The Founder

Hazrat Sufi Muhammad Munir Sahib is a Khalifa of the late Shaykh Muhammad Abdul Wahhab Siddiqi (ra). Known simply as‘Sufi Sahib’, he was born on the 9th February 1946 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He came to the UK in 1965 and initially settled in Birmingham and then Burton on Trent, where he resided for 13 years serving as a community leader.

Sufi Sahib’s life changing moment arrived on 20th April 1974 when he first met his spiritual guide and teacher Shaykh Muhammad Abdul Wahhab Siddiqi (ra) in Bradford. Sufi Sahib witnessed the Shaykh’s spiritual and moral excellence first-hand over a number of years, which ultimately led to Sufi Sahib pledging spiritual allegiance to the Shaykh. Hazrat Sufi Sahib’s spiritual and educational training took place thereafter over a period of 20 years by Shaykh Muhammad Abdul Wahhab Siddiqi (ra), with whom he enjoyed an extremely close relationship. He frequented his gatherings and alsotravelled for hajj with the Shaykh in 1981.

Hazrat Sufi Sahibrelocated to Coventry in 1985 to study full time under the tutelage of Shaykh Abdul Wahhab Siddiqi (ra) at the Jamia Islamia In Coventry. Hazrat Sufi Sahib completed his traditional studies in the Islamic Sciences with distinction and began teaching various Islamic and secular subjects initially in Jamia Islamia and then Hijaz College from 1994 – 2008.

Under the spiritual guidance of Shaykh Abdul Wahhab Siddiqi (ra), Hazrat Sufi Sahib excelled in the inner sciences and his extensive character and spiritual training culminated in being granted the Khilafa (spiritual deputyship) in the annual Urs gathering in 1994, just before the passing away of Shaykh Abdul Wahhab Siddiqi (ra). Since then, Hazrat Sufi Sahib has accepted spiritual students and has been actively working in the field of spirituality as well as in Islamic education. He has travelled to various parts of the world to propagate true Sunni Islam and has established centres of learning in Mauritius and the Republic of Ireland, where he still maintains ties with students and the general community.

Hazrat Sufi Sahib’s influence in East London began in 2006 when he initiated gatherings of remembrance (dhikr) with local students. In 2011, he relocated to Ilford, London and began teaching and training those closest to him. This process continued until the 5th January 2013, when Al Ghazzali Institute was opened for the very first time. For the past 8 years, Hazrat Sufi Sahib has been solely focussedon theInstitute and he has personally committed and overseen its development which has led to hundreds of students receiving exceptional Islamic education and spiritual development.