Last month, the annual meeting of the members of Al-Mawrid US was held in Dallas. This meeting lasted for two days, and all General Body members attended. The secretary of Al- Mawrid America, Mr. Ali Farooq, invited the Chairman of the Al-Mawrid board, Mr. Mukaram Aziz, to deliver the inaugural speech at the central session. He welcomed the participants on behalf of the board and expressed his and the board’s commitment to diligently work for the growth and development of the institution. Mr. Mukaram Aziz also presented a detailed report on the financial affairs of the year 2024.
Mr. Farhan Saiyed, the Executive Director and CEO of Al-Mawrid US, presented the institution’s annual performance report, followed by a detailed explanation of the activities related to Ghamidi GPT, online educational courses, AI dubbing, English content, and book publishing and sales. The participants appreciated the performance and noted that achieving such extraordinary results with a limited team is commendable.
Subsequently, Mr. Atif Sajid, a member of the Education Committee, presented the annual educational performance report regarding Sunday School. Mr. Umair Ajmal provided details about IT-related matters.
Mr. Muhammad Hassan Ilyas, the Director of Research and Communication of the Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning, elaborated on the institution’s goals, objectives, and plans. He emphasized that they strive to repeatedly remind people that their organization does not promote religion globally from any specific sectarian, factional, or narrow perspective to form a religious faction. Instead, their core identity is the same as that of general Muslims worldwide, and the institution stands in continuity with the scholarly tradition of the Muslim Ummah. Additionally, he detailed the past year’s activities concerning digital content, social media, audiobooks, documentaries, journals, and the preparation and recording of programs and books in Urdu, English, and Arabic.
Javed Ahmed Ghamidi commended the work of those affiliated with Al-Mawrid US and prayed for their success. While mentioning his recent and future academic and literary projects, he stated that today’s young generation is significantly influenced by atheism.
Therefore, there is a need for a series on atheism, similar to the 23 Objections Series. Hence, after completing the 23 Objections Video Series, he plans to record a dedicated video series on atheism.
Javed Ahmed Ghamidi Visits Bahrain
Last month, on his return from Pakistan, Javed Ahmed Ghamidi stayed in Bahrain for two days. Mr. Muhammad Hassan Ilyas, the Director of Research and Communication of the Ghamidi Center, accompanied him. During his stay in Bahrain, Javed Ahmed Ghamidi attended various gatherings where people asked questions related to religious and social topics, particularly concerning the thoughts and teachings of Maulana Maududi. Furthermore, discussions on Sufi and Salafi interpretations also took place.
Online Session with Friends of Al-Mawrid India
In December 2024, Javed Ahmed Ghamidi and Muhammad Hassan Ilyas participated in an online session with the friends of Al-Mawrid India. It was a Q&A session in which some associates of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind also participated. Participants asked Javed Ahmed Ghamidi and Hassan Ilyas various academic and intellectual questions. This session lasted for approximately one and a half hours.
Voice of Research
The Ghamidi Center has initiated an online seminar series titled Voice of Research to foster a research- oriented and scholarly environment. Researchers and scholars can present their studies in this seminar. The aim is to cultivate a research culture through a critical thinking approach and dialogue. Last month, Dr. Ammar Khan Nasir delivered an academic and intellectual discussion on the topic of ‘the Issue of Blasphemy’ and answered questions posed by the audience. These seminars are conducted on an online app, Zoom, and interested individuals can join live to ask questions.
Mr. Arshad Mahmood Visits Ghamidi Center
The Ghamidi Center wishes to dispel the religious sensitivities prevalent in society regarding the fine arts. In pursuit of this objective, Mr. Arshad Mahmood, the well-known Pakistani artist and musician, was invited to the Ghamidi Center. On this occasion, he recorded a program with Mr. Hassan Ilyas discussing various aspects of fine arts, as well as his personal life. Moreover, he expressed his views on Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s academic and intellectual contributions. The recording of this program can be viewed on the Ghamidi Center’s YouTube channel.
Participation of Al-Mawrid India in the Educational Expo, Aurangabad
In December 2024, Al-Mawrid India set up a bookstall at the Educational Expo in Aurangabad, India. Along with the publications of Al-Mawrid India, the books of the Ghamidi Center were also displayed at this bookstall. A large number of people visited the stall and purchased books.
Fundamental Principles of Knowledge and Reasoning in Religion
In this essay, Syed Manzoor ul Hassan has articulated two fundamental principles of knowledge and reasoning in religion, which serve as the foundations of reason and transmission and without which access to a correct understanding of religion and Shariah is impossible. Discussing the first principle, he writes that in religion, the Quran holds the status of the criterion (Furqan) and the scale (Mizan). Therefore, every statement, narration, and opinion of Hadiths, historical accounts, and Tafsir will be evaluated against this criterion. Secondly, the Quran has been revealed in plain and clear Arabic. It presents its message with complete clarity, leaving no difficulty for scholars to understand. He has attributed most of the misconceptions in traditional schools of thought to the neglect of these principles. This essay can be read in the December 2024 issue of Ishraq America.
Tafheem al-Athar Series
Under the auspices of the Ghamidi Center, the Tafheem al-Athar series focused on the study of traditions regarding the recitation of the Quran in last month’s programs. Discussions included
Ten-Day Khanqah Program at the Ghamidi Center
In December 2024, the Ghamidi Center organized a ten-day Khanqah program. Mr. Moiz Amjad served as an instructor for this program. Critical topics such as “Controlling Anger and Reactions,” “Proper Time Management,” “Child Training,” “Balancing Home and Job,” and “Searching for the Purpose of Life” were discussed. This program ran from December 21, 2024, to December 30, 2024, and many people participated with their children.
key points such as “How long should it take to complete the recitation of the Quran?” “Responding to verses during recitation,” “Reciting certain verses repeatedly during recitation,” and “Arranging prayers upon completing the recitation of the Quran.” Recordings of these sessions are available on the Ghamidi Center’s YouTube channel.
Islam Study Circle
In December 2024, Dr. Shehzad Saleem addressed several topics in the “Islam Study Circle” program, including “Attaining Nearness to Allah,” “Wealth as a Test,” and “Helping Others.” At the end of the session, there was a discussion on “Confronting Hatred,” along with a Q&A related to the topics covered. The recording of this session is available on the Ghamidi Center’s YouTube channel.
Reasons for Criticism of Jamaat-e-Islami
In the latest episode of Hayat-e-Amin, published last month, Mr. Naeem Ahmad Baloch initially outlined the reasons for criticism of Jamaat-e-Islami, citing opinions from various scholars. He writes that a major reason for criticism was that Maulana Maududi was the first to declare the establishment of an Islamic government as a religious obligation. Building on this viewpoint, Maududi authored his book Tajdeed-o-Ahyaye Din, asserting that previous efforts at religious revival were either oblivious to this obligation or did not give it the importance it warranted. This article can be read in the December 2024 issue of Ishraq America.
Capital Punishment
In the ongoing “23 Objections” video series by the Ghamidi Center, a new topic titled “Capital Punishment” has been introduced. In last month’s sessions, Javed Ahmed Ghamidi presented arguments supporting his stance that in Islam, the death penalty is permissible only for murder and corruption on earth. He also discussed the context and audience of the verse supporting this position and addressed objections raised by scholars. Recordings of these sessions are available on the Ghamidi Center’s YouTube channel.
Jamaat-e-Islami: Past, Present, and Future
This topic has been a focus of the weekly live Q&A sessions held under the auspices of the Ghamidi Center. A comprehensive discussion on the past, present, and future of Jamaat-e-Islami and various aspects of Maulana Maududi’s life has recently been concluded, spanning 13 sessions. Key topics such as “The History and Challenges of Jamaat-e- Islami,” “Objectives Resolution as Jamaat’s Major Achievement,” and “The Death Sentence of Maulana Maududi” were discussed. Recordings of these sessions can be viewed on the institution’s YouTube channel.
Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s Weekly Q&A Sessions
Weekly live Q&A sessions are held by the Ghamidi Center, where Mr. Hassan Ilyas presents various questions received by the Center to Javed Ahmed Ghamidi, who provides detailed answers. In December 2024, these sessions covered topics such as “The Recent Rebellion in Syria,” “Islam’s Perspective on Governments Established by Coercion,” “Who Were the Kharijites,” “Does the Punishment for Corruption on Earth Apply to Rebels in a Democratic Government?” and “Under What Circumstances Can Rebellion Be Justified?” Recordings of these sessions can be accessed on the institution’s YouTube channel.
Audio Recording of Mutala-e-Seerat
This book, authored by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, has been narrated by Dr. Khalid Zaheer, and its audio recording is being serially published on the Ghamidi Center’s YouTube channel. Fifteen episodes have been released so far, which can be viewed on the channel.
Teaching Al-Bayan in English
Last month, Dr. Shehzad Saleem delivered lectures in English on verses 23–59 of Surah Al-Nisa from Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s exegesis Al-Bayan. Recordings of these sessions are available on the Ghamidi Center’s YouTube channel.
Weekly Quran and Hadith Study Sessions
In December 2024, Javed Ahmed Ghamidi conducted live Quran and Hadith study sessions, covering verses 37–88 of Surah Maryam. During the Hadith study sessions, he discussed significant topics such as “The Trial of Gog and Magog,” “The Emergence of Gog and Magog,” “The Day of Judgment and the Descent of Jesus,” “Ten Major Signs of the End Times,” and “The Context of the Emergence of Dajjal.” Recordings of these sessions are available on the YouTube channel.
Asl al-Usul Lectures
In December 2024, Dr. Shehzad Saleem recorded two lectures in English on “Asl al-Usul” as part of the Meezan Lecture Series. These lectures can be viewed on the Ghamidi Center’s YouTube channel.
Ghamidi Center’s Online Educational Courses
In December 2024, the Ghamidi Center launched two courses in English on its online learning platforms Udemy and Teachable. The courses, titled Principles of Understanding the Quran and Morals & Morality, are now available. The first course, recorded by Dr. Shehzad Saleem, is accessible on both platforms, while the second, featuring AI-generated audio, is available exclusively on Teachable. To enhance the appeal of these courses, the videos have been edited in
Online Private Consultation Sessions with Dr. Shehzad Saleem
Every month, Dr. Shehzad Saleem conducts online private consultation sessions where individuals seek his advice on various personal and family-related issues. Last month, over 20 such sessions were held. During these sessions, participants consulted him regarding challenges faced by parents and solutions to adolescent problems.
Ilm o Hikmat: Javed Ahmed Ghamidi Kay Saath
The topics of Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s weekly program “Ilm o Hikmat: Javed Ahmed Ghamidi Kay Saath (Knowledge and Wisdom: With Javed Ahmed Ghamidi) broadcasted on Dunya News last month included “Addressing Objections to Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s Concept of Sunnah,” “Philosophical Influences of Plato on Muslims,” and “Rights of Minorities in Islam.” Key questions discussed in these programs included:
Is it appropriate to interpret and explain Islam using science or philosophy? How is something classified as innovation (bid’ah)? Should Hadith or Fiqh serve as the criterion for verifying Sunnah? Why is prayer not included in the list of Sunnah?
Recordings of these programs are available on the Ghamidi Center’s YouTube channel.
Ask Dr. Shehzad Saleem
This is a live monthly Q&A session where Dr. Shehzad Saleem answers questions on various religious, ethical, and social topics. Participants can ask questions in both Urdu and English.
Issuance of Fatwas Based on Religious Opinions
The Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning, USA, is often contacted for legal applications of Shariah, such as matters related to marriage and divorce, inheritance, and other economic and social issues. Last month, five fatwas were issued for such needs. These were prepared by Hassan Ilyas in light of Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s thought.
a modern style. These courses are offered at affordable prices on the Ghamidi Center’s Teachable website and Udemy.
Recorded Lectures by Dr. Shehzad Saleem on Various Topics
Shehzad Saleem regularly records lectures in English on religious, ethical, and social topics. In December 2024, he recorded lectures on the topics:
How to Excel as a Human Being? Humanity
These lectures can be viewed on the Ghamidi Center’s YouTube channel.