Dr Shaykh Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera is a British Muslim scholar educated in both the Islamic and Western traditions. He memorised the Qur’an by heart and graduated from the Darul Uloom seminary Bury, UK, and later earned a specialised licence to issue fatwa (legal responses) at Mazahir ‘Ulum Saharanpur, India. He earned his BA from the University of Johannesburg and completed his MA and PhD in Islamic Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. His research included an analysis and study of the first fatwa collection in the Hanafi School, Abu ‘l-Layth al-Samarqandi’s Kitab al-Nawazil and preparation of a critical edition of the text. Shaykh Abdur-Rahman is the founder of Whitethread Institute, a post-graduate institute for Islamic scholars. He is an avid traveller and continues to teach hadith and work on scholarly publications through White Thread Press (www.whitethreadpress.com). Many of his lectures are available on www.zamzamacademy.com and his courses through Rayyan Institute (www.rayyaninstitute.com).

Huzayfah Mangera did his early Islamic studies, along with the memorisation of Qur’an at home with his parents. He then enrolled in a part-time ‘alimiyyah programme in North London where he spent 6 years studying the Arabic language, jurisprudence (fiqh), Qur’an translation and tajwid, among other subjects. Thereafter he transferred to Imam Zakariya Academy, London where he completed the rest of his alimiyyah program 5 years later. Simultaneously, he also completed his MSci Physics degree at University College, London. In his spare time, he also studied hadith, jurisprudence, aqidah, and tajwid privately with different teachers.

He also completed the Ifta Specialisation Programme at White Thread Institute, London and he teaches part time at Imam Zakariya Academy, in their two year Diploma in Islamic studies programme.

Mawlana Hilal Patel began his studies at Darul Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Bury where he memorised the Qur’an and completed the Alimiyyah program. He then went on to complete the Ifta’ Specialisation Programme at Whitethread Institute and has been working at Whitethread’s Fatwa Centre since completing the course. Mawlana Hilal also serves as an Imam and teacher at his local Masjid in Kent.

Shaykh Zubair Patel was born in London where he undertook his early studies. At the age of 16, he enrolled into the Alimiyyah programme at Jami’atul Ilm wa’l Huda, Blackburn, known for providing an excellent standard of both Islamic and secular higher education. He graduated in 2005, having achieved the highest marks throughout the duration of his studies. Thus, he was selected to teach at the same  institute while also gaining a specialisation in the field of Hanafi jurisprudence.

After qualifying as a Mufti and serving as a teacher for 3 years, Shaykh Zubair returned back to his hometown of London to render his services to the local community. Since then, he has been engaged in teaching the higher Islamic sciences at various institutions across London and is well-admired and respected for his pedagogical skill.

Shaykh Zubair is one of the founders of the Newham Ulama forum, a group which unites senior scholars, imams and leaders from across Newham to discuss and deal with pertinent issues facing the Muslim community.

Alongside this, he is a co-founder of the Muslim Family Foundation, which aims to help Muslim families flourish through a combination of courses, counselling and camps.

Despite his busy schedule, Shaykh Zubair finds time to travel around the country delivering workshops and seminars. He has also been invited to masjids abroad as a guest scholar.

He continues to benefit students from his decades of teaching experience and is soon to publish his first book, a manual on Islamic Inheritance.

Shaykh Zeeshan Chaudri began his studies in the Institute of Islamic Education, Dewsbury where he enrolled into the Alimiyya programme. He then transferred to Imam Zakariya Academy, London where he completed the programme. Thereafter he completed an MA in Islamic studies at Markfield Institute of Higher Education. He is currently a teacher at Imam Zakariya Academy in the Alimiyya programme and a second year PhD candidate at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). Shaykh Zeeshan is known for his avid love for reading and research and is therefore in charge of library and literary resources development at Whitethread Institute.

 

Muhammed Al-Hassan is a scholar, teacher, and an Imam at Zakaria Masjid in Luton. He completed the memorisation of the Qur’an in his early years and then enrolled at the

Islamic Dawah Academy in Leicester to pursue full-time Alimiyyah studies, completing the programme in 2018. Thereafter, he had the incredible opportunity to study the Hadith Sciences under the guidance of the esteemed scholar, Mufti Abdul Malek for three years in Dhaka.

 

After completing the specialisation programme in Hadith Sciences in 2021, Muhammed Al-Hassan returned to the UK and took on the role of a teacher and Imam focusing on developing the community. Meanwhile, he joined the Ifta Specialisation Programme under Dr Shaykh Abdur-Rahman Mangera with the Whitethread Institute in London and graduated in 2023. He has since been focusing on serving the community and running courses aimed at the youth.