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.

Tom Facchine is from Southern New Jersey. He obtained his Bachelors in Political Science/International Relations from Vassar College (2011), where he embraced Islam in his senior year. After studying Arabic independently, he was admitted to the Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia where he obtained an Associates in Classical Arabic (2016) and a Bachelors in Comparative Islamic Law (2020). He also completed the chaplaincy program conducted under the supervision of The Prophet’s Mosque (2019). Out of all his extracurricular studies, his study of tafseer under Shaykh Abdallah Shinqeeti in the Prophet’s Masjid was probably the most impactful.Tom has always been a passionate advocate and instructor for Muslim Youth, founding multiple youth groups and conducting various afterschool programs. He is currently the Imam of the Muslim Community Association of Mohawk Valley in Utica, NY as well as nearby Hamilton College. In his ‘spare’ time, Tom enjoys birdwatching, hiking, camping, poetry, and learning languages. He lives in Utica with his wife and three children.

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).

Sh. Yaser Birjas is originally from Palestine. He received his Bachelors degree from Islamic University of Madinah in 1996 in Fiqh & Usool, graduating as the class valedictorian. After graduating, he went on to work as a youth counselor and relief program aide in war-torn Bosnia. Thereafter, he immigrated to the U.S. and currently resides in Dallas, Texas. He is also an instructor at AlMaghrib Institute, where he teaches popular seminars such as Fiqh of Love, The Code Evolved, and Heavenly Hues. He is currently serving as an Imam at Valley Ranch Islamic Center, Irving, Texas. Sh. Yaser continues to enhance his knowledge in various arenas and most recently obtained a Masters of Adult Education and Training from the University of Phoenix, Class of 2013

A native Houstonian and no stranger to the Houston community, Shaykh Tauqeer Shah, holds a Master’s Degree from the International Islamic University of Malaysia in Usul al-Din and Comparative Religion. Along with a BA from the University of Houston and a Scholars Degree in Islamic Sciences, he has extensive experience in Interfaith and Outreach initiatives. He also served as an Imam at Maryam Islamic Center for over 7 years where he worked towards building community through spiritual fellowship and religious nourishment. He has actively led coalitions with several faith groups, colleges, and universities, and represented the Muslim community at city, county and law enforcement agencies. Shaykh Tauqeer believes that our civic and outreach responsibility should be a top priority for the Muslim community to secure the future of American Muslims. He is a proud resident of Sugar Land with his wife and two daughters.

Imam Ameer Hamza completed the memorization of the Quran at the age of 12. He graduated with a Bachelors in Accounting from University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Imam Hamza worked in the corporate world for four years as a Senior Financial Analyst before deciding to pursue Islamic studies.

Hafidh Hamzah is a University of Houston alumni with a Masters in Accounting. He has extensive experience as a teacher and youth director in the Muslim community. He served as an Imam and Quran teacher for over a decade right here in Houston. He memorized the Quran at the age of nine at Madresa Islamia under Qari Hashim and completed his ijaza with Sh. Uthman Khan and Sh. Syed El- Abdullah. Most recently he served as the Dean of Student Affairs at Brighter Horizons Academy and Imam at Klein Islamic Center. Along with being teacher, Hafidh Hamzah works with different MSA’s, communities, and is a motivational speaker. He also focuses on Tarbiyah with youth from all over the city

Abdullah Oduro is a first generation Ghanian native that converted to Islam in 1997. He graduated from the College of Islamic Law from the University of AlMadinah in 2007. He conducts public speeches, sermons, lectures, and workshops around the US on Islamic Law, self-improvement, and convert life. He is currently the Imam at the Islamic Center of Coppell and Lewisville in Dallas, TX. He resides in Dallas, TX with his wife and four children. Having recently joined Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research as a Scholar, Shaykh Abdullah leads a team providing unique and comprehensive resources for new Muslim converts and institutional convert care.

Dr. Ra'ed Al-Rosan is the founder and leader of the Tajweed Institute in Houston, a masjid serving the Richmond, Katy, and Sugar Land communities. He is a prominent instructor focusing on Quranic recitation, tajweed rules, and spiritual growth, offering educational videos and conducting Jumuah khutbahs.