Academic Staff
Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi (Dean)
Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi – a former research fellow at Oxford University – is most reputed for his ground-breaking research on the female scholars of Islam in the field of Hadith. This research spanned a period of 15 years and resulted in the 57-volume work detailing and analysing the biographies of over 9000 female scholars from the time of Prophet Muhammad until today. This work is hailed as a unique masterpiece in the history of Islam.
After completing his initial studies, Dr Nadwi went on to join the prestigious seminary, Nadwatul ‘Ulama. He completed his BA ‘Alimiyyah Degree and MA in Hadith Studies with first class honours and top of his class. He was directly appointed to teach at the Institute by the then director, Shaykh Abul Hasan ‘Ali Nadwi. While teaching at Nadwatul ‘Ulama, Dr Nadwi pursued further studies at Lucknow University in the field of economics (BA) and he then completed a PhD programme in Arabic Literature.
Dr Nadwi, at the request of Shaykh Abul Hasan ‘Ali Nadwi, joined the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, University of Oxford, as a research fellow in 1989. In addition to numerous research papers, he has authored and translated over 30 titles on Language, Jurisprudence, Qur’an and Hadith. In 2013, he relinquished his post at University of Oxford to focus on his own writings which include a comprehensive explanation on the classical hadith masterpiece Sahih Muslim.
Dr Nadwi’s authoring and teaching experience spans over 30 years. His introductory books on Arabic Grammar (Al-Nahw), Morphology (Al-Sarf) and Principles (Usul) of Tafsir, Hadith and Fiqh are used all over the world in madrasahs, Islamic institutes and colleges teaching ‘Alimiyyah (Islamic scholarship degree) students. He has also assisted many of the Islamic colleges with curriculum development.
Dr Nadwi’s passion for learning and teaching made him travel around the world to visit and study under many of the renowned scholars of our time. He is widely recognised as one of Western Europe’s leading Islamic scholars and thinkers.
Uwais Namazi
Uwais Namazi was born and raised in the North West of England, Blackburn. He commenced his formal studies at the Jam'iat al-Ilm Wa al-Huda (Blackburn) and he graduated as 'Aalim in 2004 and Fazil in 2006 from Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama in Lucknow.
In 2008 he completed an MA in Islamic Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London), and thereafter joined the Islamic Texts Society in Cambridge as a Publishing Assistant, also providing his services to various publishing houses catering for the Islamic Studies like Turath Publishing (London) and Amal Press (Bristol).
In 2011, he joined the faculty at the Ebrahim College (London) where he taught Arabic, Hadith, Fiqh and Tafsir. He also taught at the Jibril Institute and served at Hafs Academy (London). In 2015 he moved back to his hometown and co-founded the Nizami Institute, teaching the same disciplines, as well as teaching GCSE Arabic at the Eden Boys Secondary School.
Mawlana Uwais is presently awaiting approval as a doctoral candidate to commence his research at the Royal Holloway (University of London), and dividing his time between teaching, research and family.
Abid Khan
Abid Khan studied Islamic sciences for several years under many notable scholars. He was awarded the al-shahādat al-‘ālimiyyah (Licence in Islamic Scholarship officially qualifying him as a scholar) alongside complete ijāzah in the Six Canonical Books of Ḥadīth - receiving the shortest isnād in Ṣaḥīh al-Bukhārī.
He has a special interest in Jurisprudence, and has several years been a Lecturer in Usūl'l-Fiqh ; Islamic Contract Law; Zakat at ASI, and more recently Jibreel Institute alongside his current teaching post at Cambridge Islamic College. He has been on several British television channels delivering Fatāwā programs, as well as on the specialist Recite programme as the guest.
He is invited to many of the largest mosques in the country to teach on his areas of specialisation. He also serves as a part-time Imam.
He had previously graduated in Bioengineering and Applied Physics, and then studied at the UCL Masters' degree for Biomaterials & Stem Cell research.
Reem Mohamed
Reem is a native Arabic speaker from Egypt, spending her early years in Oman. She graduated with a dual Bachelor of Arts and Education degree in Arabic Language from Zagazig University, Egypt in 2005, also studying English as a second language. From 2006 to 2007 she taught Arabic Language at a secondary school in Oman directing students in classical Arabic poetry and drama study.
Reem moved to England in 2007 where she has been teaching Quran voluntarily to adults and children. From 2014-2018 she has been tutoring students for GCSE Arabic, coaching students in reading, writing, listening and speaking. She is passionate about teaching Arabic and looks forward to the opportunity to work with students at CIC to develop their Arabic to further their Islamic studies.
Akhlaaq Chowdry (online tutor)
Akhlaaq became involved in Islamic work at a young age with the Islamic Society at college. He became a member of the Islamic Society at university, serving as treasurer, and served on the local committee for a national youth organisation. After graduating from university in geology and business management, he spent several years abroad pursuing Arabic and Islamic studies. Since returning to the UK, he has been furthering his studies under notable scholars such as Shaykh Akram al-Nadwi. He has lectured extensively and is a regular teacher at Islamic study courses. He currently works as a Geotechnical Engineer.
Zoulaikha Tawfiq (online tutor)
Dr Zoulaikha Taoufik holds a Ph.D. in Islamic studies from Mohammed V University (Rabat, Morocco). She has more than 20 years’ experience teaching Arabic language to native and non-native speakers. Her expertise in teaching Arabic has been strengthened and deepened, not only by teaching the language, but also by teaching various related subjects, which requires a high level of mastery of Arabic, such as Ulum Al Hadith (with all its branches), Asserah N’nabawiyyah (Biography of the Prophet, SAW), and Quran Recitation according to the proper rules of Tajweed, Memorisation and Explanatory meanings (Tafseer).
She has, consistently, met high standards in teaching Arabic grammar by implementing new methods that have been developed based on scientific / linguistic strategies. She has successfully, implemented a modified version of “TPRS” or “Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Story-telling” in teaching Arabic as a foreign language. She has also Written Arabic poems, Anaasheed and plays to make both learning and teaching Arabic enjoyable and effective.