The Islamic Foundation for Education & Welfare (IFEW) was founded in 1987 and operates from Sydney, Australia. Its aims are to address current issues through education, information dissemination and welfare projects.
IFEW is a non-profit organisation.
Welcome to Tafkeer
Assalamu Alaikum (Peace be on you)
Tafkeer means Thinking in Arabic.
And so this is for those who think, ponder and reflect. Primarily a vehicle to gather and disseminate the writings of Q Ashfaq Ahmad, Tafkeer also accepts other contributors dedicated to the betterment of this world in the preparation for the world hereafter.
Here you will come across over fifty years of research, discussions, publications and community work. The primary objective of the website is to share this experience and abundant resources with the rest of the world.
Additionally, the website serves as the portal to the world for the activities of the
Islamic Foundation for Education & Welfare (IFEW).
Click around and read. If you would like to make any comments click on the Contact Us link. We don’t guarantee to respond to every message but we will read them.
Enjoy and peace be on you.
Graphic: Bismiillah in the shape of an ostrich by Sudanese Artist Hassan Musa (Courtesy of Grandir Editions)
Bismillah is the common Muslim opening of any action or writing which means “In the name of Allah”
Name: Dr Q Ashfaq Ahmad
Date of Birth: 12 December, 1930
Nationality: Australian
Occupation: Engineering Consultant (Rtd)
Community Service of Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad
Convenor of the Living Islam in the Contemporary Global Society seminar 2009
Founder of the ACSOMOR
Founder of the Interfaith Youth Friendship Centre 2004
Chief Organiser of the Multicultural Eid Festival and Fair (MEFF) and Patron of the MEFF Consortium, 1987 to date.
Organiser of 'Train the Trainers Course on Da'wah and Dialogue' conducted at the University of Sydney, Australia from 9-19 July, 1997.
Organiser of Da'wah Bil Hal International Conference under RISEAP at the University of Sydney, Australia on 29, 30 March, 1997.
Organiser of international organisations and seminars.
Islamic writings contributed to international journals, magazines and newspapers.
Speaker at various international conferences in US, UK, Middle East, South and South East Asia and the Pacific on community issues.
Chapter on 'Islam and Muslims in Australia' of the book 'Islam, Muslims and the Modern State' published by the Macmillan Press Ltd. UK and St. Martin Press, USA, June, 1994.
Assembly member, Council of Parliament of world's Religions (CPWR), USA, 1993 to date.
Member, Board of Trustees, International Council of Islamic Information (ICII), UK, 1993 to date
Member of the Association for Indian Muslims (USA), 1992 to date.
Member Executive committee, Regional Islamic Daawah Council of Southeast Asia and the Pacific (RISEAP) 1982-1990.
Founder member and Secretary, Islamic Society of Papua New Guinea, 1980-1983
Founder member, MSA (USA & Canada) 1959-1983
Ameer (President) Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Aligarh, 1957-1959
Research work in Quran at Madrasatul Islah, Saraimir, India, 1955.
Completed 4 years special course in Arabic and Islamic Studies from Sanwi Darsgah, Jamaat-e-Islami in first division and first position, 1950-1954
Active worker of Jamaat-e-Islami, Hind (India), 1950-1969
Active worker for the liberation of India from British Raj under Indian National Congress (1942-1944) and All India Muslim League (1944-1947)
Contributions to radio, TV, newspapers and magazines regarding issues facing the community.
Talks, lectures and seminars at various schools, community centres, churches and mosques.
Organiser of other inter-faith and inter-ethnic meetings and programs.
Member of various committees for the establishment and construction of mosques, school and community centres.
Award for Services to Islam by Forum for Australian Muslim Professionals (FAMP), 1994
Founder and Patron of the Islamic Forum for Australian Muslims (IFAM), 1993 to date.
Founder Member of the Forum for Australian Muslim Professionals (FAMP), 1993 to date.
Multicultural Marketing Award for Australasian Muslim Times by the Government of New South Wales, 1992
Founder Member and the Patron of the Aligarh Muslim University Alumni (Australia), 1992 to date.
Editor-in-Chief, Mulitlingual Australasian Muslim Times, the only Muslim paper published by AMUST Publications Pty Ltd, January 1991 - June 1994.
Community Service Award in recognition of a valuable contribution to the Bicentenary in 1988.
Formative member of the 'Staff & Students Committee for Peace Studies' at the Unviersity of Sydney delivering lecture on 'Concept of Peace in Islam', 1987.
Chief Editor of 'Insight', the Quarterly Journal of Concepts and Ideas, published by the Islamic Foundation for Education & Welfare (IFEW), 1986 to date.
Founder Member, Patron and Director, Daawah and Education of the Islamic Foundatiion for Education and Welfare (IFEW), 1986 to date
Founder and Patron of the 'Australian Integrated Family' (AIF) organised to strengthen family ties and bondage within the community, 1986 to date.
Secretary of the Australian Federation of lslamic Councils (AFIC), 1986-1987
Founder President of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC), Australia wide national organisation of the Muslim Community, 1976-1978
Founder Member and Chairman of the Islamic Education Service, 1975-1978
Founder and Executive Committee Member of the Council of Islamic Affairs of NSW (ICNSW), 1974-1976.
Editor of the journal Ad-Daawah published by the Australian Islamic Mission, 1973-1974.
Editor of the journal Iman, published by the Islamic Society of NSW, 1973-1974
Founder Member and Secretary of the Australian Islamic Mission (Jamaat Daawah Islamia), 1972-1976
Founder Member and the President of the Sydney University Muslim Students Association (SUMSA), 1972-1974