Zaki Badawi
Encyclopedia
Sheikh
Mohammed Aboulkhair Zaki Badawi ,
KBE
, GCFO
(14 January 1922 – 24 January 2006) was a prominent Egyptian
Islam
ic scholar, community
activist, and promoter of interfaith
-dialogue. He was the principal of the Muslim College
in London
, which he founded in 1986. He also was a frequent writer and broadcaster on Islamic affairs.
, Badawi trained at al-Azhar University
in Cairo
, gaining an undergraduate degree
in Theology
. He received the King Farouk
First Prize for the best undergraduate student, and obtained subsequently a master's degree
in Arabic Language and Literature
in 1947 at the same university. He again received the King Farouk First Prize for the best postgraduate student. He moved to the United Kingdom
in 1951 and studied Psychology
at University College London
, obtaining his B.Sc.
degree in 1954 and a Ph.D.
degree in Modern Muslim Thought
from the University of London
.
in Singapore
and in Kuala Lumpur
. In 1964 he became Professor of Islamic Education at Ahmadu Bello University
, Northern Nigeria
and Professor of Islamic Education and Dean of Arts at Bayero College, Nigeria. In 1976, Badawi went to London
as research professor for the Hajj Research Centre of the King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia
.
In 1978, Badawi was appointed director of the Islamic Cultural Centre
(ICC) and Chief Imam
of the London Central Mosque
in Regents Park. In this period, He participated in establishing the Shariah Council as a facility to reconcile conflicts between Islamic law
and the British civil code. Badawi was elected chairman of the Imams and Mosques Council by the National Conference of Imams and Mosque Officials of the UK in 1984.
In 1982, Badawi joined the board of the Islamic Banking System
in Luxembourg
. He participated in negotiations with the Bank of England
to establish the first Islamic financial institution licensed in the United Kingdom, the Islamic Finance House (IFH). Badawi managed the IFH for three years, and has published and lectured on banking, finance and business ethics with regard to Muslim law. He was also guest professor in business ethics
to MBA students at Cranfield University
Business School.
In 1986, Badawi established the Muslim College in London and became its director. The college became a postgraduate school for the training of imam
s and Muslim teachers in the West. The curriculum
includes the study of both Islam and Western society, and emphasizes interfaith dialogue. Badawi co-edited Encounter Magazine with news on interfaith meetings, and edited the Islamic Quarterly for four years. He often contributed to daily newspapers, and he published and lectured on a wide range of issues, including various conflicts, Islam in Britain, Salman Rushdie's novel The Satanic Verses
, female genital cutting
, democracy
, the rights of the fetus, and human rights
.
Badawi also chaired The Arabic Forum, the Islamic Religious Council and the National Council for the Welfare of Muslim Prisoners, established in 2001. He was a co-founder of the Three Faiths Forum, vice chairman of the World Congress of Faiths and director/trustee of the Forum Against Islamophobia and Racism (FAIR).
Badawi was a well-known voice for religious moderation and tolerance, and was the first prominent Muslim to criticize imams in the UK who did not teach in English. He also offered sanctuary to author Salman Rushdie who was facing death threats from many Muslims.
In July 2005, soon after the London bombings
, on 7 July, Badawi was refused entry into the US, upon arrival, having already been issued a visa. The US Customs and Border Protection office said Badawi had been refused entry to the country based on information indicating that he was "inadmissible". He accepted an apology from the United States government for his denial of entry into the country, at a time when he was scheduled to speak at a conference in the US.
Badawi died in London on 24 January 2006.
(KBE) in 2004. He also was appointed by The Duke of Castro
as Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I
(GCFO) in recognition of his interfaith work.
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
Mohammed Aboulkhair Zaki Badawi ,
KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, GCFO
Royal Order of Francis I
The Royal Order of Francis I is a dynastic Order of Knighthood of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies...
(14 January 1922 – 24 January 2006) was a prominent Egyptian
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic scholar, community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
activist, and promoter of interfaith
Interfaith
The term interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels...
-dialogue. He was the principal of the Muslim College
Muslim College
The Muslim College is an Islamic seminary situated in Ealing, West London, that provides Islamic education and training programmes for its students. Established by Sheikh Prof. M.A. Zaki Badawi, the Muslim College incorporates traditional and contemporary Islamic approaches to deliver its syllabi....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, which he founded in 1986. He also was a frequent writer and broadcaster on Islamic affairs.
Early life and education
Born in EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Badawi trained at al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University is an educational institute in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 970~972 as a madrasa, it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. It is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. In 1961 non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.It is...
in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, gaining an undergraduate degree
Undergraduate degree
An undergraduate degree is a colloquial term for an academic degree taken by a person who has completed undergraduate courses. It is usually offered at an institution of higher education, such as a university...
in Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. He received the King Farouk
Farouk of Egypt
Farouk I of Egypt , was the tenth ruler from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty and the penultimate King of Egypt and Sudan, succeeding his father, Fuad I, in 1936....
First Prize for the best undergraduate student, and obtained subsequently a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Arabic Language and Literature
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
in 1947 at the same university. He again received the King Farouk First Prize for the best postgraduate student. He moved to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1951 and studied Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, obtaining his B.Sc.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in 1954 and a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree in Modern Muslim Thought
Islamic Modernism
Islamic Modernism is a movement that has been described as "the first Muslim ideological response" to the cultural challenges which attempts to reconcile Islamic faith with modern values regarding nationalism, democracy, civil rights, rationality, equality and progress...
from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
.
Career and further life
After his education, Badawi returned to al-Azhar University to teach Muslim Thought and Scientific Research Methods. He established a Muslim College in Malaysia, and taught Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of MalayaUniversity of Malaya
The University of Malaya is located on a campus near the centre of Kuala Lumpur, and is the oldest university in Malaysia. It was founded in 1905 as a public-funded tertiary institution...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. In 1964 he became Professor of Islamic Education at Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University is the largest university in Nigeria and second largest in Africa, second only to Cairo University, Egypt. It is situated in Zaria. It was founded on October 4, 1962 as the University of Northern Nigeria....
, Northern Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and Professor of Islamic Education and Dean of Arts at Bayero College, Nigeria. In 1976, Badawi went to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
as research professor for the Hajj Research Centre of the King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
In 1978, Badawi was appointed director of the Islamic Cultural Centre
Islamic Cultural Centre
The Islamic Cultural Centre is a centre for Muslims located in London, England, opened in 1944. It is part of the London Central Mosque, having been annexed...
(ICC) and Chief Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
of the London Central Mosque
London Central Mosque
The London Central Mosque is a mosque in North London, England. It was designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd, completed in 1978, and has a prominent golden dome. The main hall can hold over five thousand worshippers, with women praying on a balcony overlooking the hall...
in Regents Park. In this period, He participated in establishing the Shariah Council as a facility to reconcile conflicts between Islamic law
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
and the British civil code. Badawi was elected chairman of the Imams and Mosques Council by the National Conference of Imams and Mosque Officials of the UK in 1984.
In 1982, Badawi joined the board of the Islamic Banking System
Islamic banking
Islamic banking is banking or banking activity that is consistent with the principles of Islamic law and its practical application through the development of Islamic economics. Sharia prohibits the fixed or floating payment or acceptance of specific interest or fees for loans of money...
in Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
. He participated in negotiations with the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
to establish the first Islamic financial institution licensed in the United Kingdom, the Islamic Finance House (IFH). Badawi managed the IFH for three years, and has published and lectured on banking, finance and business ethics with regard to Muslim law. He was also guest professor in business ethics
Business ethics
Business ethics is a form of applied ethics or professional ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment. It applies to all aspects of business conduct and is relevant to the conduct of individuals and entire organizations.Business...
to MBA students at Cranfield University
Cranfield University
Cranfield University is a British postgraduate university based on two campuses, with a research-oriented focus. The main campus is at Cranfield, Bedfordshire and the second is the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom based at Shrivenham, Oxfordshire. The main campus is unique in the United...
Business School.
In 1986, Badawi established the Muslim College in London and became its director. The college became a postgraduate school for the training of imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
s and Muslim teachers in the West. The curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
includes the study of both Islam and Western society, and emphasizes interfaith dialogue. Badawi co-edited Encounter Magazine with news on interfaith meetings, and edited the Islamic Quarterly for four years. He often contributed to daily newspapers, and he published and lectured on a wide range of issues, including various conflicts, Islam in Britain, Salman Rushdie's novel The Satanic Verses
The Satanic Verses (novel)
The Satanic Verses is Salman Rushdie's fourth novel, first published in 1988 and inspired in part by the life of Prophet Muhammad. As with his previous books, Rushdie used magical realism and relied on contemporary events and people to create his characters...
, female genital cutting
Female genital cutting
Female genital mutilation , also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, is defined by the World Health Organization as "all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons."FGM...
, democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, the rights of the fetus, and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
.
Badawi also chaired The Arabic Forum, the Islamic Religious Council and the National Council for the Welfare of Muslim Prisoners, established in 2001. He was a co-founder of the Three Faiths Forum, vice chairman of the World Congress of Faiths and director/trustee of the Forum Against Islamophobia and Racism (FAIR).
Badawi was a well-known voice for religious moderation and tolerance, and was the first prominent Muslim to criticize imams in the UK who did not teach in English. He also offered sanctuary to author Salman Rushdie who was facing death threats from many Muslims.
In July 2005, soon after the London bombings
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
, on 7 July, Badawi was refused entry into the US, upon arrival, having already been issued a visa. The US Customs and Border Protection office said Badawi had been refused entry to the country based on information indicating that he was "inadmissible". He accepted an apology from the United States government for his denial of entry into the country, at a time when he was scheduled to speak at a conference in the US.
Badawi died in London on 24 January 2006.
Honours
Badawi was made an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(KBE) in 2004. He also was appointed by The Duke of Castro
Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Castro
Prince Ferdinando of the Two Sicilies was a claimant to the headship of the House of the Two Sicilies. He was known as the Duke of Castro.-Biography:...
as Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I
Royal Order of Francis I
The Royal Order of Francis I is a dynastic Order of Knighthood of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies...
(GCFO) in recognition of his interfaith work.
External links
- The Muslim College, London
- BBC News 15 July 2005 - Badawi denied entry to the US without explanation
- Education Guardian - more on denial of entry
- Obituary: