Khadim Hussain Rizvi

Khadim Hussain Rizvi was a Pakistani Islamic scholar and politician. He served as the founder and Amir of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, a religious-political organization that he established in 2015. The group is known for its protests against any changes to the blasphemy laws in Pakistan.

Early life and education

Rizvi was born in 1966 into a Punjabi Muslim Awan family. His birthplace was Pindigheb, located in the Attock District of Punjab. He had a brother named Ameer Hussain, who is a retired Junior Commissioned Officer from the Pakistan Army.

His religious education began when he started hafiz classes in Jhelum. He later enrolled in Jamia Nizamia Rizvia in Lahore to further his studies. As a result of his dedication, he became a Hafiz-e-Quran and a Sheikh-ul-Hadith. He was fluent in several languages, including Urdu, Punjabi, Arabic, and Persian.

In 2007, an accident changed his physical mobility. A driver fell asleep while traveling from Rawalpindi to Lahore, which caused Rizvi to become a wheelchair user.

Career

Rizvi worked as an auqaf official within the Punjab government's Religious Affairs Department. During this period, he delivered Friday sermons at the Pir Makki Masjid in Lahore. He justified the assassination of Governor Salmaan Taseer on the grounds that Taseer had called the blasphemy law a "black law." Because he refused to stop spreading these views after receiving warning notices, he was removed from public service.

He founded the political party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan in 2017. This organization acted as a political front for Tehreek Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah. His advocacy for Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code earned him the nickname "blasphemy activist" in religious circles.

In November 2017, he organized a long march from Lahore to Islamabad. He demanded the resignation of Law Minister Zahid Hamid regarding an alleged change in the law. This protest led to a nationwide shutdown and caused mayhem in cities such as Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore. The army chief eventually intervened to ask both sides to show restraint.

Rizvi also led major demonstrations following the 2018 Supreme Court verdict regarding Asia Bibi. He demanded that the woman be subjected to punishment under the penal code. Following these protests, he was arrested on 23 November 2018 and remained in custody until his release on bail in May 2019.

In 2020, he promoted protests against the film Zindagi Tamasha. He accused filmmaker Sarmad Khoosat of blasphemy, though author Mohammed Hanif denied these claims. Rizvi died on 19 November 2020 after collapsing and being taken to Farooq Hospital in Lahore.

Personal life

Rizvi was a scholar who heavily quoted the poetry of Muhammad Iqbal and Ahmad Raza Khan. He published several books, including Tayaseer Abwab-ul-Sarf in 2013 and Taleemat-e-Khadimiya in 2015. His final published work, Fazail-e-Durood Shareef, was released in 2018.

His son, Saad Hussain Rizvi, took over his leadership role. Saad was appointed as the new ameer of TLP on 21 November 2020. A local official estimated that nearly 200,000 people attended the funeral held at Minar-e-Pakistan.