Guardians of the Heart
The heart is the seat of faith, sincerity, and true connection with Allah. To preserve it is to preserve one’s entire being. Tazkiyah teaches us how to guard the heart, from its relationship with Allah, to the self, and to others.
Join us for our upcoming Miftaah Circle, Guardians of the Heart, a transformative evening of reminders and reflection with esteemed scholars as we explore the path of spiritual purification and how to nurture the heart in today’s world.




The World of the Unseen
Miftaah Institute aims to be an educational platform where people have the opportunity to develop themselves as keys for the spreading of divine knowledge.
The World of the Unseen
- Collection and Reevaluation
- Miftaah Institute aims to be an educational platform where people have the
- Miftaah Institute aims to be an educational platform where people have the
The World of the Unseen
- Collection and Reevaluation
- Miftaah Institute aims to be an educational platform where people have the
- Miftaah Institute aims to be an educational platform where people have the




Speakers
Shaykh Suleiman Hani
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.
Ustadh Ubaydullah Evans

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 Mikaeel Smith
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.
Shaykh Omar Hussani
Shaykh Omar lectures at retreats, I’tikaaf programs, universities, local and national conferences, and mosques throughout the United States and abroad on various Islamic topics. He also teaches weekly online classes in Arabic, Islamic jurisprudence, and spirituality.
Mufti Abdul Wahab Waheed

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.
Shaykh Abdullah Oduro
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.
Shaykh Asif Pochi
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.
Mufti Aasim Rashid
Mufti Aasim Rashid is a distinguished Muslim scholar, speaker and educator. 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.
Professor Eddie Redzovic
Prof. Eddie Redzovic is a 5th-degree Black belt sanctioned under the Legendary Gracie Family and was also the first American representative for Carlos Gracie Jr. in the United States. He started his training back in the late 90’s and his passion for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu led him to travel between Chicago, Cali, and Brazil where he would train at the Gracie Academy in California and Gracie Barra Headquarters in Brazil. He first received his Blue belt from Royce Gracie and later on received his, Purple, Brown, and Black Belt from Carlos Gracie Jr. in 2005. Prof. Eddie Redzovic established the first Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Training Center in Chicago sanctioned by Royce and Rorion Gracie and later went on to become the first American representative for Carlos Gracie Jr. (Gracie Barra). After some time with his beloved family, there was the birth of the legendary Redzovic Jiu-Jitsu Academy on Chicago’s north side in 2001. Their hard work and dedication helped cultivate and contribute to the growth of the jiujitsu community. Over the years, they have brought over many renowned Jiu-Jitsu practitioners including many of the Legendary Gracie’s to share their knowledge and experience.
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.
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).
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.
Shaykh Omar lectures at retreats, I’tikaaf programs, universities, local and national conferences, and mosques throughout the United States and abroad on various Islamic topics. He also teaches weekly online classes in Arabic, Islamic jurisprudence, and spirituality.
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.
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.
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.
Mufti Aasim Rashid is a distinguished Muslim scholar, speaker and educator. 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.
Prof. Eddie Redzovic is a 5th-degree Black belt sanctioned under the Legendary Gracie Family and was also the first American representative for Carlos Gracie Jr. in the United States. He started his training back in the late 90’s and his passion for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu led him to travel between Chicago, Cali, and Brazil where he would train at the Gracie Academy in California and Gracie Barra Headquarters in Brazil. He first received his Blue belt from Royce Gracie and later on received his, Purple, Brown, and Black Belt from Carlos Gracie Jr. in 2005. Prof. Eddie Redzovic established the first Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Training Center in Chicago sanctioned by Royce and Rorion Gracie and later went on to become the first American representative for Carlos Gracie Jr. (Gracie Barra). After some time with his beloved family, there was the birth of the legendary Redzovic Jiu-Jitsu Academy on Chicago’s north side in 2001. Their hard work and dedication helped cultivate and contribute to the growth of the jiujitsu community. Over the years, they have brought over many renowned Jiu-Jitsu practitioners including many of the Legendary Gracie’s to share their knowledge and experience.
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.
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.
Mufti Aasim Rashid is a distinguished Muslim scholar, speaker and educator. 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.
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. Furhan serves as Dean of the Institute of Knowledge Seminary in Southern California, Seminary Instructor at the same institute, and University Chaplain at the University of California Irvine. He has authored a number of books, on topics such as tafsir, hadith commentary, and introductions to foundational Islamic disciplines, as part of the IOK Curriculum Series.
Born and raised in Southern California and by Allah’s grace, he memorized the Quran at a young age. He studied in Cairo, Egypt in 2006 and in 2007 was granted a scholarship to study at the Islamic University of Madinah. He completed a degree in the Arabic language and then went on to graduate from the College of Shariah. He is currently a Seminary instructor at the Institute of Knowledge in Diamond Bar, California as well as an instructor at the California Islamic University in Anaheim, California. He also serves as the Religious Director at the Islamic Center of Cypress.
Shaykh Navaid Aziz is a keynote speaker and recognized subject matter expert. He lectures on current and relevant topics from an Islamic perspective. His workshops focus on best practices in sensitivity and diversity training for those engaging with Muslims. He shares his expertise on Muslim extremism, the history of Muslim extremist groups, and community based intervention and prevention with the courts, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and law enforcement.
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.
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.
Shaykh Sheryar Bashir was raised in Surrey, BC and at the age of 17, began treading the road to knowledge by moving to Karachi, Pakistan. He studied at multiple renown institues such as Darul-Uloom Binnori Town and Madrasa Ma’arif al-Quran while learning tajwid and memorizing the Holy Qur’an with experienced and well-known Qaris.
Mufti Yahya Momla is a local imam at Masjid As-Salaam in Burnaby and also practices as a professional mediator. He has completed his formal Islamic studies in India, specializing in advanced Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) and was the former imam of Masjid ut Taqwa and Madinah Masjid in Toronto. Mufti Yahya now gives lectures in different Masjids, MSAs, and institutions, and helps individuals, couples, families, and colleagues manage conflict through his consulting and mediation services.
Shaykh Yahya Abdi Hadi is an imam and educator based in Richmond, British Columbia. Raised in Vancouver, he became the first Canadian to graduate from the Islamic University of Madinah in the Faculty of Qur’an, earning his BA in Qur’anic Studies after years of studying under distinguished scholars in Madinah. Alongside his Islamic training, he completed a BSc in Biology at the University of British Columbia.
Join us for a day of
Develop practical strategies for nurturing the heart – Apply prophetic guidance and scholarly wisdom to cultivate sincerity, mindfulness, and spiritual growth in daily life.
Learn principles of tazkiyah (spiritual purification) – Gain insights into how to guard, purify, and strengthen the heart in its relationship with Allah, oneself, and others.
Understand the central role of the heart in faith – Explore how the heart functions as the seat of sincerity, spiritual connection, and overall well-being in Islam.
Recognize challenges facing the heart today – Identify contemporary distractions and diseases of the heart, and discover ways to remain spiritually grounded in modern life.
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