Syed Ashhad Rashidi
Syed Ashhad Rashidi is an Indian Islamic scholar and religious leader associated with Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind. He serves as the rector of Madrasa Shahi in Moradabad and has been elected multiple times as the president of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind 's Uttar Pradesh unit. Rashidi has been actively involved in socio-political issues and legal matters, including filing a review petition against the [2019 Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya dispute|2019 Supreme Court of India verdict on the Ayodhya dispute]. He has also commented on various governmental policies affecting the Muslim community in India.
Early life and education
Syed Ashhad Rashidi was born in 1971. He received his early education at Madrasa Shahi in Moradabad, where he studied until the fourth grade. He then enrolled at Darul Uloom Deoband, where he completed his Daurah-e-Hadith in 1991 and Takmil-e-Adab in 1992.Career
Following his education at Darul Uloom Deoband, Rashidi was appointed as a teacher at Madrasa Shahi in Moradabad. Later, he took on the role of rector at Madrasa Shahi in Moradabad. He also became actively involved with Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind and was elected as the president of its Uttar Pradesh unit multiple times. In October 2024, he was re-elected to this position for the seventh consecutive time.In his capacity as a religious leader, Rashidi has participated in various social and political discussions, including addressing communal incidents. In 2024, he directed Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind representatives to assess the situation following communal violence in Bahraich and Sambhal. He condemned what he described as unilateral actions against Muslims and called for judicial inquiries into alleged police misconduct.
His son, Kaab Rashidi, is an Islamic scholar, legal advisor, and spokesperson for Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind.
Political views
Ayodhya dispute
Rashidi was involved in legal efforts concerning the Ayodhya dispute. In December 2019, as the president of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, he filed a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging its verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case. The petition argued that the ruling effectively condoned previous actions against the Babri Masjid and contended that the site was awarded to Hindu claimants despite acknowledged violations. The Supreme Court later dismissed all review petitions, including Rashidi's, stating that they lacked merit.Social and political engagement
Rashidi has commented on various socio-political issues. In 2015, he criticized the ghar wapsi campaign by right-wing groups, arguing that it promoted social divisions and that the government's response was inadequate. In 2017, he announced the Rashtriya Ekta Sammelan in Lucknow, aiming to counteract what he described as growing communal discord in the country.In March 2016, Rashidi, as a representative of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, expressed concerns over what he described as efforts to transform India into a Hindu Rashtra. He criticized the central government's silence on the matter and stated that Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind would protest against any attempts to undermine India's secular fabric. Rashidi emphasized that such developments could disrupt communal harmony and called for collective efforts to safeguard the country's pluralistic identity.