Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayHi raji'un
(Verily we belong to Allah and to Him we will be brought back)

7 Muharram 1421- April 12, 2000

As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmat-Ullahi wa barakatuH.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We mourn today the departure of the servant of the Merciful, al-Ustadh al-Jalil Hamed Muhammad Shawky al-Burhani al-Masri, the distinguished Director of the Islamic School of Rome, who was today found dead inside the School where he has been teaching every day, and where he used to spend the nights in adhkar and nawafil. Our hearts are moved to tears for the loss we are afflicted with, but we do not dare to utter any word against Allah's decree,

A generous Muslim, a noble scholar, an indefatigable da'i on the path of Islam, Prof. Shawky founded the Islamic School twelve years ago, and was directing it and teaching therein until the last of his days. Out of his determination, and thanks to his tawakkul in Allah Ta'ala, the small Madrasah Ishraqiyyah became the leading Islamic School of Italy, and his musallah is today the only place of worship in Esquilino, the area of Rome having the larger number of Muslim inhabitants.

Hundreds of Muslim families have benefited from the courses for adults and children organized by the Islamic School, and also many non-Muslims has studied Arabic and Islamic Culture therein. Even when the number of students became some hundreds, Prof. Shawky always refused to ask them to pay installments. When members of the Board where proposing it, he firmly and repeatedly opposed their request, by saying, "We cannot close our door to those who are poor, and most of Muslim immigrants are here under hardship. Every student and every family will freely contribute, according to his possibility."

Thanks to Professor Shawky's work and to his love for the Mashaykh of Tasawwuf, many young Muslims were saved from the raving Wahhabi propaganda and from the cancer of fundamentalism. As soon as he saw a student attracted by heretic sects, he knew what book was the antidote to dissolve doubts and inexperience, and to safeguard the younger generations from deviating from the path of Ahlu-s-Sunnah wa-l-Jama'ah. His appeal to the moderate dimension of Islam spoke directly to the hearts, and contributed very much in shaping the present identity of the Muslim Community in Italy. 

Every Muslim in Italy feels today he has lost a noble brother, a wise leader and a trustworthy friend, one of those whom neither trade, nor merchandise can divert from the remembrance of Allah. May Allah show upon him His all-encompassing mercy, and open for him the gates of al-Firdaws.

We are kindly asking every Muslim who reads this message to make du'ah and to read Fatihah and Surah Yasin for the blessed soul of Hamed Muhammad Shawky.

Praise be to Allah and Allah knows best. 

Wa-s-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmat-Ullahi wa barakatuH.

Majlis al-Ulema
of the Italian Muslim Association
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mailto:islam.inst@flashnet.it