On Saturday 28 April 2018, Jamia Al-Karam hosted its annual alumni and graduates get-together event at its campus of Eaton Hall in Retford. Graduates since 1988 and Imams, young scholars and graduates of Al-Azhar University and members of the UK Branch of the World Organisation for Al-Azhar Graduates (WOAG UK) from across the country and overseas attended the event. The summit was presided by the Founder and Principal of Jamia Al-Karam and President of WOAG UK, Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada, and coordinated by the Vice-President, Bakhtyar Pirzada al-Azhari.
It was indeed a blessing to see such a large number of talented and learned young people, brothers and sisters, come together at their institution in the company of the Founder and Principal and President of WOAG UK, Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada. In their service to religion and people, the graduates play a key role in society serving in large mosques and institutions, schools and colleges, chaplains in the prison and health services, and many other varying sectors of society. Among the graduates, many are also graduates of Al-Azhar University and notably the UK Branch of the World Organisation for al-Azhar Graduates is also situated at Jamia Al-Karam. Each and every one of the alumni of the institution are honoured and great ambassadors of the vision and service of the institution.
The day featured a formal session in which the Vice-Principal of Jamia Al-Karam and Vice-President of WOAG UK, Bakhtyar Pirzada al-Azhari, shed light on recent developments and progress surrounding the projects of the institution. This was followed by short reflective talks by various alumni including Imam Mansoor Mahmood (London), Maulana Shahed Tameez (Birmingham), Sahibzada Hamad Zahir Siddiqui (Birmingham), Pir Muhammad Imran Abdali (Birmingham), Maulana Hafiz Gul Muhammad al-Azhari (Jamia Al-Karam), Imam Major Najeeb-ur-Rahman Naz (Norway), Allama Ijaz Ahmad Nerwi (London) and others. The Principal, Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada, delivered the keynote address to all attendees.
The day also saw the launch of the English translation of volume 1 of Shaykh Pirzada’s Qur’an commentary, Tafsir Imdad al-Karam, namely ‘Qur’an: The Sublime Word’, which is available from www.alkarampublications.com.
Following a barbecue lunch, guests were able to get hold of copies of the commentary and have them signed by the author. This was followed by an informal session over tea with Shaykh Pirzada, where numerous discussion on subjects of mutual concern took place. It was a blessed day and an occasion to thank Allah Almighty for His favours upon Jamia Al-Karam, as its alumni continue to go out far and wide, and serve the religion and their communities as well as the wider society.
