Staff

Mufti Faizullah Saleemzai, the Principal of Darul Uloom Austin, was born in Afghanistan and later migrated to Pakistan due to the Soviet Union invasion. With over 15 years of dedicated experience in Islamic education and developmental organizations, he spearheads leadership, curriculum development, and administration at Darul Uloom Austin.

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His diverse career includes roles such as Principal & Khateeb at Darul Uloom Rashidia Afghanistan, Managing Director at Altaqwa Community Center, Culture Advisor at CWU – USCIS, Provincial Manager at RSI Consulting Company, HR & Administrator at MSF-Médecins Sans Frontières, Admin & Finance Officer at HealthNet TPO, Technical Advisor at Deloitte, and Provincial Operation Specialist at DAI-LGCD.

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Mufti Faizullah studied the eight-year ʿĀlimiyyah and two-year iftāʾ program, graduating with teaching licenses and the permission to issue fatāwā in the Ḥanafī School. Later, he earned a BBA from the Pamir Institute of Higher Education and an MBA from Texas A&M University. He actively pursues professional development and has acquired specialized training in Practical Networking and MCSE. Fluent in Urdu, Pashto, Farsi, and English, Mufti Faizullah also possesses average proficiency in Arabic.

Sheikh Hamza Mohamed, the Quality Assurance Supervisor at Darul Uloom Austin, was born and raised in Somalia. With over a decade of dedicated experience, he is a seasoned educator specializing in teaching Quran and Islamic subjects to students across various grade levels.

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Sheikh Hamza began his journey in Islamic education at the Institute AL Sunnah of Hargeysa, where he completed his Certificate of Islamic Studies. He further honed his expertise at the Darul Huda of Hifz Quran, earning a Certificate of Completion for Hifz Quran while cultivating a deep understanding of Tajweed. Subsequently, he pursued an Associate Degree Diploma from the International University of Africa in Khartoum, Sudan, solidifying his knowledge and commitment to Islamic education.

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Throughout his career, Sheikh Hamza has led Taraweeh prayers in diverse masjids across multiple countries, embodying a profound connection to the Islamic faith. Currently based in Austin, TX, he serves as a dedicated educator at Darul Uloom, where he meticulously guides students through Quranic studies, Arabic language acquisition, and Islamic teachings. He also plays a pivotal role in maintaining the institution's organizational integrity and ensuring the learning center's smooth operation. His commitment to nurturing young minds and his deep-rooted passion for Islamic education define his journey as a dedicated educator serving faith and knowledge.

Maulana Osama Hussain was born in Karachi, Pakistan. He began his educational journey in local schools before dedicating three years to memorizing the Quran. After completing this endeavor, he pursued higher Islamic studies at a madarsa in Karachi, completing the ʿĀlim course in eight years. In 2011, he relocated to the United States, where he has been serving as an Imam, Islamic studies teacher, and Arabic teacher since then.

Ustadah Safyah Ashraff completed the ʿĀlim program in the UK. She taught at various places in London, UK, before moving to Austin. She currently teaches Quran and Islamic studies at Darul Uloom Austin.

Ustadah Shaheen Qazi has extensive qualifications in Islamic studies, including an Ijazah in Hafs and Ashara Kubra, Ustadah Shaheen completed her Aalamiyyah program at Qalam Institute in 2020. She has prior teaching experience at Al Hikmah and Al Hamd Islamic School, where she focused on enhancing student engagement through innovative teaching methods. Ustadah Shaheen brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to her role, ensuring a comprehensive and nurturing educational experience for her students.

Mufti Maimoon Zaid Ahmed was born in Fort Collins, Colorado, to Bangladeshi parents. At the age of five, he moved to Bangladesh with his family to pursue Islamic knowledge. He memorized the Holy Qur’an at the age of ten and then went on to study higher Islamic studies for six years. Following his graduation from the ʿĀlimiyyah course, he specialized in Islamic jurisprudence (Ifta) for two more years. He also spent one year in practical Da’wah & Tablig in Bangladesh, India, and Saudi Arabia. Since 2019, he has been serving Darul Uloom Austin in the Tahfizul Quran department.

Sister Sara Abdulhadi is originally from Egypt. She graduated from a Sharia school and holds a bachelor's degree in Information and Communications Technology from the Arab Open University. She obtained an Ijazah (license) in reciting and teaching the Qur’an based on the narration of Hafs in Egypt.

Sister Sara joined Noor Al-Huda’s course to establish reading the Qur’an with the author of the book. She has worked with students of all ages and special needs, achieving remarkable goals. She joined Darul Uloom Austin at NAMCC in 2017 as a teacher in the weekend program, later participating in the after-school program, summer program, and full Hifdh program.

Sister Samia Ali Ahmadi is from Libya. She graduated from Pharmacy School at the University of Tripoli. She was part of the Hifdh halaqah at Masjid ‘Abdullah Ibn Umar in Tripoli, Libya, where she was assigned by her Sheikh to teach the Qur’an. She taught the Qur’an to different levels and ages before moving to the United States.

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Sister Samia completed two years of Islamic education at the Open University in Tripoli. After moving to Austin in 2002, she began teaching Qur’an, Arabic, and Islamic Studies at different institutions and masajid in Austin as a full-time, summer school, and Sunday school teacher for over 20 years. She has a CDA (Child Development Associate), a certificate in teaching Qa’idah Noorania from Noorart, and a Tarbiyah basic Qaidah certificate. She joined Darul Uloom Austin in 2019 as a full-time teacher for the girls' Hifdh program at the North Austin Muslim Community Center.

Maulana Bilal Patel was born in Los Angeles, California, USA, and originally hails from Gujarat, India. In his pursuit of religious knowledge, Maulana Bilal traveled to South Africa in 2013, where he embarked on the journey of memorizing the Quran. During his studies, he attained Ijazah in Quranic recitation, known as Sab'ah and Asharah Qiraa'ah, at Darul Uloom Azaadville. Furthering his academic pursuits, Maulana Bilal enrolled in a comprehensive six-year ʿĀlim course at Darul Uloom Azaadville, which he completed in 2022. There, he delved deeply into Islamic principles, jurisprudence, and history.

Sheikh Mohamed Amine Berkani was born and educated in Algeria. He completed memorizing the Qur’an at the age of fifteen. He holds a master’s degree in Islamic faith and is preparing for a doctorate in Orientalism. Sheikh Mohamed Amine also obtained a master’s degree in the sociology of human resources management and is continuing his doctoral studies in the same specialty.

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He has published scientific articles in Islamic disciplines in various scientific journals. Sheikh Mohamed Amine worked as a teacher of the Holy Qur’an in Algeria for more than a decade and volunteered as an imam for more than six years. He also taught elementary school and was an Islamic sciences teacher in high school. Sheikh Mohamed Amine moved to America seven months ago and joined Darul Uloom Austin as a teacher of the Holy Quran.

Hafiz Abdullah Hanzala Khurasani began his education in local schools, memorized the Quran, and completed Tajweed courses. He has also studied Hadith and Fiqh with local Ulama. Hafiz Abdullah has been teaching Quran, Tajweed, and Islamic studies since 2011 at Darul Uloom Austin. He has led Taraweeh in multiple masajid in the U.S. and overseas.

Hafiza Niama bint Ahmad was born in Chicago, IL, and grew up in Austin, TX. She attended Islamic school in Austin and graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Human Development and Family Sciences and a teaching certificate through the UTeach Program. She is certified to teach middle school and high school science.

Over the last several years, Sister Niama has taught Quran and Islamic studies in various settings, including summer schools and Sunday schools at ICGA, ICP, and ICBC. She has also taught secular education at charter and public schools. Previously, Sister Niama worked at the Darul Uloom Austin NAMCC campus after-school program. She is currently the full-time girls' Hifdh teacher at the GIC campus and also leads the Academic Program there.