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Home | News | Shaykh Habib ‘Ali al-Jifri and Abdal-Hakim Murad visit Jamia Al-Karam

 NEWS: 18/12/2005

View Photos from the Visit

Shaykh Habib ‘Ali al-Jifri first met Shaykh M I H Pirzada at the “Mawlid; United for the Prophet 2005” event held in London on 2nd May 2005. On his next visit to the UK, Shaykh Habib ‘Ali happily accepted an invitation to come and visit Jamia Al-Karam and meet Shaykh Pirzada.

Accordingly, on 17 December 2005 Shaykh Habib ‘Ali visited Shaykh Pirzada at Jamia Al-Karam. Accompanying Shaykh Habib ‘Ali were Abdal-Hakim Murad, Shaykh Muhammad Bashuaib, Fuad Nahdi, Moez Masoud and a number of other guests.

Shaykh Habib ‘Ali hails from Tarim, South Yemen. Having received his classical Islamic education in Hadramawt, Yemen, he has founded the Taba Foundation for Islamic Studies and Research based in the United Arab Emirates. Currently a lecturer at Dar al-Mustafa, Tarim, he regularly travels to many countries giving lectures and sermons to Muslims and non-Muslims.

Abdal-Hakim Murad graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1983. He then lived in Cairo, Egypt, for three years, studying Islam under traditional teachers at the renowned Al-Azhar University. His quest for knowledge then took him to Jeddah, KSA, where he maintained close contact with Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad. He is currently Secretary of the Muslim Academic Trust (London) and Director of the Sunna Project at the Centre of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Cambridge.

On arriving at Jamia Al-Karam, the guests were welcomed by Shaykh Pirzada and members of staff. The guests first toured Jamia Al-Karam seeing the classrooms, hostel, sports facilities etc. Subsequently, the guests were taken to the Mosque to pray Salat al-Zuhr. Upon completing their prayers the guests had a meeting with Shaykh M I H Pirzada as well as members of staff and several members of the Al-Karam Scholars’ Association (AKSA). Shaykh Habib ‘Ali was interested in the curriculum taught at Jamia Al-Karam and was pleased to learn that Jamia Al-Karam has a direct affiliation with Al-Azhar University, Egypt.

After the guests had a meal together Shaykh Habib ‘Ali commented on how fortunate he was on visiting Jamia Al-Karam. He told Shaykh Pirzada that one thing that particularly impressed him was that on the student display boards, as well as having a detailed timeline on the life of the noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) there was also a timeline on the life and achievements of the personality after whom the institution was named, namely the teacher and spiritual guide of Shaykh Pirzada; Hadrat Diya’ al-Ummat, Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul). Shaykh Habib ‘Ali explained that by displaying the life of Hadrat Diya’ al-Ummat it gives students the understanding that this institution has a link and connection with a great Shaykh and that Shaykh has a Shaykh, who also has a Shaykh, and so on. This teaches students that there is a continuous chain and connection from the righteous people of today all the way to the noble and most perfect creation; Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

It was after seeing the timeline of Diya’ al-Ummat; Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) that Shaykh Habib ‘Ali lead all those present in reciting al-Fatiha for Hadrat Diya’ al-Ummat.

Finally, Shaykh Pirzada thanked Shaykh Habib ‘Ali, Abdal-Hakim Murad and all other guests for visiting Jamia Al-Karam upon which Shaykh Habib ‘Ali expressed how fortunate he was in coming to Jamia Al-Karam and the reason for his visit was to come and earn blessings from such a splendid institution.