Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Biography (taken from www.seekersguidance.org)
The
Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "Be avid for all
that benefits you; seek Allah's help; and don't deem yourself
incapable." Being avid for all that benefits entails striving to do that
which is most likely to be most pleasing to Allah and closest to the
beautiful example of the Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace &
blessings be upon him & his folk).
Shaykh
Faraz describes himself as a "global nomad", as he spent his childhood
in Canada, England, Egypt, and Spain, before returning to Canada to
complete his high school and university studies. Having come from so
many places, when he began to reflect on who he was, he discovered the
only clear answer was "a Muslim."
And so began
his journey as a student of knowledge. At university, he became active
with the Muslim Students Association at a local and national level. He
helped develop MSA National's MSA Starter's Guide and founded and ran The Muslim Voice, MSA University of Toronto's magazine, now in its 17th year. He also founded and ran the first online African news service (Africa-N), and worked as an editor on his college paper, The Strand.
Even
while completing his Bachelors in Economics and Commerce at the
University of Toronto, Shaykh Faraz developed a deep interest in Islamic
learning, studying with local scholars such as Shaykh Talal al-Ahdab
and Shaykh Faisal Abdur-Razak. After graduating from the University of
Toronto in 1997, he and his wife (Ustadha Shireen Ahmed) travelled to
Damascus and then to Amman, where he studied with leading Islamic
scholars, including Shaykh Adib Kallas (Allah have mercy upon him), Shaykh Hassaan al-Hindi,
Shaykh Muhammad Jumuah, Shaykh Akram Abd al-Wahhab, and Shaykh Nuh
Keller. In 2001, Shaykh Faraz began answering questions for his family
and friends online; this grew into the Hanafi Fiqh
list at Yahoo Groups. On the advice of his teachers, the SunniPath web
site was created, which featured both a question/answer service and
online Islamic courses.
After ten years overseas,
Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in the Summer of 2007. In May 2008 he
founded SeekersGuidance to deal with the urgent need to spread Islamic
knowledge--both online and on the ground--in a reliable, relevant,
inspiring, and accessible manner.
Shaykh
Faraz has been encouraged by his teachers and other leading scholars to
work towards establishing a model Islamic seminary that will produce
Islamic scholars of the highest caliber, through excellence in teaching,
curriculum, spiritual training, and a deep spirit of service--with
knowledge of both religion and contemporary social and intellectual
realities. This is key to the long-term vision of SeekersGuidance (www.SeekersGuidance.org).
He is the author of Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School
(White Thread Press, 2004.) In 2009, Shaykh Faraz was named one of the
500 most influential Muslims by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies
Center.
His personal interests include
reading, both in English and Arabic. He is very interested in
management, economics, environmental matters, international development,
technology (especially in its social, human, and spiritual impact),
law, theology, and spirituality. He loves classical Islamic poetry and
singing--but cautions that moderation is needed in listening to even
permissible music, as the Qur'an should be given primacy in one's life
over all other interests.
