As-salamu Alaykum Brothers and Sisters,
Unity Foundation are proud to announce a free day of learning not to be missed…
‘Taqwa and Knowledge’ by Imam al-Haddad’ - Taught by Shaykh Abdul Aziz Ahmed *
With Shaykh Abdul Aziz Ahmed at the helm, Kitaba are poised to launch their third book, Taqwa and Knowledge by Imam al-Haddad in Preston on Saturday July, 31st 2010.
The book is a translation of the blind scholar's text entitled ‘al-Nasâih al-Dîniyyah’ and contains a foreword by the Imam of the Ba Alawi Mosque, Singapore, al-Habib Hasan al-Attas.
The Shaykh will teach from the book itself on the day in an interactive program that will include question and answer sessions.
The day course is free to attend, with food and refreshments provided.
Brother and Sisters, of all ages are welcome; please encourage your friends and family to attend.
Brothers and Sisters with visual impairments will be catered for on the day and a British Sign Language translator will be present on the day too.
In order to avoid disappointment we advise that you reserve your place on the
course well in advance by emailing Info@unityfoundation.co.uk or texting 07794949217
Please find further detail below:
Event date: Saturday 31st July 2010
Time: 10am to 5pm
Venue: The University of Central Lancashire
Harris Building
Lecture theatre, Room 155
Corporation Street
Preston, Lancashire
PR1 2HE
Cost: Free event
* Shaykh Abdul Aziz Ahmed
Born and educated in Nottingham. He qualified as a teacher from Leicester and has taught in England, Scotland, USA, South Africa and Saudi Arabia. Shaykh Abdul Aziz has travelled extensively and has studied in Tunisa, Hijaz, Yemen, Turkey and East Africa. His teachers include Al-Habib Ahmed Mashur Al Haddad (Jeddah), Shaykh Abdul Rahman Al Khitamy (Kenya), Fethullah Gulen (Turkey), Abdul Qasim Bin Zein (Qairnawan, Tunisia) and he also has spent 10 years with Shaykh Mahmud Galal, a lecturer at Al Azhar. He has translated the Al Risalah Al Jamiah of Ahmed Bin Zein Al Habashi and edited books from Riali Al Nur, and speeches by Fethullah Gulen.
Shaykh Abdul Aziz Ahmed is a teacher specialising in supporting children with Additional Support Needs in mainstream schools in Scotland and has wide experience of management in education and with several voluntary organisations in various parts of the world. He has been involved in publishing, translating and editing Islamic journals and books. He has travelled widely seeking and teaching traditional Islamic knowledge.
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The book will be available in standard print, accessible text and Braille (Duxberry file) formats before Ramadan (August 2010) and in audio format later in the year. The Kitaba team will be launching the book across Europe at various venues including Bradford, Walsall, Oldham and Lillehammer (Norway). Shaykh Abdul Aziz Ahmed will also be teaching the text in Preston, Copenhagen and Glasgow during the coming months.
Kitaba - Islamic Texts for the Blind believe that all people with visual impairments should be empowered and should be able to participate fully in cultural, community and religious activities. They recognise that Muslims with visual impairments have to overcome many barriers. These include:
* Discrimination and negative perceptions
* Lack of awareness of their individual needs
* Inability to associate with or to identify with the Muslim community
* Social isolation
* Lack of accessibility to appropriate learning materials
* Stagnation
* Lack of resources
* Lack of support structures
* Lack of support for families/ carers
* Other medical conditions/ compounded additional needs
They have established a social enterprise community project dedicated to empowering and promoting the growth and wellbeing of visually impaired Muslims and their communities through meeting their religious, educational and developmental needs, thereby advancing accessibility and awareness. Their primary focus is on providing accessibility to information and knowledge relevant to their Islamic needs. They also support families, teachers and other service providers who are supporting Muslims with a visual impairment.