Syed Huzaifah Ali Nadwi

Syed Huzaifah Ali Nadwi completed his memorisation of the Qurʾān, BA (Alimiyyah programme) in 2014 and M.A. (Fadheelah programme) in 2016 where he specialized in Hadith Studies. His master’s thesis focused on the contributions of the 19th-century Indo-Hijazi hadith scholar Muhammad Abid Sindhi (1776-1840). Upon his return to the UK, he was interested in understanding and engaging with contemporary debates about the role of religion in general, and Islam in particular in modern society. He thus enrolled for the one-year Diploma in Contextual Islamic Studies & Leadership at Cambridge Muslim College in 2017. After completing this course, he then enrolled for an MA in Islamic Studies at SOAS University of London in 2018, from where he graduated with a distinction. His dissertation was entitled “The Study of Qurʾānic Structure and Coherence: From Its Origins to the School of Ḥamīd al-Dīn Farāhī (1863-1930)”. He critically analysed the hypothesis presented by Farāhī, an Indian Islamic scholar known for his work on the concept of coherence in the Quran, and suggested adjustments to his theory. He studied Farāhī’s original contributions to Qur’ānic studies, notably his theories of coherence and order, which have become major subjects of ongoing inquiry in the academy. Upon graduating from SOAS, he chose to pursue a second master’s degree to further polish his research skills and to connect with other scholarly and public networks before embarking upon doctoral research. Thus in 2020, he pursued an MA in Islam in Contemporary Britain at Cardiff University, where he was able to gain training in social science research methods. His dissertation was entitled “Beyond the Seminary: New Forms of Religious Learning.” Cardiff provided him the invaluable experience of participating in the public seminar series of the Centre for the Study of Islam in Britain allowing him to better understand the challenges and aspirations of British Muslims. He is currently working as a research assistant on the Understanding British Imams project at Cardiff University.