Turkish politicians pay tribute to legacy of Professor Khurshid Ahmed

Ahmet Davutoğlu and Atıf Özbey recalled Ahmed’s pioneering role in Islamic economics, and devotion to the unity of the Muslim world

 ANKARA, Türkiye (MNTV) – The passing of Professor Khurshid Ahmed, a globally respected Pakistani scholar, economist, and ideological architect of Islamic economics, has drawn heartfelt tributes from leading political figures in Türkiye.

Many of them remembered him as the “Erbakan of Pakistan,” for his tireless efforts to integrate Islamic principles into modern socio-economic systems and his unwavering commitment to the unity and progress of the Muslim Ummah.

Former Turkish Prime Minister and leader of the Future Party, Ahmet Davutoğlu, expressed his deep sorrow over Prof. Ahmed’s death in a message shared on social media. Describing him as a pioneer of Islamic economics and a close collaborator, Davutoğlu said:

“I learned with great sadness the passing of my valuable friend Prof. Dr. Hurşid (Khurshid) Ahmed, one of the pioneers of Islamic economics. I witnessed his sincerity and that he devoted his life to the problems and unity of the Islamic world, following in the footsteps of his master Abu’l Ala Mawdudi. May his soul rest in peace.”

Davutoğlu also highlighted Ahmed’s lasting influence on Pakistan’s political and academic life, calling him a towering intellectual figure whose dedication went beyond borders.

Adding to the wave of condolences, Voice of Turkey Golden Age Party (SES Party) Chairman Atıf Özbey issued an emotional statement, comparing Ahmed’s legacy to that of Türkiye’s own late Necmettin Erbakan — the visionary who championed Islamic values in Turkish politics.

“My late teacher, Prof. Dr. Hurşid Ahmed, is one of the rare figures who played a leading role in transferring Islamic economics from theory to practice,” Özbey said. “Whatever our late Erbakan Hoca meant in Türkiye, Hurşid Ahmed meant the same in Pakistan.”

He described Ahmed not merely as an economist or politician, but as a “man of cause and civilisation” who illuminated the path of nations with his ideas and embodied moral leadership with a sense of deep responsibility toward the Ummah.

Born in Delhi in 1932, Professor Khurshid Ahmed migrated to Pakistan during the partition and later emerged as one of the most influential Muslim thinkers of the 20th century.

A founding member of the Islamic Foundation in the U.K. and former Deputy Chairman of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, Ahmed played a key role in shaping discourse on Islamic economics and governance.

His scholarship on interest-free banking, social justice, and morally grounded economic models has left a lasting impact on both academic and policy circles across the Islamic world. In 1978, he was honoured with the prestigious King Faisal Award for Islamic Service, underlining his pan-Islamic stature.

Ahmed’s passing marks the end of an era for many across the Muslim world. Revered in intellectual circles and among policymakers alike, he will be remembered for his profound contributions to Islamic thought, his principled political activism, and his unwavering vision for a just and united Muslim world.

His funeral in Pakistan was attended by thousands, including scholars, political leaders, students, and ordinary citizens — a testimony to the life he lived in service of faith, knowledge, and community.