Shaykh Atabek Shukurov Nasafi
At the young age of ten, Shaykh Atabek Shukurov Nasafi began his religious studies in his native Uzbekistan. He studied under local scholars such as Shaykh Sayyid Karim Namangany and Shaykh Mohammed Jaan, under whose guidance he began to memorise the Qur’an.
He completed his studies at the age of 21 in various subjects including Arabic Language, Hadith, Fiqh, Tafsir and Tajwid at Madrasa Abul Qasim and Jamia Islamia in Uzbekistan.
In 1998 he moved to Damascus, Syria, for higher studies with some of the finest scholars of our time. He enrolled on a four year “al-Ijaza al-Alimiyya” programme at the Takhassus Institute which is affiliated to Al Azhar University, Egypt. During this time his studies included: Sharh Ibn Aqeel with Sh. Atiyya, Sharh Fiqh al-Akbar with Sh. Adeeb al-Kallas, Lubab with Sh. Abdullah Rabiah, Aqida with Sh. Saeed Ramadan al-Buti, Risala Qushariyya with Sh. Abdul Fatah Bizm, Hadith with Sh. Sadiq Darwish, Da’wa with Sh. Tawfiq al-Buti.
Whilst continuing his studies at the institute he also focused on intensive private lessons with Shaykh Muhammed Adnan Darwish and covered Fath Bab al-Inaya and the Mu’atta Imam Malik. He also studied Shudhoor al-Dhab, Sharh Qatar al-Nida, Thufatal Mureed and Mukhtasar al-Bukhari with Shaykh Rushdi al-Qalam.
He graduated in 2003 after spending the final year at Al Azhar University and was given certification by the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy.