Draft:Maqsood Imran Rashadi

Mufti Dr. Mohamed Maqsood Imran Rashadi
Born	Mulbagal, Kolar district, Karnataka, India
Education	Seven-year Aalim course MA in Urdu (2001)
Occupations	Islamic scholar, jurist, educator
Employer	Jamia Masjid City Market
Known for	Interfaith dialogue, moon-sighting coordination, counter-radicalisation initiatives

Mohamed Maqsood Imran Rashadi (also rendered Maulana Mufti Dr. Maqsood Imran Rashadi) is an Indian Islamic scholar, jurist, and educator based in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He serves as Chief Imam and Khateeb of Jamia Masjid City Market, one of Bengaluru's historic mosques, and as Convener of the Central Moon Committee of Karnataka (Markazi Ruet-e-Hilal Committee), the body that issues official announcements for the commencement of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha in the state. He is also a member of the transitional three-person caretaker council (Majlis-e-Imarat Shariya) administering the Imarat-e-Shariah of Karnataka following the death of the previous Ameer-e-Shariat.

Early life and education

Maqsood Imran Rashadi was born in Mulbagal, a town in Kolar district, Karnataka. He completed his schooling locally before memorising the entire Quran in approximately one and a half years following his completion of secondary school.

He subsequently undertook a seven-year Aalim course — a traditional Islamic seminary curriculum covering Islamic jurisprudence, hadith, and classical Farsi literature — before earning a Master of Arts in Urdu in 2001. He was later conferred an Honorary Doctorate for research focused on the literary and religious works of Maulana Mufti Ashraf Ali.

Career

Jamia Masjid, City Market

Maqsood Imran began as a volunteer at Jamia Masjid City Market in Bengaluru at the age of approximately 24, and was subsequently appointed as Naib Imam (Deputy Imam) in 2000. He was appointed Chief Imam and Khateeb — the permanent lead prayer leader and Friday sermon deliverer — in 2011.

Educational institutions

He serves as Chief Principal of Jamia-ul-Uloom Arabic College and Rector of Jamiashaheen Academy, both based in Bengaluru.

Central Moon Committee of Karnataka

Maqsood Imran serves as Convener of the Central Moon Committee of Karnataka (Markazi Ruet-e-Hilal Committee), which operates from the Karnataka Waqf Board (Darul Auqaf) offices in Bengaluru. The committee coordinates scholars across the state to verify physical sightings of the crescent moon and issues the official regional declarations for the start of Islamic months, including Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha.

International engagements

United States visit

Maqsood Imran is reported to have visited the United States under the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), a professional exchange programme administered by the U.S. Department of State, around the period of the September 11 attacks. He has engaged in interfaith dialogue and public lectures during this period and was recognised by host organisations as an "Ambassador of Peace".

Iraq and Iran

He has undertaken visits to significant Islamic sites in Iraq and Iran, including the shrines of Ali ibn Abi Talib in Najaf, Husayn ibn Ali in Karbala, and Ali al-Ridha in Mashhad. These visits are described in his public profiles as having included meetings with seminary (hawza) scholars on matters of Islamic jurisprudence and counter-extremism.

Saudi Arabia

In 2023, Maqsood Imran is reported to have participated in the Hajj under the Saudi government's guest programme for international Islamic scholars.

Caretaker Ameer-e-Shariat committee

Following the death of Hazrat Maulana Sageer Ahmed Khan Rashadi, who had served as Ameer-e-Shariat of Karnataka, a three-member caretaker committee — the Majlis-e-Imarat Shariya — was constituted to administer the affairs of the Imarat-e-Shariah Karnataka pending the election of a permanent successor through a consultative shura process. The three members are:

1. Mufti Mohammed Shoaibullah Khan
2. Maulana Iftikhar Ahmed Qasmi
3. Maulana Mufti Dr. Maqsood Imran Rashadi

Community work

Maqsood Imran has been involved in interfaith outreach in Bengaluru, including joint meetings between community members and law enforcement to address local tensions, and has spoken publicly against extremist organisations including ISIS in sermons and online platforms.

Maqsood Imran serves as Convener of the Central Moon Committee of Karnataka (Markazi Ruet-e-Hilal Committee).

Recognition

• He is reported to have received an "Ambassador of Peace" designation from organisations he engaged with during his U.S. visit.
• He holds an Honorary Doctorate of Peace, the conferring institution of which has not been independently confirmed.

References

Further sourcing needed

The following claims require independent, reliable sources before this article can meet Wikipedia's notability guidelines and verifiability policy:

Educational credentials

University records, seminary registers, or press coverage confirming the MA (Urdu, 2001) and the Honorary Doctorate, including the conferring institution.

Mosque appointments (2000, 2011)

Official Jamia Masjid trust records or contemporaneous newspaper coverage.

Central Moon Committee appointment

Karnataka Waqf Board gazette notification or regional newspaper coverage of moon-sighting declarations attributed to him.

IVLP participation and "Ambassador of Peace" designation

U.S. State Department records, archived U.S. press coverage, or contemporaneous Indian newspaper reporting of the visit.

Iraq and Iran visits

Any independent press coverage of the visits or meetings held.

Saudi Hajj guest programme, 2023

Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs documentation or Indian newspaper coverage.

Caretaker Ameer-e-Shariat appointment

Official Imarat-e-Shariah Karnataka press release or coverage in a registered print publication.

Honorary Doctorate of Peace

Name of conferring institution and independent confirmation of the award.

External links

• "Goats, sheep costlier this Bakrid; demand dips". The Times of India.

• "Ramadan to start from March 2nd as crescent moon not sighted". Vartha Bharati. 28 February 2025.

• "Ramadan to Begin on March 2 as Crescent Moon Remains Unseen". The Hindustan Gazette. 1 March 2025.
• Markazi Ruyath-e-Hilal Committee Karnataka moon sighting announcement (May 2026)
• Imarat-e-Shariah Karnataka advisory regarding Eid al-Adha (2026)
• Wikimedia Commons – Moon sighting announcement
• Wikimedia Commons – Imarat-e-Shariah advisory
• Official Facebook page
• Official Instagram page

The Hindu

• "Chamarajpet: Unblemished by growth, unmarred by time". The Hindu.
• "Delegation of religious leaders meet police chief". The Hindu.
• "Letter from DGIGP's office on loudspeakers in mosques creates a stir". The Hindu.
• "Rama Navami festivities turn platform for Hindutva organisations to flex muscles". The Hindu.
• "Imam pushes for minimal use of social media". The Hindu.
• "The unravelling of an investment fraud". The Hindu.

Deccan Herald

• "Eid prayers at Chamarajpet Idgah peaceful". Deccan Herald.
• "Demand for Halal-cut meat much higher, say vendors". Deccan Herald.
• "Ramzan begins today". Deccan Herald.
• "Pained and outraged by attack in Kashmir, Karnataka Muslim group". Deccan Herald.
• "Muslims face rare conundrum: How to offer Eid namaz at home?". Deccan Herald.
• "B S Yediyurappa meets Muslim MLAs, seeks cooperation to contain COVID-19 in Karnataka".
• "Politicians, religious leaders backed IMA Group".

The New Indian Express

• "Inform NIA, don't take reward, chief imam tells Muslims".
• "Bengaluru's Jamia Masjid works on sound solution, puts up decibel meter, others to follow".
• "Anti-conversion law will create more divisions in society".
• "Bengaluru clerics warn against wheelies, wrongful assembly during Shaban".
• "Muslim community heads advise youth on Muharram".
• "Maintain calm, decorum, appeal Muslim leaders".

This page will be placed in the following categories if it is moved to the article namespace.

Categories:

• People from Kolar district
• People from Bengaluru
• Living people
• Year of birth missing (living people)
• Imams