Review

Born in Azad Kashmir in 1971 Shaykh Ahmad Ali came to the U.K. at the age of 6. Coming from a moderately practicing family, the odds were always stacked against him, but even as a young boy Shaykh displayed a yearning for deen.

His stubborn determination resulted in him completing the memorisation of the Holy Quran at the age of 14 under the supervision and guidance of his teachers at the local mosque, Masjid Quba. Having completed this great feat, the thirst for furthering his Islamic knowledge could no longer be quenched in the confines of the local mosque. Searching for more in 1986 Shaykh enrolled at Darul Uloom Al Arabiya Al Islamiya, Bury, the main nucleus of Islamic study in Europe at the time.

During his time in Darul Uloom, Shaykh excelled in his studies undertaking an intensive study of many Islamic sciences including Arabic, Quranic Tafseer, Hadeeth, Fiqh and Aqeedah under the supervision of Hadhrat Yusuf Motala Sahib.

After graduating from Darul Uloom Al Arabiya Al Islamiya in 1993 realising that the there was much more to be gained from the beauty of the Quran and Hadeeth, his insatiable hunger for knowledge still not satisfied, Shaykh left the confined borders of the United Kingdom and headed towards the Middle East, Madinah. Here he studied at Al Jamiiyah al Islamiyah.

Following this 1n 1994 Shaykh moved on to the world famous Azhar University in Egypt, specialising in Hadeeth. Having journeyed through many lands in order to substantiate this zeal for knowledge, Shaykh returned to the U.K. in 1996. A chapter closed.

Now it was the beginning of many new chapters. In 1999 he was appointed second Imaam at his local mosque, Masjid Bilal. From here Shaykh devoted almost all of his time and efforts to the work of dawah, initially to his immediate community, and then further afield nationally and internationally.

In the field of Dawah for Shaykh Ahmad Ali there have been no boundaries. His desire to build on his dawah work has always been foremost and was the main tool that instigated the establishing of Al Ma'hadul Islami (The Islamic Academy) in Bradford, England. This institution to this day has been providing Islamic counseling, education and guidance to the youth and elders alike.

A combination of his vast knowledge and an unreal talent of capturing the hearts of listeners with his effervescent words took Shaykh Ahmad Ali across four continents to convey the teachings of Allah Almighty and his Beloved Prophet (peace be upon him).

Apart from his international work touring various countries delivering dynamic lectures and speeches, by the grace of the Almightly, Shaykh continued to work from his base Al Ma'hadul Islami to establish further institutes that would inshaa'Allah benefit the community and ummah as a whole. 2003 saw the beginnings of a Muslim Secondary school for girls, The Fountain where students benefit from the alimiya classes as well as secular studies.

Throwing aside any barriers that were placed before him, Shaykh’s determination to inculcate deen in our young then led him to purchase and renovate a building in order to set up Crystal Gardens Primary School in 2005, catering for Muslim children from the ages of 5 to 11.

The Shyakh worked selflessly and has only just completed the renovation of his new school building purchased in 2007. Eternal Light Secondary School for Boys currently has 40 boys on the register and will inshaa'Allah it is expanding gradually. Boys undertake the hifdh (memorization of the Holy Quran) and Alim classes as well as their secular education.

Over the years Shaykh Ahmad Ali has worked very closely with the charity organization, Lifecare U.K. Products of his work with the charity have been helping to build an orphanage, hospital and school, for the under privileged, close to his birth town in Azad Kashmir.

Shaykh Ahmad Ali's listed speeches found on audio tapes and C.Ds currently number in the region of 80. He has also authored many books: Major Signs of The Day of Judgement, The Prophet Jesus, Imam Bukhari, The Wisdom of Imam Abu Hanifa, Stories of the Pious to list just a few.