Speakers

Imam Siraj Wahhaj

Imam Siraj Wahhaj, Imam of Masjid Taqwa in New York is well known among Muslims in North America as a dynamic speaker and tireless supporter of Islamic causes.

Imam Siraj Wahhaj, currently the Imam of Masjid Al-Taqwa in Brookyn, New York, accepted Islam in 1969. He received Imam training at Ummul Qura University of Makkah in 1978 and has gone on to become a national and international speaker on Islam.

Sheikh Omar Baloch

Shaikh Omar Baloch in his capacity as the Scholar in Residence at Al-Furqaan Foundation and the Furqaan Institute of Qur’anic Education (FIQE), is responsible for all activities and material relating to communicating the Message of the Qur’an to Muslims and non-Muslims. His expertise on the Message of the Qur’an makes him a well-respected speaker at lectures and events across the country. His knowledge of world religions allows him to engage in dialogue across many faiths and is often a speaker at dawah events. His aggressive Khutba schedule takes him around the US, where he not only focuses on reviving the spirit of Dawah through the Qur’an, but also motivates people to donate for the purpose of delivering a copy of the translation of the Qur’an to everyone in America. Sheikh Omar is one of the first Americans to obtain a shahadah from Al Azhar University with emphasis on Arabic language and Minhaj of Dawah. Since his return to USA, he is a highly sought out Imam, Counselor and Speaker with a special appeal to the youth nationwide.

Dr Irfan Ahmad Khan

Dr. Irfan Ahmad khan is a respected scholar of the Qur’an, president of the World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations and Chair of the Interreligious Engagement Project. He is also a trustee of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions.

Dr Ishtiaq Ahmad Zilli

Prof. Ishtiyaq Ahmad Zilli (born 2 May 1942, chhaun, azamgarh) has retired as Professor of History from Aligarh Muslim University. He obtained the degree of Al-Fazilat from Madrasatul Islah (Sarai Mir, Azamgarh)and after a brief stint at Islamic University, Medina completed B.A. from Lucknow University (Lucknow). He did his M.A., M.Phil and Ph.D. in History from Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. His area of specialization is historiography, Muslim religious thought and medival Indian history, particularly the Delhi Sultanate. He is also the founding President of Idarah Ulum Al Quran and Founding Editor of Majallah Ulum Al Quran, a six monthly journal of Idarah Ulum Al Quran, since 1984. The distinctive feature of Ulum al Quran is its specialization in Quranic Studies. From editorial to the newsletter, every section of the journal is related to the Quran. It contains a news section that covers news related to Quran in any way and the developments taking place in the area of Quranic Studies including seminars and conferences on any theme connected with the Quranic Studies. Another feature of Ulum al Quran is that it contains abstract in English language. He is also serving as Editor of Urdu Monthly Ma’arif since March 2008. Ma’arif has the distinction of uninterrupted publication for the past 90 years since 1916. The journal specializes in Islamic studies, Urdu literature, and Indo-Islamic civilization. It is respected for the standard of scholarship and research it has maintained. Frequently, the articles published in the journal are reproduced and referred in reputable research journals and books.He has been on editorial board of many journals including Tahzibul Akhlaq and Journal of Persianate Studies (published by E.J.Brill).He is still on the editorial board of the Journal of Persianate Studies. He is member of Association for the Study of Persianate Societies(ASPS), New York and Iranology Foundation, Tehran, Iran. On 16 February 2008 he was elected as Secretary & Director, Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy, Azamgarh. This is a rare event when someone from outside of Darul Musannefin has taken the leadership responsibilities. His most recent book is “The Mughal State And Culture 1556-1598 : Selected Letters And Documents From Munshaat-I-Namakin”. In 2004, he participated in Building Bridges Seminar, hosted by Archbishop of Canterburry at Georgetown Uniniversity, Washington DC, U.S.A. In 2006, University of Chicago invited him to deliver a talk on “Maulana Shibli’ critique of Muslim league”. He has been invited for lecture to Leiden University (Holland) and participated in seminars in Paris, Tangiers (Morocco), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Tehran (Iran)and Preston University (Ajman).

Br. Nouman Ali Khan

Nouman is the founder and CEO of Bayyinah, as well as the lead instructor for a number of Bayyinah courses including the ‘Fundamentals of Classical Arabic’ and ‘Divine Speech’.  His first exposure to Arabic study was in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where he completed his elementary education. He continued Arabic grammar study in Pakistan, where he received a scholarship for ranking among the top 10 scores in the national Arabic studies board examinations in 1993. But his serious training in Arabic began in the United States in 1999 under Dr. Abdus-Samie, founder and formal principal of Quran College, Faisalabad, Pakistan who happened to be touring the US for intensive lectures in Tafsir and Arabic studies.   Under Dr. Abdus-Samie, Nouman developed a keen methodical understanding of Arabic grammar. He further benefited from Dr. Abdus-Samie by internalizing his unique teaching methods and later translating his work into English for the benefit of his own students. Nouman served as professor of Arabic at Nassau Community College until ’06 and has taught Modern Standard and Classical Arabic at various venues for nearly 7 years with over 10,000 students nationwide. Currently he has dedicated himself to a seven-year-long project, of conducting a linguistic & literary focus Qur’anic Tafseer series in English.

Sh. Abdullah Idris Ali

Sh. Abdullah Idris Ali, public speaker and fund-raiser, served as ISNA President from 1992-1997. He co-organized the Canadian Islamic Banking Conferences for 1996 and 1997. Ali serves as a member on the Board of Trustees for the Islamic Teaching Center (ITC) and North American Islamic Trust. He also is on the Board of Advisors of the American Muslim Council, and past Board member of the Council of Islamic Schools in North America.

Now an ISNA School principal, Ali developed and implemented Islamic and Arabic Studies curricula for elementary and junior high students. He has written various articles in Islamic Horizons and is a member of the ATP Editorial Board. Abdalla Idris Ali is a native of the Sudan and currently resides in Toronto, Ontario.

Dr. Israr A Khan

Ph.D in Theology, Aligarh Muslim University, India.
M.A in Islamic Studies, Aligarh Muslim University, India.
B.A in English, Urdu, Political Science, History, Delhi University, India.
B. Th. in Theology (Tafsir, Hadith and Figh), Aligarh Muslim Aligarh Muslim University,India University,India.
B.Ed. in Education, Shibli National College, Azam Garh, India.

Dr. Marcia Hermansen

Dr. Marcia Hermansen is Director of the Islamic World Studies Program and Professor in the Theology Department at Loyola University Chicago where she teaches courses in Islamic Studies and the academic study of religion. She received her Ph. D. from the University of Chicago in Arabic and Islamic Studies. In the course of her research and language training she lived for extended periods in Egypt, Jordan, India, Iran, Turkey and Pakistan and she conducts research in Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Urdu as well as the major European languages.

Her book, The Conclusive Argument from God, a study and translation (from Arabic) of Shah Wali Allah of Delhi’s, Hujjat Allah al-Baligha was published in 1996. Dr. Hermansen has also contributed numerous academic articles in the fields of Islamic Thought, Sufism, Islam and Muslims in South Asia, Muslims in America, and Women in Islam.

Dr Muzammil Siddiqi

Born in India in 1943. Received his early education at Aligarh Muslim University and Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow, India. Graduated from Islamic University of Madina in Saudi Arabia in 1965 with a higher degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies. Received M.A. in Theology from Birmingham University in England and Ph.D. in Comparative Religion from Harvard University in USA.

Dr. Siddiqi worked with many Islamic organizations in Switzerland, England and United States. He was the Chairman of Religious Affairs Committee of the Muslim Students Association in US and Canada, Chairman of the Department of Religious Affairs at the Muslim World League Office to the United Nations and U.S.A. from 1976 to 1980. Dr. Siddiqi also served as Director of the Islamic Center of Washington, D.C. At present he is the President of the Islamic Society of North America with Headquarters in Indiana. He is also serving as the Director of the Islamic Society of Orange County in Garden Grove, California. He is a member of the Fiqh (Islamic Law) Council of North America and a founding member of the Council of Mosques in US and Canada.

Dr. Siddiqi has widely traveled and has lectured at universities, colleges and other academic and religious institutions in Saudi Arabia, South Africa, England, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Trinidad, Guyana, Grenada, Barbados, Mauritius, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Italy, Spain, Gibraltar, Brazil, United States and Canada. He has taught courses on Islam and world religions at Harvard University, Essex County College in Newark, New Jersey, Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, Birmingham University, England, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan, California State University in Long Beach and Chapman University in Orange, California. He is at present an adjunct professor of Islamic Studies and world religions at California State University in Fullerton. He is also an external examiner for the Departments of Islamic Studies at the University of Durban-Westville in South Africa, University of Karachi, Pakistan and University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.

Dr. Siddiqi has participated in many inter-religious dialogues. He spoke at the World Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Vancouver, Canada and has participated in many seminars organized by the National Council of Churches and National Council of Christians and Jews in USA. He is the Vice President of the Academy of Judaic-Christian and Islamic Studies in California. He is also the member of the Supreme Islamic Council of Egypt and the Supreme Council of Mosques in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. He conducts a weekly religious radio program from Pasadena since 1982. He has contributed many articles to many Islamic and Academic Journals, Encyclopedias and other publications. (2000)

Dr. Omar Afzal

Committee for Crescent Observation International (New York).Member of ICNA and Chicago-based Fiqh Council, as well as a long-standing member of the Majma al-Fiqh al-Islami India.

Dr. Heba al-Musharraf

Dr. Hebatalla Elkhateeb-Musharraf is a professor in the Department of Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University. Originally from Cairo, Egypt, she is a native speaker of Arabic and considers herself first and foremost a linguist. Her interest in foreign languages blossomed at an early age, and after finishing her undergraduate studies at Cairo University, she decided to specialize in the teaching of languages. She continued her studies in the United States expanding her knowledge of other languages like French, German, Portuguese, and Hebrew, as well as studying linguistics. Her interests ultimately lead to a Doctorate in Education, with a major in Curriculum and Instruction at the Department of Teaching and Learning at Tennessee State University. Her dissertation focused on the integration of technology as a tool to promote active learning and constructivist learning skills. She has taught Methods of Teaching Language Arts and Reading to English teachers and has supervised student-teachers seeking teacher certification by the State of Tennessee.

Dr. Daoud Nassimi

Daoud Nassimi lives in Herndon, Virginia with his wife and four children. He is originally from Afghanistan and has lived in the U.S. for the last 22 years. Nassimi is the Vice-Chairman of the Coordinating Council of Muslim Organizations in the Washington Metropolitan Area. In addition to weekly Friday Islamic sermons (Khutbah’s) at various Islamic centers in the DC area, Nassimi lectures on Islam at local universities, schools, companies, and churches.

Nassimi has worked as an electrical engineer and senior project manager in the telecommunications industry for the last 18 years. He received his B.S. and Masters degrees in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in Indiana as well as a second Masters degree in Islamic Studies from the Graduate School of Islamic and
Social Sciences in Leesburg, Virginia. Currently, Nassimi is working on his PhD in Islamic Studies at the University of Birmingham in England. He broadcasts a weekly television show in the D.C. area about the Quran on Channel 30 (Fairfax County’s International Public Access Radio & TV Station).

Dr. Ali Sulayman Ali

Sheikh Ali Sulaiman Ali was born in Accra, the capital city of Ghana. He spent much of his childhood in Ghana with various shuyukh. His curriculum there included Arabic sciences (such as grammar), Tawheed, Fiqh, Zudhiyyat (Ascetism), and Seerah of the Prophet (saw). After many years with his teachers, Dr. Ali completed his curriculum and moved on to Saudi Arabia where he enrolled in Medina’s Islamic University. His curriculum included Qur’an,Hadith, Fiqh, Usul al Fiqh, Arabic Rhetoric, Comparative Religions, and many more traditional Islamic sciences.Sheikh Ali graduated with a B.A. in both Islamic Studies and Arabic from Islamic University in the year 1979.

Upon graduation, Sheikh Ali traveled to America where he pursued both an M.A. and a PhD in Islamic Studies at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI). Before receiving his doctorate, Sheikh Ali completed his dissertation on Tafsir bil Ma’thur, specifically dealing with the question of Hujja (the question of authority or binding proof), a question which had been virtually ignored otherwise.

Sheikh Ali has a strong dedication to learning and his dedication to teaching and working for his community is just as passionate. He has a long list of work experience spanning over twenty years. As a teacher, Sheikh Ali has taught Islamic studies at the University of Detroit-Mercy (Detroit, MI). Also, in the nearby Wayne County Community College he worked as professor of Muslim World Studies as well as Arabic. Through correspondence at the American Open University, Sheikh Ali taught the Science of Qur’an, a subject he has previously taught at the ALIM program. He has also accepted a position as a Professor at Islamic American University (Southfield, MI) where he is currently teaching Fiqh, Ulum al Hadith, and Arabic.

Beyond teaching, Sheikh Ali has also been an extremely active member of his community. Starting in 1982, Sheikh Ali accepted the role as assistant Imam in the American Muslim Society in Dearborn, Michigan. After leaving American Muslim Society in 1987, he worked for the next three years in the Mu’adh ibn Jabal Masjid in Detroit, Michigan as an assistant Imam. In 1990, Sheikh Ali accepted the position as full time Imam of the Islamic Center of Detroit for the next eleven years. Currently, he is working as full time Imam in the Muslim Community of the Western Suburbs (Canton, Michigan). He has also contributed a great deal in starting and directing a social service organization, Muslim Family Services, which is still developing today. Sheikh Ali has dedicated time to the ALIM program since its onset, and has been a gift to each community he works with.

Sheikh Ali Sulaiman Ali is co-founder of the American Learning Institute for Muslims (ALIM), a primary instructor at its programs, and a member of its Board of Trustees.

Dr. Zaynab Alwani

Zainab Alwani, M.A. is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Islamic Studies at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) in the area of Fiqh and Usul al Fiqh. She teaches the Arabic language and culture and Introduction to Islam at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) and at The School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. She has developed courses in Arabic Studies examining the link between Islamic Philosophy, language and culture at these institutions. Zainab Alwani also holds a Master in Islamic Studies from The Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences and has studied Shariah and Law at Omdurman Islamic University in Sudan. She is a member of the Fiqh Council of North America. She has published What Islam Says About Domestic Violence and is in the process of publishing the The Role of Women in Fiqhi Literature.

Dr. Tasneema Ghazi

Ph. D. Curriculum, & Instruction, University of Minnesota; Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Child Language Development, Harvard; Academic Diploma ESL, University of London; M.ED. University of Allahabad, India; M.A.  English Literature, Aligarh Muslim University; University Professor, (Reading and Language Arts), Governors State University; Lecturer of ESL, King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah; Adjunct professor of Reading & Language Arts, University of Illinois, Chicago; Primary Grade Teacher, London City Council, London; Kindergarten Teacher, Associated Service, Boston; Pre-School Teacher, University of San Diego; Lecturer of English Language and literature, Kidwai Memorial Girls’ College, Allahabad.

Dr. Seema Imam

Br. Shafiq Hossain

Sr. Saba Khan

Sr. Humera Hai

Mawlana Abdullah Saleem

President of Institute of Islamic Education based in Elgin, IL.

Sheikh Jamal Said

Imam of Mosque Foundation,
Bridgeview, IL

Imam Abul Fazl Nahidiyan

Dr. Khalid Mahmood Sheikh

Dr. Mohammad Ismail