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.

Shaykh Saad started Islamic education at IIASA in Fairfax, VA. He then went on to study at the Islamic University of Madinah where he dedicated himself to the study of Islamic Sciences. He graduated with a Bachelor’s from the Faculty of Islamic Law, University of Madinah. Today, Shaykh Saad dedicates his teaching to Muslim youth learning to balance their Western lifestyles with Islamic values. At AlMaghrib, he has developed seminars like Fiqh of Chillin’: Entertainment & Recreation in Islam, Trends: Fiqh of Fashion & Clothing, and Deception: Study of Shaytan. His primary message is to empower Muslim youth to be comfortable with their own personal identities as part of Western society.

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).

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.

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 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.

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