On the 3rd March 2015 Salahaddin University organized a ceremony to award honorary doctorate to Professor Dr. Mustafa Zalmi. The Ceremony was attended by Mr. Usuf Sadiq, Speaker of the Kurdistan Parliament, Mr. Fazil Mirani, Secretary of the Politburo of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Mr. Muhsin Dezaye, Representative of the President of the Kurdistan Region, and representative of the KRG Ministry of Higher Education and a number of university lectures and member of Professor Zalmi‘s family.
At the beginning of the ceremony Dr. Ahmed Anwar Dezaye, the President of Salahaddin University, stated in his speech: "We are delighted to have you here in this ceremony in which Salahaddin University awards honorary doctorate to the famous Kurdish legal academic and thinker Professor Mustafa Zalmi. In the University Council‘s meeting on the 23rd June we deliberated how to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of Dr. Mustafa Zalmi to the law and Islamic Shariha. On the 19th January 2015 the Council voted unanimously to award an honorary doctorate to Professor Mustafa Zalmi as an acknowledgment for his courageous expression of his legal thoughts on sensitive and controversial issues. This decision was indorsed by the Ministry Council in the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research on 2nd February 2015."
The University President also stated: "In the history of international universities honorary doctorate is awarded to the famous personalities, leaders and experts in various areas. In the history of the Kurdistan universities, particularly after the 1991 Uprising, such awards have been granted. But in the history of Salahaddin University, this is the second time that Salahaddin University award honorary degree. The first one was awarded on the 28th March of last year to the great Turkish thinker, Dr. Ismail beşikçi. As an academic institution, we don‘t grant such award to anyone, that is why granting honorary doctorate to these two important thinkers is a source of pride for us and we think that they deserve more."
The tiredless Dr. Mustafa
Various speeches were delivered by colleagues of Professor Zalmi, including Dr. Nuri Talabani, Head of the Kurdish Academy, Dr. Muhsin Abdulhamid, the Islamic thinker, Mrs. Pakhshan Zangana, Head of the Kurdistan High Council for Women Affairs, Dr. Hussein Tofiq Faizullah, a student of Professor Zalmi and Judge Rauf, the former KRG minister of Justice. They talked about the previous experiences of Professor Zalmi and his contribution to the law and Islamic Shariha. They also commended Salahaddin University for this important ceremony.
A Kurdish Thinker from Kurdistan‘s Capitol of Peace
After reading the official University decision by the University President, the University President awarded the honorary doctorate to Professor Zalmi. Professor Zalmi is the son of Halabja, Kurdistan‘s capitol of peace and was awarded this honorary doctorate in Erbil, the Capitol of Kurdistan Region, in recognition for his courageous expression of his thoughts and ideas in the area of law and Islamic Shairha and his contribution to the amendment of the Personal Status Law in Kurdistan Region. Professor Zalmi is a well-known legal theorist in the wider Middle East.
A Kurdish State will be realized in the next 50 years
After receiving the honorary doctorate, in his speech, Professor Zalmi thanked Salahaddin University for the award. He stated that he has declined many such awards, but happily accepted this one from Salahaddin University. He also thanked Mr. Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, for his support and facilitation when he returned to Kurdistan to teach in Salahaddin University, where his services and knowledge is must needed. He said that the Prime Minister invited him to his house and told him that you are not going back to Baghdad but stay here and we will take care of the details. Professor Zalmi stated that the Prime Minister printed all his books and provided all the necessary assistance. He also thanked Mr. Arsalan Baiz, for his support in printing four books, which were presented to the University of Mosul, where they have named one of their halls after Professor Zalmi. He continued to say: "I have received over 15 awards, but this award by Salahaddin University is special as it is presented in the Kurdistan capitol, in my home country." He also thanked his wife for her support throughout life. He finally stated that I have always been optimistic about the Kurdish future and think this great nation will realize statehood in the next fifty years.
Autobiography of Professor Zalmi
Professor Zalmi was born in 1942 in Zalm, Khurmal, Halabaja governorate. He studies in mosques under renowned religious teachers in both South and East Kurdistan. In 1946 he received preaching license in Koya. He continued his formal schooling and finished high school in 1959 in Baghdad. In 1960 he was admitted to the Law School in Baghdad and received law degree in 1965. In 1969 he received Master degree in Baghdad University in Islamic Shariha and in 1971 the second Master in Azhar in Egypt in comparative jurisprudence. In 1973 he obtained another Master in law in Cairo University in Egypt. In 1975 he received his PhD in Azhar, Egypt with honors in comparative jurisprudence. In 2005 he received his second PhD in Baghdad University. From 1976 to 2008 he taught law and was upgraded to the level of experienced professor. He has supervised over 100 Master and PhD students in Shariha, Philosophy and the history of law.
Awards
Professor Zalmi has received many awards from Kurdistani, Iraqi and international academic institution including:
1985 Excellent Lecturer Award, Baghdad University
1992 Presidential Award for Scientific Achievement
1995 Presidential Divan Award
2002 Scientific Shield from the Office of the President of the Republic
2005 Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education Award
2006 University of Nahrain Award
2008 College of Police Award
2009 Baghdad University Award
2009 College of Law Award, University of Hadbah
2009 College of Human Sciences Award, Salahaddin University
2010 Abdulaziz Parazani Award
2010 Elderly Day Award
2011 Chakushi Yasa Journal Award
2012 Defending Quran Conference Award
2012 Tikrit University Award
2013 Azhar Alumni Award
2013 Shekh of Azhar Award
2013 Combating Violence against Women Award
2013 Qaradakh University Award
2014 Nahrain University award
2015 Consulate of Palestine Award
Complete Works of Professor Zalmi
The complete works of Professor Zalmi is published under the title (The Complete works of Zalmi in Law and Shairha), which includes fifty books and printed in 24 volumes and cover topics in law, Shariha, Philosophy and Logic. It is worth mentioning that this is the second time Salahaddin University award honorary degree. The first one was awarded on the 28th March of last year to the great Turkish thinker, Dr. Ismail beşikçi.
Date :07/03/2015
