Visit of His Eminence Shaykh-ul-Islam to MQI Birmingham

2nd June: His Eminence Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri visited MQI Birmingham for a short but deeply impactful sitting (nasiha) with members and representatives of MQI Birmingham and its forums. The event brought together a diverse cross-section of the local community and served as a moment of spiritual reflection and unity.

Local scholars and leaders, including Allama Ashfaq Alam Qadri, Allama Muhammad Bilal Ashrafi Qadri (President, MQI Birmingham), Jaber ul Haq (General Secretary, MQI Birmingham), and senior founding member Haji Muhammad Hanif Sahib, warmly welcomed His Eminence. They were joined by the leadership and respected seniors of MQI UK, including Syed Ali Abbas Bukhari, Zille Hassan (Spain), Shaykh Abu Adam Al-Shiraazi, Ghulam Murtaza, Shahid Mursaleen, Ahsan Khan, and Faiz Alam Qadri (Norway).

In his address, Shaykh-ul-Islam spoke on the foundational concept of faith, focusing on the idea of belief in the unseen as the nucleus of Islam. He explained that while our five senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell) are the means through which we receive information from the world, they do not process this information independently. It is the brain that interprets these inputs, allowing us to understand qualities such as temperature, flavour, or sound. However, both the senses and the brain are limited and interdependent.

His Eminence highlighted that we believe in the existence and function of many internal organs without ever seeing them. In the same way, belief in Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ transcends physical perception and rests upon a deeper truth. This reinforces the idea that not all belief is dependent on physical evidence. He challenged the common assertion that one should only believe in what can be seen or sensed, pointing out that such a view is incomplete and intellectually restrictive. Our intellect (‘Aqal) has boundaries and cannot fully grasp the vastness of reality. Therefore, belief in the unseen, Iman, is not only a cornerstone of our faith but a necessary recognition of the limitations of human understanding. Shaykh-ul-Islam urged attendees to embrace this truth deeply, and to ensure it is conveyed meaningfully to the next generation.

This brief yet profound gathering served as a vital reminder of the spiritual principles that lie at the heart of Islam, and the responsibility we carry to protect and pass them on.