“My wife is a sunflower and not a rose, only blossoming upon the arrival of the SUN”

Shaykh Zahir Mahmood was born in England and has gained licences to teach (Ijaazas) in many Islamic Sciences including Quran, Jurisprudence (Fiqh) and Traditions (Hadith) of The Prophet (Salallahu alayhi wasalam) from various Shuyukh.

Following the completion of his formal state education at the age of 16, he enrolled at Dar al-Uloom al-Arabiyya al-Islamiyya, Bury, where he initiated his studies of the Alimiya course. Thereafter, he studied 3 years in the prestigious seat of learning al-Jamia al-Islamiyya, Karachi, Pakistan.

He went on to complete his Alimiya course at the pioneering Dar al-Uloom Newcastle, South Africa, which has since been used as a template for other seats of learning in the region. Here, the Shaykh’s studies included a detailed analysis of Sahih al-Bukhari with the renowned Scholar Shaykh Qasim Seema.

Returning back to the UK, he gained a BA in Applied Theological Studies from the University of Birmingham and taught the Alimiya course at Madina al-Uloom Kidderminster for a subsequent 2 years. He also translated part of the classical Hanafi text of Fiqh, al-Shurunbulali’s Nur al-Idah in English.

For many years, he has been a Khateeb (preacher) at the Jame Masjid in Aston. From that base, he taught many workshops, including Arabic at various levels, Seerah and delivered countless talks about the Sahaba (RA).

The Shaykh then moved on to set up his own institute in Birmingham by the name of As-Suffa Institute and he is currently teaching there. He has endeavoured to reach out to the youth both locally and nationally by travelling throughout the country delivering talks and lectures in order to motivate the Muslim masses to become the best of people. Shaykh was part of the Viva Palestinia convoy and upon his return he established the first Viva Palestina shop.