الحمدلله وکفی و الصلوة والسلام علی عباده الذین اصطفی امابعد
16th of Aries 1375 AH (solar) i.e. 4th April 1996 AD is a momentous day in the history of our Muslim people. Nearly two decades ago on this same faithful day, one thousand and five hundred scholars, dignitaries and Jihadi leaders of Afghanistan approved Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ as the leader of the Islamic Emirate, gave an oath of allegiance to him and conferred the title of ‘Amir-ul-Momineen’ on him i.e. leader of the pious believers.
In the official almanac of the Islamic Emirate, this day has its own significance due to that historical event which subsequently is being commemorated by the Cultural Commission of the Islamic Emirate by publishing special articles and essays on this auspicious occasion.
As the publication of an inclusive biography of the leader of the Islamic Emirate was the urgent demand of our numerous colleagues especially the writers and researchers, the Cultural Commission of the Islamic Emirate decided to commemorate that historical occasion by publishing a comprehensive biography of His Excellency, the Amir-ul-Momineen, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ (may Allah safeguard him).
For the prevention of false propaganda by a number of spurious writers, analysts and some biased circles and to depict a clear picture to the writers and ordinary people, we draw the life-sketch of His Excellency, the Amir-ul-Momineen, in the following lines.
- ØHis Birth and early growth:
Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’, son of Moulavi Ghulam Nabi, grandson of Moulavi Mohammad Rasool and the great grandson of Moulavi Baaz Mohammad was born in 1339 AH (solar) i.e. 1960 AD in a religious and learned family of Chah-i-Himmat village of Khakrez district in Kandahar province of Afghanistan. His father, Moulavi Ghulam Nabi (late) was also born in Khakrez district and had received his early education in the traditional religious institutions and circles of this area. He was a well-known and respected erudite and social figure among the masses due to his indefatigable efforts in educating and guiding the people to the right path of Islam.
Two years after the birth of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’, his father migrated from Khakrez district to Noday village of Dand district of this same province and remained there till his last in spreading religious education among the local people. He died in 1344 AH (solar) i.e. 1965 AD in that area and was laid to rest in the old famous graveyard of Taliban in Kandahar city.
After the death of his father, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ shifted at the age of five along with his family members from Dand district of Kandahar province to Deh-Rawud district of Uruzgan province where he started his early life under the supervision of his uncles Moulavi Mohammad Anwar and Moulavi Mohammad Jumma.
At the age of eight, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ joined the primary madrassa of Shar-i-Kohna area in Deh-Rawud district to get religious education. This madrassa was supervised by his uncle, Moulavi Mohammad Jumma and Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ also started his early education from him.
Both of his uncles, particularly Moulavi Mohammad Anwar, played a key role in his religious teaching and training.
Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ successfully completed his primary and middle level education from this madrassa. While eighteen, he started acquiring the traditional higher religious studies in the region but could not complete them due to the malicious communist coup d’état in 1978 AD in Afghanistan.
Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ belongs to the ‘Tomzi’ clan of ‘Hotak’ tribe which comprises a large part of Pashtuns which has delivered eminent Islamic statesmen, national and Jihadi heroes like the legendary Islamic figure of ‘Haji Mirwais Khan Hotak’.
Great Ghazi Haji Mirwais Khan Hotak (may Allah bless him), who is remembered with the venerated title of ‘Mirwais Nika’ (i.e. Mirwais, the grandfather) by Afghans, liberated Afghanistan from the tyranny of ‘Safavid’ dynasty in 1712 AD and laid down the foundation of a sovereign and independent Islamic state for Afghans.
Professionally, the family of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ comprises of scholars and teachers of religious studies. They devoted all their lives to serving the sacred religion of Allah Almighty, to promoting religious knowledge and to educating the Muslim masses ideologically. Therefore they were deeply admired in their area and spiritually, they were considered the most dignified and social figures of the society.
The birth of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ in such a spiritual and learned family and his upbringing under the direct patronage of his well-educated and ideological patrons deeply cultivated in him the ability to grow as a sincere Mujahid, a compassionate and vigilant Islamic and national figure who could emancipate the Afghan society from tyranny, corruption and injustice and preserve our beloved homeland (Afghanistan) from the imminent danger of disintegration.
His brothers, uncles and all other family members are ‘Mujahidin’ and four of his family members have already sacrificed their lives as martyrs in the path of Allah Almighty. Mullah Mohammad Hanafia, the uncle of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was the first one who was martyred on 7th October 2001, the starting date of the brutal bombardment of American invaders.
Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was in his early twenties when the communists usurped control of Afghanistan through a bloody military coup d’état. It was a time when it became nearly impossible for Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ like all other heedful students to continue their studies as the starting encounter of atheist communists was against the scholars, Taliban, students and other Muslim intellectuals throughout the country. At that time, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ decided to abandon his higher studies unfinished. He left madrassa and turned towards Jihadi front to discharge his religious obligation.
He started his Jihadi struggle under a well-known Jihadi organization of ‘Harkat-i-Inqilaab-i-Islami’ (Islamic Revolutionary Movement) in Deh-Rawud district of Uruzgan province. After spending a while in this district, he earned a reputation for being a valiant Jihadi figure who played an active role in several military operations against the communists in various parts of that district. Due to his Jihadi prominence and a successful role in various Jihadi operations, he used to get the unanimous consent of all the Mujahidin of different parts and groups to be their commander in Deh-Rawud district for leading large-scale offensives against the enemy and he executed exceptionally successful operations in which he was wounded several times. He participated in many confrontations for more than three years along with his local Mujahidin against the invading Russians and their internal communist puppets.
The companions and commanders of his Jihadi front say that Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’, in-spite of being young, was efficient enough to discharge any responsibility or task as he was bestowed with strong physical composition and potency.
Later in 1983 AD, he went to ‘Maiwand’ district of ‘Kandahar’ province along with his Jihadi colleagues for the better co-ordination of Jihadi activities and continued his armed struggle against the Russian invaders and their internal stooges under the leadership of famous Jihadi commander ‘Faizullah Akhunzada’ who belonged to ‘Harkat-i-Inqilab-i-Islami’ (The Islamic Revolutionary Movement), one of the seven well-known Jihadi organizations of that time. Due to his successful role as a local Jihadi commander in numerous Jihadi operations and his efficiency and distinction in military tactics, he drew the attention of the then Jihadi organizations and eventually, he was permanently given the responsibility of a Jihadi front through ‘The Islamic Revolutionary Movement’ headed by (late) Moulavi Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi.
From 1983 to 1991, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ executed very successful operations in the suburbs of ‘Maiwand’, ‘Zhari’, ‘Panjwai’ and ‘Dand’ districts of Kandahar province which were vital Jihadi centers and Mujahidin used to be involved in fighting the enemy on a daily basis. Similarly he personally and directly participated in several victorious operations against the Russian invaders on the main ‘Kabul-Kandahar’ high way in the suburbs of ‘Shahr-i-Safa’ and ‘Qalat’ cities of Zabul province. His preferred weapon of choice was the ‘RPG-7’, which was simply called ‘Rocket’ among the local Mujahidin, as he was proficient and an expert in using this weapon. It is worth mentioning that ‘Maiwand’, ‘Zhari’ and ‘Panjwai’ districts of Kandahar province were areas of intense fighting during the Jihad against communism which turned the tide and brought about Russia’s defeat and withdrawal. Such a large number of tanks and other military vehicles were destroyed on the main ‘Kandahar-Herat’ highway that the enemy had erected walls made from these wreckages on both sides of the road to protect them from Mujahidin assaults.
Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was wounded four times in confrontational Jihadi operations against the Russians and in one of these operations, he lost his right eye.
Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was known as a prominent and distinguished Jihadi commander who played a crucial and decisive role in numerous Jihadi operations against the Russian invaders and their internal communist puppets in Kandahar and its neighboring provinces. In the following lines, we will mention some events and anecdotes by his Jihadi companions against the Russian invaders.
- 1.The enemy had a strong post inside Kandahar province which was known as ‘Budwan’ post. A military tank was stationed by the enemy at a strategic juncture near the post which created a great hurdle for the Mujahidin as it could target any line-of-fire easily. Mujahidin tried their best to destroy this tank but failed to succeed. Eventually Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was called in for help from ‘Sang-i-Hisaar’ area. He hit and destroyed this tank of ‘Budwan’ post with his ‘RPG’ rocket launcher which was a tremendous success for the Mujahidin at that time.
- 2.During the Holy Jihad against Russians in ‘Mahalla-Jaat’ area of ‘Kandahar’ province, Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was accompanied in a confrontation with the enemy by ‘Shaheed Mullah Ubaidulla Akhund’ who was later appointed the Defense Minister of the Islamic Emirate and the Deputy of ‘Ameer-ul-Momineen’ (i.e. the leader of the pious believers) after the American invasion. A large number of enemy tanks and other military vehicles were destroyed by them. The following day, visitors were bewildered and could not believe that the enemy was repelled. They thought that the enemy forces were still intact even though a large number of their vehicles were burnt and the remaining ones were pushed back to their previous locations.
- 3.A convoy of Russian military tanks was passing through ‘Sang-i-Hisaar’ area of ‘Zhari’ district on the main ‘Kandahar-Herat’ highway. Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ was accompanied by ‘Mullah Biradar Akhund’ who later became the Deputy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, while they only had four RPG rounds. Unwavering they attacked the convoy and destroyed four military tanks with these rounds.
- 4.Mullah Biradar Akhund, a close friend of Mullah Mohammad Umar ‘Mujahid’ during the Holy Jihad era against the Russians, said that such a large number of Russian tanks were destroyed by him that his friends are unsure about its exact number.
In 1992, after the collapse of Najeeb’s communist regime and with the eruption of factional fighting throughout the country,
