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Dr. Hafiz Ather Hussain al-Azhari
Dr. Hafiz Ather Hussain al-Azhari works as a freelance Imam, writer, teacher & researcher.
Ather Hussain began his Islamic education by completing the memorisation of the Holy Qur’an at the age of thirteen. After completing his GCSEs he moved to the Islamic seminary Jamia al-Karam, where he studied Arabic Grammar under the guardianship of Qibla Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada Sahib and Mawlana Abdul-Bari Sahib. In 1995, he travelled to Bhera, Pakistan, and completed the traditional seminary course with First Class Honours, at Dar al-Ulum Muhammadia Ghawsia.
Between 1996 and 1999, he studied at Al-Azhar University, Cairo, the oldest seat of Islamic learning in the world. He specialised in Hadith studies, and graduated in BA Principles of Theology in 1999.
Upon returning to England, he joined the University of Birmingham, to study BA Political Science. He graduated with First Class Honours in 2003. In 2006, he completed his MPhil in Theology at the University of Birmingham on the al-Jami of al-Khatib al-Baghdadi. In July 2012, he completed his PhD in Theology (on the Nuzha of Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani) at the same University.
He has translated several Islamic texts from Urdu to English, most notably Tafseer Imdad al-Karam (volume one), by M.I.H. Pirzada and Surah al-Fatiha by Allama Ghulam Rasul Sai’di. He has also written Towards Understanding Aqidah in collaboration with Allama Muhammad Shahid Raza Na’imi (may Allah shower His infinite mercy on his final resting place, Ameen).
For the last two decades, Ather Hussain has served Islam on several platforms. He taught ‘Living Islam’ at the “Outstanding”-rated al-Burhan School, a secondary school for girls based in Birmingham. He has also taught at some of the most prominent seminaries (dar al-ulum) in the country, including Jamia al-Karam and Suffatul Islam, Bradford. He has delivered the Friday sermon in his hometown of Leicester and in Birmingham too. He has talked on faith topics on several media platforms, including Sky News, BBC Breakfast, The Big Question, ITV Central, BBC Radio Five Live and BBC local radio. Most of his time is now spent in literary projects. Over the last decade, he has published over eighteen books on Islam.
His Publications
1. Translations/As Editor
- The Arrow’s Destination concerning the Answered Supplication.
- ‘The abundance of virtues’ in Salutations and Blessings upon the Provider of Glad-Tidings, the Warner ﷺ
- The resurrection of the dead, with the superiorities of the Ahl al-Bayt
- The Onlooker’s Delight – A biography of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir Jilani
- Do the deceased benefit from the recitation of the Holy Qur’an?
- A commentary of Surah al-Fatiha based on Tibyan al-Qur’an
- Tafsir Imdad al-Karam (first edition)
2. Authored Publications
- Towards Understanding Aqidah
- The Four Sources of Shari’ah
- The Shafa’a of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
- Hadith Jibril
- The Beautiful Names of Our Prophet ﷺ
- Imam al-Husayn and the Tragedy of Karbala
- Tawba – our return to Allah
- Our Perfect Prophet ﷺ - An introduction to his flawless characteristics
- The Last Sermon of the Prophet ﷺ
- Al-Isra wa’l Mi’raj – An account of the miraculous night journey of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him)
- Questions & Answers on Mawlid al-Nabi ﷺ
- State of Fear – The Claims of Daesh exposed
