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.

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.

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).

Born in England, with ancestral ties to Mauritius, and having been raised in Ethiopia, profoundly influenced his personality, worldview, and life perspective. He furthered his educational journey at Binori Town in Karachi, Pakistan. This experience fueled his passion for knowledge and led to the completion of his Masters in Islamic Studies in Bury, England, under the profound mentorship of the late Shaykh Yusuf Motala (May Allah shower his choicest blessings on him), a revered figure in the Islamic world. Following his graduation from Al-Ihsan, he relocated to Montreal, where he served as a full-time federal prison chaplain, providing spiritual services and aiding in the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates in the province of Quebec. Concurrently, he resides in Windsor and has become an integral figure at Muneer Academy and an instructor at Miftaah Institute, where his passion for Islamic studies and pedagogy continues.

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.

Shaykh Daood Butt was born and raised in Montreal, Canada and has always had a desire to learn and teach Islam. Following secondary studies, he obtained a degree in Automotive Technology and graduated as valedictorian in 2002. During this time, he studied with local Imams and was hired as an Imam and Qur’an instructor at a local Mosque. He went on to study at the Islamic University of Madinah for seven and a half years, during which he completed a Diploma in the Arabic Language followed by a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theology and Islamic Da’wah from the Faculty of Da’wah and Usool Ad-Deen in 2010. With an eagerness to continue learning Islam, Shaykh Daood then completed a Master of Arts Degree with Excellence in Islamic and Other Civilizations at the International Islamic University in Malaysia. Back in Canada, he is involved in various Da’wah activities including giving lectures and Khutbah in English, French, and Arabic. He has always been really interested in youth-related programs and is quick to develop a rapport with them. Shaykh Daood has traveled the world extensively in efforts to help others understand Islam through his teachings. He currently serves as Director of Community Outreach and Education at the Islamic Community Center in Milton, as a Muslim Chaplain at the Milton District Hospital, and was awarded Imam of the Year for 2015 in Mississauga, Canada

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 Imran Sharif – Sheikh Imran Sharif was born and raised in Montreal. He enrolled in the Alim Program in Ajax at a very young age and completed his final year in Dewsbury in 2001. He has been serving the community as an Imam since then. He was an active community leader in Connecticut for several years, until Montreal called him back in 2010. Allah Taala had used Sheikh Imran to develop the Maktab system into a new level, holding a large number of 700+ students. Sheikh Imran is currently the Imam of Madani Masjid and teaches the Arabic language at Dār Al-‘Ulūm Montréal.

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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.