Hawzah News Agency - (Toronto - Canada) - Tributes have been paid to Shaykh Yusuf Motala who passed away yesterday evening in Toronto, Canada following a heart attack.

Shaykh Yusuf Motala was among the UK’s leading scholars. He migrated from India to the UK in 1968 and established the first Islamic seminary here in 1973.

The Darul Uloom in Bury has produced thousands of scholars over the past four decades who are serving their communities in the UK and beyond. Students from as far as Panama, India and New Zealand have graduated from this seminary.   

A few weeks ago, Shaykh Yusuf Motala travelled to Canada to deliver some lectures. He suffered a heart attack on Sunday 24 August. He was hospitalised and passed away yesterday evening 8.20pm local time.  

Reflecting on the Shaykh’s demise, Moulana Yusuf Shabbir, a Blackburn based graduate of Darul Uloom Bury said, “This is a great loss for the Ummah. We are all indebted to our respected teacher Shaykh Yusuf Motala for his lifelong efforts and sacrifices.

"His legacy includes the establishment of the first Muslim seminary in the Western World which has produced well over a thousand graduates.