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?
Join Hafiz Muhammad Elmarouk, Shaykh Bilal ibn Yusuf, Imam Basil Farouq, and Sidi Shaan Mukhtar for an Open House of Islamic Seminaries featuring Zaytuna College, Al-Maqasid, Qalam Institute, The Islamic Seminary of America, Bayan, Dua Seminary, Darul Qasim, Darul Salam, The Majlis, and others.
Friday, Oct. 10 | 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | MCC Prayer Hall | Join in-person or watch live at mcceastbay.org/live
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 is intended for parents, teens, and young professionals exploring Islamic Study options available in the West.
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), which is led by senior American Muslim scholars, including Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, Shaykha Tamara Gray, and Dr. James Jones, among others, lead. 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 Bilal Ibn Yusuf
Shaykh Bilal ibn Yusuf graduated from the seven-year ʿālimiyyah program at DarusSalam Seminary in Lombard, Illinois. He also holds degrees in psychology and political science. He is the Imam of the Islamic Center of Walnut Creek (Darul-Islam Mosque). Shaykh Bilal is currently pursuing post-graduate studies in Islamic Law & Islamic Theology.
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.
Hafiz Basil 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.”