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15 July 2026 / 29. Muharram 1448

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Islamic Religious Education


Introducing our new Head of Madrasah Centre of Excellence
The President of The World Federation, Alhaj Safder Bhai Jaffer, would like to congratulate Sister Zulekha Hirji on her new role as Head of Madrasah Centre of Excellence (MCE).

"It gives me great pleasure to introduce our new head of MCE, Zulekha Hirji who will be succeeding our longest standing member of MCE Naushad Mehrali. 

Naushad Mehrali has shown great passion and dedication to the MCE department. He has grown the department successfully and was able to expedite many important programmes earlier due to the pandemic.

We are thankful for Naushad Bhai who will be around for a smooth transition and advisory capacity upon Sister Zulekha Hirji joining in September."

-Al-Haj Safder Jaffer, President of The World Federation

Zulekha Hirji has been working in education for the past 16 years, and her passion lies in working with others and being a part of a movement that ensures that children around the world have the opportunity to access the highest quality Islamic education that allows them to fulfil their full potential.
 
Zulekha has a BA Hons in Accounting and Masters in Education from the Institute of Education, UCL.  Over the course of her career, as well as with Madressa and voluntary outreach work Zulekha has worked with children of all ages in Dubai and London. 
 
Along with the team, Zulekha intends to make MCE synonymous with Shia Islamic Education around the world so that students, teachers and their families embark on a learning journey together for the holistic development for our community as a whole.

Naushad Mehrali  Al Nur Award
(Award for Length of Service to the Community or Humanity)

The nurturing of upcoming generations has always been an uppermost priority of The World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Community. Your decades of exemplary commitment as an educator of our young resonates as your remarkable lifelong passion.
 
Rightfully, when the Madrasah Centre of Excellence (MCE) concept was in its embryonic phase, it was your steady hand that delivered and nurtured it in its formative years over the last decade.
 
Your unassuming yet determined mindset subsequently helped make the MCE a formidable force in addressing contemporary challenges of our madaris around the globe.
 
Murabbi Naushad Bhai, by way of this award, The World Federation appreciates your immense contribution to the lasting legacy of an innovative, robust and sustainable way forward towards the Tarbiyah of our future generations.

Related News

“Inspirational, Motivating and Gratifying”: A mentor recounts her Girls’ Youth Course 2014 experience (India Office)

As I contemplate on how to pen down my experience as a mentor for the recently concluded WF girls’ youth course, my thoughts run to the time when I was a little girl and yearned to go out and explore the world, similar to these girls who were bubbling with exuberance, vitality and an insatiable thirst for learning new things. My mentoring experience to these girls was exhilarating and a source of enlightenment.

MCE Update –July 2013 Issue 10

Updated 17 July 2013

This is the 10th issue of the MCE mailshot. When we sent the first issue, we explained that the purpose of the newsletter was to:

1. Update you on the progress made by MCE and its activities
2. Share good practices that are happening in other madrasah around the world
3. Share news of important developments in the field of madrasah education
4. Listen to you and take your feedback, suggestions and new ideas.


Ayatollah Baqer Shirazi passes away

Celebrated Iranian Shia scholar Ayatollah Sayyed Muhammad Baqer Musavi Shirazi (1931-2014) has passed away at the age of 83 in a hospital in Imam Reza (A.S) Hospital in Tehran on Tuesday (13th May).