Aslam Hayat

Aslam Hayat (23 March 1933 – 2026) was a Pakistani-Canadian chartered accountant, civil aviation executive, writer, historian, and student of Islamic spirituality whose life spanned some of the most significant events of the twentieth century.

Born in Lahore, with family roots in Subhan Pur, Kapurthala, Punjab, he witnessed the Partition of India in 1947 — an experience that shaped his writing and historical outlook throughout his life. In the late 1950s and early 1960s he travelled to London, England, to pursue advanced accountancy studies and qualify as a Chartered Accountant. Upon returning to Pakistan, he entered public service and built a distinguished career in civil aviation, ultimately rising to director-level responsibilities at the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority.

After his retirement he settled in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he became a respected voice in the Pakistani-Canadian community. For more than twenty-five years he maintained a regular column in The Miracle newspaper, authoring over 650 articles on history, current affairs, community life, and the experiences of the South Asian diaspora.

He was a devoted Muslim and a deep student of Islamic spirituality — particularly the Sufi tradition and the works of Ibn Arabi. A beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, he passed away in Vancouver in 2026 at the age of 93.

Aslam Hayat was born on 23 March 1933 in Lahore, in what was then British India. His family's roots lay in Subhan Pur, Kapurthala, Punjab — a region whose history and culture would remain a source of deep personal significance throughout his life.

The Partition of India in 1947, which he witnessed as a teenager in Lahore, was among the formative experiences of his life. The upheaval of Partition — the displacement, loss, and transformation it brought — shaped his perspective as a historian and writer, and he returned to its themes many times across his more than 650 published articles.

Aslam Hayat received his early education at Muslim Model High School in Lahore, Pakistan.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he travelled to London, England, where he pursued advanced accountancy studies and qualified as a Chartered Accountant — a significant personal and professional achievement that provided the foundation for his subsequent public-service career.

Upon returning to Pakistan, Aslam Hayat entered public service and built a distinguished career in civil aviation. Over the course of several decades, he served in increasingly senior leadership positions and ultimately rose to director-level responsibilities within the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA). His professional career was marked by dedication, integrity, and a commitment to public service.

Further details about his career — including specific roles and dates — will be added as the family archive is reviewed.

After settling in Vancouver, Aslam Hayat became one of the most prolific voices in the Pakistani-Canadian community. For more than twenty-five years he maintained a regular column in The Miracle, Vancouver's Pakistani community newspaper.

During that period he authored more than 650 articles covering history, current affairs, community issues, personal reflections, and the experiences of the South Asian diaspora in Canada.

He was also active on Facebook in his later years, sharing thoughts, memories, and reflections with family, friends, and his wider community.

Original Urdu articles and English translations will be added to this archive as they are reviewed and approved by the family.

Aslam Hayat was a devoted Muslim who lived his faith deeply and consistently. Beyond practice, he was a serious student of Islamic spirituality — particularly the Sufi tradition and the writings of Ibn Arabi, the renowned Andalusian philosopher and mystic, whose works he studied extensively.

His faith was not separate from his intellectual life — it was its foundation. It informed his writing, his sense of history, and the way he understood the human condition. He brought the same seriousness to spiritual study that he brought to his professional work, and he sought to pass that love of learning and depth of faith on to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

He taught those closest to him to read the Quran in Arabic, to make their prayers with care and intention, and to understand that faith is expressed above all in how one treats others — in honesty, in patience, and in generosity of spirit.

At the heart of everything was his family. Aslam Hayat was a devoted father, grandfather, and great-grandfather — a family elder deeply loved by all who knew him. He gave generously of his time, his wisdom, and his presence.

He had a uniquely close and profound relationship with his grandson Zeeshan Hayat. To Zeeshan, he was far more than a grandfather: he was a father figure, mentor, teacher, spiritual guide, protector, and closest lifelong companion. When Zeeshan lost his mother at a young age, it was Aslam Hayat who stepped forward — helping to raise him, guiding him, and providing the love and stability a child needs. He taught Zeeshan to read the Quran, and instilled in him the values of education, faith, patience, humility, and service.

He encouraged all those around him to seek knowledge, to practice their faith sincerely, and to live with humility and service to others — a principle he modelled every day of his life.

Aslam Hayat arrived in Canada in 1989 and settled in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he would remain for the rest of his life. In Vancouver he found a community, continued his writing, deepened his spiritual life, and remained the anchor of his family until the very end.

He passed away on May 30, 2026, in Vancouver, aged 93.

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

“Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return.”