Honorable Credentials
The 500 Most Influential Muslims 2011 Book
The 500 Most Influential Muslims 2011 Book Acknowledged 2 years [2010-2011] in a row under Category "Preachers & Spiritual Guides" Preachers rely on charisma to inspire millions through multimedia while spiritual guides traditionally teach through live study circles and individualized directives to their disciples. This is what it says in the book about Mohammad Shaikh Karachi, Pakistan "Shaikh, Mohammad" As the founder of the International Islamic Propagation Center (IIPC), (a da'wa organization based in Karachi), Pakistan, Mohammad Shaikh is well-known as an influential public speaker.He has given numerous lectures on the Qur'an and also founded the English-language IIPC TV channel which broadcasts to viewers across the globe. He was ranked 4th most influential Muslim in the world on a public poll by Reuters in 2009.
(Photo: "The 500 Most Influential Muslims 2011" by The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, Aman Jordan. http://rissc.jo/ )
The 500 Most Influential Muslims 2010 Book
This recognition on account of his life-long dedication to Islam where he was voted as the 4th Most Influential Muslim in the World in an online poll conducted by Reuters - Faithworld in 2009 Mohammad Shaikh is selected after TOP 50 as the ONLY PREACHER from all over the world to secure Runners-Up position in the book.
This is what it says in the book about Mohammad Shaikh Karachi, Pakistan
"Shaikh, Mohammad [new]
Founder of the International Islamic Propagation Center (IIPC), a da'wa organization based in Karachi, Pakistan, Mohammad Shaikh is well-known as an influential public speaker.
He has given numerous lectures on the Qur'an and also founded the English-language IIPC TV channel which broadcasts to viewers across the globe. He was ranked 4th most influential Muslim in the world on a public poll by Reuters in 2009."
(Photo: "The 500 Most Influential Muslims 2010" by The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, Aman Jordan. http://rissc.jo/ )
Ranked 4th Most Influential Muslim in the World on a public poll by Reuters in 2009
Reuters conducted an independent online poll on its blog named Faithworld in 2009 to find out "Who is The Most Influential Muslims in the world for the year 2010." This online poll has been conducted on the platform of Reuters to find out the public views and suggestions about the nominations and candidates to be included in the book - 2010 Edition." The online poll has been closed after more than 1.8 million votes. In this online poll Mohammad Shaikh from Karachi, Pakistan got over 150 thousand votes and secured 4th Rank Worldwide.
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2009/11/17/poll-the-worlds-top-500-muslims-read-and-vote/
(Photo: Reuters blog Faithworld, 2010/Screenshot)
Certificate in Comparative Studies
In 1988, Mohammad Shaikh was selected by Sheikh Ahmed Deedat to undergo training on Daw'ah and comparative religion at the IPCI in Durban, South Africa. He was the only candidate from Pakistan and was joined by 29 other Daee's from around the globe. At the completion of this Dawah and Comparative Religion training Mohammad Shaikh was awarded a certificate from IPCI presented by the honorable Sheikh Ahmed Deedat in Durban, South Africa.
(Photo: Mohammad Shaikh receiving certificate from Sheikh Ahmed Deedat. Location: IPCI. Durban, South Africa.)
Chairman’s Biography
MOHAMMAD SHAIKH is a public speaker on Islam and comparative religion and the founding chairman of the International Islamic Propagation Center in Karachi, Pakistan. His lectures based on Qur’anic textual inflection serve to remove numerous misconceptions, present authentic Islamic beliefs and appeal for a rational and objective analysis of the Qur’an instead of a traditionally biased one. In addition to conducting Da’wah and public lectures, he is also the founder of IIPC TV, an internet-protocol television channel, which broadcasts Islamic programs to a global audience via the web. Since obtaining early retirement from the Merchant Navy, he has devoted himself full time to the service of Islam, inviting all to understand the religion directly from the text of the Qur’an instead of any other source.Without taking political or sectarian sides, he calls people to understand and analyze what the Qur’an has to say about a subject first and foremost, as it is the Qur’an which is Islam’s principal authoritative text and Allah’s word and revelation to humankind. Given this status, in religious matters no other book is equal or above the Qur’an in anyway whatsoever. Therefore, when there are disputes and confusions, people need to rationally and objectively turn to the Qur’an, to observe what it states instead of taking sides with opinions to the contrary. This Qur’an-Is-Above-All approach often brings him at odds with traditional and conservative scholarship that is accustomed to subjecting the book to the prism of numerous other texts instead of its own pristine form. Nevertheless Shaikh’s lectures are of value to those who wish to understand Islam directly from the Qur’an without recourse to doctrinal bias.
Early Life
Mohammed Shaikh was born in Karachi, Pakistan on the 6th of October, 1952 to Ghulam Nizamudin and Tameez Jehan Begum. His father hailed from a prominent Muslim family of Delhi and was a graduate of Aligarh University. Shaikh’s grandfather, Ghulam Fareed-uddin was the Chief of Police and honorary Captain in the Indian state of Delhi in pre-partition India and an avid supporter of Quaid-e-Azam, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, and the Pakistan movement. Shaikh’s early childhood and education was at Karachi, where he attended Islamia College. He received basic Islamic education under the watchful eye of his father. His teachers also included the (Late) Maulana Hafiz Qari Abdul Haq from whom he learned to read the Qur’an as a child at Alfalah Masjid situated at PECHS, Karachi. In the same mosque he performed Aitakaaf from the age of sixteen till forty two. Following the family tradition of pursuing an occupation in the uniformed services, Mohammad Shaikh was commissioned as a National Services Inductee in the Military Police and participated in the Indo-Pak war of 1971. Later on he decided to seek a civilian role and joined the Merchant Navy where he reached the rank of second officer. The Merchant Navy enabled him to sail to distant lands and experience diverse cultures and beliefs. His younger brother Mohammad Abid also served in the Pakistan Army and retired as a Captain in the thirteenth Punjab infantry. His religious inclination received more potency, when he was stationed as an officer on the Shams passenger liner which carried Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, and through this role he had the opportunity to perform the Hajj himself.
Turning Point in Life
An event that had a profound effect on Mohammad Shaikh occurred on 15th December, 1986, when some armed criminals broke into his office in Karachi. Soon a struggle ensued and one of the men pulled the trigger, but miraculously Shaikh was not hit. It was at this point in time, he recalls, that he closed his eyes and prayed to Allah deep in his heart, that if his life were spared, he would dedicate it to His cause – it was as if his prayer was heard, that the armed men all of a sudden broke loose and fled, leaving him physically and psychologically drained at the ordeal. After this near death experience he would decide to study and teach the Qur’an fearlessly and take a firm stand on what was stated within its pages irrespective of the status quo opinions. This near death experience, the spiritual experiences gained during the Hajj and dialogues with Christian missionaries while on sea voyages would motivate him to defend his faith and learn the Qur’an in more detail so as to answer allegations. All of this would eventually pave the way for an organized mission to promote the Qur’an.
International Islamic Propagation Center (IIPC)
To further the Quranic message, Mohammad Shaikh soon decided to leave the Merchant Navy and enter the field of Da’wah on a full time basis. Thus the International Islamic Propagation Center (IIPC) came into being at Karachi in 1985. Initial activities at the IIPC consisted of discussions and discourses on the Qur’an on a one to one basis with the educated elite of the city and distribution of videos of famous scholars of comparative religion. The people of Karachi soon joined hands as they found the approach to be rational and convincing. As the Center grew more popular and the number of visitors expanded, Shaikh decided to present his lectures at larger gatherings through the patronage of donors. His initial lectures were hosted at community venues or family gatherings, but now the need arose for a more organized approach, and this saw a series of lectures being held in the 1990’s at the Finance and Trade center auditorium in the heart of Karachi’s financial district. In a way these lectures were Shaikh’s first full fledged public appearances and along with supporters, these also brought him a fair share of critics, mostly ranging from conservative religious seminaries. In those days Karachi was infamous for religious intolerance and an unsympathetic attitude to diversity of beliefs and critics of Shaikh pressurized the owners of lecture halls and public venues to bar him from holding his talks or else they were warned of dire consequences. In view of this, the need arose for a more private and secure venue for conducting programs and consequently funds were raised for a custom built hall and accompanying research center for IIPC to be constructed at PECH Society of Karachi. It was at this new center that further lectures were recorded adding new titles to the earlier series of topics and till date it continues to enable an uninterrupted delivery of Qur’anic education.
Chairman