View Photos from the Visit

On Tuesday 15 June 2010, Jamia Al-Karam was honoured to host Shaykh Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Ninowy from Atlanta, USA, as well as Shaykh Ahmad al-Qatani, the President of the Companions Lighthouse for the Science of Islamic Law from Tripoli, Libya, who came to meet with Shaykh M I H Pirzada and visit the institution.

The guests’ motorcade arrived in the grounds of Jamia Al-Karam in the evening and they were welcomed by Shaykh M I H Pirzada as well as staff and students of Jamia Al-Karam. Upon arrival, Shaykh Pirzada took the guests on a tour of the grounds where preparations for construction of the new campus for the girls school is due to begin within the coming few weeks and ground work has already begun. The guests were then led to the Zia-ul-Ummat Suite and conversations covering a variety of issues took place amongst the guests. The expression of joy and respect upon the faces of all the shuyukh made the entire atmosphere more radiant and one full of blessing.

VIEW PHOTOS FROM THE VISIT

After some time, the Shuyukh were taken to a conference room where the students of Islamic scholarship at Jamia Al-Karam were waiting to hear the words of wisdom and counsel from the noble guests. Imam Gul Muhammad, senior lecturer at Jamia Al-Karam, introduced the guests and the session began with a recitation of some verses of the holy Qur’an and a recitation of some couplets from Imam al-Busiri’s al-Burdah.

Shaykh al-Ninowy then opened his remarks by commenting upon how happy he felt by being at Jamia Al-Karam and how he had intended to visit Shaykh Pirzada. He commented upon the importance of such institutions and then provided invaluable advice to all the audience based upon an Arabic poem written by Shawki. He advised the audience on how to better themselves as believers by seeking and giving sound advice that leads to one’s progress in this world and the hereafter and how to find one’s shortcomings that may hinder any such progress.

After Shaykh al-Ninowy, Shaykh Ahmad al-Qatani began his talk by focussing on the importance of hadith narration and the significance of the sanad (chain of narration). He commented that the blessedness of the sanad is fading away in the world and the essence of the science of hadith is something of great importance. After providing this commentary, Shaykh al-Qatani gave out a hadith of the beloved Messenger Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) to each and every person and then recited the hadith granting the sanad of narration. An atmosphere of overwhelming awe filled the vicinity of Jamia Al-Karam as the hadith and the continuous chain of narration was recited and attentively listened to. Following Shaykh al-Qatani, Bakhtyar H Pirzada, the Vice Principal of Jamia Al-Karam, commented upon the significance of this session and the company of such noble scholars.

Shaykh Muhammad Pirzada commented upon the favours and blessings of Allah and how Allah shows His signs of accepting the good deeds and endeavours of the people of Islam. Following Shaykh Pirzada's talk, Shaykh al-Qatani closed the gathering with a supplication. Dinner was then served to all guests in the Zia-ul-Ummat Suite which was followed by tea and the guests signing the visitors’ book. The shuyukh then conversed over various topics including their efforts in serving the religion. The girls school project, the writing of Tafsir Imdad al-Karam and Shaykh Pirzada’s dream of writing a commentary of Sahih al-Bukhari were mentioned and the shuyukh prayed for success in these worthy endeavours.

Prior to departing, the shuyukh visited the Al-Karam Islamic Studies College for Girls complex which began two years ago. Soon after, the guests departed from Jamia Al-Karam leaving the students and the staff pondering over the brief but spiritually exhilarating experience that had just occurred in the company of these three shuyukh.

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