Shaykh Azhar Iqbal (db) was born and raised in Karachi. He travelled to the United States for his undergraduate studies and holds a B.A degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He did his graduate studies in Economics from the New York University prior to his return to Pakistan in pursuit of Islamic Sciences, including Tafseer, Hadith, Arabic Grammar, Islamic Laws and Jurisprudence, under traditional scholars. Shaykh Azhar has attained the eight-year Aalimiyyah Degree from the Wifaq ul Madaris, Pakistan.

For over two decades, Shaykh Azhar has been actively engaged in Dawah activities, including delivering lectures in different mosques, educational and professional institutes. He has founded an institute for Traditional Islamic Studies under the name of Hidayah Academy. Besides heading the institute, he also teaches different courses including Tafseer, Hadith and Fiqh.

Hidayah Academy under the supervision of the Shaykh has thrived to an extent that number of students exceed more than 1000. More than 500 students study online in 30 different countries. More than 150 students have graduated from Hidayah Academy in the last 10 years. To learn more about Hidayah Academy, visit hidayah.edu.pk

There are 15 branches of Hidayah Academy in Pakistan. One branch is also present in the United States in the city of Dallas. One branch is also present in Ireland in the city of Dublin. All of these branches are run by graduates of Hidayah Academy. Hidayah Academy also has an online ‘Ifta’ resource by the name of AskHidayah.org. This resource provides answers to questions about Islam from around the world.

The Shaykh is also formally authorized in the Naqshbandia Tariqah of Tasawwuf (The path of Purification). He has thousands of students across the globe in the field of Islamic Purification. The Shaykh has given authorization (Khilafah) to 30 of his students in this field. The Shaykh has authored more than 40 books, both, in Urdu and English in the field of Tafseer-ul-Quran and Purification (Islaah). All of the Shaykh’s lectures and books are available on his website www.islamicessentials.org