Civilizations flourish with good people; those noble souls with intellect, with a thirst for knowledge and more importantly, with the selfless work for humanity that forms the foundation of a good civilization. In Islam, it becomes all the more important. What Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had founded became the blueprint for a civilized society, with a set of values, principles and mores - all intrinsically built to make it the precursor of a civilized world. And, if Islam still moves on with dignity and pride – despite a globally adverse situation - it is mainly because of those countless good people who go on strengthening the very foundation of humanity that was initiated by Islam. Amongst such innumerable unsung heroes, is one Bahjat Najmi in Jeddah who is humbly doing his part for humanity through the Maulana Hifzur Rahman Seoharvi Academy. The Academy has been engaged since 2000 in bridging differences of opinions amongst Muslims as well as “to bridge the considerable gap between different faiths,” according to Najmi. “What struck me most here in Saudi Arabia was the way the government was engaged in activities to promote peace in the world as well as in burying differences amongst people,” said Najmi in an interview with the Saudi Gazette. Najmi is the grandson of the famous Islamic scholar as well as political leader of India, Maulana Hifzur Rahman, in whose name the Academy was started. He added that this level of social and dawah work cannot be found anywhere in the world, as far as state involvement is concerned. Interested in literature at the onset, and having graduated from India's prestigious Aligarh Muslim University, Najmi initially engaged in organizing mushairas (poetic gatherings) and ghazal programs as well as other literary meetings. He is still remembered for his literary services in Dubai, which he organized during his stay there in from 1992 to 1998. Najmi hails from the well-known city of Bijnore in Uttar Pradesh. In Jeddah, he has reported for the BBC and would often appear for interviews at the Jeddah Radio Station. Najmi has also published several articles and speeches in newspapers. Soon, however, he switched over to what ran in his own blood: a calling toward humanitarian work. Those who knew Najmi's grandfather, often reminded him of the services that his grandfather had rendered for the sake of humanity. “Many people from India as well as Pakistan, including former Pakistan President Rafiq Tarar, Mufti Azam Pakistan, and Indian scholars like Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, coaxed me to head out some social endeavor in the name of the Maulana...who Jawaharlal Nehru had (once) described as ‘a brave leader whose words carried weight',” remarked Najmi. Initially, he held seminars and other social gatherings as well as distributing literature and audio cassettes on Islam. According to him, the implementation of Islam in its purest sense, is for everyone to create an atmosphere of peace and dialog. “We do this here in Jeddah, but the efforts must be taken up by Muslims elsewhere,” he remarked. The Academy invites non-Muslims to its events as well, as part of a process for interfaith dialog. Some 60 of such sittings to foster mutual understanding have been organized by the Academy to date. The rationale behind this, according to Najmi, is to work toward both unity in Islam and peace between Islam and other faiths, to make this world a safer place to live in. “We should rise above Fiqh-related differences and work on those messages that have universal appeal and can be turned into a common ground for everyone; eliminating sectarian as well as communal dissimilarities,” he asserted. The Academy purchases books from places like Darussalam, Darul Qasim, Darul Balagh and several other Saudi book shops at heavy discounts and distributes them for free amongst people. The Academy also claims to go through the contents of every book diligently and only decides to distribute them on being satisfied about the content. Najmi's family is not far behind in his mission. While no program begins without the recitation of the Holy Qur'an by his son, Fahad Najmi, who also serves guests well during the programs, his wife, Umme Fakeha Zinjani, is often called the prime instigator behind the formation of the Academy. Umme Fakea is a very active social worker herself who frequently writes on the problems facing women and Islam. “Because of her I left literary activities to do something conforming to the precepts of Islam and to aid the efforts of the Saudi government in spreading the message of peace,” asserted Najmi. “She was instrumental in orienting me toward socio-religious activities.” The Academy's future plans involve a debate for children, training for Haj pilgrims and seminars discussing the work of late scholars like Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Baaz, Imam ibn Tayimiya, and Aseer-e-Malta Maulana Mohammad Hasan.
