Accompanied by Br Fuad Nahdi and Shaykh Bakr Ba Shu’ayb, Shaykh al-Habib welcomes the establishment of WAAG UK and applauds its activities
The atmosphere on the eve of Sunday 6 May 2012 at Eaton Hall in Retford lit up as the renowned scholar and spiritual leader, Shaykh al-Habib Ali al-Jifri, came to Retford and visited the United Kingdom Branch of the World Association for Al-Azhar Graduates (WAAG UK). Despite his numerous commitments during his tour of the UK, Shaykh al-Habib Ali ensured that he paid a visit to meet with the President of WAAG UK and Principal of Jamia Al-Karam, Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada. Shaykh al-Habib Ali al-Jifri is originally from Yemen and is the Director of the Taba Foundation in Abu Dhabi and Member of Board of Directors of Dar al-Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.
The President and Vice President of WAAG UK led the welcoming party and greeted the guests upon their arrival and immediately took them on a tour of the new girls school construction site at Eaton Hall. Seeing the progress since his last visit, Shaykh al-Habib Ali was immensely overjoyed. Since the time was after Isha Prayer, a seating arrangement lit up with floodlights at the entrance to the new construction works was set up where following the tour, qasidahs were recited by al-Ni’mah Nasheed Group which were followed by words from Shaykh al-Habib Ali and then a prayer.
Following his du’a, Shaykh al-Habib Ali toured other parts of Jamia Al-Karam’s extensive campus and then visited the hall and offices of the United Kingdom Branch of the World Association for Al-Azhar Graduates (WAAG UK). Seeing the photos of the shuyukh of Al-Azhar over the past century since 1905 until the present displayed in the main WAAG Suite, he expressed his joy and began commenting on their services and the contribution of Al-Azhar. Shaykh al-Habib Ali made specific mention of his utmost joy that the UK Branch of the World Association for Al-Azhar Graduates was situated at Jamia Al-Karam working under the leadership of Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada from whom he had great words of praise and prayer.
Following the tours, Shaykh al-Habib Ali and the guests sat in the executive office and numerous discussions between Shaykh al-Habib Ali and Shaykh Muhammad Pirzada continued. It was a splendid sight, seeing the scholars of Islam conversing on the affairs of Islam and the Muslims. WAAG UK here presented the translation of the holy Qur’an – Imdad al-Qur’an – and other recently published works of Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada as well as the WAAG UK recently published talk ‘Islam and Peace’ delivered in June 2011 in Manchester by the Vice Chairman of WAAG International and current federal minister for religious endowment of Egypt, Shaykh Prof Dr Abdul Fadeel al-Qawsi. Shaykh al-Habib Ali also presented recent publications from the Taba Foundation to Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada.
Dinner was served for all guests which was followed by Shaykh al-Habib Ali’s visit to Jamia Al-Karam’s girls college where he delivered a talk to the female students. Soon after, Shaykh al-Habib Ali and his delegation departed from WAAG UK.
