CH. KHALIFA IZZAT






                               SH.KHLIFA IZZAT

Khalifa Ezzat was born in Bani Sweif, south of Egypt where he first received his Islamic education in the local Al-Fahsn Institute of Al Azhar located in Al-Fashin City. It was the custom of the Saft Al-Urafa community, to enrol the able and bright students for Qur’anic memorisation. Khalifa, began memorising the Qur’an, from his teachers Sheikh Husain, then his son Sheikh Muhammad, then Sheikh Sayyed Othman.
Khalifa completed the memorisation of the Qur’an, at early age. As part of, his prep and secondary school at Al-Azhar in Al Fashn; his early academic life, predominately composed of learning major traditional Islamic doctrines, including, Tafsir, Hadith, Arabic language, Shariah/Fiqh, and Theology. After successfully completing his secondary education, he was nominated and enrolled in Al Azhar University in Cairo to complete his Islamic education.
Higher Education
Khalifa studied at one of the oldest Islamic Institutions in the world, Al Azhar University, Cairo 1994-1999 He was awarded a BA Islamic Studies in English, Faculty of Languages and Translation in 1999. As part of his degree programme, he also studied English and German. After which, he pursued his career as a minister of Religion (Imam) in Nasr City, Cairo 2000. When he moved to the United Kingdom in (2005), he completed his master's degree in Islamic studies at the School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS)[1] from which he was awarded (MA Islamic Studies). Khalifa was also awarded PhD from the University of Exeter, his thesis title, People of the Book An Analytical Study of Jews and Christians in the Qur’an, With Particular Reference to Contemporary Exegetical Discourse.
Chief Imam and Head of Religious Affairs [London Central Mosque]
In 2005, Khalifa was nominated by Egyptian Ministry of Endowments [Awqaf] to be appointed as an Imam of London Central Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre, in 2008 he was appointed as the Head Imam of the Mosque[2] In his current role as Imam, he leads the faithful Muslims in congregational prayer, delivers Friday sermons, gives lectures and lessons for Muslims and Non-Muslims, and manages the religious affairs department at the London Cultural Centre. His main weekly class is the Islamic Studies Class for Beginners [Muslims and non-Muslims]. In addition, Khalifa provides an advice service, that includes; marital and one to one counselling, marriage, divorce and conversion registrations.
Services
For the past decade, Khalifa has provided community service to many visitors at London Central Mosque. He has a successful track record of mediating between married couples and delivering effective counselling[3] In addition to Islamic marriage (Nikkah), divorce (Talaq), and conversion procedure, registrations, certificates both in English and Arabic. He also provides an advisory service on personal religious matters, which includes; inheritance, conversion, social and familial issues.[4] The listed services are available to all members of the British and International community.
Khalifa, also supports the newly converts to Islam and born Muslims seeking to renew their faith. He delivers regular easy to understand Islamic classes, every Sunday at 4pm in the Mosque Library.[5]
He covers a variety of topics in Islam, such as Introduction to the Concept of God, the Qur'an, Hadith [Muhammad Sayings], Life of Muhammad [in Makkah], Life of Muhammad [in Madina], Sunnah [Muhammad Way], the Exegesis of the Qur'an [Tafsir], Fiqh [Jurisprudence], the Shariah Islamic Law, The Objectives of the Shariah, Introduction to School of Thoughts [Abu Hanifa- Malik- Shafi - Ibn Hanbal] Marriage in Islam, Terrorism: Islamic Viewpoint, Extremism in Religion, The Concept of Worship, Sins and Repentance in Islam, Introduction to Tawheed [Monotheism]. These classes are available to anyone seeking to understand Islam (free entry). Follow the link below for more information:
Friday Sermons
The Friday Speech is considered one of the special features of the Friday prayer. Khalifa takes a contemporary and practical approach in the Friday sermons, which he regularly delivers at Regents Park Mosque. The topics which he has covered thus far, include issues which effect the Muslim's on both an individual and communal level. The Friday sermons also, serve as important reminders for the congregation, of the Muslim's duty to their Creator and responsibility towards others. The Mosque, attracts many crowds and is a perfect opportunity for the Imam's to address the mass on contemporary issues. The speech which is attended by around four thousands people [men and women] is delivered in Arabic and English Language and last for a duration of 30 minutes.
The objective of the speeches is to encourage people to engage in activities that bring benefit to themselves and others and to avoid all that God has ordained to be avoided, to remember and glorify God alone as the Creator of all, to follow the example of Muhammad, to tackle current issues that affect the Muslim community, to inform and highlight to the people the importance of peace, coexistence, tolerance, and respecting the law of the land that they are living in.
The following are links to these sermons in written [6] and recorded format.[7]
LCM welcomes other Muslim faith leaders to download and use Khalifa's Friday sermon speeches, their own congregation.FASTITLINKS.COM