Founder & Director of Imam Development Program
Sheikh Bilal Ismail was born in Durban, South Africa. He is one of three siblings and comes from a religious traditional hanafi family. Sheikh Bilal is an AlKauthar Instructor as well as the head of AlKauthar Students Guild. He is the founder and Director of the Imam Development Program.
He memorized the Quran while studying at school and went on to complete high school in 1998. Sheikh Bilal then went on to do a diploma in Computer Science in 1999, as well as qualifying as a Microsoft certified systems engineer. He was accepted into the Islamic University of Madinah in 2001 where he completed his Diploma in Arabic followed by a BA in Islamic Law from the faculty of Shariah.
After graduating, he returned to South Africa where he had been teaching Fiqh and Tafsir weekly classes in Durban since the summer of 2007 and says he is “still a student of knowledge – and will always be!”
Young Muslim Chaplain
Ustadh Hisham Abu Yusuf is completing his BA in Islamic Studies at Al Azhar University in Egypt, and a BEng in Electrical Engineering from University of Nottingham. Prior to this, he spent some years studying Arabic and the Islamic sciences traditionally in the UAE. He was the Muslim Chaplain at University of Nottingham and is the Academic Director for Roots Academy, an organisation that delivers structured essential Islamic education to university students on 25 campuses nationally.
Well-known Motivator for The Youth
Dr Mizanur Rahman is one of the most familiar Islamic scholars in Bangladesh as well as in India’s West Bengal. He graduated from Darunnajat Siddiquia Kamil Madrasa in Demra, an undergraduate degree at Al-Azhar University in Egypt from the Department of Tafsir and Quranic Science. He then, completed his post-graduation both master and PhD from the Department of Quran and Sunnah Studies of International Islamic University Malaysia.
Qualified Shariah Advisor and Youth Mentor
Sheikh Dr. Sajid Umar is a qualified Mufti and Judge, as well as an educator, author, researcher and developer, He obtained his Diploma in Arabic language and Islamic Sciences at Al Imam Islamic University and Bachelor in Sharī'ah and Master’s degree in Judiciary (Qadha), with honours, from the Higher Institute for Judiciary Studies. He has now completed his PhD in relation to Sharī'ah solutions in Financial Risk Management from the Higher Institute of Judiciary at Al-Imam University. Besides his Islamic studies, he also successfully obtains a bachelor's degree in IT business. Shaykh Sajid has played an integral part in Islamic academic development worldwide. He has authored several articles, dissertations and conducted courses on various Islamic Sciences worldwide. Currently he works as the Sharī'ah adviser for the National Waqf Fund.
Faisal Abdul Latif, a seasoned chemical engineer and certified project management professional with over 15 years in a Fortune-500 oil and gas organization, spearheads successful projects and drives cultural change towards sustainability. Passionate about personal and professional development within the Muslim community, he co-founded "The Barakah Effect" podcast, inspiring listeners to excel in career, family, and religious commitments. Faisal actively engages as a volunteer, speaker, and moderator in Islamic events, fostering growth and empowerment.
Sayid Amir, a professional young talent, holds a Bachelor's Degree from Al Madinah International University and is currently pursuing a Master's at UIA. Additionally, he is well-versed in the science of Tajweed and has studied many classical books under well-known scholars. Engaged in academia, he also holds executive positions at esteemed companies like Myfurni Sdn Bhd and RDC. As a Business Director and Executive Manager with a profound academic background, Sayid leads innovative initiatives across various fields.