The time line of Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri’s life

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri started classical Islamic education at the age of 12 at the Madrasa al-Ulum al-Shari’yya situated at the house of Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (ra) in Medina. 

In 1967, he took spiritual discipleship of Shaykh Sayyid Tahir Allauddin al-Gillani of Iraq. 

He gained a first class honours degree in 1970 in Islamic Studies. 

He completed a Masters in Islamic Studies in 1972 at the University of Punjab. 

He gained an LLB in 1974. 

In 1976, he practiced as a lawyer. He fought some historic cases in Pakistani law such as on gender equality in the matter of Diya (blood money)

In 1976, he founded the 'Mahaz-e-Hurriat', a forum to educate and motivate youth. This preceded the creation of the Minhaj-ul-Quran organisation. 

In 1978, he was youngest person in the University of Punjab to have ever been awarded professorship. 

In 1978, he was advisor to the Supreme Court of Pakistan and also a Specialist in the National Committee for Islamic Syllabus. 

In 1978, he published his first book titled 'Nizam-e-Mustafa'.

In 1981 (1401 AH) he founded Minhaj-ul-Quran International (MQI). The first office opened in Shaadman in Pakistan and there were only 40 members. He then spread the organisation around 5 continents across 90 countries in a span of 30 years. 

In 1983 he became Head of Department for LLM in Islamic Legislature. 

In 1986, he completed his doctorate on 'Classification of Islamic Punishments'.

He founded Minhaj Welfare Foundation in 1989, as a branch of MQI. 

In 1990, he was elected as Member of the National Assembly in Pakistan. 

In the same year he survived an attempted assassination by political opponents. 

In 1992, in response to the Pakistani government’s challenge he produced an Islamic model for interest free banking. 

He spent the next number of years creating a grassroots level movement in Pakistan and worldwide. 

In 1998, he became the leader of the Pakistan Awami Ittehad which was an alliance of 17 political parties to end political victimisation. The alliance had also issued an agenda for an Islamic Welfare State. 

In 2004 resigned in protest of the dictatorial military regime of General Parvez Musharraf and soon after he migrated to Canada. 

In 2005, he visited Syria where he was officially given the title of ‘Shaykh-ul-Islam’ by the top Syrian scholars. 

In 2007, during the annual mawlid event whilst discussing the name of Holy Prophet (peace & salutations be upon him) thousands witnessed the miracle of the name Muhammad written in by the clouds. 

In 2010, he launched the Fatwa on Terrorism. During this time he was appreciated by the Australian parliament on his efforts for peace and tolerance. This formed part of Australian legislation. 

He was guest speaker at World Economic Forum in Davos in 2011. 

In 2012-2014 he called for reforms in Pakistan. As a result the government killed 14 and wounded 80. He then led the movement to hold the government accountable for this massacre. 

In 2015, he launched the Islamic Curriculum on Peace and Counter-Terrorism in London. 

In the same year, he wrote to world leaders regarding publication of blasphemous caricatures in magazines and newspapers. 

In 2016, he was a invited as a keynote speaker at the World Sufi Conference organised by the Indian government. 

In 2017, after continuous efforts on the Model Town case, he obtained the Baqir Najfi Report, which the provincial government fought tooth and nail to prevent its release. 

In 2018, Dr Tahir ul Qadri appeared in the Supreme Court of Pakistan and won the fight to establish an independent and powerful Joint Investigation Team. 

In 2019, he launched the Quranic Encyclopaedia consisting of eight volumes.