Ahmed Gailani facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pir Sayyid Ahmed Gailani |
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| پیر سید احمد گیلانی | |
Gailani in September 2014
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| Religion | Islam |
| Lineage | Abdul-Qadir Gilani |
| Order | Qadiriyya Sufi |
| Alma mater | Kabul University |
| Personal | |
| Nationality | Afghan |
| Home town | Surkh-Rōd |
| Born | 1932 Surkh-Rōd District, Nangarhar Province, Kingdom of Afghanistan |
| Died | 21 January 2017 (aged 84–85) Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Children | 5 |
| Parents | Sayyid Hasan Gailani (father) |
Pir Sayyid Ahmed Gailani (Persian: پیر سید احمد گیلانی 1932– 21 January 2017) was an important leader in Afghanistan. He was the head, or Pir, of the Qadiriyyah Sufi order. He also started a political group called the National Islamic Front of Afghanistan. This group worked with the Mujahideen during the war against the Soviet Union in the 1980s.
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Who Was Ahmed Gailani?
Ahmed Gailani came from a family with a long history. His family were descendants of Abdul-Qadir Gilani. Abdul-Qadir Gilani was the person who started the Qadiriyyah Sufi order.
Early Life and Family
Ahmed Gailani's father, Sayyid Hasan Gailani, was born in Baghdad. He moved to Afghanistan in 1905. His goal was to set up the Qadiriyyah order there. The ruler at the time, Amir Habibullah Khan, gave him land in Kabul and Nangarhar Province.
Ahmed Gailani was born in the Surkh-Rōd District of Nangarhar Province. He is still a very important person in that area. He went to Abu Hanifa College in Kabul. Later, he graduated from Kabul University in 1960. In 1952, he married Adela, who was a granddaughter of Amir Habibullah. This marriage made his family's ties to the Afghan royal family even stronger.
Before the war, Gailani spent more time on his business. He traveled often to France and England. He even got the dealership for Peugeot cars in Kabul.
His Role in Afghanistan
In 1979, a communist group took power in Afghanistan. Pir Gailani then went to Pakistan. There, he created the National Islamic Front of Afghanistan (NIFA). This party was a moderate group that supported the return of the king.
Fighting for Afghanistan's Future
NIFA was one of seven groups that received weapons. These weapons were given by the CIA and distributed by Pakistan's intelligence agency. They were for the mujahideen who were fighting the Soviet occupation. NIFA was the most open-minded of these groups. It wanted King Zahir Shah to return from exile.
This group represented the interests of the Pashtun leaders before the war. They did not support communism or extreme religious views. Instead, they believed in "nationalism and democracy."
Gailani was different from other mujahideen leaders. He often wore Western clothes and spoke English very well.
Leading a Sufi Order
Gailani's supporters were mostly followers of the Qadiriyyah Sufi order. His political group worked a lot like a Sufi order. This made it harder for it to be a modern political and military group. His followers expected to meet him in person. This meant decisions were not easily shared with others. The amount of weapons a commander received depended on his personal connection with Gailani.
Despite these challenges, NIFA was very popular among Afghan refugees in Pakistan. A survey in 1987 showed that many refugees supported NIFA. However, Pakistan's intelligence agency thought the group was not very effective. So, NIFA received a smaller share of the weapons. Other groups, especially those with more extreme religious views, got more weapons.
Gailani did not have many connections with foreign supporters. However, he did get some help from American groups. These included the Committee for a Free Afghanistan and Freedom House. He also worked with Lord Bethell from Radio Free Kabul in London.
In October 2001, Pir Ahmed Gailani led a group called the Assembly for Peace and National Unity of Afghanistan. This group tried to work with moderate members of the Taliban.
Later Years and Legacy
Pir Sayed Ahmad Gilani passed away on January 21, 2017. He died in a hospital in Kabul after a short illness.
He had five children who have also become important figures:
- Fatima Gailani, who leads the Afghan Red Crescent Society.
- Sayed Hamed Gailani, who is a top leader in Afghanistan's Senate.
- Maryam Gailani, who started a children's village and a foundation.
- Sayed Mohammed Gailani, who was Afghanistan's ambassador to Jordan.
- Zahra Gailani, who is a designer.
