Molana Azizullah Bohio

Azizullah Bohio
Born14 March 1946
Khair Muhammad Bohio, Naushahro Feroze District, Sindh, Pakistan
Died2 November 2021(2021-11-02) (aged 75)
Political party
Sindh Sagar Party

Maulana Azizullah Bohio (14 March 1946 – 2 November 2021) was a Pakistani Islamic theologian, writer, and politician from Naushahro Feroze District, Sindh. He founded and served as chairman of the Sindh Sagar Party, a Sindhi nationalist political organisation, and served as Secretary General of the Sindh chapter of the Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONM).[1] He was the author of more than fifty books in Sindhi and Urdu on religion, politics, and Islamic history, all published by Sindh Sagar Academy.[2] He died of heart disease on 2 November 2021.

Early life and education

Bohio was born on 14 March 1946 in the village of Khair Muhammad Bohio, Naushahro Feroze District, Sindh. He received his early education at his village school and subsequently attended several religious seminaries.

Career

Political career

Bohio was a member of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) under Mufti Mahmud in the late 1980s.[2] He left JUI following disagreements over Mufti Mahmud's position on the Pakistan Army's operations in Bangladesh and over issues relating to the rights of Sindh, including the status of the Sindhi language, water resources, and migration from other provinces into Sindh.[2] He subsequently founded the Sindh Sagar Party together with other religious scholars and served as its chairman until his death.[2][1]

Bohio also served as Secretary General of the Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONM) Sindh Chapter.[3] In 2007, his son Rashid Bohio was kidnapped; Bohio publicly alleged that the investigating police officer released the kidnappers against payment of a bribe and demanded the officer's transfer.[4]

He led demonstrations against water shortages in Sindh and opposed the construction of further dams on the Indus River.[5] He advocated for the rights of minority communities, farmers, and labour.[6] He publicly opposed forced conversions of Hindu women in Sindh.

Religious and intellectual views

Bohio was a critic of religious extremism. He held unorthodox theological positions, arguing that the Arabic term salah (commonly translated as ritual prayer) referred in the Quran to collective social and political organisation rather than to the individual prayer practice known in Urdu as namaz.[7] These positions were set out in his published works and generated controversy within religious circles.

Before his death, Bohio requested that he be buried in a non-Muslim graveyard, stating that he wished to reduce the division between Muslims and non-Muslims in Sindh. The request became a subject of public debate following his death.[8]

Books and publications

Bohio authored more than fifty books in Sindhi and Urdu, all published by Sindh Sagar Academy, covering religion, politics, and Islamic history.[2]


Sindhi titles

TitleNotes
Quran MahjoorDigitised copy held at Internet Archive[9]
Quran Khan Siwai Kinh ji Bh Tabedari na KayoDigitised copy held at Internet Archive[10]
Ayat-e-Bayanat
Quran jo Farman
Fitrat ji Boli
Salwat aeen Nimaz main Firq
Fitna Inkar Quran kian aeen Kadhin
Allah ji Ibadat Kian aeen Kadhin Kajy
Ahsan-ul-Hadees
Islami Tareekh Quran ji Roshni main
Quran Panjho Tafseer Pan Kary tho
Fiqh Quran
Salf Salhin ji Nalin Saan Ilm main Khayanatoon

Urdu titles

TitleNotes
Fitna-e-Inkar-e-Quran (Part 1)Digitised copy held at Internet Archive[11]
Secularism aur Do Qoumi NazriyaDigitised copy held at Internet Archive[12]
Arabi Madaris ka Nisab-e-Taleem Khilaf Quran haiDigitised copy held at Internet Archive[13]
Din Mulla fi Sabil Allah FasadDigitised copy held at Internet Archive[14]
Roza-e-RasoolDigitised copy held at Internet Archive[15]
Aayat Karima Layla-tul-Qadr: Umar-e-RasoolDigitised copy held at Internet Archive[16]
Ahsan ul Hadith (3 volumes)Confirmed by Scribd and Sindh Express[17]
Salaat Aur Namaz Main FarqDigitised copy held at Scribd[18]
Mujzaat
Vijood bary Talaa
Vildiyat wo Vifate Eissa
Kia Humary Nimazin Quran Silwaat hain
Misjid Quran Ki nazr main
Mard aur aurat ki barbri
Qurani Salwat
Quran par hamla
Tareekh Islam ka Quran aeeny main
Fiqh-ul-Quran
Islah Ka amal pahly apny ap se Shru Kia jai

Death

Bohio died of heart disease on 2 November 2021, at the age of seventy-five, in Naushahro Feroze District. His death was noted by Sindhi writers, civil society organisations, and political and religious figures.[19]

References

  1. 1 2 "Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi remembered". dawn.com. Dawn. 23 August 2008. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sindh Express News Story". epaper.sindhexpress.com.pk (in Urdu). Sindh Express. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  3. ↑ "Son of PONM leader kidnapped". dawn.com. Dawn. 27 December 2006. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  4. ↑ "Official blamed for freeing kidnappers". dawn.com. Dawn. 21 June 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "Parties, NGOs join hands against Hesco". dawn.com. Dawn. 4 August 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "Speakers Pay Tributes To Comrade Taj Muhammad Abro". urdupoint.com. UrduPoint. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  7. ↑ "Salaat Aur Namaz Main Farq (Aziz Ullah Bohio)". scribd.com. Scribd. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  8. ↑ "مولانا عزيزالله ٻويهي جي وصيت جي باري ۾". sindhsalamat.com (in Sindhi). SindhSalamat. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  9. ↑ Bohio, Azizullah. قرآن مهجور (in Sindhi). Sindh Sagar Academy. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  10. ↑ Bohio, Azizullah (2010). قرآن کانسواءِ ڪنهنجي بہ تابعداري نہ ڪيو (in Sindhi). Sindh Sagar Academy. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  11. ↑ Bohio, Azizullah. Fitna-e-Inkar-e-Quran (in Urdu). Sindh Sagar Academy. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  12. ↑ Bohio, Azizullah. Secular Ism aur Do Q Nazaria (in Urdu). Sindh Sagar Academy. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  13. ↑ Bohio, Azizullah. عربی مدارس کا تعلیم نصاب خلاف قرآن ھے (in Urdu). Sindh Sagar Academy. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  14. ↑ Bohio, Azizullah. دین ملا فی سبیل اللہ فساد (in Urdu). Sindh Sagar Academy. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  15. ↑ Bohio, Azizullah. Roza Rasool (in Urdu). Sindh Sagar Academy. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  16. ↑ Bohio, Azizullah. آیت کریمہ لیلۃ القدر خیرمن الف شھر کی معنی عمر رسول ہے (in Urdu). Sindh Sagar Academy. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  17. ↑ "Ahsan ul Hadith". scribd.com (in Urdu). Scribd. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  18. ↑ "Salaat Aur Namaz Main Farq". scribd.com (in Urdu). Scribd. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  19. ↑ "سنڌ ساگر پارٽي جو سربراهه مولانا عزيز الله ٻوهيو لاڏاڻو ڪري ويو". sindhtvnews.tv (in Sindhi). Sindh TV News. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2021.