Ref: AK/PR/2013/68
The Resident Alim of Toronto Jamaat Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi was in Dar-es-Salaam for Ashre Zainbiyya program, at the Invitation of Dar Es Salaam Jamaat.
Taking advantage of his presence in Dar es Salaam, the office bearers of Africa Federation led by the Chairman Alhaj Anwarali Dharamsi met Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi on Tuesday 1st January 2013 for a wide ranging review of Tabligh activities and on questions related to Islamic education being imparted to children in Madrasah and Schools.
Maulana delivered talks for ten nights in English and Urdu and also conducted two-day workshop on the question of making a Will and understanding related Islamic laws and on Khums.
Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi is the son of late Maulana Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi, well known in East Africa for his pioneering work in Tabligh activities.
As Resident Alim of Toronto Jamaat, Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi has been closely involved with the establishment and in the running of the As Sadiq School in Toronto. He has also been active in local interfaith activities, striving to develop better understanding of Islamic faith and enhancing healthy relationship with all, Muslim and non-Muslim communities in Canada.
Recognizing the need for enhancing the quality of Madrasah education at par with modern academic education system, Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi has taken active interest in the context. Recently he participated in a workshop in London for Madrasah Centre of Excellence organized by the World Federation and has been collaborating with the worldwide endeavor of improving the quality of Madrasah education.
During his stay in Dar es Salaam, Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi also visited Bilal Centres and met with officials of the Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania.
For the benefit of youngsters in Africa who may not know much about Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi, we append below a short biographical sketch of Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi and also of his father, late Maulana Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi.
A brief Profile of Allamah Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi and the EstablAllamah Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi’s name is synonymous with Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania.
Allamah was appointed as one of the five founder members of Bilal Muslim Mission when a decision was made by the Supreme Council of the Africa Federation in 1964 to create the Bilal Muslim Mission for the purpose of external Tableegh. Allamah’s valuable support in the establishment of Bilal Muslim Mission is well acknowledged.
Late Allamah initiated the propagation of the Shiite faith to the indigenous African Community which today has spread in many regions of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and has gradually extended to other African countries operating under different institutions. Allamah who served as a Chief Missionary of Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania was a Scholar, a Preacher, Historian and a Writer. As a prolific writer he has over 140 titles to his credit, some translated into twenty two languages, and are still being widely read.
Sadly, Allamah passed away in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, 20th June 2002 (8th Rabi-ul-Akhar 1423).
Late Allamah Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi was also the Tableegh Advisor of the past chairmen of the Africa Federation, late Mohamedali Meghji and to late Mulla Asghar M.M. Jaffer, late Alhaj Habib Mulji and Alhaj Mohamed Dhirani.
Let us all remember late Allamah Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi Saheb, and pray for his maghferat, may Allah (SWT) raise his status, Ameen.ishment of Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania
A brief profile of Hujjatul Islam Wal Muslimeen, Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi, Resident Alim of Toronto Jamaat
Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi was born in 1957 in the family of Ullamah in Bihar, India. He comes from a region that has produced well-known Shiite scholars in the Indian sub-continent. He migrated with his parents to Tanzania in 1959 where he later underwent elementary schooling.
In 1972, at the age of fifteen, he went to the Hawza-e ‘Ilmiya-e Qum, Iran. During his ten years stay in Qum, he studied with various teachers; and moved from the levels of muqaddimãt to sutûh (equal to graduate level in secular universities) and, finally, attended the dars-e kharij (ijtihad lectures equal to post-graduate studies) of Ayatullah al-Uzma Shaikh Wahid Khurãsãni.
At the requests of Canadian Shiite communities he migrated to Vancouver with his family in 1983. While in Vancouver, he was able to complete his Master of Arts degree in History in 1991 from Simon Fraser University. The same year in July, Sayyid along with his family, moved to Ontario and till 1996 worked as the Director of Islamic Education & Information Centre providing a variety of religious services to Shi’as in North America. During this time, he was also involved in the founding of the As-Sadiq Islamic School, a full time Islamic school from KG to Grade 8 levels.
Since July 1996, he serves as the Imam-e Jum’a and Resident Aalim of the Islamic Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat (ISIJ) of Toronto, Canada.
Sayyid serves as a crucial figure in the building of bridges with other faiths and surrounding communities. These accomplishments have been due to, firstly, his numerous written works promoting peace and understanding, and, secondly, his continued active participation in inter-faith and inter-community dialogues.
Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi has followed the footsteps of his late father, Allamah Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi Saheb. May Allah (SWT) increase in his tawfeeqat.
Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi Saheb meeting with AFED Office Bearers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
We pray to Allah (SWT) to grant Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi good health, tawfeeqat and every success in his endeavours, Ameen.
SECRETARIAT