Honoring the Life and Legacy of Pir Syed Ahmad Gilani

Speech at Funeral Ceremony of Pir Syed Ahmad Gailani, Former Chairman of the High Peace Council

Keypoints: 

• Legacy: Pir Gailani as national reformer and peacemaker.
• Spiritual: Promoted moderation and unity as Qadiri leader.
• Jihad: Led sacred jihad with honor.
• Unity: Connected diverse political and ethnic groups.
• Peace: Guided High Peace Council and agreements.
• Integrity: Model of humility and non-partisanship.
• Mourning: National grief and respect.
• Vision: United, peaceful, secure Afghanistan.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Excellency Karzai Sahib, all political and Jihadi leaders, Honorable Ustad Sayyaf, Honorable Hamid Gailani and your family, and all the political, Jihadi, civil, security, and defense leaders of the country! Peace, mercy, and the blessings of Allah be upon you all!

The Multi-Dimensional Life of a Reformer

Today is the day of our farewell to a personality whom the nation always looked upon as the "Reformer of the Nation." We bid farewell to a personality of diverse dimensions in whom the finest virtues were gathered, representing our best Islamic and national characteristics.

The first dimension of Pir Sahib’s life was that of the Tariqat (the Sufi path). As the leader of the Qadiriya Order, he always carried a message of moderation, the solidarity of the Islamic Ummah, and unity and agreement. He possessed the qualities that bring all people together and connect the Islamic world—a lineage that gathered followers from Iraq to India, America, and beyond.

Another dimension of his character, which is clear and known to all, was his role as one of the great leaders of our Holy Jihad. Honorable Ustad Sayyaf, who performed the funeral prayer today and is present here, can attest that this was a brilliant era of national will, manifesting the commands and rulings of the holy religion of Islam. This dimension was at once national, regional, and international.

A Man of Connection and Consensus

In the national dimension, Pir Sahib was always a personality who gathered and connected us. That day, when Honorable Dr. Abdullah and I heard the news of his passing, we immediately went to the hospital. Both of us said simultaneously that he was a personality who never caused dispute; we never heard a single negative word from him regarding others.

Regarding the final part of his life—though we could speak for hours about his virtues, I wish to be brief—I am specifically grateful to him for accepting the invitation of the National Unity Government during these difficult conditions to lead the Peace Council. I offer my condolences to Honorable Ustad Khalili and all other leaders of the Peace Council. Under Pir Sahib's leadership in a short period, we achieved the accomplishment that Karzai Sahib had initiated: the peace agreement with Hizb-e-Islami and the honorable Engineer Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. The implementation of this will be among the obligations that we shall all oversee.

A National Loss and a Vision for Peace

The Reformer of the Nation is no longer with us today, but his memories, his instructions, his personality, and his methodology will always remain with us. On behalf of the State, I wish to offer condolences to the Mujahid and Muslim nation of Afghanistan, and likewise to Honorable Hamid Agha, sister Fatima, and all other members of the family.

This grief is not only the grief of your family; it is not the grief of one party, one direction, or one organization—it is the grief of the entire nation of Afghanistan. We are all partners with you in this mourning. We pray that Allah (SWT) provides the conditions so that Pir Sahib’s dreams of a peaceful Afghanistan—where national authority, national unity, and our national covenant are realized—are fulfilled, and this land is delivered unto peace.

At this time, we reiterate to everyone the necessity of peace, which is as essential to us as water and air. We seek a credible and honorable peace where the entire nation of Afghanistan embraces one another, where we unite under the banner of Kalimatullah (the Word of Allah) and within the framework of the Constitution to build this country and leave a legacy for future generations that is a source of dignity and pride for all.

Final Farewell

Again, I offer my condolences to everyone. It is our hope that he is laid to rest in his ancestral cemetery alongside his illustrious father, who was also a great figure of this nation. Last night, I was looking at one of the poems of Ustad Khalili, composed in praise of the great Pir Sahib, describing his character.

Once again, I offer my condolences to all. I hope your day passes in peace. The entire nation prays that Allah (SWT) grants Pir Sahib paradise and grants patience to his family and the entire nation of Afghanistan.