LONDON, January 24, 2006 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Renowned British Muslim scholar and Principal of the Muslim College in London, Dr. Zaki Badawi, passed away Tuesday, January 24.

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing away of Dr Zaki Badawi, Principal of the Muslim College, this morning, London-based Muslim News Web site declared Tuesday.

"Dr Badawi was a great scholar of Islam and has made a huge contribution to the Muslim community, and his demise will be a great loss to all the communities. His devotion to interfaith dialogue was unparalleled," Editor of The Muslim News, Ahmed J Versi, was quoted as saying on the Web site.

Versi told IOL over the phone that he was informed by a friend about the sad news and the Muslim College confirmed their Principal breathed his last at 11:00 a.m. London Time.

Versi added, citing sources at the Muslim College, that the late Badawi would be buried Wednesday or Thursday.

Sources in London told IOL that Badawi was on his way to deliver a lecture this morning when he suddenly felt ill and was hastily taken to hospital where he died.

"We are deeply shocked and saddened by his sudden demise," Sacranie said.

For decades Dr Badawi, 83, was a leading reformist figure, calling for the Muslim minority to engage fully with British life, according to the BBC News Online that dubbed him "One of the UK's most influential Muslim" scholars.

Egyptian-born Dr Badawi founded the Muslim College in London, according to the BBC.

Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks was among the first to offer his condolences, saying Dr Badawi was the "face and voice of Islamic dignity and tolerance", the BBC reported.

"He was a man of conscience and courage and I cherished his friendship," Sir Jonathan added to the British Broadcaster.

Versi told the BBC that Badawi's death was a "loss to all communities".

"Dr Badawi was a great scholar of Islam and has made a huge contribution to the Muslim community. His devotion to interfaith dialogue was unparalleled."

In the aftermath of the July 7 London bombings, Badawi was consulted by government on how best to tackle extremism, the BBC said.

A statement from the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) mourned the loss of Badawi, saying they were "shocked and saddened" by Badawi's death.

"We are deeply shocked and saddened by his sudden demise. Dr Badawi’s passing constitutes a major loss for British Muslims. We pray that God Almighty grants him a place in His paradise with the martyrs, the prophets and the righteous," Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary-General of the MCB, was quoted as saying on the MCB Web site.

Badawi, scholar, teacher and community activist, was born in Egypt in 1922. He was renowned for his interest in Islamic theology and law and as a representative and advocate of Muslims in Britain.

He was the principal of the Muslim College in London, which he founded in 1986, and frequently published and broadcast on Islamic affairs.

Badawi was educated at Al-Azhar University in Cairo. He obtained al-Aliyah, the equivalent of a Bachelor of Arts degree, from the College of Theology at the university, and Al-Alimiyah degree (Masters) from the Faculty of Arabic Language and Literature, Al-Azhar, in 1947.

In the same year, he received the King Faruq First Prize for the best post-graduate student.

After teaching at Al-Azhar for a short while, he moved to the United Kingdom in 1951 to study psychology at University College London. In 1954, he obtained his Bachelors degree. Badawi continued his studies and was awarded a doctorate from London University in Modern Muslim Thought.

Shortly after obtaining his PhD, he returned to Al-Azhar University and taught Muslim Thought and Scientific Research Methods.

He was then sent as a representative of the university to Malaya to establish a Muslim College there. After teaching Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Malaya in Singapore, he lectured in the same course at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur.

In 1964, he was appointed Professor of Islamic Education at Ahmadu Bello University in Northern Nigeria and later Professor of Islamic Education and Dean of Arts at Bayero College, Nigeria. In 1976, he was appointed research professor at the Hajj Research Center of King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia stationed in London.

In 1978, and still in the United Kingdom, Badawi was appointed director of the Islamic Cultural Center (ICC) and Chief Imam of London Central Mosque in Regents Park.

During his time at the ICC, Badawi was instrumental in establishing the Sharia`h (Islamic Law) Council as a facility to reconcile conflicts between Islamic law and the British civil code.

Badawi was elected chairman of the Imams and Mosques Council by the National Conference of Imams and Mosque Officials of the UK in 1984. He held this position until his death.

(All background information are courtesy of the Africadatabase Website, for more info, click here)