Imdad Ali Imam Ali Kazi


Imdad Ali Imam Ali Kazi, commonly known as I. I. Kazi, was Pakistani a scholar, philosopher, jurist, and educationist. He is considered to be a founding father of the University of Sindh at its present location at Jamshoro. He published works of Sindhi art, literature, mysticism, education, religion and history.

Education and early life

Imdad Ali Imam Ali Kazi was the second son of the second wife of Kazi Imam Ali Ansari, the District Magistrate of Hyderabad, then in British India. He was born in April 1886, at Hyderabad. His family was originally from Paat in Dadu District. He studied the Quran, Persian language, Arabic, Sindhi language and Urdu language with a private tutor.
Kazi went to London in 1907 for higher education, studying Economics at the London School of Economics and taking numerous other courses. In 1910, he married a German woman, Elsa, who was well-versed in literature. In 1911, Kazi received the degree of Bar-at-Law, after which he returned home to Hyderabad with his wife.
Kazi studied Arabic in Cairo in 1932 and in 1933 continued those studies at the London School of Oriental and African Studies.
While he was studying in England, he was a contemporary of Allama Iqbal and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Career

The British offered the young barrister the post of Civil Judge of Tando Muhammad Khan. He also served as the district and sessions judge of Khairpur during the British rule.
Kazi served as Vice-Chancellor of University of Sindh from 1951 to 1958.
Along with his wife Elsa, he wrote a book on comparative religion, The Adventures of the Brown Girl in her Search for God, which was published by Arthur H Stockwell Ltd., England, in 1933. They also worked on a translation of the verses of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.

Death and legacy

Kazi died on 13 April 1968 in Hyderabad, Pakistan. He was buried at the campus of University of Sindh at Jamshoro.
Several books and articles have been written on the life of Kazi and tributes paid to him annually on the anniversary of his death.
Many well-known scholars such as Abul Kalam Azad, Allama Iqbal, Ubaidullah Sindhi and George Bernard Shaw, were deeply impressed by his writings.

Books, essays & articles

The following is a selection of significant works authored or co-authored by Imdad Ali Imam Ali Kazi, including full-length books and notable essays and articles:
Original titleEnglish titleYearPublisherTypeDescription
The Adventures of the Brown Girl in Her Search for God—1933Arthur H. Stockwell Ltd., EnglandBookComparative-religion narrative co‑authored with his wife Elsa Kazi, tracing a spiritual quest through allegorical storytelling.
Casual Peeps at Sophia—1967Sindhi Adabi Board, HyderabadBookA collection of his essays and addresses covering philosophy, religion, history, poetry, art and literary criticism.
Epistles of Divine Wisdom—2015Sindhi Adabi Board, HyderabadBookA posthumous compilation of Kazi's correspondence, offering insight into his spiritual and philosophical thought.
Surah Al-‘Alaa The Significance of Surah Al‑‘Alaa——EssayA scholarly tafsir lecture exploring cosmic symbolism and metaphysical evolution in the Qur’anic chapter Al‑‘Alaa.
—Translation of Western Philosophy into Sindhi 1930s Various academic forumsEssay/TranslationIntroduced European philosophical thought into Sindhi literature, laying the groundwork for modern Sindhi intellectualism.