Early Childhood

Hujjatul Islam Shamshad Haider Murtazawi was born in Dhaka, Former East Pakistan, in the year 1966. He belonged to an educated family from U.P., India. They moved to Karachi when he was four years old. He studied at Habib Public School and later finished his Intermediate from Adamjee Sceince College.

Education

He was in his first semester of Mechanical Engineering when he decided to go to Hawza-e-Ilmiyyah, Qom to study Islamic Sciences.

During his stay in the Hawzah Ilmiyyah of Qum (1987-1997), Maulana Shamshad Haider completed phases I (Muqqadimaat) and II (Sutooh) of the course of study from the Center of Islamic Studies, followed by one year of research work in Dars-e-Kharij.

Dars-e-Kharij of Ayatullah Hadi Ma´arifat in Fiqh: Kitabut Taharah, Zahra Academy, Qum, 1997.
Dars-e-Kharij Usul of Ayatullah Hadavi in Fiqh: Mu´amalat, 1997.
Dars-e-Kharij Usul of Ayatullah Sayyad Kazim Haeri in Usul; 1996-97
Kulliyat fi Ilm al Rijal, (author: Ayatullah Ja’far Subhani), 1996
Kitab al Makasib, (Sheikh Murtaza Ansari), taught by Ayatullah Duzduzani, Mahfuzi and Husaini Khurasani, 1993-95
Al-Kifayah, Madrasa Ayatullah Gulpaigani
Durus Fi Ilm al Usul (Halaqat) taught by Hujjatul Islam wal Muslimeen Sayyad Ali Salman Naqvi and Hujjatul Islam Sayyed Ali Akbar Haeri, 1992-95
Dars-e-Akhlaq, Ayatullah Mazaheri, (1990-92)
Sharh al Lum’at al Damishqiyyah, Madrasa-e-Shaheedin, 1989-90
Tahrirul Wasilah, Imam Khomeni, taught by Hujjatul al Islam Sheik Fallahzadeh, 1989-90
Usul al Istinbat, Sheik Taqi Haideri , taught by Hujjatul al Islam Eimani, 1990
Mughni al Labib, Madrasa-e-Shaheedain, 1989-90
Al Mantiq, Sheikh Mazaffar, taught by Hujjatul al Islam Husaini Tabaar, 1989-90
Tafsir Jawame’ ul Jame’, Sheik Tabarsi, at Madrasa-e-Shaheedain (1989).
Tareekh-e-Islam, Madrasa-e- Shaheedain (1987-88)
Nihayat al Hikmah and Bidayat al Hikmah, (author: Allama Tabatabai)
Muqaddimat (Jami al Muqaddimat, Sarf-e-Sadeh, Mabadi al Arabiyyah by Rasheed al Shartuti) at Madrasa-e-Shaheedain, Qum, 1987-88

 

He also continued his secular education from University of Karachi and finished his Bachlors degree in International Relations and Education and Masters in Comparative Religions.

Currently in the US, he is persuing Masters degree in Counseling.

Activities

Islamic Center of MOMIN in Irving, Texas invited him to read majalis in 1998 for two consecutive years and later sposored him to become its Resident Alim.

He speaks on all important religious occasions and delivers sermons on Fridays and Eid prayers at MOMIN Center. He teaches Qur’anic Tafseer, Tajweed, Ahkam, and Akhlaq at MOMIN and helps plan activities in the Holy month of Ramadhan as well as Muharram. He leads vigils on Holy nights like Laylatul Qadr and 15th of Shaban, and joins the believers in Tawassul and Aamal.

He teaches at Sunday Islamic School and provides guidance to the School Board and teachers. He actively participates in all meetings, and helps organize programs and rallies on important occasions such as Muharram and Yawmul Quds.

He helps bring unity and cooperation among Islamic centers. On national level, he participates in major conferences organized by the Muslim Congress. He has served in three Hajj groups and regularly trains community members for Hajj every year.

He also participates in youth camps, meetings and discussion groups in a number of cities, and provides support to the younger members of the Shia Muslim community in search of their true religious identity. His command over spoken Urdu, English and Persian languages helps him in communicating with various cultural groups within the Shia community. 

He has been able to develop a close relationship with several Sunni mosques in DFW area. He tries to help Shia Muslims integrate in the wider American community by sharing the positive attributes, and upholding the common religious heritage of the Abrahamic faith groups.

Maulana is trained in individual and group counseling for career and family issues. He offers help to community members in a broad range of issues. He counsels families in emotional and relationship issues.

Please pray for his success and support his efforts in different areas of activity.