The 7th of Ramadan is the International Al-Azhar Day, which in this Ramadan 1445 marked the 1084th anniversary of the founding of the historic institution of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in Cairo, Egypt, comprising its university, mosque and related institutions. It is an unparallelled honour for an institution to be blessed with this longevity and authenticity for over a thousand years, surviving through the storms of the ages and maintaining its dignity and qualified status as the leading light of Islamic scholarship and identity in the world.
To honour this occasion, Al-Azhar Alumni UK, which is the UK Branch of the World Organisation for Al-Azhar Graduates, extends its congratulations, well-wishes and prayers to the Grand Imam, Dr Ahmad al-Tayyeb Shaykh al-Azhar, all the scholars, students and institutions of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif as well as its fifty thousand plus graduates across the world. Following Eid al-Fitr, on Saturday 13th April 2024, a special meeting of scholars and Imams gathered for a roundtable, hosted by Imam Shahed Tameez of the Zia-ul-Ummah Centre in Birmingham (UK), to mark this occasion and pursue dialogue and collaboration. The Zia-ul-Ummah Centre is named after the Azharite scholar of the Indian subcontinent, Zia-ul-Ummah Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari (ra), who lit the candle of Al-Azhar connection in the middle of the 20th century. The event brought together scholars and Imams from the first, second and third generations of British Muslims who travelled from different cities and towns of the UK to attend this unique gathering. In addition to Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and its work, the gathering also congratulated the Grand Imam, Dr Ahmad al-Tayyeb Shaykh al-Azhar, on marking 14 years of assuming the highest office of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar.
During the meeting, presentation was given on the important global work of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and its impact in the UK in building community cohesion and scholarly decorum, the various institutions of Al-Azhar working towards countering extremism and wrongful interpretation of the tradition of Islam, as well as relevant electronic and printed material being produced by Al-Azhar University that is of benefit to the British Muslim community and its wider context. Chairing the gathering was the Vice-President of Al-Azhar Alumni UK, Ustadh Bakhtyar Pirzada al-Azhari, who reflected over the role of Al-Azhar scholarship in the West, challenges of our times in this regard and steps worth taking in building a better future for Muslims and non-Muslims in the UK by recognising the role of true leadership and matters associated with it. Scholars and Imams in attendance shared their views and thoughts, and a roundtable of meaningful dialogue continued.
The meeting was attended by a number of alumni of Al-Azhar University in the UK, graduates of Jamia Al-Karam, and various local ulema and Imams. Participants included Shaykh Pir Syed Farooq Shah (Jamia Qamarul Islam, Birmingham), Shaykh Nadi al-Hanafawi al-Azhari (Egypt), Dr Muhammad Nasrullah (Al-Burhan Grammar School, Birmingham), Qari Abu Adam al-Azhari (Darul Qurra, Birmingham), Imam Muhammad Zahoor Chishti al-Azhari (Madina Mosque & Islamic Centre, Oldham), Allama Sultan Mahmood al-Azhari (Wycombe Islamic Mission, High Wycombe), Maulana Gul Muhammad al-Azhari (Al-Azhar Alumni UK, Retford), Maulana Mahboob Hussain al-Azhari (Al-Azhar Alumni UK), Ustadh Arfan Shahzad al-Azhari (Jamia Mosque, Bradford), Imam Abu Baqar Ali al-Azhari (Dar Abdullah Ibn Umar, Bradford), Mr Imran Hussain (Bright Sparks Education, Birmingham), Maulana Mushtaq Hussain al-Azhari (Jamia Al-Karam, Retford), Ustadh Jamil Akram (Jamia Al-Karam, Retford), Imam Amar Hafiz al-Azhari (Darul Qurra, Birmingham), Imam Mansoor Mahmood (Al-Karam Mosque, London), Maulana Muhammad Adam Raza (Jamia Al-Karam, Retford), Imam Haider Ali Khan (Madina Mosque, Wakefield), Imam Hakeem Shakeel (Hanfia Ghousia Mosque, Bedford), Imam Awais Hussain (CMC, Cambridge), Ustadh Zagham Ali Mohammed (Muslim Charity, Retford), Imam Wasif Mahfooz (Burton-on-Trent), Imam Muhammad Umar Nawaz (Madina Mosque, Cardiff), Maulana Issarar Hussain al-Azhari (Islamic Centre, Nottingham), Ustadh Namaan Habib (Zia-ul-Ummah Centre, Birmingham), Ustadh Nabeel Ahmed (Stoke-on-Trent), amongst others.
