Zakat - What Is The Purpose?

Zakat is a pillar of Islam yet it is little understood. This is not just with regard to the possible complications in calculating Zakat in modern times but mainly because its meaning, purpose and goals have been misunderstood. People generally think that Zakat is there to "purify the wealth" and "alleviate poverty" but these are not the main objectives. Zakat is there for much greater purposes than these. It is these higher purposes or the inner dimensions of Zakat that make Zakat so important that it is one of the pillars of Islam, equivalent to the Salah (Prayer). Zakat is almost always mentioned alongside Salah in the Qur'an. What is this special relationship between Zakat and Salah? And what are the higher purposes of Zakat?

MEOC is pleased to present the forthcoming important seminar on Zakat in association with the National Zakat Foundation (NZF). This seminar is delivered by one of the foremost scholars and thinkers of the western world today: Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Oxford University. No doubt, the seminar will address the outer dimensions or the practical aspects of Zakat. But the focus of the seminar would be the higher purposes or the inner dimensions of Zakat which, if really understood, make Zakat a spiritual goldmine (for self purification - tazkiyyah) and a miracle of Islam.

Zakat - The 3rd Pillar of Islam
The Inner and The Outer Dimensions of Zakat

By Shaykh Dr Mohammed Akram Nadwi

When: Sunday 15th July 2012     Time: 10AM - 6PM

Venue: Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge

Facilities: Free parking, crèche/childcare, book stalls, food stalls, free 2-nights stay at the mosque

Advance/On-line Tickets: From £18 onwards

Register: http://courses.meoc.org.uk

Testimonials

"Alhamdulillah I've attended 3 seminars of Sheikh Akram's so far, and Insha Allah I will keep coming back for more! He was introduced to me by my brother who attends his study circles regularly in Oxford. I loved the seminar on Women scholars in Islam, it was a total eye opener into what a Muslim woman's role in society is, which surprisingly (or not) goes against many cultiural and conventionally held notions of Muslim women. My other favourite one was the tafseer of Surat al Fatiha and the last ten surahs, I will not be exaggerating when I say that I truly found it mind blowing. Sheikh Akram is an absolute treasure trove of knowledge but Masha Allah he always carries himself with the utmost humility. I have already had a look at the list of future seminars and I think MEOC is doing a great job in giving the layman an opportunity to have an exciting insight into the world of Muslim scholarship with its choice of highly intellectual topics. Last but not least, its a great opportunity to meet new people of diverse backgrounds. Well done all of you and may Allah reward you for your efforts." - Dr Fathima Shyma Fazal, Boston, Lincolnshire 

"I have been to two of the CISS courses and can say with certainty that they have been inspiring to the highest degree. Shaikh Akram's style of teaching ensures that you are connected from the start, not only in terms of the relevance of the knowledge he is sharing, but also through the openness of the sessions. He not only shares the important knowledge on the topic but also encourages the questioning of all that knowledge in order to make it relevant for us in today's world. These courses have helped me to reinvigorate and renew my passion for my faith and have encouraged me to continuously seek and apply the vast knowledge there is in Islam." - Rimla Akhtar, Chairperson, Muslim Women's Sport Foundation, London

More Testimonials: http://courses.meoc.org.uk/p/testimonials.html

MEOC is pleased to present this important seminar on Zakat in association with the National Zakat Foundation (NZF). Launched in 2011, NZF is a groundbreaking initiative which aims to utilise Zakat funds and voluntary donations collected in the UK for the benefit of local, deserving recipients. This group includes some of the most vulnerable members of our community, including widows, orphans, refugees, the aged as well as the homeless. The work of NZF covers five core areas which together form an end-to-end service for the Muslim community in the UK with respect to Zakat: Awareness, Education, Calculation, Collection and Distribution. For more information, please visit www.nzf.org.uk. NZF is an initiative of Mercy Mission UK, charity number 1122922.

http://courses.meoc.org.uk <<<<<< Click Here To Register

For The First Time In The UK...

Zakat - The 3rd Pillar of Islam
The Inner and The Outer Dimensions of Zakat

By Shaykh Dr Mohammed Akram Nadwi

When: Sunday 15th July 2012     Time: 10AM - 6PM

Venue: Cambridge

Register: http://courses.meoc.org.uk

Testimonials

"Alhamdulillah I've attended 3 seminars of Sheikh Akram's so far, and Insha Allah I will keep coming back for more! He was introduced to me by my brother who attends his study circles regularly in Oxford. I loved the seminar on Women scholars in Islam, it was a total eye opener into what a Muslim woman's role in society is, which surprisingly (or not) goes against many cultiural and conventionally held notions of Muslim women. My other favourite one was the tafseer of Surat al Fatiha and the last ten surahs, I will not be exaggerating when I say that I truly found it mind blowing. Sheikh Akram is an absolute treasure trove of knowledge but Masha Allah he always carries himself with the utmost humility. I have already had a look at the list of future seminars and I think MEOC is doing a great job in giving the layman an opportunity to have an exciting insight into the world of Muslim scholarship with its choice of highly intellectual topics. Last but not least, its a great opportunity to meet new people of diverse backgrounds. Well done all of you and may Allah reward you for your efforts." - Dr Fathima Shyma Fazal, Boston, Lincolnshire

More Testimonials: http://courses.meoc.org.uk/p/testimonials.html

The Qur'an - How To Approach & Understand It?

Firstly, the Qur'an is unlike any other book. Therefore the approach to reading and understanding the Qur'an has to be different. Realising this is critical to benefiting from the Qur'an. The Qur'an itself alludes to this in many different places.  Secondly, the way Qur'an teaches and instructs is different to what we are generally accustomed to in the modern world. The Qur'an employs what Shaykh Dr Mohammed Akram Nadwi calls the "Immersion Method of Teaching" where the reader or listener is drawn in to be immersed in the context of the message.

Understanding these two important differences of 1. approach/attitude and 2. methodology is fundamental to appreciating the Qur'an and benefiting from it. Sadly many of us have no clear idea about this and therefore we do not have the thirst to drink from the fountains of the Qur'an. THE QUR'AN IS THE SOURCE OF GUIDANCE. To be not drawn to the Qur'an is one of the greatest misfortunes and calamities that can ever befall us. We read and study every other book apart from the Qur'an, which is the message from our Lord to each one of us. But how can we straight thinking people do that?

So this your unique opportunity to undertake this lifetime journey with a seminar on the detailed study of the Qur'an conducted by one of the most competent and respected teachers today - Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi. You will come out of the seminar with a brilliant framework to study and understand whole of the Qur'an in a way that may have seem impossible in the beginning.

This seminar will transform your thinking! Book your place now.

The Qur'an - Book of Instructions

How to Approach, Reflect & Benefit from The Qur'an

By Shaykh Dr Mohammed Akram Nadwi

When: Saturday 16th June 2012       Time: 10AM - 6PM

Venue: Cambridge University

Register: http://courses.meoc.org.uk

Testimonials

"I thought the course was really excellent, with a speaker in command of such vast knowledge of the topic.  The organisation was also very good in every way." - Helen Gramy, London

"Salam alaykum, sheikh Akram's scholarly and practical approach to Islam has been inspirational and has helped improve the way in which I approach and deal with issues." - Nurudeen Afinowi, Cambridge

"Jazak'Allah khair for a fabulous seminar. I truly enjoyed it and it was very much worth the trek from London to Cambridge"  - Antti Kangaslahti, London

"I have been to two of the CISS courses and can say with certainty that they have been inspiring to the highest degree. Shaikh Akram's style of teaching ensures that you are connected from the start, not only in terms of the relevance of the knowledge he is sharing, but also through the openness of the sessions. He not only shares the important knowledge on the topic but also encourages the questioning of all that knowledge in order to make it relevant for us in today's world. These courses have helped me to reinvigorate and renew my passion for my faith and have encouraged me to continuously seek and apply the vast knowledge there is in Islam." - Rimla Akhtar, Chairperson, Muslim Women's Sport Foundation, London

More Testimonials: http://courses.meoc.org.uk/p/testimonials.html

Previous Posts

Why Does The Qur'an Seem Incoherent To Many Muslims?

The Secret to Understanding The Qur’an

Why Does The Qur'an Seem Incoherent To Many Muslims?

"Many people must have bought a translation of the Qur'an in the hope of gaining a better understanding of Islam, only to abandon it in desperation after reading at most a few dozen pages. It is for them that this book has been written. It is in three parts. ... The third is about the structure and coherence of the Qur'an, showing how there is in fact structure to material which often seems random and arbitrary..." - Professor Neal Robinson, Author of Discovering The Qur'an, 1996

Qur'an is no ordinary book and therefore it does not conform to the style, format or the structure of any ordinary book. When people start reading The Qur'an (especially a translation) with the framework of an ordinary book in mind (which often has a sequential structure) they may be confused by this non-conformance and stop reading. This is the case with even Muslims although many would not admit it. That is one major reason why the vast majority of Muslims remain ignorant of the meanings of the Qur'an except for a few short surahs.

The Qur'an has its own divine arrangement - unique style, format and structure. The arrangement is not chronological in order. Sometimes latter surahs come before earlier surahs and even the ayahs within a surah are not chronological. Also the Qur'an seems to jump from one theme to another and one story to another within the same surah. This is very puzzling for many people. Knowing the style, format and structure of the Qur'an is the key to understanding the Qur'an. But can these skills be acquired by reading a translation or referring to a particular Tafsir or reading any other book? Sadly not because this requires a competent teacher to explain the details in a way which books by themselves will not be able to do justice.

So this your unique opportunity to undertake this lifetime journey with a seminar on the detailed study of the Qur'an conducted by one of the most competent and respected teachers today - Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi. You will come out of the seminar with a brilliant framework to study and understand whole of the Qur'an in a way that may have seem impossible in the beginning. So please don't miss this absolutely vital seminar that will shape your relationship with the Qur'an for the rest of your life. This is also your opportunity to connect to the Qur'an with a chain linking all the way back to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) then Jibreel (AS) to Allah (SWT) Himself.

The Qur'an - Book of Instructions

How to Approach, Reflect & Benefit from The Qur'an

By Shaykh Dr Mohammed Akram Nadwi

When: Saturday 16th June 2012       Time: 10AM - 6PM

Venue: Cambridge University

Register: http://courses.meoc.org.uk

"Shaykh Mohammad Akram Nadwi is a great asset to the Muslims in the UK and his 57 volume work on al-Muhaddithaat (The Women Scholars of Islam) is no doubt going to be a lasting legacy of this great man. I had the blessed opportunity of spending a day with him recently; he is one of those few individuals who in a short period of time can change your entire thinking. May Allah bless the brothers and sisters in Cambridge and those in Oxford who organise and help the Shaykh in his works." - Nasar Ishfaq, Manchester 

"This was an excellent course. The course progressed at a good pace and the amount of time allowed for questions was appropriate. In addition to the content, much of the benefit of these courses is from the aproach, experience and perspective of the shaykh. He is humble, approachable and good-humoured. He is clearly steeped in knowledge but his courses are never purely about information - he emphasises the fact that our purpose is to live for the afterlife. Jazakumullahu khayran for your efforts." - Naveed Khan, Cambridge 

"Jazakumullah khair for the efforts of the MEOC for arranging these blessed gatherings of knowledge. The seminars I've attended so far have several elements that make them very special, starting from the choice of topics themselves which cater to the more profound needs of the people rather than addressing some superficial issues that seem to be more fashionable today. Even the content of the seminars and the manner of teaching by Shaikh Akram Nadwi are directly focussed towards developing a deeper understanding of these issues. In these seminars, one gets a glimpse of the years of learning that have gone into the brilliant scholarship of Shaikh Nadwi. Furthermore his knowledge seems to be blessed by an acute understanding of the needs of the Ummah. The seminar on the 'Legacy of Ibrahim (a.s.)' was exceptionally beautiful, wherein, the Shaikh in his own words confessed that he was attempting to transmit, not knowledge, but the state of his heart, to the others present. While the knowledge and the insight that one gains into the Qur'an, the Sunnah and the history of Muslims through these seminars is invaluable, I personally feel that these sessions are more than just one-day courses. I am inclined to call them gatherings of Remembrance of Allah, and we all know the blessings of such gatherings!" - Mohini Verma, PhD Student, Cambridge University

More Testimonials: http://courses.meoc.org.uk/p/testimonials.html