The Institute
Al-Mahdi Institute has been teaching Islamic thought in Birmingham for three decades. The Madrasa Project has been thoughtfully constructed for 16 to 18 year olds, drawing on that breadth of scholarship, its critical engagement with complex questions, and the Institute’s commitment to the highest standards of pastoral care.
Thirty years of
critical scholarship
Al-Mahdi Institute is a centre for the study of Islam in Birmingham, teaching Islamic law, theology, philosophy and mysticism at degree and postgraduate level.
Alongside its teaching, the Institute convenes scholars from around the world. It hosts an annual international conference on contemporary Islamic thought, and regular workshops and symposia in fields including hadith studies and Islamic mysticism. Its researchers publish, supervise postgraduate work, and host visiting academics through the year.
The Institute sits on Weoley Park Road in south Birmingham, a short walk from Selly Oak, with a library, seminar rooms and a courtyard garden. Sessions run in the main building.
Find us
Al-Mahdi Institute
60 Weoley Park Road
Birmingham B29 6RB
0121 446 5047
madrasa@almahdi.edu
Nearest station Selly Oak, roughly fifteen minutes on foot. On-site parking is available on Saturdays.
Dr Zoheir Ali Esmail
Headmaster of The Madrasa Project and Research Lead in Islamic Mysticism and Spirituality at Al-Mahdi Institute.
Dr Esmail designed the programme and teaches on it. His research is in Islamic mysticism and spirituality — the part of the tradition most concerned with the interior life, which is also where most teenagers’ real questions live.
“Doubt that is brought into the light is far less dangerous than doubt that is buried and left to grow in the dark.”
Who else you will meet
- Every facilitator in the room holds current safeguarding training and a clear role on the programme. There is always more than one member of staff on site.
- The Designated Safeguarding Lead — responsible for every safeguarding concern raised on the programme, contactable through the AMI office whenever needed.
Cohort one
launches 17 October 2026
Limited spaces available. Applications close when they are filled.
Apply for a place