Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman Mangera established Whitethread Institute with the express purpose of enhancing educational pathways for Muslim scholars. The institute now serves the important function of allowing scholars to create synthesis between traditional texts and modern-day challenges. Our advanced postgraduate courses for ‘alimiyya graduates and students are taught with the purpose of contextualizing and solidifying their knowledge. The Fatwa Centre, or what is traditionally known as the Dār al-Iftā’, is a pivotal department of the Whitethread Institute. The objective of the Centre is to serve the global Muslim community in answering their ethical, juridical, and spiritual questions.
Our Story
For nearly two decades, the Q&A service (Dar al-Ifta’) at www.zamzamacademy.com has responded to a multitude of important questions from Muslims, seeking answers (fatwas) and guidance to their religious questions. Due to its popularity, and the volume of questions received each day, it became difficult to respond in a timely manner. This led to the founding of a dedicated Fatwa Centre at Whitethread Institute.
A Fatwa Centre (Dar al-Ifta’) holds an esteemed and invaluable position in a Muslim community, allowing the public a sacred space to visit resident muftis and ask about issues affecting their lives and receive appropriate guidance. Similarly, at our Fatwa Centre, when queries are received, they move through a rigorous process of discussion and research, before being responded to. We have an in-house team of research fellows, who are graduates of our flagship ‘Ifta’ Specialisation Program, to assist the muftis in the intensive research required for the fatwa process. In the two-year course, each fellow completes over 1,000 fatwas, gaining acumen, experience, and expertise in several fields of jurisprudence. Some of our research fellows have also accompanied the muftis to national and international fiqh conferences.
For added assurance, our muftis have unfettered access to numerous senior muftis, scholars, and experts in the field of economics, medicine, scientific research, etc. to assist in the more complex queries that are received.