Hakeem Faizy Adrisseri

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Abdul Hakeem Faizy Adrisseri
അബ്ദുൽ ഹക്കീം ഫൈസി ആദൃശ്ശേരി
Abdul Hakeem Faizy Adrisseri in Kerala, India
Bornc. 1958
Adrisseri, Malappuram district, Kerala, India
CitizenshipIndian
OccupationIslamic scholar, educationist
OrganisationCoordination of Islamic Colleges
Known forWafy and Wafiyya integrated curricula; pioneer of women-only Islamic seminaries in Kerala
AwardsIOL Star of the Year (2009); OnIslam Muslim Star of the Year (2011); Azhari Thangal Excellence Award (2022)
Signature
Signature of Abdul Hakeem Faizy Adrisseri

Abdul Hakeem Faizy Adrisseri (Malayalam: അബ്ദുൽ ഹക്കീം ഫൈസി ആദൃശ്ശേരി; Arabic: عبد الحكيم الفيضي;) is an Indian Islamic scholar, and educationist from Malappuram district, Kerala. He is the chief architect of the Wafy and Wafiyya integrated academic programmes combining advanced Islamic studies with state-university secular degrees and the pioneer of women-only Islamic higher education seminaries in Kerala.[1][2]

He is a co-founder and serves as General Secretary of the Coordination of Islamic Colleges (CIC), an academic confederation administering over 90 affiliated Islamic colleges, including nearly 40 all-women institutions across Kerala and Karnataka.[3] In January 2018, he became the first Indian to be appointed to the 21-member Executive Board of the Cairo-based League of Islamic Universities (LIU).[4] He also serves as India's representative at the General Secretariat of the World Muslim Communities Council in Abu Dhabi.[3]

In late 2022 he attracted national and international media attention when he was expelled from the Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama following a dispute over his reformist educational programme.[5][6]

Early life and education[edit | edit source]

Abdul Hakeem Faizy was born around 1958 in Adrisseri, Malappuram district, Kerala. He was raised in a clerical family and left formal school in the first standard, pursuing traditional dars education for approximately eight years.[4] In 1977, he enrolled at Jamia Nooriya Arabic College, Pattikkad, Malappuram, for a two-year religious studies course, subsequently graduating from a seminary affiliated with the Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama.[7]

Career[edit | edit source]

Imam in Abu Dhabi[edit | edit source]

After his religious studies, Faizy served as an Imam in Abu Dhabi, UAE, for approximately a decade.[7]

Return to Kerala and curriculum reform[edit | edit source]

In the mid-1990s, Faizy returned to Kerala and took charge of Markazu Tharbiyyathil Islamiyya at Valanchery, Malappuram, where he developed an integrated, multidisciplinary curriculum combining classical Islamic learning with modern secular disciplines including comparative religious studies, modern research methodology, and English language.[7]

Founding of the Coordination of Islamic Colleges[edit | edit source]

In 2000, Faizy co-founded the Coordination of Islamic Colleges (CIC), registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860, as an academic confederation initially associated with the Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama.[3] The CIC grew to encompass over 90 affiliated colleges, including nearly 40 all-women institutions.[3] It has signed memoranda of understanding with the University of Cairo, Al-Azhar University, League of Islamic Universities, and Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo.[3]

Wafy and Wafiyya integrated programmes[edit | edit source]

Faizy played a leading role in developing the Wafy (for men) and Wafiyya (for women) integrated programmes, successors to the Al-Muthawwal course of the traditional Nizamiyya syllabus.[3] Wafy is an eight-year programme combining two-year Higher Secondary, four-year undergraduate, and two-year postgraduate Islamic studies with a state-recognised secular university degree. Wafiyya is a five-year integrated undergraduate programme for women, combining advanced Islamic theology with a Bachelor's degree from a recognised university.[1]

Pioneering women-only Islamic seminaries[edit | edit source]

The first women-only Wafiyya seminary was established at Valanchery in 2008.[4] By 2018, over 1,300 female students were enrolled across 24 Wafiyya colleges in Kerala.[4] Graduates earn the title al-Wafiyya ("the committed women"). The initiative received international coverage from Qantara.de,[1] Study International,[2] and the Saudi Gazette.[8]

Abdul Hakeem Faizy, General Secretary CIC, attending a workshop in Cairo (2018).

League of Islamic Universities[edit | edit source]

In January 2018, Faizy was appointed to the 21-member Executive Board of the League of Islamic Universities, the first Indian to hold such a position.[4] He attended the Fourth Executive Conference and Tenth General Assembly of the LIU in Alexandria, April 2018.[4]

World Muslim Communities Council[edit | edit source]

Faizy serves as India's representative at the General Secretariat of the World Muslim Communities Council in Abu Dhabi.[9]

Controversy with Samastha Kerala[edit | edit source]

Tensions between the CIC and the Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama escalated over the CIC's constitutional amendment, Faizy's attempt to standardise the dars curriculum, and the Wafiyya marriage policy.[5] In November 2022, Samastha formally expelled Faizy, citing anti-organisational activities.[5][6] In February 2023, Samastha withheld cooperation with the CIC pending Faizy's removal as General Secretary.[10][11] Faizy denied the allegations and said he would "focus on the future."[12][7] Students and parents protested against proposals to discontinue the Wafy and Wafiyya courses.[13][14]

Recognition and awards[edit | edit source]

  • IOL Star of the Year (2009) — IslamOnline[9]
  • OnIslam Muslim Star of the Year (2011) — OnIslam.net[3]
  • Azhari Thangal Excellence Award (December 2022)[15]

Views and philosophy[edit | edit source]

Faizy advocates for a synthesis of Islamic and secular knowledge, arguing that seminary graduates must understand "the scientific, cultural, political and intellectual currents that shape our modern world."[1] On women's education, he has stated that "there is no better way of empowering Muslim women than to educate them and give them access to all streams of knowledge."[1] He is an advocate of interfaith dialogue and religious pluralism, having organised international conferences on multiculturalism in Kerala.[8]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "All-female madrassas: Of women, by women and for women". Qantara.de. 23 August 2017. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "For women, by women: All-female madrassas mixing tradition with science". Study International. 25 August 2017. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Governance – About Prof. Abdul Hakeem Faizy". Coordination of Islamic Colleges. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "Abdul Hakeem Faizy Adrisseri: The first Indian to join the governing body of League of Islamic Universities". TwoCircles.net. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Samastha expels reformist leader for 'working against principles of Sunni Islam'". Manorama English. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Abdul Hakeem Faizy's expulsion exposes divide within Samastha as Sunni orthodoxy prevails". The Hindu. 10 November 2022.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "How Sunni Orthodoxy in Kerala Seeks to Witch-Hunt a Progressive Scholar". New Age Islam. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Indian scholar underscores need to promote Islam's moderation". Muslim Mirror (citing Saudi Gazette). 7 June 2016. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Governance – About Prof. Abdul Hakeem Faizy". Coordination of Islamic Colleges. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  10. ↑ "Samastha not to cooperate with CIC until Hakeem Faizy's removal as general secretary". Mathrubhumi. 15 February 2023.
  11. ↑ "Hakeem Faizy to resign CIC post". Manorama News. 21 February 2023. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  12. ↑ "Hakeem Faizy says he will focus on future, will not bow to Samastha diktats". The Hindu. 25 February 2023.
  13. ↑ "Kerala: Students, parents slam scrapping of Wafy, Wafiyya courses". EdexLive. The New Indian Express. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  14. ↑ "All eyes now on Samastha meet in Kerala as CIC backs Faizy". The New Indian Express. 6 June 2023.
  15. ↑ "അസ്ഹരി തങ്ങൾ എക്‌സലൻസി അവാർഡ് അബ്ദുൽ ഹകീം ഫൈസി ആദൃശ്ശേരിക്ക്". Madhyamam. 3 December 2022. Retrieved 2024-01-10.

External links[edit | edit source]

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