Al-Furqān and Its Centres

Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation is a not for profit Foundation registered in England and Wales (Company No. 2329628). It was established in London, in 1988, by the Yamani Cultural and Charitable Foundation; HE Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani is the founder of both of these foundations.

To be a leading Foundation in preserving and studying the Islamic written heritage.

To survey, preserve, study and publish the Islamic written heritage, as well as assist and promote the research in its fields.

• To initiate, promote and support research in the field of Islamic heritage. • To assist in the preservation and restoration of the

Islamic written heritage. • To raise awareness on the richness of the Islamic heritage, its role and importance.

To achieve its aims and objectives, the Foundation pursues the following activities: o Editing and publishing Islamic manuscripts of particular significance. o Publishing studies, bibliographical and encyclopaedic works in the field of Islamic heritage. o Organising training courses on various aspects of

Islamic heritage. o Holding academic seminars, conferences and lectures in order to stimulate discussions and action in the field of Islamic heritage. o Establishing a reference library with the main research tools necessary for the study of the Islamic heritage. o Developing an online platform to enable the scholars, researchers and students of the Islamic civilisation and heritage all over the world easier access to the hidden treasures of the Islamic heritage.

The Board of Directors is the highest body within Al-Furqān. It consists of the Chairman and three other directors. It’s responsibilities include overseeing management, appropriate use of funding, implementing the organisation’s goals, and shaping the organisation’s vision and mission.

The Executive Management is the highest level of organisational management, executing the Foundation’s dayto-day responsibilities. It holds specific executive powers conferred with and by authority of the Board of Directors.

Al-Furqān’s headquarters is in London. It also has two other offices, one in Jeddah - Saudi Arabia, and another in Cairo - Egypt.

Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation was established initially with the aim to document and preserve the Islamic written heritage, principally through its work in surveying, imaging, cataloguing, editing, studying and publishing Islamic manuscripts. But, with time, its scope of activity has expanded, and it has become a Foundation consisting of 3 centres under one umbrella, i.e.:

The Manuscript Centre’s mission is to document and preserve the Islamic written heritage through surveying, imaging, cataloguing, editing and publishing Islamic manuscripts, which constitute a significant part of the Islamic heritage.

The Founding / Advisory Board of the Manuscript Centre was a body of outstanding academics and scholars in the field of Islamic written heritage, such as: history, history of science, codicology, paleography and Islamic history. They gathered in London, in December 1991, with the aim to: ✓ Establish an overall strategy and guidelines. ✓ Define the Manuscript Centre’s fields of activities. The Manuscript Centre’s Founding / Advisory Board consisted of the following members: - HE Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, Chairman - Sheikh Abdel Aziz al-Rifaʿi

- Dr Abdel Hadi al-Tazi - Dr Anton Heinen - Dr Charles de Fouchéour - Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoğlu - Dr Enes Karic - Dr George Atiyeh - Sheikh Hamad al-Jaser - Dr Iraj Afshar - Dr Jan Just Witkam - Dr Juan Vernet - Sheikh Mahmoud Shakir - - Dr Nasiruddin al-Asad - Dr Orhan Bilgin - Dr Salahuddin al-Munajjid - Dr Seyyed Hossein Nasr - Dr Yusuf Ibish - Dr William Montgomery Watt

The Founding Board of the Manuscript Centre

The Manuscript Centre’s main aims and objectives are: • To initiate, promote and support research into the field of Islamic manuscripts. • ToassistinthepreservationandrestorationofIslamic manuscripts. • To raise awareness on the richness and the importance of the Islamic written heritage. To achieve its aims and objectives, the Centre pursues the following activities: o Identifying and surveying the existing collections of

Islamic manuscripts. o Assisting in cataloguing previously uncatalogued collections of Islamic manuscripts. o Editing and publishing Islamic manuscripts of particular significance. o Organising training courses on various aspects of

Islamic written heritage, such as codicology, cataloguing and editing. o Organising conferences, symposia and lectures to stimulate research and discussions on topics related to the field of manuscripts. o Establishingareferencelibrarywiththemainresearch toolsnecessaryforthestudyofIslamicmanuscripts. o Developing an online platform/database for online cataloguesandotherbibliographicalworks, inordertoprovide to the scholars, researchers, and students of the Islamic civilisationandheritage,allovertheworld,easieraccessto the hidden treasures of the Islamic written heritage.

The Board of Experts is a body of outstanding academics and scholars in the field of the Islamic written heritage, such as: history, history of science, codicology, paleography and Islamic history.

The Board of Experts is a decision-making body, with a role to: ✓ Review the activities of the Manuscript Centre, and provide the appropriate directions. ✓ Elaborate on, and discuss themes for projects to be adopted by the Centre. ✓ Inspect projects and scholarly works submitted to the

Centre, and issuing decisions as to its acceptance, request for modifications, or rejection. The Manuscript Centre’sBoard of Experts members are: - HE Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, Chairman - Dr Abdullah Yusuf al-Ghonaim - Dr Ahmed Shawqi Binebine - Dr Bashar Awwad Marouf - Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoğlu - Dr Ibrahim Chabbouh - Dr Mohammed Adnan al-Bakheet

The Mawsoa Centre’s main goal is to acknowledge Makkah and Madinah’s scientific and cultural roles as well as their significance throughout history.

The Mawsoa Centre’s Founding / Advisory Board was a body of outstanding academics and scholars in the field of encyclopaedic studies. They gathered in London, in November 1994, with the aim to: ✓ Establish an overall strategy and guidelines. ✓ Define the Mawsoa Centre’s fields of activities.

The Mawsoa Centre’s Founding / Advisory Board consisted of the following members: - HE Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, Chairman - Dr Abdu-l-Malik bin Duhaysh

- Dr Abdu-l-Wahab abu Sulaiman - Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoğlu - Dr Jan Just Witkam - Dr Kazim al-Musawi al-Bojnourdi (Islamic Encyclopaedia – Iran) - Dr Nasir al-Din al-Asad - Dr Robert McHenry (Encyclopaedia Britannica – UK) - Dr Tayyar Altikulaç (Islamic Encyclopaedia – Turkey) - Dr Yusuf Ibish The Mawsoa Centre’s Academic Board members are: - HE Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, Chairman - Dr Abbas Saleh Tashkandy - Dr Abdu-l-Lateef bin Abdullah bin Duhaysh - Dr Abdu-l-Wahab abu Sulaiman - Dr Abdullah Saleh Ahmed Shawoosh - Dr Abdu-l-Rrahman Sulaiman al-Mazeni - Dr Adnan Mohammed al-Shareef - Dr Asim Hamdan Ali - Dr Ghazi bin Obaid Madani - Dr Mi’raj Nawab Mirza - Dr Mohammed Abdu-l-Karim bin Obaid - Dr Omar Hasan Falatah - Dr Yusuf Ahmed Hawalah Dr Abbas Saleh Tashkandy is the Secretary General of the Mawsoa Centre, as well as the Chief Editor of the Encyclopaedia of Makkah and Madinah.

The Founding Board of the Mawsoa Centre

The Mawsoa Centre’s main aims and objectives are: • To promote research into and specialised study of the two holy cities, Makkah and Madinah. • To acknowledge Makkah’s and Madinah’s scientific and cultural roles as well as their historical significance. • To compile a comprehensive Encyclopaedia about these two holy cities. To achieve its aims and objectives, the Centre pursues the following activities: o Compiling a comprehensive Encyclopaedia about these two holy cities. o Publishing books, studies and theses on Makkah and Madinah. o Publishing critical editions of historical references related to Makkah and Madinah. o Holding lectures and other public activities to stimulate research and discussions on topics related to

Makkah and Madinah. o Compiling and publishing a multi-lingual bibliography of published works, references, theses and articles on Makkah and Madinah. o Establishing an Information Centre, holding a collection of texts, references, photographs, documents, maps, theses, travellers’ accounts, journals, microfilms and audio-visual material on Makkah and Madinah. The Encyclopaedia project is implemented under the supervision of the Academic Board, a number of specialised committees, and the executive management.

The Maqāṣid Centre’s mission is to revitalise the knowledge of maqāṣid, in order to develop the process of ijtihād and the renewal of Islamic fiq’h, its fundamental theory (uṣūl), and Islamic thought in general. The Centre also aims to broaden the horizons of knowledge for students of Islamic studies everywhere.

The Founding / Advisory Board of the Maqāṣid Centre was a body of outstanding academics and scholars in different fields of Islamic studies. They gathered in London, in March 2005, with the aim to: ✓ Establish an overall strategy and guidelines. ✓ Define the Centre’s fields of activities.

The Maqāṣid Centre’s Founding / Advisory Board consisted of the following members:

- HE Sheikh Ahmad Zaki Yamani, Chairman - Dr Abdul Adheem al-Deeb - Dr Abdul Rahman al-Kelani - Dr Ahmad Yusuf Sulaiman - Dr Hasan Jaber - Dr Ibrahim al-Bayoumi Ghanem - Dr Jamaluddin Atiyyah - Dr Jasser Audah - Dr Mahmoud Bilal Mahran - Dr Muhammad Attahir al-Misawi

The Founding / Advisory Board of the Maqāṣid Centre was a body of outstanding academics and scholars in different fields of Islamic studies. They gathered in London, in March 2005, with the aim to:

✓ Establish an overall strategy and guidelines. ✓ Define the Centre’s fields of activities. The Maqāṣid Centre’s Founding / Advisory Board consisted of the following members: - HE Sheikh Ahmad Zaki Yamani, Chairman - Dr Abdul Adheem al-Deeb - Dr Abdul Rahman al-Kelani - Dr Ahmad Yusuf Sulaiman - Dr Hasan Jaber - Dr Ibrahim al-Bayoumi Ghanem - Dr Jamaluddin Atiyyah - Dr Jasser Audah - Dr Mahmoud Bilal Mahran - Dr Muhammad Attahir al-Misawi - Dr Muhammad Haytham al-Khayat - Dr Muhammad Kamaleddin Emam - Dr Muhammad Salim al-Awa - Dr Noureddin al-Khadimi - Dr Saifuddin Abd al-Fattah - Dr Wahbah al-Zuhaily - Dr Yusuf al-Qaradawi

The Founding Board of the Maqāṣid Centre

The Maqāṣid Centre’s main aims and objectives are: • Encouraging studies and research which contribute to the Islamic philosophy of law, inside and outside the academic world. • Giving special consideration to new research in the theories of priorities, utility, consequences and universal principles of Islamic law. • Reinforcing the link between the study of maqāṣid and the study of the basic rules of the Islamic law. • Calling upon scholars to elaborate on the correlation between contemporary ijtihād and maqāṣid, so as to facilitate understanding the wisdom and the objectives of Islamic rulings. • Calling upon scholars and Islamic institutes of fatwa to illustrate the link between the Islamic texts, fatwā and maqāṣid. • Refuting attempts to misuse the idea of maqāṣid in order to

“deconstruct” the Islamic principles and fundamentals. • Promoting and publishing biographies of scholars who have contributed to the study of maqāṣid. • Co-operating with Islamic universities and Islamic studies departments in order to include the maqāṣid in their curricula or syllabi. • Incorporating maqāṣid theories in the methodology and philosophy of various social sciences and humanities. • Establishing a comprehensive maqāṣid encyclopaedia. To achieve its aims and objectives, the Centre pursues the following activities: o Publishing new critical editions of maqāṣid books of particular significance. o Publishing bibliographical references in the field of maqāṣid. o Publishing studies on the objectives (maqāṣid) of Islamic law. o Organising training courses on understanding the maqāṣid. o Holding conferences, symposia, seminars and lectures to stimulate research and discussions on topics related to the field of maqāṣid. o Establishing a reference library with the main research tools necessary for the study of maqāṣid (philosophy of Islamic jurisprudence). o Encouraging Islamic studies departments and programmes outside traditional Islamic institutes, to conduct research that shows the universality of Islamic law in all cultural contexts. o Encouraging versatile students and young researchers to study the philosophy of Islamic law, the maqāṣid. The Maqāṣid Centre’s Board of Experts The Board of Experts of the Maqāṣid Centre includes a distinguished group of scholars and researchers in different fields of Islamic studies. The Board of Experts is a decision-making body, with a role to: Review the activities of the Maqāṣid Centre and provide the appropriate directions Elaborate on, and discuss themes for projects to be adopted by the Centre. Inspect projects and scholarly works submitted to the Centre, and issuing decisions as to its acceptance, request for modifications, or rejection. The Maqāṣid Centre’s Board of Experts members are: - HE Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, Chairman - Dr Abdu-l-Wahab abu Sulaiman - Dr Ahmad al-Raissouni - Dr Hasan Jaber - Dr Ibrahim al-Bayoumi Ghanem - Dr Issam al-Basheer - Dr Mohammed Salim al-Awa - Dr Noureddin al-Khadimi - Dr Saif al-Din Abdu-l-Fattah

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