Jamia Al-Karam

Jamia Al-Karam ( _ar. جامعة الکرم) is a Muslim boarding school situated in Retford (UK) which was established in 1985 by the respected scholar and educationalist, Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada, to cater for the educational and social needs of British Muslims and to produce scholars of Islam who would be aware of the modern era, the western culture and who would have a sound understanding of Islam as well as respect towards Islam’s glorious past, tradition and heritage.

Due to the quality of traditional and modern education undertaken at Jamia Al-Karam, it has gained affiliation with the oldest seat of Islamic learning, the renowned University of Al-Azhar in Cairo, Egypt. [http://www.alkaram.org/dar-ul%20aloom/index.htm] Graduates of Jamia Al-Karam are offered admission into the third year of the University’s BA degree courses. Jamia Al-Karam has produced over sixty British Muslim scholars who have the blessing of being fluent in English, Arabic, Urdu and Punjabi and the number is growing. Others are pursuing higher education at universities throughout the United Kingdom. Many are now practically serving the Muslim community in the United Kingdom as Imams, teachers and lecturers. [http://www.alkaram.org]

In 1995, Jamia Al-Karam - with the help of generous British Muslims - moved to its current location in Retford, Nottinghamshire, where Shaykh M I H Pirzada launched a new project, the Al-Karam Secondary School. [http://www.alkaram.org/a%20dream/index.htm] This is a boarding school providing high quality education up to GCSE level in a very caring and Islamic atmosphere far from inner city distractions. The aim has been to develop the pupil’s morality and spirituality so that he can achieve the best of his academic potential. The school has maintained very high standards of education and results despite its very low fees. In 1998, 2005 and 2006, the school has gained first position in the national league tables [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/05/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/891_6021.stm] published by the government for the county of Nottinghamshire which comprises over fifty six schools including grammar, private and LEA schools. The school is registered with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) [http://www.dfes.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/school_06.pl?Mode=Z&Base=b&Type=SC&Year=06&Phase=1&No=8916021&Num=891] and is regularly inspected by Ofsted [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.7c7b38b14d870c7bb1890a01637046a0/?urn=122945&providerCategoryID=64] and CSCI. [http://www.csci.org.uk] The vast majority of pupils who have completed their GCSEs at the school, have moved on to higher education in various universities of the United Kingdom. They remain associated with the school through the Al-Karam Union of Former Pupils (AKU).

On Tuesday 17 April 2007, Al-Karam School was praised in a debate on Integration and Cohesion that occurred at the British House of Commons by the Member of Parliament for Newark and former Shadow Minister for Homeland Security, Patrick Mercer OBE. [http://www.mihpirzada.com/news/08052007.html] The comments were recorded in the House of Commons Official Report, Hansard. [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070417/halltext/70417h0005.htm#07041770000463]

External links

* http://www.alkaram.org
* http://www.mihpirzada.com - The Official Website of Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada.