THREE prominent and respected Muslim scholars arrived in Guyana recently for a countrywide programme. The scholars will be in Guyana from January 6 to 18, and while here will participate in the Rabi-ul-Awal (the month in which the Prophet was born) programmes, which commenced on December 13, 2015 and will climax in May 2016.These scholars are Shaikh Safraz Bacchus Al Azhari (from New York, USA) and Shaykh Yasar Malik and Shaykh Huzaymah Akhtar (from London, England).

The Anna Catherina Islamic Complex AA (ACIC), the Guyana United Sadr Islamic Anjuman (GUSIA), and The Muslim Youth Council, in association with the respective masjids, will be facilitating activities for these observances.

The main programmes with these scholars began yesterday, and will continue until January 17 at Meten-Meer-Zorg (West) Masjid and at the ACIC respectively, while there will be programmes throughout the country.

The delegations will also meet with other Islamic organisations, as well as the Inter-Religious Organisation of Guyana (IRO). While here, they will also pay courtesy calls on several government functionaries, the opposition leader and members of the diplomatic Corps.

An eminent scholar in the ranks of Ulema, Guyana-born Shaykh Safraz Bacchus Al Azhari, now resides in New York, USA, gaining the recognition of one of the most recognised Muslim clerics in the Tri-State Area.

Safraz was born at Patentia, West Bank Demerara, Guyana, and obtained his Islamic education in Egypt at the famed Al Ahzar University, the world’s oldest university. He migrated to the US three years ago to take up the important position of Imam at Masjid Al Abdin, the largest masjid of people of West Indian origin in the Tri-State. He is also a member of the ACIC, and was honoured by the prestigious National Islamic Awards Committee (NIAC) for his work in promoting Islamic education in Guyana.

He has to his credit dozens of CDs and a book. An orthodox Sunni scholar, Safraz remained in constant contact with the Guyanese Muslim community here.

Shaykh Huzaymah Akhtar hails from Stoke, Trent, England. He obtained his LLB from Staffordshire University. He currently stands as a partner of Saints Solicitors LLP and was one of the early graduates of the Suyuti Institute (London).

He studied under His Eminence Huzoor ShaykhZain-ul-Aqtab Siddiqi, Shaykh-ul-Hadith Maulana Shafruddin, and Mufti Rafiq-ul-Hasni.

Akhtar is currently the Vice Chancellor of the Suyuti Institute. He specialises in Islamic History and has also delivered lectures on various topics worldwide, including in South Africa, Australia, Fiji and Dubai.

Shaykh Yasar Malik also obtained his LLB from Staffordshire University, and currently works at Saints Solicitors LLP. Shaykh Yasir also studied under His Eminence Huzoor ShaykhZain-ul-Aqtab Siddiqi, Shaykh-ul-Hadith Maulana Shafruddin and Mufti Rafiq-ul-Hasni. He also studied at Jamia Al Karam and specialises in Fiqh/Islamic rulings, a topic which he now currently teaches at Suyuti.