Srinagar, April 27 (KMS): Renowned Islamic scholar and former head of Darul Aloom Deuband, Maulana Anzar Shah Kashmiri died on Saturday at Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi after a brief spell of illness. He was 81.

Various religious and social organizations in Valley have expressed profound grief and sorrow over the demise of the religious scholar.

The Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in his condolence message termed his demise as a great loss to whole Ummah. He contacted Moulna Syed Ahmad Khazir, son of late Moulana, on telephone and conveyed his condolences. Mirwaiz has also convened a meeting of Muttahida Majlis Ulema to condole the demise.

Senior Kashmiri Hurriyet Kashmiri leader, Syed Ali Gilani while expressing deep sorrow over the demise, termed it a great loss for the Muslims of India and occupied Kashmir.

Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), in a meeting held in Srinagar offered special prayers for the deceased.

The grand Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir Moulna Mufti Muhammad Bashir-ud-Din Ahmad and Jama’at-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir also expressed grief over the demise.

APHC leaders, Zaffar Akbar Butt and Nayeem Ahmad Khan, noted Islamic scholar and the president Kashmir Research Foundation Maulana Syed Aslam Andrabi also expresseddeep sorrow over the demise.

Maulana Anzar Shah Kashmiri wrote several books on ‘Hadith,’ ‘fiqh’ and Islamic law. He was considered as an authority on ‘Hadith’ and ‘Shariah’. He had also set up an Islamic institute, Jamia Anwar, in memory of his illustrious father Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri.