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{{Short description|Kashmiri religious scholar, orator, activist (1914–2004)}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = [[Maulana]]
| name = Ghulam Ahmad Ahrar
| image = 
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{circa|1914}}
| birth_place = [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2004|08|25|1914|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Srinagar]], India
| occupation = Religious scholar, activist, orator
| known_for = Founding member of [[Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir|Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir]]
| organization = [[Jamaat-e-Islami]]
}}

'''Ghulam Ahmad Ahrar''' ({{circa|1914}} – 25 August 2004) was a Kashmiri religious scholar, orator, activist, and one of the founding members of the [[Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir|Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir]]. He was involved in the early organizational development of the Jamaat and contributed to expanding its activities in the [[Jammu Division|Jammu region]].<ref name="i233">{{cite web | author=The Milli Gazette | title=The Milli Gazette, Subscribe, Read and Support | website=milligazette.com | url=https://www.milligazette.com/Archives/2004/01-15Dec04-Print-Edition/011512200452.htm | access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Ahrar was born in [[Shopian district]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[British India]].<ref name="x816">{{cite web | title=Dissent and Democracy | website=Greater Kashmir | date=2019-03-10 | url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/opinion/dissent-and-democracy/ | access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref> He obtained his [[Islamic studies|religious studies]] in [[Punjab]], where he enrolled at Madarsa Nusratul Islam in [[Amritsar]].<ref name="i233"/> During his time there, he was elected the first president of the institution's Jamiat Talaba (students' union). While studying, he came into contact with several noted South Asian Muslim leaders, including [[Ataullah Shah Bukhari]], Chaudhary Fazle Haq, [[Allama Muhammad Iqbal]], and [[Habibur Rehman Ludhianvi|Maulana Habibur Rahman Ludhianvi]].<ref name="i233"/>

== Activism ==
Ahrar was involved in Jamaat-e-Islami since 1942 after he organized a [[religious gathering]] ([[ijtema]]) at Badami Bagh in Shopian in 1942, which is regarded as one of the earliest such events in the region and predates the first all-India ijtima of [[Jamaat-e-Islami Hind]] held at [[Pathankot]] in 1945.<ref name="k895">{{cite web | title=Jamaat-e-Islami properties worth ₹2.58 crore sealed in J&K’s Shopian | website=Hindustan Times | date=2022-11-11 | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/jamaateislami-properties-worth-2-58-crore-sealed-in-j-k-s-shopian-101668117361986.html | access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref> Later in 1946 he along with other members established Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir. In 1958, he was tasked with organizing the party's network in the Jammu region. Over a period of nearly two years, he traveled to districts including [[Jammu District|Jammu]], [[Rajouri District|Rajouri]], [[Poonch district, India|Poonch]], [[Doda district|Dooda]], and [[Udhampur district]] to set up local branches and recruit members.<ref name="i233"/>

In the 1970s, Ahrar served as district president of Islamabad (now known as [[Anantnag district]]), which at the time also included the areas of present-day [[Pulwama district|Pulwama]], [[Shopian district|Shopian]], and [[Kulgam district|Kulgam]]. He was later assigned to Pulwama.<ref name="t130">{{cite web | last=Life | first=Kashmir | title=An Amir Memory | website=Kashmir Life | date=2018-12-19 | url=https://kashmirlife.net/an-amir-memory-issue-38-vol-10-195501/ | access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>

In November 1998, Ahrar appeared alongside other activists of Jamaat-e-Islami, including Hakeem Ghulam Nabi and [[Sheikh Ghulam Hassan]], when Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, one of founders of the [[Muslim United Front]], publicly called for the organisation to function within the [[constitution of India]].<ref name="p622">{{cite web | last=Hussain | first=Masood | title=Jamaat Jammed | website=Kashmir Life | date=2019-03-13 | url=https://kashmirlife.net/jamaat-jammed-issue-50-vol-10-204516/ | access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>

Ahrar died on 25 August 2004 in [[Srinagar]] after a prolonged illness.<ref name="i233"/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahrar, Ghulam Ahmad}}
[[Category:1910s births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:Kashmiri people]]
[[Category:Indian Islamic religious leaders]]
[[Category:Jamaat-e-Islami politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian people]]
[[Category:People from Shopian district]]
[[Category:People from Pulwama district]]

Ghulam Ahmad Ahrar - Revision history

JohannaBuckley: adding new entry more to come