Many in our community wonder how they can deepen their Islamic studies and pursue knowledge of the deen. But with rising costs, political instability, and many other challenges, where do we turn?
This event will bring together a circle of our younger community Imams and students of knowledge under one roof:
- – Hafiz Muhammad Elmarouk, who studied at Bayan Islamic Graduate School
- – Ustadh Basil Farooq, who studied at Qalam Seminary
- – Sidi Ahmed Khan, who studied at Zaytuna College
- – Sidi Shaan Mukhtar, who studied at The Islamic Seminary of America (TISA) (Also, the event MC)
- – Sidi Hassan Khawaja, who studed at DUA Seminary (Dārul-‘Ulūm al-Ashrafiyya)
- – Hafiz Afraz Khan, who studed at AIM Seminary (The Majlis)
- – Ustadh Quran Hodge, who studied at Al-Maqasid
Friday, October 10, 2025 | 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | MCC Prayer Hall | Join us in-person or watch virtually at mcceastbay.org/live
To seek Islamic knowledge during dark times is a protection. “How to Pursue Islamic Studies in the West” is a valuable information session, particularly for Muslim women and men aspirants (of any age) who have considered pursuing Islamic scholarship alongside another career. The speakers will talk about their expereince at their respective alma mater, its mission, curriculum, teachers, enrollment process, etc.
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
The evening will feature:
- – Introductions to each seminary: mission, programs, and opportunities for study.
- – Guidance on pathways of learning for different stages of life—full-time, part-time, and online.
- – Q&A and community discussion on how we can strengthen sacred learning here at home.
This talk “Studying Islam in America: An Open House with US-Based Islamic Seminaries” is intended for parents, teens, and young professionals exploring Islamic Study options available in the U.S. and Canada.
Sidi Shaan Mukhtar
Sidi Shaan Mukhtar was born in the Bay Area and raised in the MCC community from a young age. Shaan has actively contributed to establishing high school and community college MSAs, as well as youth halaqas, at various mosques in the San Francisco Bay Area. Shaan holds a BA in Political Science from UC Davis and has pursued a passion for Islamic learning. He attended the Ilm Tree Homeschooling Cooperative during middle school, where he studied Islamic Sciences under Shaykh Rami Nsour. During college, Shaan took a gap year to study Arabic in Jordan. He is currently pursuing his MA in Islamic Studies at the Islamic Seminary of America (TISA), where he is studying alongside senior American Muslim scholars, including Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, Shaykha Tamara Gray, and Dr. James Jones, among others. He currently works in tech and resides in the Bay Area with his wife, where he continues to engage in community building and outreach.
Sidi Muhammad Elmarouk
Hafiz Muhammad Elmarouk is a professional calligrapher and student of knowledge.
He was born and raised in the Bay Area. At the age of 14, he moved overseas to Mauritania, where he memorized the entire Holy Quran. From Mauritania, he traveled to Jordan, where he studied the Islamic sciences and traditional Islamic calligraphy for four years, receiving Ijazas in Tajweed and Hadith narration. From Jordan, he moved to Turkey, where he completed his calligraphy training and studied Fiqh under the guidance of renowned Syrian scholars. Muhammad continues to study privately and has taught the Islamic Sciences for six years. He now resides in Toronto, Canada, where he is pursuing a Master’s degree in Islamic Theology. Sidi Muhammad trained and competed in BJJ and wrestling for ten years in the USA and Jordan.
Imam Basil Farouq
Ustadh Basil Farouq grew up in the UAE and the Bay Area. He completed memorizing the Quran at the age of 14. Later, he completed his study of the ten canonical qirā’āt of the Quran and received authorization (ijāza) to transmit and teach them at Recite with Love. He completed a BA in Economics and Applied Mathematics from UC Berkeley in 2019 and worked full-time as an economist in the antitrust litigation industry.
Sidi Basil Farouq has pursued higher Islamic education for over five years and is currently an ‘Alimiyyah student at Qalam Institute in Dallas. He has studied Tafsīr, Hadith, Fiqh (Shāfi’ī and Hanafī), Usul al-Fiqh, ‘Aqīda, Tajwīd, ‘Ulum al-Qur’an, and Arabic Literature. He is also conducting research and writing on various topics within Quranic Studies and Tafsīr under the guidance of his teachers. He recently published a short book titled “Within Its Depths: How the Canonical Recitations Affect the Meaning of the Qur’an.”
Hafiz Afraz Khan
Hafiz Afraz Khan is an organizer and faith worker. Upon completing his MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, he transitioned into social impact consulting, supporting nonprofits and philanthropic organizations. He now works at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), leading legislative advocacy campaigns across states to help build legal protections in areas such as immigration and free speech. Afraz memorized the Qur’an after 8 years of study and conducts tajweed classes for the local community.
Afraz expanded on his studies by attending Zaytuna College’s Summer Quranic Arabic Intensive, completing a classical Arabic course through Studio Arabiya, and studying under Imam Khalid Latif for several years. He is currently a seminary student at The Majlis in their Community Servants Program. As part of his community work, Afraz serves as a teacher at Lighthouse Mosque in Oakland, where he conducts weekly classes on Qur’anic engagement and spiritual development. He volunteers as a chaplain for jail populations and supports student programming at colleges like Los Medanos and Stanford. Afraz delivers khutbahs across the Bay Area and has led taraweeh at Berkeley Masjid and Lighthouse Mosque, while also conducting nightly talks on the lessons found in each section of the Qur’an.
Qur’an Hodge
Qur’an Hodge is a Bay Area native. He began his Islamic education in 2019, studying Arabic at the Al Maqasid Seminary in Pennsylvania. Sidi Quran continued to Dar Al Mustafa, a Yemeni Islamic university in Tarim, Hadhramaut. At this Islamic seminary founded by Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Sidi Qur’an studied Ibtidaiyya, Hadith, Aqida, Seerah, Nahw, Quran Hifzdh, Kitaba, and Tafseer in classical Arabic. Sidi Quran has completed certificates in Taleef Collective’s Refining the Core and Zaytuna College’s Permaculture Program. He is passionate about creatively working on community issues, particularly the challenges Muslim youth face. He lives with his wife and children in Castro Valley.
Hassan Khawaja
Hassan Khawaja studied Data Science at UC Berkeley. After completing his degree, he worked in corporate for a year before moving to Sacramento, where he helped run a woodworking business with an artist.
Though he had no intention of pursuing Islamic studies, nor had he ever considered it, by Allah ﷻ’s grace the door to study opened.
He is now in his fifth year of the seven-year ʿĀlimiyya program at DUA Seminary, while also working in the tech field, Alhamdulillāh.
- – More Sidi Shaan: http://mcceastbay.org/shaan
- – More Sidi Muhammad: http://mcceastbay.org/muhammad
- – More Imam Basil: http://mcceastbay.org/basil
