LUCKNOW: Shia-Sunni unity, education specifically that of the girl child and peace among all religions were at the core of Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Sadiq’s teachings. And when the funeral for the 83-year-old was held on Wednesday, it was all these and more that converged at his feet. As soon as the news of his death spread on Tuesday night, tributes started to pour in from across the world.
In a letter addressed to his widow, Taj Sultana, President Ram Nath Kovind lauded Sadiq’s charitable works and said he was a scholar of different religions. “He was a humanitarian who was dedicated in the upliftment of children who were not at the mercy of good fortune. He always stressed on peace and unity between people of various religions and faiths and he will always be remembered for his contribution to society and his legacy,” wrote the President.
Mahant Divyagiri of the Mankameshwar Mandir, Imam of Aishbagh Eidgah Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, Shaher Qazi Maulana Abul Irfan Firangimahli, Imam of Teeley Wali Masjid Maulana Fazle Mannan, deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, joint commissioner of police Naveen Arora also paid tribute to the Shia cleric. UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu also visited the funeral while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra spoke to the family over phone.
“My uncle’s services towards education can never be forgotten. The fact that his funeral procession had thousands in attendance shows how respected and loved he was,” said Maulana Kalbe Jawad.
His death was also condoled by president of AIMPLB and rector of Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, Maulana Raabey Hasani Nadwi.
AMU vice-chancellor Prof Tariq Mansoor and AMU Old Boy’s Association Lucknow also sent their condolences to the family. Employees of the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board also held a condolence meeting for the cleric.
“During Lucknow’s communal riots of 1969, when anti-social elements were targetting a Sunni imam of a mosque at Ghulam Husain ka pul, Maulana Kalbe Sadiq plunged to the imam’s safety. In his early 30s then, he threw himself on the imam and while saving his life got severely injured. Later he moved about requesting people to return to their homes so that the tension subsides, but was lathicharged in the process and jailed for over four months,” said journalist Syed Husain Afsar.
“Sadiq and I knew each other since the age of five. We studied together at Madrassa Nazmiya. His work for the community is ideal and there will be no one else like him. A revolutionary who was humble and sans any ego, Sadiq respected knowledge like no other,” shared Maulana Hamid-ul-Hasan