Biography
Professor Khurshid Ahmad
Economist, Scholar & Thinker
Khurshīd Ahmad was a Pakistani economist, philosopher, politician, and an Islamic activist who helped to develop Islamic economic jurisprudence as an academic discipline and one of the co-founders (along with Khurram Murad) of The Islamic Foundation in Leicester, UK.
A senior conservative figure, he was a long-standing party worker of the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) party, where he successfully ran for Senate in the general elections held in 2002 on a platform of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA). He served in the Senate until 2012.
QUICK FACTS
Date of Birth / Place
23 March 1932, Delhi, British India
Died
13 April 2025, Leicester, England
Present Mailing Address
Institute of Policy Studies, Nasr Chambers, 1, MPCHS, Commercial E-11/3, Islamabad, Pakistan
Ph: +92 51 843 8391-3
Fax: +92 51 843 8390
🎓 Educational Qualifications
| Degree | Field / Specialization | Institution | Year | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.A. | Economics | University of Delhi | 1950 | India |
| M.A. | Economics | University of Karachi | 1955 | Pakistan |
| LL.B. | Law | University of Karachi | 1954 | Pakistan |
| M.Sc. | Economics | University of Leicester | 1958 | United Kingdom |
| Hon. Ph.D. (Education) | Honorary | University of Malaya | 1982 | Malaysia |
| Hon. Ph.D. | Honorary | Loughborough University | 2000 | United Kingdom |
| Hon. DSc. (Islamic Economics) | Honorary Doctorate in Islamic Economics | University of Malaya | 1995 | Malaysia |
| Hon. DSc. (Economics) | Honorary Doctorate in Economics | Loughborough University | 2004 | United Kingdom |
📍 Career Timeline
🟦 Present Positions (Active Roles)
| Year Started | Position | Organization | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 – Present | Chairman | Institute of Policy Studies | Islamabad, Pakistan |
| 1978 – Present | Chairman | The Islamic Foundation | Leicester, UK (Offices in Nairobi, Kenya & Kano, Nigeria) |
| 1980 – Present | Member, Board of Trustees | International Islamic University | Islamabad, Pakistan |
| 1987 – Present | Member, Foundation Council | Royal Academy for Islamic Civilization (Al Albait) | Amman, Jordan |
| 1998 – Present | Member, Board of Trustees | Islamic Centre, Zaria | Nigeria |
| 1979 – Present | Vice President | Islamic Research Academy | Karachi and Lahore, Pakistan |
| 2001 – Present | Rector | Markfield Institute of Higher Education | Leicester, UK |
🔷 Previous Key Positions Held
| Years | Position | Organization | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 – 1987 | Senator | Senate of Pakistan | Islamabad |
| 1978 – Apr 1979 | Federal Minister (Planning, Development & Statistics) | Cabinet of Pakistan | Pakistan |
| 1976 – 1981 | Member | Supreme Advisory Council | Saudi Arabia |
| 1981 – 1987 | Chairman | International Institute of Islamic Economics | Islamabad, Pakistan |
| 1984 – 1992 | President | International Association for Islamic Economics | Global |
| 1979 – 1983 | Member | Supreme Academic Council, International Centre for Research in Islamic Economics | King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia |
| 1974 – 1976 | Vice President | Standing Conference on Jews, Christians & Muslims in Europe | London, UK |
| June 1976 | Member | Islam-Europe Dialogue | Switzerland |
| 1976 – 1978 | Member | Advisory Council, Centre for the Study of Islam & Christian-Muslim Relations | Birmingham, UK |
| 1978 – 1983 | Member | National Hijra Committee | Government of Pakistan |
| Dec 1986 – Feb 1987 | Member | Committee of Jurists (invited by Prime Minister of Sudan) | Sudan |
| July 1986 – Mar 1989 | Member | Islamic Research & Training Institute Review Committee | Islamic Development Bank, Saudi Arabia |
| July 1988 – Mar 1989 | Member | International Review Committee | Islamic Research & Training Institute, Saudi Arabia |
| July 1981 – Mar 1987 | Chairman | Standing Committee on Finance, Economic Affairs & Planning | Senate of Pakistan |
🎓 Academic & Administrative Responsibilities
🔹 1. Academic Roles
These involve teaching, academic planning, and knowledge leadership.
| Role | Institution | Country | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | International Institute of Islamic Economics, IIUI | Pakistan | 1981–1987 |
| Member, Board of Trustees | International Islamic University | Pakistan | 1980 – Present |
| Rector | Markfield Institute of Higher Education | United Kingdom | 2001 – Present |
| Member, Supreme Academic Council | International Centre for Research in Islamic Economics, King Abdul Aziz University | Saudi Arabia | 1979–1983 |
| Visiting Professor & Lecturer | Various Universities (e.g., Malaysia, UK, Pakistan) | Multiple | Various Years |
🟢 2. Advisory Roles (Government & Global Institutions)
| Role | Organization / Govt | Country | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Minister (Planning, Development & Statistics) | Govt. of Pakistan | Pakistan | 1978–1979 |
| Chairman | Standing Committee on Finance, Economic Affairs & Planning, Senate | Pakistan | 1981–1987 |
| Senator | Senate of Pakistan | Pakistan | 1985–1987 |
| Member | Supreme Advisory Council | Saudi Arabia | 1976–1981 |
| Member | National Hijra Committee | Pakistan | 1978–1983 |
| Member | Committee of Jurists (Islamic Law Reform) | Sudan | 1986–1987 |
| Member | Islamic Research and Training Institute Review Committee | Islamic Development Bank | Saudi Arabia |
| Member | Islam-Europe Dialogue | Switzerland | 1976 |
| Vice President | Standing Conference on Jews, Christians & Muslims in Europe | United Kingdom | 1974–1976 |
🟠 3. Leadership in Research & Institutions
| Role | Institution | Location | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) | Islamabad, Pakistan | 1979 – Present |
| Chairman | The Islamic Foundation | Leicester, UK / Nairobi / Kano | 1978 – Present |
| Vice President | Islamic Research Academy | Karachi & Lahore, Pakistan | 1979 – Present |
| President | International Association for Islamic Economics | Global | 1984–1992 |
| Member, Board of Trustees | Islamic Centre | Zaria, Nigeria | 1998 – Present |
| Member | Royal Academy for Islamic Civilization (Al Albait) | Amman, Jordan | 1987 – Present |
🏅 Awards & Recognitions
🟩 National Awards (Pakistan)
Sitara-i-Imtiaz - 1981
Third highest civilian award for exceptional contributions to education and Islamic economics.
Nishan-i-Imtiaz - 2011
The highest civilian award in Pakistan, for outstanding services in the field of education, Islamic thought, and public service.
🟨 International Honorary Degrees
Honorary Ph.D. in Education - 1982
University of Malaya - Malaysia
Honorary DSc in Islamic Economics - 1995
University of Malaya - Malaysia
Honorary Ph.D. - 2000
Loughborough University - United Kingdom
Honorary DSc in Economics -2004
Loughborough University - United Kingdom
🟦 Academic & Intellectual Recognitions
Guest Speaker, Keynote Speaker, & Panelist
Numerous international conferences on Islamic economics, education, and policy
Lifetime Achievement Awards
From Islamic institutions and academic bodies (exact titles vary)
Recognized Pioneer
Globally acknowledged as one of the founders of Islamic Economics as a discipline