Dr Bilal Philips or Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips was born in Jamaica and raised in Canada. In 1972, following a political and philosophical journey from Christianity to Communism, he converted to Islam.
He went on a spiritual academic journey to the other side of the world to seek Islamic knowledge shortly after his conversion to Islam. In 1979, he earned an Arabic diploma and a bachelor’s degree from the Islamic University of Madeenah’s College of Islamic Disciplines (Usool Ad-Deen).
He earned an M.A. in Islamic Theology from the University of Riyadh’s College of Education in 1985, and a Ph.D. in Islamic Theology from the University of Wales’ Department of Islamic Studies in 1994.
He has been the founder and director of the Islamic Information Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (now known as Discover Islam) since 1994, as well as the Foreign Literature Department of Dar Al Fatah Islamic Press in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Dr. Bilal taught Islamic studies in an Islamic high school in Riyadh for ten years, and then lectured in Arabic and Islamic studies at the American University in Dubai, UAE, the Islamic Studies Academy in Doha, Qatar, Knowledge International University of Riyadh, and Preston International College in Chennai, India for another eighteen years.
His historic founding of the mega-university, the International Open University, which has over 270,000 students registered from 228 different countries around the world in only seven (7) years since its inception, is perhaps his greatest achievement, and the one for which he was listed in a Jordanian publication as one of “The 500 Most Influential Muslims.”
Accomplishments, Awards, Scholarship & Prizes
- Dr. Bilal has written, translated, and commented on over 50 published books on various Islamic topics, as well as edited and published the 56-book Eemaan reading series for children. He has also presented Islamic programs for many years on Riyadh Channel 2TV, Sharjah TV, Peace TV, Huda TV, Islam Channel, UK, and the Deen Show, Chicago, USA, and GuideUS TV, from Washington USA.
- Taught Arabic and Islamic Studies at Manaret Riyadh Secondary School in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (1980 – 1990).
- Began the first translation of the Friday Sermon into English in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the Mosque of Dr. Abdur Rahman Al-Luwaihiq (1986).
- Participated in the establishment of the first Islamic Center in Bat’ha, Riyadh, and his book “The True Religion of God”, was among the first books used to propagate Islam among foreign workers (1988).
- Published first books: Polygamy in Islam, The Devils Deception, The Mirage in Iran, Khomeini: Moderate or Fanatical Shi’ite (1989).
- 1990: Published Islamic Studies Book 1, The Fundamentals of Tawheed, and The Evolution of Fiqh (1990)
- Led a team of Islamic propagators that converted over 3,000 American soldiers in Khobar, Saudia Arabia, after the 1st Gulf War (1991-2)
- Taught Arabic and Islamic Studies at the American University in Dubai (1993 – 2003).
- Set up and ran the first Islamic Center in the UAE for Dar al – Birr Charity, in Dubai (1993 – 2003).
- Established the first Friday sermon (Khutbah) in English in the UAE, at Qasbah Mosque, Sharjah, UAE (2001).
- Set up and ran the English Department of Dar al Fatah Islamic Press, in Sharjah, UAE. Published more than 80 books (1993 – 2002).
- Dr. Bilal established and headed the faculty of Islamic Studies at Preston University Ajman, UAE, and lectured at the University of Ajman (2001 – 2004).
- Consulted for and lectured at the Qatar Guest Center of Sh Eid Al Thani Charity, Doha, Qatar (2003 – 2010)
- Launched and headed the International Open University (IOU) Free Islamic Studies Diploma, online from Doha, Qatar (2007 – Present).
- Established and was Dean of the Islamic Studies Academy, affiliated with Omdurman Islamic University, Omdurman, Sudan (2007 – 2011).
- Established and lectured in the English Islamic Studies section of Knowledge International University founded by Sh. Dr. Sa’d Al Shithri (2008 – 2009).
- Director of PERF, and as Supervising Director he founded the first Islamic University in India “Preston International College (www.prestonchennai.ac.in)” and along with it, Al-Fajr International School (www.al-fajrinternational.com), in Chennai, India (2009 – 2010).
- Launched the BAIS (Bachelors of Arts in Islamic Studies) online. Affiliated IOU with Wishes University, Davao, Philippines (2010 – Present).
- Affiliated IOU with Muhamadiyyah University, Sukabumi, Indonesia (2011).
- Established the first office of IOU in Hargeisa, Somaliland, and obtained accreditation for IOU from the Ministry of Education of Somaliland. Ranked among the 500 most influential Muslims in the world
(2012) - Established the first learning Center for IOU in the Gambia and launched the IEC (Intensive English Course) for madrasah graduates as a bridge to IOU’s BAIS (2013).
- Obtained accreditation for IOU from the Ministry of Education of Somalia, Mogadeshu (2014).
- Launched the Bachelor of Arts in Education and Islamic Banking and Finance, and the Bachelor of Science in Psychology at IOU (2014 – Present).
- Launched a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Information Technology. Also launched the Masters of Arts in Islamic Studies (MAIS). Obtained degree recognition and a license for operation for IOU in the Gambia. Launched the IEC in Somaliland in collaboration with the government. Established an IOU Learning Center in Sierra Leone (2015 – Present).
- Established the official headquarters on the ground for IOU in Banjul, Gambia. Established an IOU a Learning Center and obtained provisional accreditation from the NCHE of Malawi, East Africa. Established an IOU Learning Center in Luzon, Philippines (2016).
- Established an IOU Learning Center in Marawi City, Mindanao, Philippines (2017).
