a bridge-builder between Muslim and Western audiences.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Obituary: Hashir Faruqi". Muslim Council of Britain. 15 January 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Khan, M. Ghazali (15 January 2022). "Remembering Muhammad Hashir Faruqi – the Pioneer of Muslim Journalism in the West". ghazalikhan.com. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Sherif, Jamil (14 March 2022). "Hashir Faruqi obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Demise of Muhammad Hashir Faruqi (1930–2022)". Islamic Foundation. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
- ↑ "Memoriam: Mohammed Hashir Faruqi". Islamic Horizons. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
External links
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