Our Imams
Allamah Rabbani Sahib
Allamah Shabir Hussain Rabbani is the head Imam and the founder of Zia-Ul-Quran. He completed his early education in Mirpur (Azad Kashmir, Pakistan) and in 1969 enrolled into the highly reputable seminary Dār al-ʿUlūm Muḥammadiyyah al-Ghauthiyah, which was established by Justice Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari. Allamah Sahib completed his F.A, B.A and after completing his Dawra Hadith (Reading of the major Hadith collections) he graduated in 1979 with Ijazāt (certificates) equivalent to an M.A Arabic and M.A Islamic Studies. In the period of ten years, Allamah Sahib studied all the classical books in Arabic grammar, Morphology, Islamic law, Logic, Philosophy and other subjects related to the Darse Nizami syllabus.
After graduation he took the post of an Imam and teacher at Dhangri Shareef High school and Mosque where he remained in close contact with the great saint, Shaykh Muhammad Fazal, the father of Shaykh Habibur Rehman Mahboobi. In 1981, Allamah sahib travelled in to England where he began his Imam services in Stockton. Two years later he moved to Middlesbrough where he established a mosque by the name of Zia-Ul-Quran. Till this day the Mosque is running successfully.
In 1985, Allamah Sahib moved to Glasgow where he pursued a PhD in Islamic Studies. He started his PhD at the University of Glasgow, however after a year he left his studies due to the passing away of his father and brother. He then established Zia-Ul-Quran in Glasgow where he intended to spread traditional Islam to the local community.
Allamah Sahib remained in contact with Justice Pir Muhammad Karam Shah, and whilst studying with Pir Sahib, gave his oath of spiritual allegiance in the Chisti Tariqah. Allamah sahib was granted spiritual successorship (Khilāfah) in the Chisti Tariqah by Shaykh Aminul Hasanat Shah (The eldest son of Justice Pir Muhammad Karam Shah).
Allamah sahib has 3 sons; the eldest Hassan Rabbani was encouraged to take the spiritual and religious path.
Shaykh Hassan
Shaykh Hassan began his studies at Jamia-Al-Karam (Nottinghamshire) where he completed his traditional Darse Nizami course. Thereafter he travelled to Cairo to study at the University of Al-Azhar where he completed his B.A in Islamic Theology. He then returned to the U.K and taught traditional Darse Nizami at Jamia-Al-Karam. He then enrolled on the M.A programme at the University of Aberdeen. He then completed a Diploma in Contextual Islamic Studies and Leadership at the Cambridge Muslim College under the tutelage of Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad. He then embarked on a M.A Philosophy at the University of Glasgow.
Shaykh Hassan has taught the iSyllabus adults programme as well as the iSyllabus for schools programme. He served as an Imam at the Annandale Mosque (Edinburgh) in 2016. Shaykh Hassan works as a faith advisor to AMINA (Muslim Women’s Resource Centre) where he delivers ‘Violence Against Women’ workshops across Scotland. He also led the ‘Shaykh on the Helpline’ once month. Shaykh Hassan also works with the Kidney Research Foundation, raising awareness on organ donation. He also engages with the Scottish Government on faith related issues.
Shaykh Hassan was also an executive member of the Muslim Council of Scotland (2017-2019). He later completed a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and a COSCA (Certificate in Counselling skills). He is completing his advance training in Relationship Counselling and works as a Relationship Counsellor at Relationship Scotland. He is also the founder of Healers Muslim Counselling Services in Scotland.
Shaykh Hassan is the Muslim Chaplain at the Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh) and was the first paid Muslim Chaplain in Scottish History. He also is an advisor to many Interfaith Initiatives in Scotland. Shaykh Hassan also is an Imam at the Zia-Ul-Quran Mosque where he serves as the head of education.