QARI ZIYAAD PATEL

About Qari Ziyaad Patel
Qari Ziyaad Patel was born in Ladysmith, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.  His early school years spanned across various schools where he took up many leadership roles and was the key in initiating many structures for learners at the particular schools in the region.  During this period he was elected chairman of the Representative Council of Learners, was also a member of the Youth sector of the Schools governing body and was an executive member of the African National Congress Youth League, Ladysmith region. Ziyaad has also schooled at a Roman Catholic school in Ireland-Dublin.

His Islamic career path started in his young age. He began the memorisation of the holy quraan at a tender age of 11. He completed his hifz under the tutelage and guidance of his illustrious teacher, Mufti Goolam Hassan Saib of De Deur (Khalifa to Hakeem Akhtar Sahib D.B) in 1994 at Ogies - Mpumalanga at the age of 14.  He then returned to his hometown of Ladysmith to continue perfecting his Tajweed under the supervision of  Hafiz Dr. Abdul Qadir Hansa Sahib (Senior Khalifa to Moulana Maseeullah R.A), and thereafter proceeded to Cairo - Egypt to study Tajweed Al-Makharej at the Al-Azhar University under the tutelage and guidance of Sheikh Abdullah Atiya Bayomi, where he further underwent Qiraah training.  He was awarded a shahdah from Sheikh Abdullah Attiya Bayomi, which was endorsed by Sheik Sayed Ali Tantawi, the most senior sheik at Al-Azhar University.

On completion of his tajweed course and qiraah training in Cairo, Qari Ziyaad moved on to Dublin-Ireland to resume his secular schooling.  He moved to Johannesburg in 2000 and went on to complete his Matriculation Certificate at Lenasia Muslim School.  He has just received a degree in the field of Information Science from the University of Johannesburg.

He has travelled extensively.  In Jerusalem - Palestine, he was given the honour of rendering the Azaan at Al-Aqsa, the 3rd Haram of Islam.  During the Ramadan 1421(2000) he was the guest of the ‘Co-operation for the Call and Guidance’ in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.  Sheik Abu Bakr Shatiri and Qari Ziyaad Patel were together invited to the Chamber of Commerce in Jeddah where dignitaries from around the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were present. He has also recited at the Abdul Lateef Jameel Mosque and Musjid-Taqwa in Jeddah where Al-Sheikh Sheikh Abu Bakr Shatiri is the Imam, of whom he is a very close friend and associate.

He has travelled widely and has had the honour of reciting the Quraan in Mosques in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey, India, Kashmir, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Botswana, Indonesia, Cape Town and Alhamdulillah across South Africa. Ziyaad leads a very hectic lifestyle with constant travels locally and internationally.

Ziyaad has released a few albums of nasheeds.  He has also worked for Channel Islam International where he and Qari Bashir Patel presented Qiraaha-Tus-Saheeha, a program for perfecting the recitation of the holy quraan