Administrator on April 29th, 2013
Shaykh Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad sahib (May Allah have mercy upon him)
During 1997 UK General Election with br.Mukhtar Hussain and Fabian Hamilton MP, Harold Best MP and others
Administrator on April 20th, 2013
Jalsa and annual gathering in memory of Shaykh Hafiz Fateh Muhammad Sahib
Date: Sunday 28th April between 3.00pm – 6pm.
Venue: Leeds Makkah Masjid, 36 Thornville Road Leeds LS6 1JY
Keynote Speakers:
Mufti Khan Muhammad Qadri (Urdu speech)
Imam Muhammad Asim Hussain (English speech)
Brothers and sisters are welcome.
Administrator on April 19th, 2012
It is that time of year again when gatherings are held in memory of the founder of Leeds Makkah Masjid, a lover of the beloved Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), a hafiz of the Glorious Qur’an, a loving teacher, an inspiration to all, an ambassador of peace, a sufi master, a spiritual guide, Shaykh Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad (May Allah shower mercy on his soul).
It has been 7 years since Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad Sahib departed from this world on the evening of Tuesday 26 April 2005 (17th Rabi ul-Awwal 1426).
All those who had the honour to meet him will testify that Hafiz Sahib’s whole life revolved around learning, reciting, teaching and reflecting on the Holy Qur’an. His long and fruitful association with the Glorious Qur’an is not hidden to anyone. He dedicated his life to the Qur’an and Sunnah, living while immersed in the love of the beloved of Allah, Muhammad Rasulullah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Imam Hafiz Sahib was indeed one of the very few distinguished scholars of Islam who excelled in both worldly and religious knowledge and understanding.
A Jalsa and annual gathering in memory of Shaykh Hafiz Fateh Muhammad Sahib
Date: Sunday 29 April at 2:30pm after the ZUHR PRAYER.
Venue: Leeds Makkah Masjid, 36 Thornville Road Leeds LS6 1JY
Keynote Speakers
Imam Muhammad Asim Hussain (London)
Allamah Shahid Raza Nai’mi OBE (Leicester)
Maulana Muhammad Umar (Rochdale)
In the gathering, Professor Sahib’s students, colleagues and contemporaries will talk about the life and works of Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad (May Allah shower mercy on his soul) in English and Urdu.
Brothers and sisters are welcome.
To read further about the life of Shaykh Hafiz Fateh Muhammad, please click on the following links:
http://www.makkahmasjid.co.uk/wp/index.php/category/professor-hafiz-fateh-muhammad-sahib/
Administrator on April 18th, 2012
The late Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad Sahib was the founder of Deen Foundation. He spent his entire life gaining and imparting knowledge about Islam. He believed that knowledge is the foundation of the Deen of Islam and lies at the heart of success in this life and in the hereafter.
Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad Sahib was one of very few distinguished scholars who excelled in both secular and religious knowledge and understanding. In 1984, he undertook a Masters degree in English Language, Teaching and Linguistics at the University of York. He had previously held the esteemed post of head of the English Department at the International Islamic University at Islamabad, Pakistan. After settling in the UK, he taught the Holy Qur’an in mosques, colleges and universities, to the young and old alike. He gave lectures and translated and interpreted many surahs of the Holy Qur’an in English.
Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad Sahib was a professor of English, yet he was also a master of the Arabic language, Islamic history and contemporary affairs. He memorised the Holy Qur’an at a very young age and then spent the remainder of his life instilling the love of the Divine message and love for education (religious as well as secular) in the hearts of the people.
With his deep insight into the Quran and his understanding of the personality of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he propounded the peaceful message of Islam his entire life. He believed that people could only come to obey their Lord and respect each other if they were knowledgeable about the rights of their Lord and rights of other human beings. He believed that it was due to lack of education that people were facing financial, social, economical, political and cultural difficulties.
The success of human beings is linked with learning and knowledge. The first message of the Qur’an encouraged human beings to learn. It was due to Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad’s passion to spread education that he sponsored many students in various parts of the world throughout his life to gain education. His students currently hold positions such as lecturers, doctors, lawyers, politicians, engineers and ‘Ulema’ in different parts of the world.
Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad was a God fearing person. He was a noble, compassionate, generous and honourable person, and like all truly great men, extremely humble and modest. He always strived to assist poor families to fulfil their obligations to arrange the marriages of their children, and provided financial assistance to those who struggled to meet the costs of medical treatment and other living expenses. Hence, these principles are amongst the main objectives of Deen Foundation.
Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad suddenly passed away while studying the biography of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on 26th April 2005 (17th Rabi-al-Awwal 1426), at the age of 63. At the time of his passing away, he was the imam of Leeds Makkah Masjid (UK).
Muhammad Irfan Chaudhary
Administrator on April 17th, 2012
We are all familiar with the famous Prophetic saying “Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave”. Few people implemented this hadith into their everyday lives with as much dedication, ardour and passion as the late Shaykh Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad (may Allah have mercy on his soul and grant him the highest ranks of paradise).
I was fortunate enough to have known Hafiz Sahib (as he was fondly known by his students and congregation) practically my whole life. I was even more fortunate to have been taught to read and memorise surahs from the Holy Qur’an by him. Seldom did I enter Madina Masjid, where he was based before the construction of Makkah Masjid, to find him doing anything other than seeking knowledge – either reading a book on Islam or reading the book he loved above all other books – the Holy Qur’an.
When Hafiz Sahib read from the Holy Qur’an his love for the book that is the fountain of all wisdom and knowledge was apparent to all fortunate enough to witness him. The love emanated from his face, which glowed when he recited the words of God. The love resonated in his voice, which frequently trembled with emotion as he was reciting. It poured out of him and into the hearts of the listeners. Who could fail to be moved by the sight of this great man reciting Surah Ar’Rahman with tears streaming down his face as he read the verse: “Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you deny”? Because you knew that Hafiz Sahib thanked his Lord for all the blessings he had been bestowed with every second of every day, and you knew that he himself was a blessing sent by Allah Almighty for the benefit and betterment of the community of Leeds.
Hafiz Sahib held education and knowledge in the highest esteem. Not only his own education and knowledge but also that of the community he served. That is why he held daily tafseer classes after prayers. Most importantly, Hafiz Sahib understood the importance of educating the Muslim youth long before his contemporaries had grasped the idea. As far back as the mid-eighties, when many of the first generation of Muslims who had migrated to this country from Pakistan, Bangladesh and India were still dreaming about returning to their home lands with their families after a few years of working in England, Hafiz Sahib was delivering his Friday sermons in a combination of his native language Urdu and the native language of the youngsters in his congregation, English. He understood that unless Islam was accessible to the youth in their mother tongue, it would become an alien concept to them that would ultimately get lost in translation.
Hafiz Sahib was acutely aware that in order to counterbalance the attractions and distractions modern day Britain posed for Muslim youngsters growing up in the country, the Muslim youth needed to be spoken to in their own language and at a level that was accessible to them. His door was always open to youngsters, and one of his most memorable characteristics was that youngsters flocked to him for advice and solace. He was a sympathetic ear and a source of practical guidance – he was a mix between a loving parent, a concerned uncle, an understanding teacher and inspiration to everyone. He was seen as so much more than simply the Imam.
Hafiz Sahib used every opportunity to stress to the youth that it was incumbent upon them to make the most of the advantages of the British education system so that they could grow up to be professionals and Muslims could be represented in all walks and at all levels of British life. Unlike his contemporaries who did little other than stress the importance of seeking Islamic knowledge, he placed almost as much importance on secular knowledge as knowledge of the Sharia. He was himself a unique blend of a Professor of English and a Qur’an Hafiz. He saw no reason why the two cold not go hand in hand, and he was keen to stress this to the youngsters in his congregation. His message was simple; lslam does not preclude its followers from seeking success in this life as well as in the life after death. While we must not ever take our eyes off the ultimate goal – seeking Allah’s pleasure and attaining paradise – it is perfectly permissible to seek the fine things in this life also. And in order to attain these fine things, education is the key.
Hafiz Sahib was truly a man who led by example. He led a simple life that seamlessly blended excellence in the religious and secular fields. He demonstrated to the youth that it was possible to strive for success in worldly affairs, and he was therefore seen as an accessible figurehead who many leaned on for support. His presence is to this day sincerely missed in the community of Leeds.
Reflections of a female Student
Administrator on April 14th, 2012
In the month of April, the great works and significant contribution of honourable Shaykh Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad Sahib (May Allah have mercy on his soul) is particularly remembered.
It has been 7 years since the founder of Leeds Makkah Masjid, Professor Qari Fateh Muhammad Sahib suddenly passed away on the evening of Tuesday 26 April 2005 (17th Rabi ul-Awwal 1426).
As Leeds Makkah Masjid was built on the vision of Shaykh Qari Fateh Muhammad, it is only appropriate that the following video on ‘My Yorkshire’ is shared with everyone.
My Yorkshire is a collection of digital stories created with communities by museum, library and archive collections in Yorkshire. My Yorkshire website states:
“The Makkah Masjid Mosque in Leeds 6, which was built in 2003, has a forward thinking progressive mission to encourage visitors to learn about the Islamic faith, to marvel at the unique and fascinating interior, especially the beautiful hand painted dome and to come to the programmed exhibitions, displays and lectures held there every year.
The Imam has already been a TV star appearing on Look North and works for a Leeds legal firm. In this short film he describes the stunning decorations inside this unique and inspirational Mosque, and a second clip shows the service at the end of Eid (see links below).”
http://www.myyorkshire.org/playback-video.asp?resourceid=265&journeyid=141
Administrator on April 29th, 2011
It is that time of the year again when gatherings are held in honour of Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad Sahib (May Allah have mercy on his soul) in Makkah Masjid and in the houses of those who were very close to him. It has been 6 years since Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad Sahib suddenly passed away on the evening of Tuesday 26 April 2005 (17th Rabi ul-Awwal 1426).
Hafiz Fateh Muhammad Sahib (May Allah bless his soul) always used to say that a person leaves this world doing the same activities he indulged in during his lifetime. Therefore, rather than indulging in those activities that are forbidden in Islam or are disliked by Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), Muslims should keep themselves occupied in those activities and actions which will bring them closer to their Lord, so that when they leave this world, they do so doing those activities which are considered as acts of worship. We see that this was very true of Hafiz Sahib as he passed away whilst sitting in the mosque, reading a biography of the beloved Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). About 45 minutes before his departure from this world, Hafiz Sahib had given a lecture on the Holy Qur’an in the daily study circle that he had been holding for the past 10 years.
Hafiz Sahib’s whole life revolved around learning, reciting, teaching and reflecting on the Holy Qur’an and studying, discussing and honouring our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He dedicated his life to the Qur’an and Sunnah, following the perfect example of the Prophet (May Allah shower blessings on him).
Professor Qari Fateh Muhammad Sahib was an inspirational figure who benefitted his community tremendously through teaching them the knowledge of Islam. He was a great believer in having inner peace, which would lead to establishing peace in the world. He openly spoke against Extremism, arguing that Extremism has no place in the faith of Islam.
We pray to Allah (swt) that He grants Hafiz Sahib the highest place in Paradise, and grants him the company of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on the Day of Judgement and in Paradise. Ameen.
A Jalsa and annual gathering in memory of Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad Sahib will be held at Leeds Makkah Masjid on Sunday 1 May 2011 at 2:30pm after the ZUHR PRAYER.
The keynote talk will be given by Dr Musharraf Hussain Al-Azhari OBE on the topic of: “The importance and the rewards of working for Allah.”
In the gathering, Professor Sahib’s students, colleagues and contemporaries will talk about the life and works of the ambassador of peace and lover of the beloved Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad (May Allah shower mercy on his soul).
To read further about the life of Shaykh Hafiz Fateh Muhammad, please click on the following links:
http://www.makkahmasjid.co.uk/wp/index.php/category/professor-hafiz-fateh-muhammad-sahib/
Administrator on November 14th, 2010
Makkah Mosque is currently collating personal accounts from individuals regarding their experiences with the founder of the Mosque, the late Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad, commonly known as Hafiz Sahib (may Allah have mercy on his soul). The personal accounts will be compiled in a book that is being written about Hafiz Sahib. So far we have had input from scholars, reverts to Islam, non-Muslims, members of the Mosque’s congregation, women and children who were taught by Hafiz Sahib. Contributions have come from the USA, Canada, Pakistan and throughout Europe and the UK.
If you would like to take part in this project, either by sharing memories of your encounters with Hafiz Sahib or sending us photos or videos featuring him, please contact us on mail@makkahmasjid.co.uk.
Administrator on May 1st, 2010
When I first became interested in Islam, I was overwhelmed by the information that I needed to learn. I had friends who were telling me all the things I needed to memorise; the Arabic terms and verses which I had to recite. There was an expectation on everyone’s part that I should be better than them; I should practice more than them; I should know more than them. It was all too much for me. Information was being fed to me as to what I should wear or should not wear, what I should eat and should not eat. The whole issue was complicated by the fact that there was slight difference of opinion between the scholars and each friend of mine was at pains to drag me to their reasoning. In the midst of this, another revert brought me to Imam Hafiz Fateh Muhammad.
When I came to see Hafiz, he calmed my worries and reassured me that living under the shade of God’s mercy, being a Muslim, was a process that required hard work and endurance. He reminded me of the saying of the Prophet that the religion is ease and that if you take one step to Allah, He comes ten steps towards you. He asked me to learn about my new faith step by step and not be overwhelmed by it all. As Allah had accepted me into his chosen faith, I could only come closer to Him by learning more about this faith. Since then whenever I had a particular dilemma, I came to Hafiz sahib for his spiritual and practical advice and sometimes I brought other reverts with me. He never made us feel intimidated by his knowledge
He was truly a man of people. He would often remind those close to him of the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) “the best amongst you is the one most beneficial to them”. He was sincerely interested in providing religious advice in a practical form. People of all backgrounds; Muslims, non-Muslims, young, old, men and women would come to him regarding private and personal matters of love and life, family and faith. Despite the fact that these meetings with people affected his routine of doing set remembrance of Allah and recitation of the Glorious Qur’an and his studies and writing, he always gave time to the people who came to him and listened to their heartache. He never judged people and would not talk behind their backs about their private and personal matters. Instead he guided with compassion and always tried to make the religion easy to practice.
Another key characteristic of Hafiz sahib’s personality was his altruistic, selfless and self-sacrificing personality. He did not want people to praise him for how close he was to Allah or recognize how high his status was in terms of spirituality or how much insight/farasah of a believer he had, rather he wanted people to turn to Allah and develop those characteristics in themselves. He wanted to empower others rather than hold all the power to himself. That is the reason that with his practical advice, he would always ask people to either recite a particular surah or verse of the Noble Qu’ran or some other zikr. It was his quality of serving His Lord by helping people that people not only from all over the UK but even from outside the UK would call him and discuss their matters with him. He knew a lot of people in Europe and the US who would invite him to visit their countries but he always declined saying that with the time that he had, he was even unable to serve people locally.
Most reverts to Islam are usually so disillusioned with the world and its attractions that they want to run away from the ordinary life and perhaps try to create a new world for themselves. However, Hafiz sahib always motivated reverts to not isolate themselves from the world. Muslims must live in the world but not let the world live in their hearts so much that they forget the Creator of the world. We often spoke about the challenges of our times and the difficulty of balancing student life/ professional life with spiritual life. He once said that he went through the same emotions during the early days of him teaching English Literature in a College and in order to create emotions conducive for nurturing the soul, he increased his portion of daily recitation of the Holy Qur’an.
Muhammad Dawud
Administrator on April 29th, 2010
I first met Imam Professor Hafiz Fateh Muhammad sahib some 15 years ago. My first session with him completely changed my life! I was going through some difficult times in my life. Things were not “working out” at home. I had a very “good” job with a reasonably “good” salary but there was still some void in my life. I felt something was missing from my life. I had recently moved to Leeds for my job and did not know many people. I could easily make friends in the lifestyle that I was used to but I wanted to move away from that life-style.
Being born a Muslim, the obvious thing was to turn to Islam but I did not know much about Islam. I was afraid to learn about Islam because I felt that learning more about it would make me realise my own shortcomings and weaknesses. I did not want to feel more depressed. I wanted to meet someone who could unlock my mind and spirit, who could direct me to my Lord, who could hold my hand as I treaded on the path of Islam and got myself back on track. The experience that I have had of mosques did not fill me with confidence that I would find someone like that in a mosque. My first thought was that if I went to a mosque, I would be frowned upon, I would be told off, there would be no one to understand my condition, there would be a language barrier etc.
Then one of my clients told me of an Imam in a mosque nearby in Hyde Park and everything he told me about him was a great shock to me.
My client said that the Imam spoke English and had a lot of young people coming to his mosque. I found it surprising that he was an English Professor and an Imam at the same time. I could understand someone being a Professor of Arabic or Islamic Studies and an Imam but not an English Professor and an Imam.
My client told me that he was a humble man but dignified in his humility and that he always made time for common people and he cared about people – religious or irreligious. I could only remember people inside the mosque who assumed that they were better than others because they came to the mosque to pray.
My client also said that that Imam always has a huge welcoming smile on his shining face. Again, it was hard for me to imagine an Imam with a beautiful smile on his face. I could only remember these guardians of mosques being stern faced, feeling tense and angry with everything.
My client carried on telling me about the knowledge that this Imam possessed and other characteristics that he had had but my mind was wondering off, trying to imagine the Imam in mind and burning with the desire to meet him.
After a few days, I pulled myself together to meet this great personality, with a mixed feeling of awe and yearning. As I approached his room inside the mosque, he was sat on the floor studying a book. As soon as he saw me, he welcomed me with a smile and started chatting to me, listening to me attentively. He was not only hearing me, he was also waiting for his turn to speak. Although it was the first time I had met him, I felt that I had always known him.
As I sat listening to the Imam discussing the intricacies of the Glorious Qur’an with references to modern intellectualism, my eyes grew wider and I distinctly remember thinking, “Ohh…so that’s what it means!”
I left that brief meeting with a very light heart, feeling good inside. I had a strange feeling inside me; I felt that I had done a good deed just meeting him and listening to his melodious voice. I still cannot describe that feeling.
From that day onward, whenever I got the chance to come and sit with him, I would do so. I would go to meet him during lunch time and he in his kindness would welcome me each time I went to meet him. I would always leave him with a heavy heart, wishing I could have extra time to stay with him. In his gatherings, he used to feel spiritually immersed in the light of the Qur’an. He was a walking encyclopedia/dictionary of the Glorious Qur’an.
I am sure that anyone who had the privilege of visiting the Imam and spending time with him felt uplifted and enriched by his humanity, his wisdom and his spirituality. He was positive and motivational. He always showed you the bright side of any situation that you were in. He used to make things perfectly clear by using simple language and examples. He would come down to peoples’ level, despite himself being an ocean of knowledge. For him lecturing or writing was not about scholastic manipulation of intellectual constructs but rather a means to connect people to Allah and the spiritual reality. He would de-mystify things so that people could understand the Word of God and the sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He always reminded his students to use simple language with people in accordance with the prophetic saying: “Speak to people at their level”. But at the same time his colourful talks were full of gushing flow, treasure of vocabulary and tremendous appealing.
I love him dearly because, through him I came closer to My Lord and gained an understanding of what a logical and balanced the religion of Islam is. It is through him that I have been able to tell people around me something about my faith. It is because of him that I am proud to call myself a Muslim. He wanted young British Muslims to be good and great. Work hard to unlock our potentials with the key of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Unfortunately, after a few months of coming to stay in Leeds, I got transferred to another city and our enlightening and refreshing meetings came to end. At first I did continue to phone him and seek his advice on important matters in my life. Then with the passage of time, I got busy and the contact became less and less.
The memories that I have shall remain ingrained on my mind forever. He is always in my prayers. My Allah grant me his company under the banner of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Zahid Hussain
