Graduate of Jamia Al-Karam, Major Imam Najeeb Ur Rehman Naz, appointed as the first and only Field Imam to the Norwegian Armed Forces
In an historic and landmark development, the Norwegian Armed Forces appointed its first ever Field Imam, whose role was formally inaugurated in a special ceremony held at Akershus Fortress in Oslo, Norway, on 27th February 2017. Assuming the office of the first Field Imam is Major Imam Najeeb Ur Rehman Naz, a graduate of Jamia Al-Karam, after having served as the first Muslim Advisor to the Norwegian Armed Forces since January 2015. The UK Branch of the World Association for Al-Azhar Graduates (WAAG UK), based at Jamia Al-Karam, congratulates Imam Najeeb Ur Rehman Naz on developing and taking up this important role.
About Major Imam Najeeb Ur Rehman Naz
Imam Najeeb Ur Rahman Naz was born in Pakistan and in 1985 moved to Norway. In 1988 he travelled to the UK in order to pursue the knowledge of sacred sciences and Islamic scholarship at Jamia Al-Karam. Hence, he is amongst the earlier students of Jamia Al-Karam who directly studied with Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada in Milton Keynes. Being an exceptional student, he along with his class completed the three year programme in approximately sixteen months with Shaykh Pirzada and so graduated in 1990. Imam Najeeb Ur Rahman Naz then travelled to Pakistan to proceed with higher Islamic Studies at the Dar al-‘Ulum Muhammadia Ghausia Bhera Sharif where he had the opportunity to study and benefit from the company of Hazrat Zia-ul-Ummat, Justice Pir Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari (ra). He completed his studies in Pakistan in 1996 whilst also completing a BA degree from the University of the Punjab.
Upon returning from Pakistan, Imam Najeeb Ur Rahman Naz spent a few months teaching at Jamia Al-Karam and then returned to Norway. In Norway, he undertook a series of courses in the Norwegian language, culture and society. He also completed a diploma in religious leadership within a Norwegian societal framework from Norway’s largest and oldest institution of higher education; the University of Oslo. Since 2004, he has been serving as Imam and teacher at the Central Jam-e-Mosque World Islamic Mission in Oslo. Imam Najeeb Ur Rahman Naz is a talented, humble scholar able to communicate in Urdu, English, Punjabi, Norwegian and Arabic. He has translated works of his teacher, Shaykh Pirzada, into Norwegian and is currently working on the translation of Imdad al-Fiqh fi’l-‘Ibadat (Islamic Way of Worship). He is gifted with the ability of writing Urdu poetry and reciting nasheeds and na’t in praise of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in his own unique way. Imam Najeeb Ur Rahman Naz also holds Ijazah in the spiritual path of the Chishti Tariqah granted to him from his teacher and spiritual mentor, President of WAAG UK Shaykh Pirzada.
Imam Najeeb Ur Rahman Naz has served as chairman of the IRN Imam Committee of the Islamic Council of Norway (IRN), which is an umbrella organisation of Islamic institutions and mosques in Norway. It represents 52 member organisations which are situated across the country and these have over 60,000 members. Following the tragic killings of Anders Breivik in July 2011, Imam Najeeb Ur Rahman Naz was instrumental in welcoming and hosting the Crown Prince of Norway, Haakon Magnus, at the World Islamic Mission in Oslo. In recognition of his abilities and the important community work carried out by Imam Najeeb Ur Rahman Naz in Norway, it was in January 2015 that he was appointed as the Muslim Advisor to the Norwegian Armed Forces, and in January 2017 was appointed in official military capacity as the first Field Imam.
More at: https://forsvaret.no/aktuelt/forsvarets-foerste-feltimam
