We are pleased to be able to announce a brief visit by Shaykh Dr. Abdal Hakim Murad to Malaysia from 27th to 29th March 2010. This is being held under the auspices of Islamic Outreach ABIM and Fajr Symphony, and with the cooperation of the Assembly of Young Intellectuals (HAKIM). Previous visits by many great Muslim scholars in the last three years have received excellent feedback from participants. Activities planned include a Grand Fundraising Event for the Cambridge New Mosque Project and selected local charitable activities. The Fundraising Event will also incorporate the launch of Shaykh Dr. Abdal Hakim Murad's 'The Traveling Light Series'.
Born Timothy J. Winter in 1960, Abdal Hakim studied at the prestigious Westminster School in London, UK and later at the University of Cambridge, where he graduated with first class honours in Arabic in 1983. He then lived in Cairo for three years, studying Islam under traditional teachers at Al-Azhar, one of the oldest universities in the world. He went on to reside for three years in Jeddah, where he administered a commercial translation office and maintained close contact with Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad and other ulama from Hadramaut, Yemen.
Shaykh Dr. Abdal Hakim is the translator of a number of works, including two volumes from Imam al-Ghazali Ihya Ulum al-Din, and has written a number of books. His book Bombing Without Moonlight earned him the King Abdullah I Prize for Islamic Thought. He gives durus and khutbas from time to time and taught the works of Imam al-Ghazali in Britain, America, Spain, Australia, and Singapore. He has a traditional ijazah to teach Ihya' with isnad (chain) going all the way back to Imam Al-Ghazali himself. He appears frequently on BBC Radio and writes occasionally for a number of publications including The Independent and the Times Literary Supplement.
He lives with his wife and children in Cambridge, UK.
About 'The Travelling Light Series'.
Shaykh Dr. Abdal Hakim Murad's "Travelling Light Series" is an ambitious attempt to film respected scholars giving lectures to students on the 40 books of Ihya. Each DVD introduces one of the forty 'books' which comprise this massive work. Each set is made up of 4 DVDs and the first set relate to 'Saving Practices' (munjiyat), which was filmed in Sarajevo, Bosnia.
Speakers are chosen for their deep knowledge of the text, and for their continuity with ancient chains of transmission from teacher to teacher, to the Imam himself. The locations chosen represent the diversity and beauty of the settings where the Ihya has been taught. They include historic mosques and other buildings which are showcases of Islamic art and architecture.
Each lecture begins with a recitation from the Holy Qur'an, and includes songs drawn from the indigenous spiritual culture which has flourished in the lands where the lectures are taking place.
Some of the films include interviews with local experts and scholars who explain the impact of Imam al-Ghazali's work in their communities.
All proceeds from the sale and broadcast of these DVD's are donated to the Cambridge New Mosque Project.
A gala Fundraising Event will be held on the evening of 27th March 2010 at the Auditorium hall, Dewan Jubli Perak, Shah Alam Selangor in which the celebrated first 4 DVDs will be launched. The event is a follow-up to the highly-successful Launch of the award-winning docu-drama on Imam Ghazali life held in Kuala Lumpur in 2007. The proceeds of the event will go to the Cambridge New Mosque Project and local charitable activities.
Additionally, a workshop entitled 'Spirituality in the age of Uncertainty: An Introduction to Traveling Workshop Series' with respected local and international scholars will be planned in addition to a forum discussing increasing local and international spirituality by making Imam al-Ghazali accessible to a wider public.
All events will seek to partner with corporate and other sponsors and ensure the event(s) receives wide media coverage. These strategic partnerships will enable us to meet the running costs of the events – venue hire, events co-ordinator, catering, transport, entertainment, infrastructure, media as well as to provide travel expenses for our guest of honour Shaykh Dr. Abdal Hakim Murad.
For sponsorship opportunities and further inquiries please call Islamic Outreach ABIM at +603-42569822 or email azrilmohdamin@gmail.com.
All posts in this blog are my own personal views (unless explicitly mentioned otherwise) and are not to be associated with any organization or institution related to me.