The Vice-President of Al-Azhar Alumni UK, Bakhtyar H. Pirzada al-Azhari, has been appointed as a Member of the Board of Management for the Seerat-un-Nabi Chair at the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) in Islamabad, Pakistan. The appointment was officially announced in a notification issued by the Vice-Chancellor of AIOU, Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum, on 25th April 2022.
Founded in 1974, the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) is a prominent public research university located in Islamabad, Pakistan. AIOU holds the distinction of being Asia’s first and the world’s second Open University. It is recognized as one of the largest institutions of higher learning globally, with an annual enrollment of over one million students. The university is highly regarded for its contributions to education and research development.
Under the auspices of the Centre of Excellence at AIOU, the Seerat-un-Nabi Chair has recently been established at the main university campus in Islamabad. The Chair’s primary objective is to develop awareness and knowledge, conduct research, and promote practices aligned with the blessed Seerat (Sirah)—the life and character of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
The first Board of Management meeting for the Seerat-un-Nabi Chair was held earlier this month, where Bakhtyar H. Pirzada al-Azhari participated and offered his insights.
The meeting was chaired by Prof. Dr. Sahibzada Sajid-ur-Rehman, Head of the Seerat-un-Nabi Chair at AIOU, and attended by several distinguished individuals, including:
- Prof. Dr. Qibla Ayaz, Chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology of Pakistan
- Mr. Muhammad Rafique Tahir, Senior Advisor and Head of the Project Management Unit, AIOU
- Prof. Dr. Fateh Mohammad Malik, Head of the Iqbal Chair, AIOU
- Prof. Dr. Aziz-ur-Rehman, Dawah Centre, Karachi
- Prof. Dr. Shah Mohyuddin Hashmi, Dean of the Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies, AIOU
- Prof. Dr. Shah Moheen-ud-Din Hashmi, Chairman of the Department of Seerat Studies, AIOU
- Dr. Samina Awan, Director of the Institute of Educational Technology, AIOU
- Dr. Saeed Ullah, Lahore
