Shaykh Zakaria Abdelaziz is Canadian-born Somali. But those that know him say he lived in Tarim, Yemen for so long he is basically Yemeni.

He comes from a lineage of scholars. His father, grandfather and great grandfather were all graduates of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. His family are descendants of the Shaykh and historian Abdur Rahman al-Jabarti. With this legacy in mind, Shaykh Zakaria’s father took his family to Egypt when Shaykh Zakaria was just 11 years old to learn Arabic and memorize the Qur'an. In Egypt, Shaykh Zakaria’s father met Habib Ali al-Jifri who recommended Shaykh Zakaria study at Dar al-Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.

By the age of 13, Shaykh Zakaria began his studies in Tarim, Yemen at Dar al Mustafa. Starting at such a young age, he was often the youngest in the class. He fondly remembers his interactions with the Habaib at a young age and yearning to be like them. He completed the 10-year degree program, which requires memorization of both the Qur'an and Riyadh as-Saliheen.

After 17 years studying abroad, Shaykh Zakaria returned to Canada with his family in 2021. He now teaches locally across the GTHA.

In this episode, he talks about how his father’s encouragement and his teachers’ generosity helped him stay motivated during the rigorous 10 years of study. He speaks about what it really means for knowledge to be sacred and the beautiful wisdom behind what scholars call "a burning beginning" for students of knowledge.

His journey intersects with many familiar names: Habib Abdullah bin Ismail as-Saqqaf, Habib Omar, Habib Ali al-Mashur bin Hafidh, Syed Abdul al-Jifri, Shaykh Mokhtar Jamil, Shaykh Assad Ullah, and he also taught many of our other teachers in the West that studied in Tarim.

Welcome to the Journey Podcast - a podcast where we hear from our blessed teachers and community members about their spiritual journeys. My name is Hebah Masood. I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt, along that journey.

Shaykh Ahmed Saad Al-Azhari visited Toronto a few weeks ago to give a series of lectures about the life of his teacher Habib Abu Bakr al-Mashur, his reflections on post-modernism and Islam, and to provide an educational framework for Muslim families. These are all components of his PhD thesis, which he just completed recently from the University of Birmingham.

Dr. Ahmed Saad’s journey began in Egypt where he was born into a family of scholars who are descendants of the prophet muhammad pbuh. He memorized the Quran at the age of 10 and Riyadh as Salihin at the age of 15. In 2001 he graduated from Al-Azhar University with a bachelors in Islamic Sciences.

He was mentored by Habib Abu Bakr al-Mashur and went on to to translate and teach his book Al Nubdha Al Sughra, which discusses the signs of the end of times. Shaykh Ahmed lives in the UK where he founded Ihsan Institute.

In this episode he reflects on his early life and upbringing in Egypt, the teachers that influenced him and the value of a traditional lifestyle.
His story intersects with many familiar names:
Shaykh Mohamed Saad, Habib Dr. Abu Bakr al-‘Adni b. Ali al-Mashhūr, Shaykh Shibl Matar, Shaykh Dr. Ali Gomah, Shaykh Dr. Abdel-Hamīd Al-Mubarak, Shaykh Ahmad Mawlūd b. Muhammad al-Mustafa al-Yaqūbi al- Shinqīti, Shaykh Dr. Ayman Suwaid, Shaykh Abdul-Fattah Madkour, Shaykh Ali Tawfīq al-Nahhas, Shaykh Abdul-Rahman al-Kittani, Habib Zayn b. Sumayt, Shaykh Abdel-Basit Hashim, Shaykh Yahya al-Ghawthani, Shaykh Ahmad al-Surti, Shaykh Yahya al-Mulla, Shaykh Dr. Ahmad Sharīf al-Manbiji, Shaykh Muhammad al-Baqqāli, Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim Abdel-Ba’ith Al-Kittani.

Please view his full bio here: https://www.ihsaninstitute.sg/about-shaykh-ahmed-saad

Shaykh C Hamzah Wald Maqbul shocked not only me, but also the barista when he ordered in fluent Uzbek at a coffee stand outside the Registan Square in Samarkand a few years ago. That’s when I knew we were in the best possible hands in Uzbekistan with Shaykh Hamzah leading our Muslim Legacy tour group.

Shaykh Hamzah learned Uzbek while doing a double major in Biochemistry and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at the University of Washington. While he initially intended to go to med school he was also drawn to his faith and was actively looking for a path to study Islam.

During his undergrad years, the doors opened for him when he was able to do a combined independent study and study abroad trip to Mauritania. He was able to study with scholars in Mauritania and the UAE. He then went to study for four years in Pakistan at Jamia al Madaniya.

Currently he works with Imam Ghazali Institute, teaching aqidah intensives across the country as well as organizing heritage trips to explore Muslim history in Turkey, Uzbekistan, Sicily and Bosnia. He also founded Ribat and teaches locally in the Chicago area.

In this episode, he discusses the value of connecting with Muslim history and tradition in an immersive way, connecting with the layman as a scholar, and the importance of zuhd and detaching from one’s wealth.

His story intersects with many familiar names:

Murabit al-Hajj, Murabit Haddamin, Murabit Ahmad Fal, Mufti Abdul Wahid, Syed Nafees Hussaini, Mawlana Abdul Haleem Chishti, Dr. Imam Zijad Delic Delic; he has also worked closely with Shaykh Mohammed Amin Kholwadia's Darul Qasim College, Musa Sugapong, and HFSAA Midwest.

After over a year-long hiatus, I'm very excited to be posting this episode. Please note, it was recorded in May 2023.

Please note this episode was recorded in May 2023.