Faculty
September 10, 2025 2025-09-17 6:19Faculty
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Faculty
Our Impact
At DarusSalam Seminary, our mission to develop well-rounded Islamic leaders has translated into measurable success and widespread influence. Our graduates are making a difference in communities across the country and beyond.
Graduates
Our graduates serve in over 50 masajid across North America as Imams, scholars, and educators. They lead congregations, deliver khutbahs, and provide essential religious guidance.Many of our alumni have established Islamic schools, weekend programs, and online learning platforms, impacting thousands of students annually.
Core Values
DarusSalam Seminary is committed to a culture of academic excellence, spiritual growth, and ethical integrity, rooted in core Islamic values. Our community is built on humility, respect, dedication to learning, and a strong sense of responsibility to serve others.
Our students, staff, and faculty work together to create a supportive, inclusive atmosphere that encourages personal growth, self-reflection, and compassionate service to society. Guided by Islamic tradition, we aim to prepare well-rounded individuals who lead with wisdom, integrity, and a lifelong dedication to learning and community.
Grounded in Islamic tradition, we are committed to developing visionary scholars and community leaders who combine academic excellence, spiritual depth, and a sincere passion to serve, guiding the ummah through contemporary challenges while transforming and elevating the moral and intellectual fabric of the society.
At DarusSalam, knowledge is not only a pursuit, but a lifelong journey of learning and teaching and a means to positively impact the world.
Male Faculty
Mufti Minhajuddin Ahmed serves as the Principal of the Academy as well as one of the institute’s directors. Born and raised in Illinois, he memorized the entire Quran at a young age. Later in life, when he reached college age, he opted to dedicate his life to Islamic Studies and traveled to South Africa.He studied the eight-year ʿālimiyyah and iftāʾ program graduating with teaching licenses and the permission to issue fatwā in the Ḥanafī School.
Upon returning to the United States, he served as the director of the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis for several years before becoming involved at Masjid DarusSalam. He oversees the administration of the institute. His passion for knowledge and dedication to providing a high-quality institute to serve the North-American Muslim community is phenomenal. Along with imparting knowledge to students in the classroom, he envisages creating a brilliant beacon of knowledge that will inspire future generations by offering an opportunity to study Islam in a way that is relevant in contemporary contexts while holding fast to tradition. Along with teaching and overseeing the institute’s administration, he serves as the imām at Masjid DarusSalam.
Mawlana Ali Godil was born and raised in the United States. He began studying the Islāmic Sciences with scholars in the Chicagoland area. Upon finding an intense and burning desire to pursue Islāmic Studies, he set out to Egypt. Initially, he traveled to Alexandria where he studied Arabic. Thereafter, he enrolled in Egypt’s prestigious al-Azhar University. For the next five years, he resided in Cairo studying in the Faculty of Ḥadīth, College of Uṣūl al-Dīn. During these years, he read intensely, mastering the material in the university while also sitting with some of Cairo’s eminent shuyūkh in both public and private lessons.
After graduating from Azhar, he returned to Chicago. DarusSalam was honored to request him to join as an instructor. His enthusiasm for knowledge and academic prowess are remarkable. Students attending his classes find countless opportunities to be exposed to in-depth Islāmic knowledge.
Mawlana Yousuf Ghouse was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. He completed his memorization of the Quranat the Institute of Islamic Education in Elgin, IL. After graduating from UIC with a degree in Mathematics, he pursued Islamic studies full time – initially at DarusSalam and later in Johannesburg, South Africa. After graduating, he spent some additional time pursuing further studies in South Africa.
Mufti Mohammad Saeed was born in Pakistan and moved to Lodi, CA at a young age. After memorizing the Quran, he traveled to Buffalo, NY to enroll at Darul Uloom Madania to begin his Alim course which he finished at Darul Uloom Canada Chatam, ON in 2017.
Upon graduation, he began studying under Mufti Abrar Mirza. He currently serves as an instructor at DarusSalam Seminary.
Mawlana Abdul Ahad Jawaid was born in 1991 in Fremont, California. He completed his high school studies at American High School, Fremont, California in 2009 and began his studies of the traditional Islamic sciences under local scholars at Dar us Suffah. He then traveled to Azaadville, South Africa to further his studies, eventually graduating from his Aalim course in Zambia with authorizations in the 6 canonical hadith books, usul-ul-fiqh, tafsir and arabic rhetoric. He then completed a further year of postgraduate studies sub- specializing in the sciences of hadith. He also availed the opportunity to teach fiqh, mantiq (logic), hadith and Arabic literature whilst stationed abroad.
He returned to the United States to share the Islamic knowledge and passion for community development he has inherited from his teachers. He has served as the Imam of Islamic Center of New Port Richey and currently serves as an instructor at DarusSalam Seminary.
Mufti Talha Waseem was born in Binghamton, NY and moved to Buffalo, NY at the age of 11, where he enrolled in Darul Uloom al-Madania to begin his Quranmemorization. Upon its completion in 2011, he enrolled in the ʿĀlim course at the same institute and graduated in 2018 from its branch in Chatham, ON (Canada). Mufti Talha Waseem’s passion for Islamic jurisprudence drove him to apply at Darul Iftaa Chicago to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftāʾ) under the tutelage of Mufti Abrar Mirza.
Mufti Talha Waseem graduated from Darul Iftaa Chicago in 2020 and co-authored al-Aqwāl al-Rājiḥa fī mā Khālafa al-Ṭaḥāwīy Abā Ḥanīfa as part of his thesis. After graduation, he moved back to Buffalo where he served as a full time ʿĀlim course instructor at Madinatul Uloom before relocating to Lombard, IL. He has been an instructor at DarusSalam Seminary since 2024.
Mawlana Zahid Chowdhury was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Chicago. He graduated high school with an IB diploma and completed university studies with a BS in Chemical Engineering. After graduating, he worked as a Filtration Engineer at one of the largest water purification plants in America.
During that time, he also started studying the Arabic language and Islamic sciences part-time with local scholars. In 2008, he moved to Bangladesh with his family for full-time study in a traditional darul uloom. He spent the first three years studying an Arabic and Quranfocused syllabus known as the Madani Nisab, created by Mawlana Abu Taher Misbah (db). After spending dedicated time under the teacher himself, Mawlana Zahid finished his studies in Dhaka. He completed the final three years of the ‘alim program at Shaykh Zakariyya Islamic Research Center. He later spent a year in Zambia, pursuing further studies in Hadith and Tazkiya.
Upon returning to the United States, he spent several years working in the IT field, along with teaching Arabic and Islamic sciences. He has been an instructor at DarusSalam Seminary since 2024.
Mufti Saad Rauf grew up in the greater Detroit area and, after increasing concern due to the deteriorating faith of Muslim youth and the absence of homegrown scholars who can relate to those youth, he initiated his Islamic studies at Madinatul Ilm (Westland, MI) in 2010 upon high school graduation. After three years, he moved to Chatham, Ontario and enrolled at Darul Uloom Canada to complete the remaining years of the Alim course. After graduating with honors, Mufti Saad enrolled at Darul Iftaa Chicago to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) under the tutelage of Mufti Abrar Mirza.
Mufti Saad received authorization in 2018 and has been an instructor at DarusSalam Seminary since.
Mawlana Usman Akhtar completed the memorization of the Quranat Darul Uloom New York and then went on to study in South Africa. He completed the six-year curriculum under the guidance of world renowned scholars and earned authorizations in Hadith from many scholars. Upon graduation he traveled to Egypt to further his studies and received authorizations while studying privately under many Ulama.
Upon return from Egypt, he graduated summa cum laude from the University of Connecticut with a BA in Psychological Sciences and served as the Imam & Director of Religious Affairs of the Danbury Masjid|ISWC in Connecticut from 2013 to 2018. He was also a weekend academy instructor at Darul Uloom New York where he taught Arabic and other subjects. He is certified in mental health first aid and is a certified crisis counselor.
Mawlana Usman Akhtar serves as the Director of the Tahfiz Department along with being an instructor since 2020.
Mawlana Muhammad Umar completed his ḥifẓ (2015) and ʿālimiyya (2021) at Darul Uloom Canada in Chatham, Ontario. Following this, he pursued further studies in Karachi, specializing in the Arabic language.
He then proceeded to complete the MA program in Islamic Texts at Zaytuna College, with a concentration in Islamic philosophy and theology.
He has been an instructor at DarusSalam Seminary since 2024.
Mawlana Yusuf Sulaiman grew up in Miami, Florida, where he completed his memorization of the Quran at a young age. Following high school, he pursued Islamic studies at DarusSalam Seminary, graduating from its Takmīl program with an ʿĀlimiyyah degree in June 2022. He holds ijāzah in both the seven and ten canonical modes of Quranic recitation (qirāʾāt).
His passion for Islamic scholarship led him to further his studies at Zaytuna College, where he earned a Master’s degree in Islamic Philosophy and Theology in May 2024. A passionate writer, Mawlana Yusuf authored Minhāj al-Manṭiq, a comprehensive primer on logic.
He has been an instructor at his alma mater, DarusSalam Seminary, where he teaches courses in kalām and logic and heads the Rational Sciences Department since 2024.
Mawlana Farhan Shariff completed Hifdh, from Darul Quranfoundation in the year 2009. He then went to South Africa and was a graduate of Madrasah In’aamiyyah, Camperdown (2017). Mawlana Farhan then proceeded to study the Takhassus fil Hadith course (Hadith Specialisation) under MawlanaMuhammad ibn MawlanaHaroon Abasoomar (2018-2019).
Mawlana Farhan then taught in St. Louis for a year while answering questions for HadithAnswers.com. Mawlana Farhan joined the DarusSalam Seminary in 2021 and has been an instructor since then.
Mufti Azeemuddin Ahmed serves as director of Masjid DarusSalam. He was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. At a tender age, he memorized the Holy Qurʾān. Thereafter, he traveled to South Africa where he studied a rigorous eight-year ʿālimiyyah and iftāʾ course. During his studies, he was blessed with the opportunity to spend extensive time in the company of one of the world’s elite jurists and scholars. After graduating with top honors from South Africa, he went on to earn a BA in Psychology from Elmhurst College. He served as the director of AIA Masjid in Frankfort, Illinois from 2006 to 2012.
Mufti Azeemuddin’s dedication and passion for Islāmic education is unparalleled. He is continuously in the service of both scholars and students. An individual with sincere love for scholarship, he strives to ensure that everyone at the institute is well and benefiting from the program. His love and enthusiasm bring the classes he teaches to life, every class conveys priceless points that enrich and benefit those in attendance. As well, he serves as an associate Imām at Masjid DarusSalam
Mufti Mohammed Pasha was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He completed his memorization of the Quranat his local Masjid in Brooklyn. Thereafter, in pursuit of a higher education in Islamic studies, he traveled to South Africa where he completed the Alimiyyah program in 2017.
After completing the Alimiyyah program, Mufti Mohammed Pasha enrolled in the Iftaa program (Specialization in Islamic Jurisprudence) at the same institute, and completed the program in 2019.
During his studies in South Africa, Mufti Mohammed Pasha had the great fortune of studying under renowned scholars such as Shaykhul Hadith MawlanaFadhlur Rahman Sahib and Mufti Sa’eed Motara Sahib amongst many other esteemed scholars.
Upon returning home, he served as an after-school teacher at Masjid Quba in Brooklyn for a few months, before relocating to Lombard, Illinois as an instructor at DarusSalam Seminary.
Mufti Sulaiman Hamid was born and raised in the Chicagoland area and began his Islamic studies with the memorization of the Quranat DarusSalam Seminary (Lombard, IL), which he completed in 2011. Thereafter, he continued his studies at the same institution by enrolling in the seven-year ‘Alim course. In parallel, Mufti Sulaiman also studied the various recitations of the Quranand completed the Qira’at ‘Ashr under Mawlana Ahteramul Haque. In 2019, he completed the ‘Alim course and traveled to South Africa to work on a tafsir project for the renowned scholar Mufti Radhaul Haq at Darul Uloom Zakariyya (Johannesburg).
In 2020, Mufti Sulaiman returned to Chicago and enrolled at Darul Iftaa Chicago to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftāʾ) under the tutelage of Mufti Abrar Mirza , which he completed in 2022. He currently serves as an instructor at DarusSalam Seminary.
Mawlana Abdul Basit is originally from Islamabad, Pakistan. After earning his B.Sc Economics degree from the University of London, he did his 4 year Shariah studies from the department of Kullya Tush Shariah at Jamia tur Rasheed Karachi.
He started his teaching career in 2018 after joining Al-Burhan institute in Islamabad where he mainly taught Sirah and Tafsir till the end of 2022 to which after he shifted to the USA. In 2023 he served the Muslim community of Dayton, Ohio where he was also working as “Chaplain on Call” in the University of Dayton. He is still supervising the Islamabad chapter of Al Ehsan courses; a project of Jamia Tur Rasheed.
He holds certifications in personal development trainings such as Strategic Visions, Parenting, Time management, bridging differences, etc., and has conducted workshops on related topics.
He has been an instructor at DarusSalam Seminary since 2024.
Mufti Ibrahim Hamid was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. He completed his hifz in 2009. Thereafter, he completed his ʿĀlimiyya at Darussalam Seminary, where he received ijazat in various sciences including Hadith and Qiraʾāt. After graduating in 2019 he traveled to Malaysia and earned his master’s degree in Islamic finance.
Mufti Ibrahim returned to Chicago and enrolled at Darul Iftaa Chicago to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftāʾ) under the tutelage of Mufti Abrar Mirza, which he completed in 2024 after four years of training. Mufti Ibrahim has training in pastoral care and is a Certified Shariah Advisor and Auditor (CSAA).
He has been an instructor at DarusSalam Seminary since 2022.
Mufti Umrain Khan commenced his Islamic education in Florida, where he memorized the Quranat Madinatul Uloom Institute while simultaneously completing his high school education. He then pursued the ʿālimīyah degree, which he earned in 2020 from Madrasah Arabia Islamia in Azaadville, South Africa. Continuing his studies, he enrolled in the Iftaa program, graduating in 2023. Following his studies, Mufti Umrain served as an Imam and Instructor at Masjid Ar-Raheem in California from 2023 to 2024. He has been an instructor at DarusSalam Seminary since 2024.
Mufti Hassan Shaikh finished his Hifz from Madrasah Islamiah Houston, TX in 2005. Thereafter, he traveled to Pakistan and studied at Jamia Ibn E-Abbas for 7 years and completed a Double Majors in Arabic Language and Fiqh. He went on to study under Mufti Taqi Usmani at Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi and complete his specialization in Fiqh. Upon returning to the USA in 2019, He served as an Imam in the Sugarland community in Houston, TX for 2 years. He has been an instructor at DarusSalam Seminary since 2021.
Mawlana Ahteramul Haque grew up in Hamtramck, Michigan. From a young age, he was passionate about Islām and earnestly desired to sit with the scholars and study. He embarked on this mission by enrolling at Dār al-ʿUlūm Detroit. With Detroit’s skyline in the background, he memorized the entire Quranat the age of eleven.
Thereafter, he traveled to the distant land of South Africa in pursuit of sacred knowledge. There, he enrolled in an eminent institute of higher learning. He meticulously studied the full seven-year ʿālimiyyah program. During his studies, he sat under the expert scholar al-Qārī Ayyūb b. Ibrāhīm Iṣḥāq from whom he received authorizations in the Holy Quranand its modes of recitation. After graduating, he returned home and took a teaching position at Dār al-ʿUlūm Detroit while also serving as the Imām of the Canton Islamic Center.
He is our main Qiraat Instructor and has been at DarusSalam Seminary since 2013.
Mawlana Ahsan Syed was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, IL. At the age of 12, he enrolled at the Institute of Islamic Education for the memorization of the Quran. After completing his memorization, he went on to complete high school. While studying at the College of DuPage, he began taking part-time Arabic classes with his teachers at IIE.
His desire for Islamic knowledge compelled him to join the full-time ʿālimiyyah program. After a rigorous six years, he graduated with honors. His studies included Arabic grammar, Islamic jurisprudence, theology, ḥadīth sciences and methodology, and Qur’anic tafsīr. Ahsan has been teaching the ʿalim course for the past six years teaching an array of subjects including Arabic, Islamic jurisprudence, Hadith studies, and Qur’anic tafsir. He taught for two years on Darul Uloom Online, and taught as a full-time instructor at his alma mater for four years.
Mawlana Ahsan has been an instructor at DarusSalam Seminary since 2019.
Mawlana Salman Ali Khan, born in Louisiana, moved to New York City with his family at a young age. He began his Islamic education by enrolling in a Hifz program, successfully completing the memorization of the Quran. He then pursued further studies in the Islamic sciences at Darul Uloom New York. After a few years, he traveled to South Africa and Zambia ultimately graduating with honors in his class.
Since 2017, Mawlana Salman has been a part of DarusSalam Seminary, serving in various roles, including teaching, supervising the QIS summer program, assisting with the Hifz program’s directorship, and engaging in various other responsibilities.
Mawlana Tahseen N. Khan was born and raised in the Philadelphia region. He completed the renowned Dars Nizami curriculum mainly through private, in-person studies under numerous authorized Islamic scholars. He currently resides with his family in the suburbs of Chicago working as a chemical engineer while also serving as an instructor of kalam at DarusSalam Seminary.
Publications:
The Provenance of Man: A Sunni Apologetic on the Original Creation of Adam (ʿalayh al-salam), April 2023.
Female Faculty
Alimah Fatimah Sheikh completed Hifdh, from Darul Quran foundation in the year 2009. He then went to South Africa and was a graduate of Madrasah In’aamiyyah, Camperdown (2017). Mawlana Farhan then proceeded to study the Takhassus fil Hadith course (Hadith Specialisation) under MawlanaMuhammad ibn MawlanaHaroon Abasoomar (2018-2019).
Mawlana Farhan then taught in St. Louis for a year while answering questions for HadithAnswers.com. Mawlana Farhan joined the DarusSalam Seminary in 2021 and has been an instructor since then
Alimah Fatimah Sheikh completed Hifdh, from Darul Quranfoundation in the year 2009. He then went to South Africa and was a graduate of Madrasah In’aamiyyah, Camperdown (2017). Mawlana Farhan then proceeded to study the Takhassus fil Hadith course (Hadith Specialisation) under MawlanaMuhammad ibn MawlanaHaroon Abasoomar (2018-2019).
Mawlana Farhan then taught in St. Louis for a year while answering questions for HadithAnswers.com. Mawlana Farhan joined the DarusSalam Seminary in 2021 and has been an instructor since then.
Alimah Fatimah Sheikh completed Hifdh, from Darul Quranfoundation in the year 2009. He then went to South Africa and was a graduate of Madrasah In’aamiyyah, Camperdown (2017). Mawlana Farhan then proceeded to study the Takhassus fil Hadith course (Hadith Specialisation) under MawlanaMuhammad ibn MawlanaHaroon Abasoomar (2018-2019).
Mawlana Farhan then taught in St. Louis for a year while answering questions for HadithAnswers.com. Mawlana Farhan joined the DarusSalam Seminary in 2021 and has been an instructor since then.
Alimah Fatimah Sheikh completed Hifdh, from Darul Quranfoundation in the year 2009. He then went to South Africa and was a graduate of Madrasah In’aamiyyah, Camperdown (2017). Mawlana Farhan then proceeded to study the Takhassus fil Hadith course (Hadith Specialisation) under MawlanaMuhammad ibn MawlanaHaroon Abasoomar (2018-2019).
Mawlana Farhan then taught in St. Louis for a year while answering questions for HadithAnswers.com. Mawlana Farhan joined the DarusSalam Seminary in 2021 and has been an instructor since then.
