Politician who was widely known as opposition leader in Pakistan Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani was known for his integrity and unwillingness to cut political deals. He was a pious and powerful cleric who was so articulate and widely-travelled. Maulana Noorani was a fiery orator and could get a crowd shouting slogans with ease yet he prided himself on his cool delivery, using logic, like a scimitar. He spoke a dozen of languages including English, Arabic and French. He globe-trotted across North America, Europe and the Middle East with ease. Maulana Noorani was first elected as a member of parliament from Karachi, in 1970, and led the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) and brought it to prominence. In his 33 years, as an opposition politician, he opposed military rule and unrelentingly criticised successive generals. He was also a thorn in the side of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's civilian government. He opposed controversial constitutional amendments that granted General Musharraf sweeping powers over the parliament. While composing the 1973 Pakistan constitution, Maulana Noorani advocated 'the constant Struggle of Muslim Hand', and argued for the founding of an Islamic re Maulana Noorani was about to leave his house to address a news conference in Islamabad when he died of a mild heart attack. He left behind 'democratic culture' that he initiated in Pakistan. Shah Ahmad Noorani Siddiqui was born in Meerut, India, and was influenced by his father, Maulana Shah Muhammad Abdul Aleem Siddiqui, a distinguished Islamic scholar known across the subcontinent. Shah Ahmad Noorani organised the Muslim Youths National Guard Forces during the independence movement against British rule in India and spoke at hundreds of rallies. Maulana Noorani converted hundreds of non-believers to Islam.