Shaykh Yahya Rhodus is the Founding Director of Al-Maqasid, an Islamic seminary whose vision is to facilitate the realization of Islam, Iman and Ihsan through immersion in the Prophetic Inheritance. The concept of Al-Maqasid emerged from his own journey which began at the traditional school of Murabit al-Hajj in the desert of Mauritania shortly after his conversion. His path of learning then led him to the acclaimed school Dar al-Mustafa in Tarim, where he received instruction from the renowned scholar and spiritual guide Habib Umar Bin Hafiz. After graduating from Dar al-Mustafa and returning to the United States, he studied in a number of academic institutions, culminating in a PhD in Theology and Religious Studies from the University of Cambridge, England.

Amjad Tarsin was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He obtained his Bachelors of Arts at the University of Michigan in English Literature and Islamic Studies. After completing his BA, Amjad spent an intensive year studying at the illustrious Dar al-Mustafa for Islamic Sciences in Tarim, Yemen. He then enrolled at Hartford Seminary’s Islamic Chaplaincy program where he completed his Master’s Degree. He previously served as the Executive Director and Head Chaplain of the Muslim Chaplaincy at the University of Toronto, becoming Canada’s first full-time Muslim Chaplain at a university in September 2012. In addition to his administrative duties and leadership responsibilities, he counselled and taught students. Ustadh Amjad currently is a faculty member at Al-Maqasid, and he also teaches for SeekersGuidance Online Islamic Seminary.