about


Founded by Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada, Jamia Al-Karam began its journey in 1985 in Milton Keynes, later relocating to its current home at Eaton Hall in Retford in 1995. For 39 years, this institution has been dedicated to educating and nurturing hundreds of graduate scholars and Imams, many of whom serve their communities across the country today.

Jamia Al-Karam has always emphasised education and the transmission of knowledge from one generation to the next. Over the years, it has also engaged the wider public through various initiatives. These include outreach workshops, Al-Azhar University seminars held in different towns and cities, and research lectures by Shaykh Pirzada at venues such as the Leeds Makkah Mosque, Bradford Madani Mosque, London Al-Karam Mosque, and other centres across the UK and abroad. Notably, from 2006 to 2015, the renowned Gateway to Divine Mercy conferences in Manchester and Birmingham brought together scholars and elders from both the Arab and Western worlds.

A hallmark of Jamia Al-Karam has been its official conferences, hosted by Shaykh Pirzada. The institution’s inaugural conference took place in

Milton Keynes in 1985, followed by events in 1988 and 1991, where the first generation of scholars graduated. These conferences were chaired by the esteemed scholar, Justice Pir Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari (ra). The tradition continued at the new Eaton Hall campus in 1995, again graced by Pir Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari (ra). After his passing in 1998, the conference was held in his memory. Since 1999, it has been known as the ‘Urs of Pir Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari (ra)’, attracting scholars and elders from the Indian subcontinent and Western world, and chaired by Pir Muhammad Amin Ul Hasnat Shah, the custodian shaykh of the Amir al-Salikin Khanqah of Bhera and former Minister of State for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony in Pakistan. After a pause since 2019 due to the COVID pandemic, the conference triumphantly returned in 2023.

Acknowledging the need for relevant and meaningful dialogue, the conference has evolved into the JAK2024 Convention: Embracing Change, Navigating New Realities. We look forward to welcoming you at this convention.

Founded by Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada, Jamia Al-Karam began its journey in 1985 in Milton Keynes, later relocating to its current home at Eaton Hall in Retford in 1995. For 39 years, this institution has been dedicated to educating and nurturing hundreds of graduate scholars and Imams, many of whom serve their communities across the country today.

Jamia Al-Karam has always emphasised education and the transmission of knowledge from one generation to the next. Over the years, it has also engaged the wider public through various initiatives. These include outreach workshops, Al-Azhar University seminars held in different towns and cities, and research lectures by Shaykh Pirzada at venues such as the Leeds Makkah Mosque, Bradford Madani Mosque, London Al-Karam Mosque, and other centres across the UK and abroad. Notably, from 2006 to 2015, the renowned Gateway to Divine Mercy conferences in Manchester and Birmingham brought together scholars and elders from both the Arab and Western worlds.

A hallmark of Jamia Al-Karam has been its official conferences, hosted by Shaykh Pirzada. The institution’s inaugural conference took place in Milton Keynes in 1985, followed by events in 1988 and 1991, where the first generation of scholars graduated. These conferences were chaired by the esteemed scholar, Justice Pir Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari (ra). The tradition continued at the new Eaton Hall campus in 1995, again graced by Pir Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari (ra). After his passing in 1998, the conference was held in his memory. Since 1999, it has been known as the ‘Urs of Pir Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari (ra)’, attracting scholars and elders from the Indian subcontinent and Western world, and chaired by Pir Muhammad Amin Ul Hasnat Shah, the custodian shaykh of the Amir al-Salikin Khanqah of Bhera and former Minister of State for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony in Pakistan. After a pause since 2019 due to the COVID pandemic, the conference triumphantly returned in 2023.

Acknowledging the need for relevant and meaningful dialogue, the conference has evolved into the JAK2024 Convention: Embracing Change, Navigating New Realities. We look forward to welcoming you at this convention.