A journey of teaching, scholarship and service — from the first lessons in 2014 to a new generation of graduates in 2026.
Before the institution was formally established, teaching began through Hanafi Fiqh sessions and weekly Tafsir classes, laying the first foundations for what would become Al Haadi.
Al Haadi was formally established as an Islamic educational institution, building upon the teaching work that had begun the previous year.
The institution's early direction was shaped by its founder, Mufti M.Z.M. Mustafa Raza Qadiri Misbahi, and a commitment to serving the community through authentic Islamic knowledge and traditional scholarship.
Al Haadi took its first rented premises in Kolonnawa, marking an important step in the development of the institution.
That same year, the Dawrat al-Hadith programme was launched for graduates of Arabic Colleges and madrasas seeking advanced study in Hadith.
The first foreign scholars joined the institute that year, including Hazrat Adam Mohiyideen Baaqavi رحمة الله عليه, who served until 2019, together with Mufti Shams Tabrez Azhari Misbahi.
In December 2019, the first batch of Dawrat al-Hadith students graduated as Fazils, marking Al Haadi's first major milestone in advanced Islamic scholarship.
The same year, the Foundation Course in Islamic Sciences was introduced, alongside the part-time Al-Aalim programme, enabling students to pursue structured Islamic scholarship alongside their other commitments.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought the institute's physical operations to a temporary close. Following the pandemic, Al Haadi resumed its programmes in premises made available to the institution by a Well-Wisher, allowing the work of Islamic scholarship to continue.
Dawrat al-Hadith continued at the new premises, with a cohort of approximately nine students progressing through the programme.
In 2021, the institution was repositioned as Markaz Al Haadi, and teaching continued from its premises in Wellampitiya.
With recurring flooding affecting the Wellampitiya premises, the institution moved to its present location on Gunanankara Road, Dehiwala, off Saranankara Road.
The institution adopted its present identity as Al Haadi Institute, continuing its work as an institution of Islamic education and scholarship.
Al Haadi Institute is managed by Al Haadi Muslim Charitable Trust (R/2890/C/259), a Muslim charitable trust registered under the Wakfs Act of Sri Lanka.
In the same year, Al Haadi Institute became affiliated with the Arabic Language Association of Ceylon Limited (ALAC), further strengthening its commitment to Arabic language and Islamic education.
The first and second batches of the Al-Aalim programme graduate, alongside the third batch of Dawrat al-Hadith students.
This year marks a significant chapter in the journey of Al Haadi. Students who began their studies through different pathways now reach important milestones in their pursuit of Islamic scholarship, with graduates completing both the part-time Al-Aalim programme and the advanced Dawrat al-Hadith programme.
2026 stands as a year of graduation, and a reminder that the work of one generation of students becomes the foundation for the next.
Today, Al Haadi Institute continues to develop structured pathways in Islamic education for brothers, sisters and younger learners.
From foundational Islamic sciences to Al-Aalim, Al-Aalima, Hifz-ul-Qur'an, Successful Muslimah and Blessed Muslimah, the institute seeks to preserve the transmission of traditional knowledge while presenting it through structured and accessible education for the present generation.
The journey continues.