The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Scholars are the heirs of the prophets” [Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi]. The bequest of knowledge from the prophets to the scholars signifies the importance of studying with teachers who have in turn studied with teachers, on back to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Our teachers all have the distinction of studying with teachers trained in the Muslim heartlands. Most have also been raised in the West, so they are sensitive to the needs of Western Muslims and understand the nuances of issues particular to those living in or coming from the West.
Our faculty includes:
Shaykh Ashraf Muneeb, Dean of the Academy
Shaykh Ashraf formally began his Shari'a studies in Damascus in 1997, and graduated with honors from the Mahad al-Fath in 2003, as well as privately studied several books in methodology & Hanafi fiqh with Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi; Hanafi fiqh, hadith and hadith sciences with Shaykh Adnan Darwish; Hanafi fiqh with Shaykh Abdul Rahman Arjan; tenets of faith with Shaykh Mustafa al-Turkmani; hadith with Dr. Nureddin al-'Itr; and hadith sciences with Shaykh Bassam al-Hamzawi. Later in Amman, he completed studying inheritance law with Shaykh Ali Hani.
In 2006, he received his MA in Islamic Studies (Problems in Family Law for Muslims in the United States) with honors from Imam al-Ouzai, Beirut, and has almost completed his PhD in Islamic Studies (Effects of Family Law on Muslims in the United States). With his wife, Hedaya Hartford, he has co-authored Your Islamic Marriage Contract; a critical edition and commentary of Risala al-Birgivi in Arabic; and Birgivi's Manual Interpreted: Complete Fiqh of Menstruation & Related Issues in English.
Shaykh Ashraf served as the Academic Director of the Qasid Institute for Classical Arabic in Amman from 2004-2007. He currently lives in Amman, where he is studying Hanafi fiqh with Shaykh Ahmad al-Jammal and teaching local courses. As the Dean of SunniPath Academy, Shaykh Ashraf manages SunniPath faculty; implements the curriculum; sets academic policies; and establishes academic partnerships; all with the goal of fostering excellence in teaching and service.
Habib ‘Umar bin Hafiz
A descendant of the Prophet, peace be upon him, Habib Umar memorized the Qur'an at a very early age, along with the core texts in fiqh, hadith, Arabic Language, and other religious sciences. Wherever Habib Umar has gone, no stone has been left unturned in his attempt to revive the love of Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessing be upon him, in the hearts of people. Habib Umar currently lives in Yemen, where he oversees the development of Dar al-Mustafa and the many schools that have been set up under his management. Learn more about Habib Umar bin Hafiz.
Current Courses:
Habib Ali al-Jifri
Born into a family with lineage back to the Prophet, peace be upon him, Habib Ali received a classical Islamic education from the illustrious scholars of Hadramawt, Yemen, embodying a methodology which crystallizes the middle way of Islam, a respect for the differences between jurists, and a spiritual education drawn from the Qur'an and the Sunnah. He is the founder of the Tabah Foundations for Islamic Studies and Research based in the United Arab Emirates and a lecturer at Dar al-Mustafa. Learn more about Habib Ali al-Jifri.
Current Courses:
Nuh Ha Mim Keller
Shaykh Nuh is an American-Muslim translator and specialist in Islamic Law. Educated in philosophy and Arabic at the University of Chicago and UCLA, he became Muslim in 1977 at al-Azhar in Cairo and later studied the traditional Islamic Sciences of hadith, Shafi'i and Hanafi jurisprudence, legal methodology, and tenets of faith in Syria and Jordan, where he has lived since 1980. His English translation of The Reliance of the Traveler is the first Islamic legal work in a European language to receive the certification of al-Azhar. Learn more about Nuh Ha Mim Keller.
Current Courses:
Abdul-Kareem Yahyaa
Born and raised in California where he also embraced Islam, Shaykh Abdul-Kareem traveled with his family to Damascus where he spent two years acquiring knowledge of the Arabic language and Quranic recitation. Since 1998, he has been in Yemen where he has been studying with Habib Umar and Habib Mashhour, as well as the other teachers of Dar al-Mustafa. He has also worked extensively as a translator for Habib Umar and Habib Ali. Learn more about Abdul-Kareem Yahyaa.
Current Courses:
- Attaining Good Character
- Journey to Allah - Part 1
- Journey to Allah - Part 2
- Full Moon Rising
- Introduction to Islamic Worship (Shafi'i) - Part 1 (Associate Teacher)
- Introduction to Islamic Worship (Shafi'i) - Part 2 (Associate Teacher)
- Living Islam (Shafi'i)
Faraz Rabbani
After graduating from University of Toronto, Shaykh Faraz traveled abroad and studied for ten years in Damascus, Amman, and Karachi with scholars including Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi, Shaykh Adib Kallas, and Mufti Mahmoud Ashraf Usmani. Encouraged by his instructors to return to the West to teach, he now lives in Toronto. He has two published books: Sufism & Good Character and The Absolute Essentials of Islam: A Basic Hanafi Primer on Faith, Prayer, & the Path of Salvation. Learn more about Faraz Rabbani.
Current Courses:
- Essentials of Islam (Hanafi)
- Foundations of Islamic Law
- Introduction to Islamic Belief
- Introduction to Islamic Finance
- Introduction to Islamic Worship (Hanafi) - Part 1
- Introduction to Islamic Worship (Hanafi) - Part 2
- Living Islam (Hanafi)
Hamza Karamali
Over the course of eight years while also completing his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Toronto, Shaykh Hamza studied a number of subjects closely with Shaykh Talal Ahdab and memorized the Qur'an. He also spent several summers of intensive study in Damascus and Amman with teachers including Shaykh Amjad Rasheed, Shaykh Abd al-Rahman Kharsa, and Shaykh Akram Abd al-Wahhab. He now lives and studies privately with scholars in Amman and frequently travels to study with scholars in the United Arab Emirites. Learn more about Hamza Karamali.
Current Courses:
- Basic Arabic Reading
- Essentials of Islam (Shafii)
- Finding the Straight Path
- Hadith or Fiqh?
- Introduction to Islamic Worship (Shafi'i) - Part 1
- Introduction to Islamic Worship (Shafi'i) - Part 2
- Introduction to Legal Methodology
- Introductory Arabic 1
- Introductory Arabic 2
- Muslim Scholarly Tradition
- Peak of Eloquence
Hedaya Hartford
Known for her Sharia expertise on women's issues regarding the fiqh of menstruation, lochia, marriage, divorce, and modern social issues, Ustadha Hedaya holds a B.A. in Arabic and Islamic History & Culture from the University of California, Berkeley. She converted to Islam in 1981, and soon after traveled to Egypt, where she studied for many years with Azhari scholars. She continued her studies in Syria, completing several books with top scholars, and now lives, teaches, and studies in Amman. Ustadha Hedaya has published two popular books on marriage and one book on women’s fiqh issues. Learn more about Hedaya Hartford.
Current Courses:
- Introduction to Menstruation and Related Issues (Hanafi)
- Detailed Fiqh of Menstruation and Related Issues (Hanafi) - Part 1
Noura Shamma
Raised mainly in the American Midwest, Ustadha Noura has a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Cincinnati and a M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from Indiana University. She has also completed coursework for a Ph.D. in Islamic Thought through the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization. Ustadha Noura spent two years studying at Zaytuna Institute and two years at the Qasid Institute in Amman, where she completed the highest level in Arabic. She is currently continuing her studies privately with numerous teachers in Amman. In addition to teaching, Ustadha Noura also coordinates the development of SunniPath‘s curriculum. Learn more about Noura Shamma.
Current Courses:
Ramzy Ajem
Born and raised in Toronto, Shaykh Ramzy traveled to Damascus in 1995, where he completed a two year pre-college program with honors at Abu Nour Islamic Foundation. He then went to Morocco, where he was among the first westerners to be accepted to study at the Ancient Madrasah of Tanalat under the tutelage of Shaykh al-Haj Muhammad al-Ghali. During his last year in Morocco, he attended lessons at the Qarawiyin while also having private intensified lessons with other scholars of the area. Shaykh Ramzy is currently continuing his studies with Shaykh Talal Ahdab in Canada, where he also teaches at Dar al-Marifa and Kitab Academy. Learn more about Ramzy Ajem.
Current Courses:
Sohail Hanif
A graduate of Imperial College in London, Shaykh Sohail has spent most of his life in England and the Middle East. Particularly passionate about Arabic, tafsir, and fiqh, he has been privately studying with scholars in Amman. He is also a full-time instructor in Arabic grammar at the Qasid Institute of Arabic Language. Learn more about Sohail Hanif.
Current Courses:
- Commentary on Key Chapters of the Quran
- Introduction to the Qur'an
- The Supplications of the Daily Prayer
Zaynab Ansari
Coming from a mixed Lebanese-American and African-American background, Ustadha Zaynab spent four years in Syria where she obtained a Thanawiyya Shar’iyyah with distinction from Abu Nour Islamic Foundation and studied advanced Arabic at the University of Damascus. Upon returning to the United States, she continued her Islamic studies and also earned a B.A. in History and a B.I.S. in Middle Eastern Studies at Georgia State University, graduating summa cum laude. Learn more about Zaynab Ansari.
Current Courses:
- Essentials of Islam (Hanafi) (Associate Teacher)
- Introduction to Islamic Belief (Associate Teacher)
- Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi
- Ramadan and You
Farid Dingle
Ustadh Farid Dingle was born into a convert family in the green fields of Herefordshire, England. After some preliminary self studies in Arabic, he moved to Amman to join the SunniPath team as a tutor for the Miftah courses in introductory Arabic grammar. Ustadh Farid regularly attends classes in Fiqh, Arabic Grammar, Tafsir and Legal Methodology with local teachers such as Shaykh Hamza Karamali and Shaykh Ali Hani. Learn more about Farid Dingle.
Current Courses:
Sulayman Shahnewaz
Ustadh Sulayman Muhammad Shahnawaz is from the UK and graduated from the University of Manchester in 1996 with a Honours Degree in Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic and Persian Language). He has lived in Egypt and Syria, where he completed two years of Arabic at the famous Abi Noor Institute in Damascus. He has many years of Arabic teaching experience in MSA and Rihla 1996/97 and experience teaching ESL at Amideast in Amman. At SunniPath, Ustadh Sulayman serves as an instructor and Team Leader in the Arabic department. He has been living in Amman since 2003 with his wife and children, attending lessons of the local shuyukh. Learn more about Sulayman Shahnewaz.
Current Courses:
Abu Omar Abdurrahman Borrás
Born in Barcelona, Spain, Ustadh Abu Omar accepted Islam at the age of 18 while in the army and at 21, became cofounder of Mexico's first Islamic Center. He used to travel during the summer to Morocco to attain knowledge. A medical graduate from The Faculty of Medicine at Mexico's National University, he specialized in family practice. After moving to the United States, Ustadh Abu Omar traded his work in emergency pediatrics at America's top hospital to become a student of traditional Islam. He participated in several summer intensives and traveled to Medina with the Rihla program, which changed his life. He now lives with his wife and children in Amman, where he obtained Ejaza for tajweed al Quran. He currently studies at a local university and privately with the local scholars, and teaches Arabic on SunniPath. Learn more about Abu Omar Abdurrahman Borrás.
Current Courses:
There are many other selfless souls and well-wishers
who have volunteered their time in various capacities. These people include the Teaching Assistant, Course Assistant, Course Development Assistant, and others. SunniPath would not be able to function without their help and appreciates all of their efforts. May Allah shower His mercy upon them and reward them generously, ameen.
These people include: Abdul Latif, Annisa Rochadiat, Asim Yusuf, Asma Arif, Dana Atiyat, Danya Shakfeh, Faiza Hashim, Fatima Wallace, Hammad Din, Hassan Aoude, Imron Husain, Marie Hernandez, Mohamad Matar, Moustafa Elqabanny, Muhammad ‘Abdur-Rahman Westberg, Naielah Ackbarali, Nausheen Shervani, Nosheen Mian, Orzala Arsala, Pam Fisher, Rima Dabdoub, Ruheena Razvi, Sadaf Ahmad, Sadaf Shaukat, Salman Younas, Sara Atiyat, Sarah Ashraf, Sherif Abd el-Latif Alkhodairy, Suemyya Gangat, Susana Liu, Taj Shaikh Taiyeb, Waseem Hussain, Yasmeen Khalid, Zainub Latif, Zulekha Reza, Zyad Hosen and many others whose names we may not have mentioned but to whom SunniPath is equally indebted.
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