Shaykh Abdullah Waheed was born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit, MI. He commenced his studies at the age of ten in Toronto, Canada, where he went to memorize the Quran. He completed the memorization of the Holy Quran by the tender age of thirteen and then went on to study in the seven-year extensive Shariah program in Toronto, Canada. Shaykh Abdullah specialized in the Tafseer of the Quran. Shaykh Abdullah spent years studying the details and beauty of our Holy book since understanding and mastering the language of the Holy Quran was always the primary goal. Shaykh Abdullah is a co-founder and instructor at Miftaah Institute and is also the Director of Islamic Affairs at Flint Islamic Center.

Mufti Aasim Rashid is a distinguished Muslim scholar, speaker and educator (the title ‘Mufti’ indicates his expertise and authority in Islamic law). He is devoted to the study and explanation of Islamic sacred texts and their relation to the modern context. His lectures, delivered at conferences and institutions around the world, are known to be inspiring and pertinent to the issues and pressing questions of the day. Mufti Aasim is the founder of the Al-Ihsan Educational Foundation, which has initiated the ‘Islam Unravelled’ project.

Ustadh Ubaydullah Evans is ALIM’s first Scholar-in-Residence. He converted to Islam while in high school. Upon conversion, Ustadh Ubaydullah began studying some of the foundational books of Islam under the private tutelage of local scholars. Since then he has studied at Chicagoland’s Institute of Islamic Education (IIE), in Tarim, Yemen, and Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, where he is the first African-American to graduate from its Shari’a program. Ustadh Ubaydullah also instructs with the Ta’leef Collective and the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN).

Mufti Hussain Kamani was born and raised in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. His journey to pursue sacred Islamic knowledge began at age 6. By the age of 9, he completed the memorization of the Holy Quran. To further advance his studies in the Islamic Sciences, he traveled to the United Kingdom and pursued formal Islamic authorizations (ijazahs). For 7 years, Mufti Kamani studied a rigorous curriculum covering the Arabic language and literature, Islamic jurisprudence, Tafseer of the Holy Qur’an, Hadith, Islamic Philosophy, and Aqeedah. Afterwards, he was selected for a post-graduate level course in Islamic Law and Legal Verdicts, which he completed within two years. He later earned his graduate degree in Business Management from the University of Coventry in the UK.

Imam Yaseen has served as an Imam since 2002 in Stoke Newington, London, where he was also Head of Islamic Studies at a private school, Tawhid Secondary School. As an Imam, Imam Yaseen was involved with the spiritual activities of the Mosque, as well as outreach and civic activities, diversity training and working with various organizations on an advisory level. Imam Yaseen very recently moved back to the Baltimore area with his wife and three daughters. He is an avid football fan and enjoys time with family and friends.

Mufti Abdul Wahab Waheed was born and raised in Ann Arbor, MI. He began Islamic studies at Jaamiah al-Uloom al-Islamiyyah in Canada where he became a Hafiz at the age of 11. He started his 7-year Shariah program in Toronto, Canada, and went even further to pursue higher education of Hadith in Karachi, Pakistan. Throughout his travels, Mufti Abdul Wahab addresses communities across the United States on a wide range of Islamic topics and Inshallah, continues to do so with the Tawfiq of Allah SWT. Mufti Abdul Wahab is a Co-founder at Miftaah Institute and also is a Co-Founder and Director at Michigan Islamic Institute.

Sheikh Muhammad Ahmed was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Baltimore, MD. He memorized the Qur'an at ISB's Al-Rahmah Quran Academy when he was only 11. He then went on to study under Sheikh Yaseen Shaikh at ISBs' Al-Rahmah Seminary before moving onto continue his education in Karachi, Pakistan at Jamia Binoria.

Sheikh Saad Baig serves as Head of School with the purview of Al-Rahmah School (ARS) and the Al-Rahmah Nursery (ARN). He joined ARS in 2018 as Director of Arabic, Islamic, and Quran Studies. Previously, he served as the Director of Religious Affairs for one of Illinois’ largest Muslim communities at the Islamic Center of the Quad-Cities. He is a seasoned veteran providing leadership for religious-based organizations in areas of guidance, counseling, and academic instruction. Sheikh Saad has been a liaison to public schools on issues such as anxiety, trauma, depression, family and child issues, addiction, and transitioning migrant workers and their families to local communities. Sheikh Saad has established and promoted educational programs for adults and youth for more than a decade. He is a chaplain, resident scholar, and assists with outreach for the Islamic Society of Baltimore (ISB) with area churches and synagogues. Sheikh Saad completed his Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Augustana College and a Master’s in Mental Health from Western Illinois University. In addition to his professional degrees, Sheikh Saad completed the seven-year Alim program at Darul Uloom Zakariyya University in South Africa in 2008.

Shaykh Tariq Musleh is a graduate from the prestigious Madinah University where he attained his Associate degree in Arabic and Bachelors Degree from the College of Sharia. He completed his memorization of Quran at the age of 13 and went on to receive ijaza from Palestine. He studied Classical Arabic at the Fajr Center in Egypt. Shaykh Tariq has worked as a part time instructor for Islamic Learning Foundation Chicago, where he taught Quran and Arabic studies. He has served in Young Muslims (YM) for many years as a coordinator and murrabi. Shaykh Tariq has also served as the Youth Director for the Islamic Center of Naperville in Chicago and became the Youth Director and Assistant Imam of Mecca Center in Willowbrook, Illinois in July 2017.

ISB Resident Scholars

Dr. Mohamed AbuTaleb serves as Dean of Administration at Boston Islamic Seminary and Senior Fellow at Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research. Previously, he transitioned from a successful career in technology leadership at a Fortune 100 company to serve the community full-time at the helm of one of the largest Islamic centers in the South, serving as Imam, Religious Director, and Member of the Board for seven years. Dr. AbuTaleb has been featured in media coverage from outlets including National Geographic, NPR, ABC11, Religion News Service, and WRAL; and lectured at a number of universities including Harvard, MIT, Columbia, Duke, and Georgia Tech. He co-founded Oaktree Institute, Muslim Link Newspaper, and Capital-Area Islamic Library.

Shaykh Suleiman Hani is the Director of Academic Affairs at AlMaghrib Institute, a research scholar for Yaqeen Institute, and a resident scholar in Michigan. At the age of 14, Suleiman completed a 10-month Qur’an memorization program and began his intensive studies under numerous scholars, earning dozens of traditional religious certifications in the process. He later earned a master’s degree from the University of Jordan’s College of Shari’ah, ranking first in his class, and a master’s degree from Harvard University, where he studied religions, philosophy, political science, and psychology. Over the past decade, he has served as an Imam and community leader in Michigan, lectured in dozens of countries, published a number of books and articles, and was featured on the largest Islamic TV stations worldwide.

Shaykh Asif Pochi is an esteemed Islamic scholar and motivational speaker from Dallas, Texas. He studied Islamic Sciences in Bury, a town in the United Kingdom, and furthered his studies in Toronto, Canada, where he received Ijaza for Fatwa and Islamic theology. Shaykh Asif has made considerable contributions to his islamic community with a reputation for delivering insightful lectures and showcasing an extensive knowledge and understanding within Islam. Now serving as the South East Regional Director at the Miftaah Institute in Detroit, Michigan, he is also involved in delivering lectures nationwide with the institute, allowing him to expand his impact and reach.

Imam Mikaeel Ahmed Smith is an instructor at Qalam Seminary in Dallas, Texas and has a Degree in Islamic Studies from Dar ul-Uloom Canada in Chatham, Ontario. He is passionate about meeting the needs of Muslim converts, building Islamic literacy among youth, and striving for social justice. He recently published his first book, a translation of a classical Arabic text on Islamic pedagogy. He currently lives in Dallas, Texas with his wife and three young children.

Dr. Sharif El-Tobgui holds a BS in Arabic Language from Georgetown University, a Master’s and PhD in Islamic Studies from McGill University and currently serves as Associate Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies and Director of the Arabic Language Program at Brandeis University.

Shaykh Idris Nawaz started studying the Quran at the age of 7 and a half, and by the grace of Allah, he completed his Hifz in a year and a half at the age of 9. Qari Idris spent the next few years studying Tajweed and Qira’aat, and fully and completely by the will and decree of Allah SWT. Qari Idris participated in the International Quran Competition in Doha, Qatar, and out of 2000 participants from over 45 countries, he won 1st place, Alhamdulillah. He is a Michigan Islamic Institute Aalim student graduate.

Specialist in Tazkiyah and Adab. Dubbed Doctor of Manners. Distinguished masterful Quran recitation. Premarital and Marital Counsellor. Bachelor’s in Islamic Studies, Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences. Imam and Religious Director at Islamic Institute of Orange County.

Sh. Yassir Fazaga was born in Eritea in Northeast Africa and moved to the United States at the age of 15. He has a bachelor’s degree in Islamic Studies from the Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences in Fairfax, Virginia and has a Masters in Marriage & Family Counseling from California State University of Long Beach. He has completed his 2nd Masters in Middle Eastern Studies at UT Austin, Texas and is a licensed counselor. Currently he is working as the mental health & counseling director at the Memphis Islamic Center and the resident Scholar at the Masjid As-Salam Memphis, TN.

Anwar Arafat is the Dawah & Community Outreach Director of Memphis Islamic Center, in Memphis, TN. He is also a speaker for iERA. Although born in Utah, where his mother is from, for 10 years during his childhood and teenage years he lived in Gaza City, his father’s hometown, which wasn’t as dangerous as you think. He went to school there fully in Arabic, and was enrolled in the Qur’an memorization and Islamic Studies classes at the mosque for several years. He has a Bachelors Degree from the Graduate Theological Foundation in Islamic Studies, where he’s currently pursuing a masters. He also studied at Ma’had Al-Furqaan in Kuwait, where he doubled as the program’s translator.

Mufti Abdul Rahman Waheed was born and raised in Lansing, MI. As a youth, he displayed zeal and enthusiasm to involve himself in the religious sciences. At just 9 years of age, Mufti Abdul Rahman went to Toronto, Canada to pursue his dreams of becoming a Hafidh of the Holy Qur'an. Thereafter, Mufti Abdul Rahman traveled to Pakistan to continue his passion to seek knowledge where he completed his 2 year Iftaa program which specializes in Islamic Jurisprudence and Law. Mufti Abdul Rahman is serving as a principal and is a full-time instructor at Michigan Islamic Institute, the brother organization of Miftaah Institute. He travels across North America as a khateeb and lecturer. He is well-known for his calm and down-to-Earth demeanor.

Abdirahman Kaariye is an Imam, humanitarian, and Educator. Abdirahman has a B.A in Education from Highline College and Islamic degree in Sharia from Al-Azhar University and currently pursuing a masters degree at Islamic University of Minnesota. He serves as Country Director for Helping Hand for Relief and Development, an international NGO, and Imam/Community engagement at Dar Al Farooq Center.

Shaykh Waleed Basyouni, PhD, is the President of AlMaghrib Institute and Head of our Islamic Theology and Ethics Department. Students know him well for his sincere care for their well-being and progress in study. We see Shaykh Waleed as not just our senior scholar, but one of the most important leaders of the da‘wah in the West.

Imam Asad Zaman is a distinguished leader in Islamic activism, interfaith activities, non profit work, education and youth development. He is Executive Director and Imam with the Muslim American Society of Minnesota. In 2011, he co-founded the Minnesota Rabbi Imam Round Table. He has provided training to over 200 police officers serving in various Minnesota police departments. He has chaired the MAS Minnesota convention several times. He was previously a policy fellow at Minnesota 2020 and Hubert Humphrey policy fellow at the University of Minnesota. Asad has made Minnesota his home since 1992.

Shaykh Saifullah Muhammad was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois where he memorized the Holy Quran as well as studied his secular studies (up to high school). He then went on to do his Bachelor's Degree in Islamic Studies at the international University of Al Hasanain located in Pakistan. He specialized in Quranic sciences with an Ijazah from one of the Imams of Masjid Quba Madinah Tul Munawarah, as well as Hanafi and Shafi Fiqh with multiple scholars from around the world.

Mufti Sultan is a Canadian Scholar who began his formal Islamic education at a tender age commencing with committing the Qur’an to memory in Canada simultaneous to his academic education. Subsequently, he enrolled in the 8-year Intensive Aalim program in Canada initially but traveled overseas to a traditional seminary (Madrasah Arabia Islamia, Azaadville, South Africa) for its final years. After acquiring proficiency and receiving Ijaazah (where applicable) in the major fields of traditional Islamic theology including Arabic grammar, Islamic Credence, Jurisprudence, Prophetic Traditions (including all six authentic books and more), Quran Exegesis etc, he was selected to specialize in Jurisprudence through a postgraduate course (Iftaa) authorizing him to issue verdicts according to the Hanafi school of thought. The Iftaa was done in Al Mazaahir Institute in Sandton, South Africa.