A Tribute to Uthman El-Muhammady

Ustaz Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady is an unassumingman whose taciturn mannerendears him to all who meet him.Unpretentious, polite, sincere andcompassionate, he cuts a distinct figurewith his henna-ed hair and beard, whiteturban and jubbah. His easy ways havetaken him to most hamlets and cities ofMalaysia, and his popularity is the resultof the recognition he has received for theyears of selfless service he has given tothe nation in the field of da’wah.El-Muhammady, a native speaker ofMalay, is as at home with English as heis with Arabic. Through the years, hisfluency in these languages has helpedhim with his work, and, hence, it comesas no surprise that he is one of the mostsought after speakers in this country. Inaddition, his ability to elucidate difficult ideas with ease, regurtitate longquotations at will, and explain complexconcepts with clarity shows soundlearning, true dedication and tirelesseffort in the pursuit of knowledge. Fromthe ideas and teachings of Ibnu Khaldun,Iqbal, and Ghazzali and scores ofscholars he has studied, Muhammadycannot be accused of having abandonedadab or akhlaq for ‘ilm; he illustrates,through example, that patience is the lotof knowledge-seekers and humility andtolerance that of true scholars.In Ustaz Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady, we find pleasing andcommendable qualities. We are proudthat he is a member of the ISTAC familyand hope that he will continue to serveIslam with the dignity and forbearanceof great Islamic personages of the past.