Election reflections: Trust in God by Shaykh Rizwan Hussain al-Azhari

New Year, New Beginnings

Shaykh Rizwan Hussain Al-Azhari began his Islamic education at a very young age. At the tender age of 11, in the year 1999, he was enrolled into the Al-Karam Secondary School where he spent five years of his academic life. After completing his GCSEs in 2004, he decided to pursue further Islamic education in the Al karam higher Islamic Studies department, thereby completing the 3 year Diploma in Islamic Sciences & Classical Arabic Language in 2007.

Post graduation, the Shaykh then proceeded to further his studies by relocating to Egypt and enrolling in the world renowned and incredibly prestigious Al Azhar university. 4 years later, he had completed his B.A from the faculty of usooluddin (Principles of religious) in the subject of Hadith (Islamic Theology). A further year was then spent in the American University of Cairo (AUC) completing another Diploma in Legal Translation.

However, his thirst for knowledge was not yet quenched.

After returning to British soil in 2012, Shaykh Rizwan joined the Cambridge Muslim College where he spent another year completing yet another Diploma, this time graduating with honours in the college's Contextual Islamic Studies & Leadership Diploma under the tutelage of Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad.

Since graduating from Cambridge in 2013, the Shaykh has taken a position as the Head Imam and Khateeb of Bashir Ahmed Masjid in Southampton, as well as becoming the Founder and Principal of the Bashir Ahmed school. In addition to his work as an Imam, Shaykh Rizwan has undertaken a lead role in the Muslim Council of Southampton (MCS) as their religious advisor and resident scholar. 

This role has now extended to the Naseeha YouTube channel which regularly uploads videos of the Shaykh's classes and talks for the benefit of the wider Muslim community.