Imam Siraj Wahhaj is a prolific Imam, speaker, and teacher in America. He is the founder of Masjid At-Taqwa, Brooklyn, New York, and he continues to serve as the Imam. Imam Siraj has made many appearances at major North American Muslim conventions, and numerous forums and lectures around the world. His audio and video lectures are also popular in America's Muslim community. He is known to encourage Muslims to be God-fearing, enjoining good and forbid evil, practice regular charity, stay away from drugs, abstain from pre-marital relations, and other issues as well. He has also appeared on several national television talk shows and has has been interviewed by numerous media outlets.
In 1988 he led his community in an anti-drug patrol in which they staked out drug houses in Bedford-Stuyvesant in the cold of winter for 40 days and nights, forcing the closure of 15 drug houses. This effort received high praise from the New York City Police Department and the media.
Shaykh Zahir Bacchus completed the Arabic program at the University of Damascus and it is in Damascus that he would spend the next six years of uninterrupted study.
In the years he spent in Damascus, Shaykh Zahir had the blessing of meeting and sitting in the company of some of the premier scholars of Damascus, learning Hanafi fiqh, aqida (science of beliefs), mantiq (logic), and usul (critical intellectualism), hadith studies, and tafsir.
In October 2003 he said goodbye to Damascus and returned to Toronto. Shortly after returning he was conducting several classes for Muslims in the greater Toronto area, fulfilling the purpose for the years of dedicated study.
Since then, together with his wife and dedicated members of the community he founded the Lote Tree Foundation. Through Lote Tree Foundation they established an Islamic school that focuses on teaching Islamic and academic core subjects, with a focus on understanding the Prophetic character and its application to all facets of life. The school’s program has been highly successful. ShaykhZahir also serves an Imam and Counsellor at the JamiatulAnsar Masjid in Brampton, Ontario.
Ustadha Saiema Syed Din was born in Toronto, Canada. She completed her Bachelor’s of Psychology at the University of Toronto in the late 90’s and immediately thereafter traveled with her husband to Syria and together they pursued studying the Islamic sciences for 6 years.
Within the course of those 6 years, UstadhaSaiema had the opportunity to sit and study with some of the most prominent scholars of Damascus earning her written ijazas (authorization) in the Islamic Sciences.
She returned to Toronto and completed her Bachelor’s of Education degree while teaching Islamic Studies in the GTA. After graduating, she worked as a full-time teacher within the public school board and finally settled to teach at the Lote Tree Foundation Islamic School which her husband co-founded.
Currently, she is the Vice-Principal and Curriculum Director of Lote Tree Foundation School. She also continues to teach the Islamic Sciences and is a Counsellor for the GTA, specializing in family and youth matters.
In 2011, Bilqis was awarded the United States Basketball Writers Association “Most Courageous” award at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in recognition as the first Muslim woman to play covered in NCAA history.
Her goal was to continue playing professionally in Europe, but quickly ended due to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rule prohibiting head gear larger than five inches. Unwilling to stray in her beliefs, Bilqis chose faith over basketball and became an advocate working alongside other Muslim players who began a Change.org petition and with Shirzanan Media and Advocacy Organization as an Athlete Ambassador. Through an op-ed published by TIME, an open letter signed by Olympic, retired and professional athletes, high-level speaking engagements and interviews with BBC Sport – and their 55 million strong audience, Bilqis raised her voice for the next generation while putting her own dream was benched. Both a full-length documentary film “Life Without Basketball” and a 14-minute activist film entitled “FIBA Allow Hijab” have been developed by PixelaPictura to share Bilqis’ story.
Her goal was to continue playing professionally in Europe, but quickly ended due to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rule prohibiting head gear larger than five inches. Unwilling to stray in her beliefs, Bilqis chose faith over basketball and became an advocate working alongside other Muslim players who began a Change.org petition and with Shirzanan Media and Advocacy Organization as an Athlete Ambassador. Through an op-ed published by TIME, an open letter signed by Olympic, retired and professional athletes, high-level speaking engagements and interviews with BBC Sport – and their 55 million strong audience, Bilqis raised her voice for the next generation while putting her own dream was benched. Both a full-length documentary film “Life Without Basketball” and a 14-minute activist film entitled “FIBA Allow Hijab” have been developed by PixelaPictura to share Bilqis’ story.
Shaykh Imran Ally has served as the Imam of the TARIC Islamic Centre for the last 20 years. During this time he has developed several flagship programs at the Masjid such as the weekly Tarbiyyah Class, pre-marital counseling sessions, and always challenges the congregation with his thought provocative passion for the advancement of Muslims in society. He currently serves as the Muslim Chaplin for Peel Regional Police, the third largest police force in Canada.
Sh. Ahmed Urur was born in Somalia but raised in Toronto, Canada where he is currently resides.
He graduated from the Islamic University of Madinah in 2018. He spent over seven studying Fiqh, Aqeedah, Hadeeth, Usool al-fiqh and other sciences, in and outside of the university curriculum.
Since his return to Canada, he has dedicated his time working on youth prevention programs. Offering guidance, counsel, and intervention. A victim of a gun crime himself, his passion has increased to reach as many youth as he can. He is currently the director of Education and Youth Coordinator at Khalid Bin Al-Walid Mosque .
He graduated from the Islamic University of Madinah in 2018. He spent over seven studying Fiqh, Aqeedah, Hadeeth, Usool al-fiqh and other sciences, in and outside of the university curriculum.
Since his return to Canada, he has dedicated his time working on youth prevention programs. Offering guidance, counsel, and intervention. A victim of a gun crime himself, his passion has increased to reach as many youth as he can. He is currently the director of Education and Youth Coordinator at Khalid Bin Al-Walid Mosque .
Imam Yasin Dwyer was born to parents of Jamaican heritage in Winnipeg. He is the executive director of Muslim Chaplaincy of Toronto. Before joining Muslim Chaplaincy of Toronto, he was a part of the multi-faith chaplaincy team at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Imam Yasin has lectured extensively on topics such as religion and the arts, Black Canadian culture and the history of Muslims in the West.
Along with working alongside many non-profit organizations in Canada, Imam Yasin was the first full-time Muslim chaplain to work with the Correctional Service of Canada, a position he held for 12 years. He is also a board member of the Montreal-based Silk Road Institute.
Along with working alongside many non-profit organizations in Canada, Imam Yasin was the first full-time Muslim chaplain to work with the Correctional Service of Canada, a position he held for 12 years. He is also a board member of the Montreal-based Silk Road Institute.
Ustadh Faisal Baksh has been serving Muslim communities in Ontario and the Caribbean for over 40 years. He has established and participated in a variety of organizations, planned and executed many educational programs. Among the services he has provided are mentoring and teaching youth and adults, mediating couples in conflict, providing pre-marital counselling, and documenting separation agreements. In 2019, he said goodbye to the corporate world and founded Shifa Services.
He is a certified family mediator and a licensed marriage officer, who is grounded in the traditional understanding and application of religion and faith in a Western context. Ustadh Faisal is able to offer support and counselling services to couples and families that are reflective of their religious and spiritual beliefs.
He is a certified family mediator and a licensed marriage officer, who is grounded in the traditional understanding and application of religion and faith in a Western context. Ustadh Faisal is able to offer support and counselling services to couples and families that are reflective of their religious and spiritual beliefs.