✍️ Sulaiman Qureshi
In the current era, when the world is rapidly coming closer and different civilizations are entering a new phase of mutual interaction, the importance of such academic and cultural institutions increases, which promote knowledge, dialogue, and mutual respect. In view of this need, the "Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center" has been established in the heart of Doha, the capital of Qatar, which is commonly known as "Al-Fanar". Due to its unique architecture and invitational activities, this center appears like a bright minaret on the horizon of Doha, the main purpose of which is to present the moderate and universal teachings of Islam to the whole world.
The academic and intellectual background of this great institution is linked to the personality of Qatar's renowned religious scholar and former Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud (1909-1997). Sheikh devoted his entire life to the propagation of religious knowledge, social reform, and religious guidance, and he is always remembered in Qatari academic circles as a moderate and insightful scholar. This center was established to keep his academic and invitational tradition alive and to advance it according to contemporary requirements, so that the true and balanced image of Islam can be highlighted globally.
While the academic stature of the center is impressive, the Al-Fanar building is also famous worldwide due to its unique spiral-shaped minaret. It is inspired by the spiral minaret of the famous "Great Mosque of Samarra" in the city of Samarra, Iraq, where a glimpse of ancient Islamic architecture and modern engineering is found, which makes it one of the most prominent landmarks of Doha. This artistic uniqueness is why many tourists are drawn to this building, captivated by its charm, and try to learn about its background.
Since Qatar is home to people of different nationalities and languages, Al-Fanar has not limited its invitational activities to Arabic only, but has based it on multilingual foundations. Here, lessons and training programs are organized in languages such as Urdu, English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Filipino, Bengali and Telugu so that the message of truth can reach people in their own mother tongue. A special feature of the center's activities is that their approach is based on wisdom and gentleness instead of being argumentative, which feels more acceptable and pleasant to people from different backgrounds. This moderate temperament and broad-mindedness of invitation and reform is also seen in the identity of the well-known academic institution of the subcontinent, *Madar-e-Ilmi Jamia Darussalam Oomerabad*. Just as Jamia Darussalam has provided a purely academic and broad-minded environment, transcending sectarian prejudices, in its century-long history, similarly Al-Fanar has adopted a balanced and serious style in the field of invitation.
Alongside all these invitational efforts, the teaching of the Holy Quran and the understanding of the language have the status of a backbone in the educational structure of the center. Here, not only are regular Arabic classes arranged for the intellectual and linguistic development of children and youth, but also those luminous circles of memorizing the Quran are established where education is given according to authentic principles of Tajweed and Qira'at. The main purpose of these circles is not only to memorize the words, but to create such a deep spiritual connection with the Quran in the hearts of the new generation that it can become a source of guidance in their practical lives. This is the reason why this center became the center of global attention especially during the FIFA World Cup 2022 held in Qatar. Special programs, mosque tours and cultural gatherings were arranged here for sports fans coming from all over the world, through which thousands of non-Muslim guests were made aware of the basic introduction of Islam.
As a result of this global influence of the center, renowned Islamic personalities such as Dr. Zakir Naik, Mufti Ismail Menk and Yusuf Islam have been visiting here from time to time. However, the changing challenges of the present era require that institutions like Al-Fanar further expand their academic and research activities. There is a need for deep academic dialogue, especially regarding modern intellectual discussions and doubts found in Western societies. If the center pays attention to the establishment of permanent research journals, global conferences and a strong "IT Cell", then the message of Islam can be presented globally in a much more organized and effective manner. May Allah Almighty accept all the sincere efforts of this center and keep it a bright beacon of knowledge and guidance for humanity till the Day of Judgment. Amen.
Sources and References
This article is a comprehensive "extract and summary" of the following authentic references and academic sources, which has been arranged for the convenience of the readers:
The official website of the center (Al-Fanar), Doha - Qatar. www.binzaid.gov.qa
Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs - Qatar. The annual report of the Ministry, Doha, 2023 AD.
Gulf-Times.com Special report of Al-Fanar Center, Date of Publication: January 11, 2023 AD.
The official website of the University (Jamia Darussalam), Oomerabad - India. www.jamiadarussalam.net
In the current era, when the world is rapidly coming closer and different civilizations are entering a new phase of mutual interaction, the importance of such academic and cultural institutions increases, which promote knowledge, dialogue, and mutual respect. In view of this need, the "Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center" has been established in the heart of Doha, the capital of Qatar, which is commonly known as "Al-Fanar". Due to its unique architecture and invitational activities, this center appears like a bright minaret on the horizon of Doha, the main purpose of which is to present the moderate and universal teachings of Islam to the whole world.
The academic and intellectual background of this great institution is linked to the personality of Qatar's renowned religious scholar and former Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud (1909-1997). Sheikh devoted his entire life to the propagation of religious knowledge, social reform, and religious guidance, and he is always remembered in Qatari academic circles as a moderate and insightful scholar. This center was established to keep his academic and invitational tradition alive and to advance it according to contemporary requirements, so that the true and balanced image of Islam can be highlighted globally.
While the academic stature of the center is impressive, the Al-Fanar building is also famous worldwide due to its unique spiral-shaped minaret. It is inspired by the spiral minaret of the famous "Great Mosque of Samarra" in the city of Samarra, Iraq, where a glimpse of ancient Islamic architecture and modern engineering is found, which makes it one of the most prominent landmarks of Doha. This artistic uniqueness is why many tourists are drawn to this building, captivated by its charm, and try to learn about its background.
Since Qatar is home to people of different nationalities and languages, Al-Fanar has not limited its invitational activities to Arabic only, but has based it on multilingual foundations. Here, lessons and training programs are organized in languages such as Urdu, English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Filipino, Bengali and Telugu so that the message of truth can reach people in their own mother tongue. A special feature of the center's activities is that their approach is based on wisdom and gentleness instead of being argumentative, which feels more acceptable and pleasant to people from different backgrounds. This moderate temperament and broad-mindedness of invitation and reform is also seen in the identity of the well-known academic institution of the subcontinent, *Madar-e-Ilmi Jamia Darussalam Oomerabad*. Just as Jamia Darussalam has provided a purely academic and broad-minded environment, transcending sectarian prejudices, in its century-long history, similarly Al-Fanar has adopted a balanced and serious style in the field of invitation.
Alongside all these invitational efforts, the teaching of the Holy Quran and the understanding of the language have the status of a backbone in the educational structure of the center. Here, not only are regular Arabic classes arranged for the intellectual and linguistic development of children and youth, but also those luminous circles of memorizing the Quran are established where education is given according to authentic principles of Tajweed and Qira'at. The main purpose of these circles is not only to memorize the words, but to create such a deep spiritual connection with the Quran in the hearts of the new generation that it can become a source of guidance in their practical lives. This is the reason why this center became the center of global attention especially during the FIFA World Cup 2022 held in Qatar. Special programs, mosque tours and cultural gatherings were arranged here for sports fans coming from all over the world, through which thousands of non-Muslim guests were made aware of the basic introduction of Islam.
As a result of this global influence of the center, renowned Islamic personalities such as Dr. Zakir Naik, Mufti Ismail Menk and Yusuf Islam have been visiting here from time to time. However, the changing challenges of the present era require that institutions like Al-Fanar further expand their academic and research activities. There is a need for deep academic dialogue, especially regarding modern intellectual discussions and doubts found in Western societies. If the center pays attention to the establishment of permanent research journals, global conferences and a strong "IT Cell", then the message of Islam can be presented globally in a much more organized and effective manner. May Allah Almighty accept all the sincere efforts of this center and keep it a bright beacon of knowledge and guidance for humanity till the Day of Judgment. Amen.
Sources and References
This article is a comprehensive "extract and summary" of the following authentic references and academic sources, which has been arranged for the convenience of the readers:
The official website of the center (Al-Fanar), Doha - Qatar. www.binzaid.gov.qa
Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs - Qatar. The annual report of the Ministry, Doha, 2023 AD.
Gulf-Times.com Special report of Al-Fanar Center, Date of Publication: January 11, 2023 AD.
The official website of the University (Jamia Darussalam), Oomerabad - India. www.jamiadarussalam.net
