Zameer e Hayat | ضمیر حیات

Full Name: Allama Dr. Syed Zameer Akhtar Naqvi  

Date of Birth: March 24, 1944 

Place of Birth: Lucknow, British India 

Education: He completed his matriculation at Hussain School, Lucknow, intermediate at Government Jubilee College, and then did postgraduate studies at Shia College, Lucknow. 

He earned a PhD from the University of Karachi. 

Migration: He moved to Karachi, Pakistan in 1967. 

Career and Work:

• He was a religious scholar, poet, and researcher.

• He served as the editor of Al-Kalam magazin

• He headed the Anees Academy, named after the Urdu elegy (marsiya) poet Mir Babar Ali Anees.

• He was well-versed in many fields: science, philosophy, literature, culture, journalism, and Islamic history.

Writing: He was a prolific author. According to different sources, he wrote 28 books (according to some)  and others mention he authored around 300 books on various topics including religion, literature, sociology, and the events of Karbala.

Recognition & Awards:

• He received the Mir Anees Award (in 1989) for his work.

• He also got a Commonwealth award from the Anjuman-e-Farogh-e-Aza in London in 1999

Death: He passed away on 13 September 2020 in Karachi, Pakistan, due to a heart attack at Aga Khan University Hospital

Burial: His funeral prayers were held at Imambargah Shuhada-e-Karbala in Ancholi, and he was buried in Wadi-e-Hussain graveyard, Karachi. Legacy:

• He is remembered as a powerful orator (especially during Muharram majalis), a learned scholar, and a poet rooted in Lucknowi and Shia literary traditions. 

• His scholarly collection (manuscripts, photographs, documents) is significant: a part of it (the “Naqvi Collection”) is held by the Library of Congress in Washington DC