Zameer Sattaur

Infobox_Person
name = Imam Zameer Sattaur


caption = In Makkah during the Sacred Knowledge Retreat of July 2008
residence = New York
birth_name = Zameer Ikraam Sattaur
birth_date = 1963
birth_place = Guyana
occupation = Islamic scholar
title = Shaykh
religion = Sunni Islam Hanafi
spouse = 1
children = 3
website = http://imamghazaliinstitute.org
footnotes =

Zameer Sattaur is an Islamic scholar who is the former Imam of Masjid Al-Abdin of Queens, NY and is the founder of the Imam Ghazali Institute in New York, U.S..

Biography

Zameer Sattaur born in Industry, Guyana (South America), and left at a very early age to pursue his Islamic Studies. Zameer Sattaur studied at Madinah Islamic University and King Saud University in Riyadh, frequently attending the Dars of As Sayyid Muhammad Alawi Maliki.During his studies in the Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia he assisted the visiting Hujjaj coming from western countries. His aspiration was to serve the guest of Allah and assist them in the performance of the hajj in an organized and simple manner.

From 1993 to 2007 (Ramadan) he was the Imam of Masjid Al Abidin located in Queens, New York. In 2007 he founded the Imam Ghazali Institute, in order to promote traditional Islamic teachings in America. In 2007 he organized the Dawrah Intenisve Program that was Held in Makkah, Madinah, and Syria for 30 days of intensive learning under scholars such as Shaykh Muhammad Yaqoubi and As Sayyid Ahmad Maliki.

Imam Ghazali Institute

Imam Ghazali Institute (IGI) is registered as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational institution and academy founded and operated by like minded individuals committed to reviving traditional Islamic learning and methods of educating for the purpose of promoting and preserving the true Islamic identity thought by the revealed Holy Quran, the Sunnah or established ways of the Prophet Muhammad and as understood and practiced by his companions and predecessors (Allah be pleased with them all). To practice the Islamic creed based on the methodology of Muhammad. Belonging to the global body known as Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l Jama'ah who are considered the true followers of the Prophet and his Companions, followed by those who trod their path. To foster, promote understanding, tolerance, peace and harmony with other communities of faith as a whole and in all its diversity.

The ideals of Imam Ghazali Institute were born out of a need for traditional Islamic knowledge in the East coast. We have a tendency as Muslims to wonder why this happens or why are we as Muslims not applying the Prophetic methodologies to our present situation; be it social, environment, or religious. In the majority of times we find that we don't even have the knowledge to apply the methodology; hence we find ourselves either re-inventing the wheel or our approach to problems and issues are solved from solutions which do not belong in the Divine Realm. Our mission is simple, to provide traditional Islamic education to all Muslims. We realize we will have to take small steps and we are small, but the battle of BADR was won with only a handful of Muslims. With the permission of Allah swt and through the guidance and leadership of the world's scholars InshaAllah we will be able to accomplish our goal.

The Imam Ghazali Institute operates under direct supervision from one of the world’s leading Shaykh in the matters of Islamic theology - As Sayyid Shaykh Muhammad Al Yaqoubi al Hassani. Shaykh Muhammad Yaqoubi descends from a scholarly family whose lineage goes back to the Prophet (sas) through his grandson Sayyiduna al-Hasan. Shaykh Muhammad followed a solid traditional curriculum since the age of four, studying, step-by-step, the major classical works on the various disciplines of the Shari'ah as well as the instrumental disciplines. Shaykh Muhammad dutifully studied with his father over 500 books in the course of 20 years, some of them from cover-to-cover and others in portions; some are multi-volumes, and others are small concise works.

Since its formation Imam Ghazali Institute has led two successful training programs internationally (in Makkah, Madinah, Jordan and Syria) – our participants are mostly university students from the USA and UK. Insha-Allah, we will be launching local training sessions in the USA and the UK in the coming months. An extensive list of Islamic topics and course material is currently being developed covering basic, intermediate, and advance levels of Deeni subjects and contemporary issues. These training will be presented as intensive workshops, lectures, exchange programs, scholarly articles, podcasts and or video presentation formats.

Dawrah Program

A dawrah program is planned for the year 2008. Shaykh Zameer is confirmed as a teacher on this program. The program commences in Madinah, then to Makkah, then to Syria. It is sponsored by the Imam Ghazali Institute. Imam Ghazali Institute along with Syria's esteemed Abu Nour Institute collaborated on a rigorous and intensive summer study program. This program entailed a comprehensive schedule, which included intensive study, personal and collective Ibadah and tours to Islamic historical sites. Participants had the opportunity to perform Umrah, visit our beloved Nabi (saws) and visit important sites pertaining to the Seerah (the Prophet’s (saws) life.

acred Knowledge Retreat

In 2008, the Sacred Knowledge Retreat program was launched under the guidance of Shaykh Muhammad Al Yaqoubi, a scholar of Ahlul Bait. Sheikh Muhammad Yaqoubi descends from a scholarly family whose lineage goes back to the Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi sallam, through his grandson Sayyiduna al-Hasan, radiya Allahu 'anhu. Shaykh Muhammad was born in Damascus on the 13th of DhulHijja in 1382 H. As a little boy, he crawled in the Grand Omayyad Mosque and the Darwishiyya Mosque, where his father was an instructor for 40 years, and sat in the laps of some of the greatest scholars. Since he was four-years-old, Shaykh Muhammad accompanied his father in all of his visits, gatherings, and classes, both public and private, as well as at home and outside. His father took care of him and was both his teacher and spiritual master. Under his tutelage, Shaykh Muhammad followed a solid traditional curriculum since the age of four, studying, step-by-step, the major classical works on the various disciplines of the Shari'ah as well as the instrumental disciplines. Shaykh Muhammad dutifully studied with his father over 500 books in the course of 20 years, some of them from cover-to-cover and others in portions; some are multi-volumes, and others are small concise works.

Some of the books Shaykh Muhammad studied under his father are as follows: most of the six books of Hadith, al-Muwatta of Yahya al- Laythi, most of al-Muwatta of Imam Muhammad with Sharh al-Laknawi, most of al-Muwaafaqaat of ash-Shaatibi, the first volume and other sections (of the five volumes) of al-Hashiya of Ibn 'Abideen, Ihya 'Ulum ad-Deen, al-Hidaya of al-Marghinani, Mughni al-Labeeb of Ibn Hisham, Parts of Kitab Seebawayhi, Miyar al-Ilm of al-Ghazali, several volumes of Sharh Sahih Muslim of an-Nawawi, several volumes of Irshad as-Saari of al-Qastallaani, half of Madarik at-Taweel of an-Nasafi, Hashiyat as-Saawi on Tafseer al-Jalaalayn, three volumes of Mu'jam Maqaayiis al-Lugha of Ibn Faaris, al-Bayaan wat-Tabyeen of al-Jaahiz, several volumes of Wafayaat al-Ayaan of Ibn Khallikaan, and Tabaqat ash-Shafi'iyya al-Kubraa of Ibn as-Subki, Maqamaat al-Hariri. In fact, Shaykh Muhammad wrote a thabat (detailed list) of the names of the books he studied under his father entitled, The Concealed Pearls. This book is a testament to his father's labor of love and of the expenditure of his energy in passing on his knowledge and experience to his children, a rarity in our modern times.

Throughout the years of his study, Shaykh Muhammad went through spiritual training in the Sufi path under his father, who was a great Waliy and Murshid known for his righteousness and asceticism. Shaykh Muhammad studied the major works of Tasawwuf under him, accompanied him, and was his servant, the bearer of his shoes, which he considers the key to the opening he received. The company of his father exposed him to a wealth of light, wisdom, and knowledge, an experience that was far beyond what one may attain from books or from occasional meetings with teachers.

ee also

*Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari
*Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada
*Muhammad al-Yaqoubi
*Zaytuna Institute
*Zaid Shakir

References

[http://imamghazaliinstitute.org/institute/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=43 Imam Ghazali Institute] DEFAULTSORT:Sattaur, Zameer}