Who was Ehsaan Illahi Zaheer and what were his contributions?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Shaykh Ehsaan Elaahi Thaheer was a Pakistani scholar who carried the banner of defending the religion of Islam and defending those who upheld it, the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He was among the scholars who waged war on the misguided sects and exposed the extent of their deviation from Islam.

He was born in Sialkot. When he was nine, he memorized the entire Quran and his family was known to be affiliated with the people of Hadeeth. He climbed the ladder of learning until he completed his studies in the Salafi University in Faisal Abad, and he obtained a Master's degree from the College of Sharee‘ah in the Islamic University of Madeenah. Then he obtained five or more Master's degrees from Punjab University. He was fluent in Urdu, Punjabi, Persian, Arabic and he mastered English. He served as Secretary-General of the Ahl Al-Hadeeth Association in Pakistan, based in Lahore. He was also the chief editor of the magazine Turjumaan Al-Hadeeth. His numerous works, all about Islamic sects, include the following: Ash-Shee‘ah wa-Ahl Al-Bayt, Ash-Shee‘ah wa-t-Tashayyu‘, Ash-Shee‘ah wa-s-Sunnah, Ash-Shee‘ah wa-l-Quran, Dirasaat fi-t-Tasawwuf, Al-Barelviyyah: ‘Aqaa’id wa Taareekh, and others.

The Shaykh was killed in Lahore at the Ahl Al-Hadeeth Association during a seminar of scholars as he was delivering a lecture to a number of preachers and scholars. A flower vase was placed in front of him and inside it was a time-bomb which exploded, critically wounding the Shaykh and killing seven scholars on the spot. The Shaykh did not die immediately but stayed four days in Pakistan and was then moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on a private jet by order from the King of Saudi Arabia, on the recommendation of Shaykh Abdul Azeez ibn Baaz . He was admitted to the military hospital but died on the first of Sha‘baan 1407 A.H.

He was transported by plane to Madeenah and buried in Al-Baqee‘ cemetery, near the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.