JEDDAH, 13 March 2005 — T. Arifali has been appointed the new Kerala ameer (president) of Jamaat-e-Islami, one of the leading Islamic organizations in India. He replaces Siddique Hassan, who has been named all-India secretary of the organization.
The appointment was announced by Abdul Haque Ansari, ameer of all-India Jamaat, after taking into account the opinion of Jamaat members as well as Shoura Council members in the state. Siddique Hassan was Kerala ameer for 14 years.
Established in 1941, Jamaat works for spreading the message of Islam and promoting communal harmony across the country. It has translated the holy Qur’an into different languages and published thousands of books on various Islamic topics. It also runs hundreds of educational institutions.
Arifali, who was twice elected president of Students Islamic Organization (SIO), Jamaat’s student’s wing, recently led a rally to promote human rights, covering most part of the state.
He has held several other posts in the organization such as assistant ameer, and member of the All-India Representatives Council and the Kerala Shoura Council. He is a member of the Kerala Haj Committee.
A graduate of King Saud University in Riyadh as well as Darul Uloom Arabic College and Ilahiya College in Kerala, Arifali takes charge on March 26.