The Beginning in Norway

I was born and raised in Norway with roots from Pakistan. Whilst starting engineering studies in 2009 I became involved in Islamic work at the university by organizing Islamic conferences. I quickly realized I wanted to further my Islamic knowledge so I enrolled into the newly started online Bachelor's progam in Islamic Studies at the International Open University in 2010. I.e. I was doing full-time engineering and full-time Islamic studies at the same time. When I was finishing off my engineering degree I realized that my true interest was in Islamic studies and that I need to really focus upon improving my Arabic. So, after I graduated in engineering I travelled to Egypt in 2012 for Arabic studies.

Arabic Studies in Egypt

In Egypt, I realized I wanted to actually complete an Islamic studies program. I applied to the the Islamic University of Madinah and began waiting for a reply. In July 2013 the military coup happened when Mohamed Morsi was ousted as president. This was a very chaotic time and place for those who only came to study Arabic and Islam. Some months after the coup I returned to Norway still waiting for a reply from Madinah. I was alhamdulillah accepted whilst also finishing off my online bachelor's in Islamic Studies from the International Open University.

Islamic Studies in Saudi-Arabia

I travelled to Madinah to start a Bachelor's in Shari'ah. Whilst completing my Bachelor's in Shari'ah I also finished off a Master's in Islamic studies from the International Open University. By the time I finished my 4-year long Bachelor's in Shari'ah from the Islamic University of Madinah in 2018, I was also accepted to their 5-year long Master's program in Uṣūl al-Fiqh which I graduated from in 2023. In my later Madinah-period, from 2020 and onwards, I also completed a year program in European History of Ideas from the University of South-Eastern Norway, and then did additional coursework in Western philosophy form the University of Tromsø.

Back to Norway

After returning to Norway in 2023, I started working as an khaṭīb at the Strømmen Mosque, and in 2024 I was granted a PhD Research Fellowship position in Religious Studies focusing upon Tafsīr and Qur'ānic Studies.