Chularatchamontri Sawad Sumalayasak
(Ahmad Mahmoud Zarkawi)
Chularatchamontri
Sawad Sumalayasak
Chularatchamontri
Sawad Sumalayasak was appointed as the successor to Mr. Prasert Mahamad during
the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
He was
officially appointed on November 5, 1997, at the age of 82.
His selection
came through a process involving all provincial Islamic committees across the
country, making him the first person to be elected under the Islamic
Organizational Administration Act, B.E. 2540 (1997).
Chularatchamontri
Sawad Sumalayasak, whose Arabic name was "Ahmad Mahmoud Zarkawi," was
born on January 27, 1916.
He was
originally from Khlong Sib Hok, in the Bang Nam Priao district of Chachoengsao
province (at the age of eight, his family moved to Nong Chok district in
Bangkok). His father was Hajji Mahmoud Sumalayasak, and his mother was Mrs.
Rahmah Sumalayasak.
After
completing his general education, he continued his religious studies with
several prominent teachers, including Ajarn Tuan Suwannasat and Ajarn Mustafa
Phromyong. He also traveled abroad to study religion in the city of Mecca,
Saudi Arabia.
In the social
and public sector, he held numerous positions, including:
- - Vice
Chairman and member of the Central Islamic Council of Thailand
- - Member
of the Bangkok Provincial Islamic Committee
- - Head
of the Islamic Dawah team for the Ministry of Education
- - Teacher
at the Islamic College of Thailand
Additionally,
he served two terms as a Member of Parliament for Bangkok, representing the
Democrat Party, and two terms as a member of the Bangkok City Council.
Chularatchamontri
Sawad Sumalayasak passed away from old age at Bangkok Hospital at 1:30 PM on March 24, 2010, at the age of
94. The burial ceremony took place the following day, March 25, at the
cemetery of the Al-Husna Mosque in Ban Chiap Dap, Nong Chok district, Bangkok.