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The Tutors

 

At the Oak Tree Initiative, our teachers hail from all walks of life, but are specialists in the fields that they teach. Have a read for yourself:

Abdullah Al Anezi

Abdullah is a Damascus University graduate with a BA in English Language and Literature then a PgDip in Translation and Arabicization. He served as a teaching assistant at Aleppo University and a part-time associate at Al Furat University. He completed his MA in Arabic/English Translation with Interpreting at Salford University and is currently doing a PhD in Interpreting Studies at the same place. Abdullah studied tajweed in Syria and is talented in Arabic calligraphy.He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Abu Huraira Rahman

Abu Huraira read Modern Middle Eastern History & Arabic as an undergraduate, supplementing it with a year of studying Arabic at the Arab Academy in Cairo. He has also studied Hifdh and Tajweed at the Institut Européen des Sciences Humaines (IESH), Chateau Chinon, France. Abu Huraira continues to study Islamic Studies with scholars in the UK.He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Adam Jamal

Adam Jamal is a student and teacher of Arabic and Islamic Studies. Originally from Texas (USA), he has travelled extensively in pursuit of Islamic knowledge. He graduated with a BA in Islamic Studies and Shariah from Europeen Institute of Sciences and Humanities (IESH) in France and has studied under various scholars in the UK and abroad, including Darul Uloom, Blackburn and Egypt. Adam is a former teacher of Islamic Studies at a private Islamic school on a Caribbean Island and is the founder of iArabic. He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Aisha Sakandar

For seven years i lived,stayed and studied at Jaamia-Tul-Imaam-Muhammad-Zakaria (Ra). Situated in Bradford, uk. Throughout my time spent there i studied the entire Urdu and Arabic languages from scratch, (as my mother tongue language is Punjabi). I studied the 6 Authentic Hadeeth kitaabs namely a few;

  • Al-Bukhaari
  • Tirmidhi
  • Saheeh-Al Muslim
  • Mishkaat
  • Ibn Al Majah

Also studied the Tafseer- Quran Commentary in depth, namely the kitaab 'Jalaalayn'. And the fiqh- Islamic Jurisprudence(usool,kanz,qudoori) and Qasas- an- nabiyeen, Riyadh -us -saliheen, zaadut-talibeen...

(fast track 7 years...)

Upon completion of my Islamic and Secular education I graduated in 2010, with a BA Degree in Islamic Theology And Arabic Language. I Have A-Level qualifications in Arabic and Urdu also. I have been teaching children the quran, tajweed rulings, stories of the prophets , fiqh, urdu and islamic prayers and short islamic seminars on vast topics since the past four years at local masaajids,( Currently i am still teaching children).

I now run an active role in my community and also in various cities and towns across the UK, whereby i strive to empower, call , motivate and preach to the Muslim youths about our deen & in general all aspects of how to live your life according to the Sunnah, and the Quran.

Currently I am studying a long term intense Tajweed course with a Jordanian based organisation by the name of 'Al-Manhal' at West Didsbury Mosque. To present i have just finished a Teaching assistant diploma Level 3 course. And now i am looking to study a CELTA course insha'Allah.

Akhlaaq Choudry

Akhlaaq became involved in Islamic work at a young age with the Islamic Society at college. He became a member of the Islamic Society at university, serving as treasurer, and served on the local committee for a national youth organisation. After graduating from university, he spent several years abroad pursuing Arabic and Islamic studies. Since returning to the UK, he has been furthering his studies under notable scholars such as Shaykh Akram al-Nadwi. He has lectured extensively and is a regular teacher at Islamic study courses.He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Ali Koka

Ustaaz Ali Koka graduated from the University of Salford in Business and Finance. He has studied under various local and international scholars – studying Arabic and other Islamic sciences alike. He is actively engaged in studying the Islamic Sciences, da’wah and teaching. Ustaaz Ali is CELTA qualified - teaching English as a foreign Language, and enjoys teaching Arabic. Currently he is pursuing a masters in Islamic Education. He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

 

Amena Hussain

Amena Hussain studied Applied Computer Technology at John Moore University in Liverpool. She later went on to become an engineer, and established herself as a project manager specialising in IT solutions. Amena initially joined as student, and completed levels 1 to 4. Wishing to pursue Arabic studies further and on a full time basis, she travelled to Cairo and studied with The Sibawayah Institute. She is a teacher with The Oak Tree Initiative.

Arwa Abdel Basir Ibrahim

Ustadha Arwa Abdel Basir Ibrahim is a journalist and researcher of Middle Eastern affairs and Islamic Civilization; culture, heritage, public space and political and social transformations. She read Political Science and Journalism then completed her masters in Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Manchester. She is currently working to complete her BA in Islamic & Arabic Studies at al-Ashira al-Muhamadiyya Institute in Cairo, an institute affiliated with al-Azhar University and specialising in Arabic and Islamic Sciences. She is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Asad Chaudhry

Through involvement with the Islamic Society at college, Asad began Islamic work from an early age. While at university, he served on the committees of a local youth organisation and the university Islamic Society. After graduation, he memorised the Qur’an and went on to study Arabic and Islamic Law at the European Institute of Human Sciences, France. He is currently studying in the Faculty of Islamic Law at al-Azhar University, Egypt. He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Dr.Asim Aqil

Dr.Asim Aqil works in the Medical field having completed a bachelors degree in medicine at Manchester university. He started off his journey in the Arabic language as an OTI student. Having completed all the courses available with the OTI he moved on to study further Arabic grammar, further Arabic morphology, Arabic rhetoric and conversational Arabic at a renowned language institute in Cairo for 6 months. He is also currently completing a Masters degree in Medical Education, hence he has a passion for both education and the Arabic language. He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative

Hammadur Rahman Fahim

Hailing from a scholarly family, Fahim memorised the Qur’an at a young age and began his religious studies under the auspices of his father. After completing his A-Levels, he went on to study Arabic and Islamic Law at the European Institute of Human Sciences, France. He is currently pursuing a BA in Islamic Law from the prestigious al-Azhar University, Egypt. He has received license to teach two modes of recitation from world renowned reciters, and is currently pursuing license in the ten modes of recitation. He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Hamza Izzidien al Samarrai

Studied the Arabic language both in the UK and in Syria. He is actively involved in teaching, youth and community work. He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Hassan Ali

Studied the Arabic language for several years both in the UK and in Egypt. He is actively involved in teaching and in the production of new teaching materials for the modern students of the Arabic language. He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Hussam Haj Omar

An Arabic tutor, a holder of an MA degree in Arabic/English Translation with Interpreting from the University of Salford and a final year candidate of PhD in Translation Studies at the University of Leeds. He also has 10 years of experience in teaching Arabic and is currently a tutor of Arabic at the Manchester College of Languages.

Ishaq Mahmood

Ishaq started learning Arabic in 2010 and has been studying Arabic with the Oak Tree Initiative for over 2 years. He is currently continuing his Arabic studies outside of OTI and is also studying Fiqh and Tajweed. He has a passion for Islamic especially Arabic Calligraphy. He completed his degree in Dental Surgery in 2012 and is planning to gain a teaching qualification in that field. He also plans to continue to teach Arabic.He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Jalilah Fletcher

Jalila Fletcher graduated from the University of Manchester with First Class Honours in Arabic and Islamic Studies. She has lived in Libya and studied in Morocco. She is currently a part-time lecturer in Arabic/English Translation at Salford University. Jalila has a wide experience in designing and instructing personalised Modern and Classical Arabic courses for students of all ages and backgrounds. She has also taught in various Islamic schools in the North West. Jalila specializes in a modern approach to Arabic language instruction, embracing innovative and interactive teaching methodologies and resources.She is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Jabeen Akhter

Jabeen Akhter is currently a student in Journalism and Multimedia at the University of Salford. She has been learning the Arabic language from the age of 17. At the age of 19 she enrolled onto the two-year Arabic Language course at the European Institute of Human Sciences, where she also taught other students. Upon completion of the 2-year Arabic course she pursued a course in AS Level and A-Level Arabic studies. She was a teacher of tajweed for girls at Affirming the Foundations and has also conducted private tajweed lessons with various students. She has taught the Arabic Language at Taqwa Institue based in Oldham which consisted mainly of students of the primary school age. She also conducted private Arabic lessons with various students in the year 2014.

Luqmaan Fazal

Luqmaan is currently a Level 4 student in OTI and has been studying Arabic with OTI since 2010. Being a recent graduate in Engineering at the University of Manchester Luqmaan's previous teaching experience entails teaching English to Bhutanese Refugee children as part of the national STARS program in 2010. He's been an active student on campus, acting as president of his Islamic Society in 2012-2013.He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Mahrukh Rahman

After graduating in 2013 with a BSc Hons in Speech Pathology and Therapy I have worked in various locations as a paediatric Speech and Language Therapist. I currently work for the NHS and have ample experience working with children aged 2-18. 

I have studied Arabic (up to GCSE level), fiqh (hanafi), Aqeedah (At-Tahawi), Hadeeth, Seerah, Contextual Studies and Tafseer of the Quran under local shuyookh. I also study advanced level Tajweed with native Arab teachers.

Alhamdulillah I thoroughly enjoy being a student of deen and I am passionate to share my knowledge and skill set with others, hence my interest in working as a teacher at OTI.

Muhammad Ali

A graduate of Business and Finance, Muhammad Ali has been actively involved in dawah and the learning and teaching of the Science of Tajweed for a number of years. He has studied under various local and international scholars. He furthered his knowledge of Tajweed and the Arabic Language under the tutelage of experts in Egypt. He is actively engaged in studying the Islamic Sciences and teaching the Arabic language.He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Mohammed Waqas

Waqas started studying the Arabic language in 2010 with the OTI in Manchester. He subsequently moved to London for his profession in computer programming and enrolled with Ebrahim College, completing their full Arabic language course. He has organised and taught his own Arabic courses at the Islamic Association of North London where he taught on two occasions before moving back to Manchester as a teacher of the OTI.

To further his Islamic studies, he has been studying with Shaykh Mohammad Akram Nadwi in various disciplines such as Tafseer, Science of Hadith, Fiqh and various historical texts of noted scholars in the Islamic history. He wishes to further his understanding of Islam as far as possible with a fundamental focus on learning and teaching Arabic. Teaching was not his area of interest until Arabic influenced him into further engagement.

Nasar Ishfaq

Nasar is currently completing his studies in Architecture at Manchester University, he began studying in Manchester under Ustadh Kifayatullah and then Sh. Abu Eesa Niamatullah with whom he studied Hanbali Fiqh and al-Adab al-Mufard. He then studied with Sh. Kehlan al-Jubury the sciences of Tafsir, Aqidah, Fiqh, Hadith and Adab. Br. Nasar remains a close student of both Sh. Abu Eesa and Sh. Kehlan, during this time he also began studying Tajweed and how teaches Tajweed to adults.He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Rizwana Atique

My name is Rizwana Atique.I did Masters in Islamic Studies from the Punjab University Pakistan with distinction.

Major subjects studied during MA Islamic studies Quran,Rules of Tafseer, Arabic, Fiqh, Hadith and comparative religions. Passed the public service commission competition exam and appointed as lecturer in islamic studies. Served two years in Govt. Post Graduate College Daska and Govt Post Graduate College Gujranwala. As a lecturer I taught Islamic studies (complete syllabus including Arabic Grammar, Islamic history,Hadith, Seerah of Prophet Mohammad PBUH) to both intermediate and graduate classes.

Also I have completed the Quranic Tajweed Course with Sheikh Abdur Razzaq Bhalawan (from Syria) who teaches Quranic Tajweed in Masjid Salah-ud-din, Didsbury Mosque and BMHC Manchester.

Nazneen Shah

I left my home upon completing my secular education and enrolled into a private Islamic girl's boarding school which is situated in West Yorkshire, Bradford. I would live and study in this new home of mine for next six years. In 2013 I graduated with a BA degree in Islamic theology Arabic language this qualifying me to be a teacher in Islamic studies.

After I graduated I started my career in the teaching field and currently I am an Islamic teacher, I teach children on a daily basis. I lead a class of young students where I teach Quranic tajweed alongside the Arabic language, Islamic prayers as well as assisting them with memorisation (Hifz) of the Quran. I also teach separate classes for women, which consists of a few reverted sisters. I teach them Quranic tajweed with other Islamic studies that will benefit them on a daily basis.

Dr Sadia Anwar

Sadia has been studying Arabic since 2010 with OTI and has spent a summer in Egypt to further develop in Arabic language. She has been actively involved in Islamic organisations, representing the interests of muslim students. A recent graduate of dentistry from Manchester, Sadia hopes to continue with extra-curricular and Islamic studies.She is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Rizwana Atique

My name is Rizwana Atique.I did Masters in Islamic Studies from the Punjab University Pakistan with distinction.

Major subjects studied during MA Islamic studies Quran,Rules of Tafseer, Arabic, Fiqh, Hadith and comparative religions. Passed the public service commission competition exam and appointed as lecturer in islamic studies. Served two years in Govt. Post Graduate College Daska and Govt Post Graduate College Gujranwala. As a lecturer I taught Islamic studies (complete syllabus including Arabic Grammar, Islamic history,Hadith, Seerah of Prophet Mohammad PBUH) to both intermediate and graduate classes.

Also I have completed the Quranic Tajweed Course with Sheikh Abdur Razzaq Bhalawan (from Syria) who teaches Quranic Tajweed in Masjid Salah-ud-din, Didsbury Mosque and BMHC Manchester.

Salah Sharief

I studied Arabic and tajweed in Cairo, Egypt, and gained an ijaza in qira'a in the recitation of hafs 'an 'aasim. I have been studying Islamic sciences with Shaykh Akram Nadwi for 3 years and have developed a close and personal relationship with him and his senior students.

In terms of secular education I graduated from Queen Mary University of London with a Law and Politics BA (2:1) and a masters in History from SOAS University of London. I hope to complete an alamiyya degree with Shaykh Akram and follow it with a PhD in order to pursue the path of academia in both Islamic and secular sciences. I am teaching with the OTI.

Shaykh Fazlur-Rahman Ibn Ali Hassan 

Islamic Studies/Arabic Language:

Shaykh Fazlur-Rahman Ibn Ali Hassan completed his Aalmiyah Degree Islamic Studies with Arabic & Urdu Languages @ The Institute of Higher Islamic Education Darul-Uloom Al-Arabiyyah Al-Islamiyyah Bury, UK, where he studied the traditional Islamic Sciences including Arabic Language (Lughah) Arabic Literature (Adab) Jurisprudence (Fiqh)  Quranic Sciences (Tafseer and Usool-ut-Tafseer)  Sciences of Prophetic Traditions (Hadith & Usool-ut-tafseer) & received authorization in the books of hadith including the 6 major books of hadith.  

Teaching Experience:

Shaykh Fazlur-Rahman Ibn Ali Hassan has lectured for Blackburn & Preston Colleges as a linguists, and is aninstructor and trainer for thinkBRITE services on islamic law,Islamic cultural awareness programmes  & Islamic medical ethics.   He has been the manager & Islamic Advisor of 1stethical charitable trust where he has been instrumental in creating the first ever UK based shariah Advisory board of scholars by the name of ‘Al-Aqalam’ and has delivered many seminars and presentations on Islamic finance and fiqh-ul-mua’amlaat. He has also taught quranic translation & tafseerat Miftahul Uloom Islamic College in Blackburn.  

Shazan Iqbal

Shazan completed a BA (Hons) Arabic Studies at The University of Manchester, graduating with a First and a Distinction in Spoken Arabic. He spent 1 year in Egypt at The Arab Academy. Following his Degree he obtained a scholarship with the Anglo-Omani Society to study higher level Arabic for two months at Sultan Qaboos College in Oman. He has also completed a CELTA qualification and is currently studying MA Islamic Studies at SOAS (University of London).He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Zareen Bashir and Shazia Gulzar

Began studying the Arabic Language in 2008 with The Oak Tree Initiative. Having successfully completed levela 2,3 & 4, they are both currently helping children embark on their journey in Quranic Arabic.They are teachers for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Uzma Imtiaz

Read Modern Languages (French and German) at the University of Manchester and is currently completing a PGCE to teach French and German from KS3 to A level. A member of ALL (Association of Language Learning), she has previously taught in Germany and has spent time abroad in France. She is very excited about the OTI and its pioneering new project to revitalise the language of the Qur'an for younger students.She is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Zenab Ahmed

Ustadhah Zenab completed a BA Economics at Manchester university after which she went into teacher training to become a secondary maths teacher. She has been teaching for the past 8 years. She started her Arabic studies in 2007 various local and national courses. She continued her studies with The OTI and completed its level 4 Arabic course. In 2014 she had the opportunity to take a sabbatical and study Arabic for a year abroad. She has taught Quranic Arabic at various institute. She is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Zubeir Alvi

Zubeir Alvi graduated with an undergraduate degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies and then went on to complete his MA in International Relations. He went on to further his studies of the Arabic Language in Morocco for a year. He is actively engaged in teaching the Arabic Language and has taught courses at the Manchester Metropolitan University. He was the Islamic Coordinator and teacher at KD Grammar School for Boys for 5 years. He has studied and has a passion for Islamic art and calligraphy.He is a teacher for The Oak Tree Initiative.

Umm Ayyoub, [Shurma Chowdhury]

Education Background

Umm Ayyoub has been studying the science of Tajweed for over 5 years at the prestigious Darul Huda institute in Jeddah under the supervision Ustadhah Kareema Czerepinski. She was obliged to learn rules of recitation in Arabic and memorise the classical text – al-Jazariyyah from front to back. Studying the Book of Allah, gave her a deeper appreciation of the Tajweed sciences which has fed her passion to learn, but her eagerness to pass the knowledge on went unquenched until the birth of The Qur'an Institute [www.thequraninstitute.org].

After having graduated from the 4-year Course at the Institute in May 2014 she has founded her own Quran Institute in the North West of England aiming to reach out to communities and ignite a passion for the love of the Quran to lost hearts.

Umm Ayyoub is also a qualified Qaidah Nooraniyyah teacher from Markaz alFurqan Institute, Jeddah, headed by sh. Muhammad ar-Raee, the grandson of the founder of the Qaidah Nooraniyyah concept, Sh. Muhammad al-Haqaani.

Having a PGCE background has enabled Umm Ayyoub to use the skills she has acquired throughout the PGCE course and transferred it to the realm of Tajweed. She is able to apply the interactive methods of delivery when teaching Tajweed to students who are accustomed to modern day techniques. She believes that Tajweed should be perceived as a science that is engaging and interactive, not a dry and rigid form of learning which will lose the interest of the students. Tajweed is actually a practical science and therefore the theory behind it can also be learnt in a practical non-complicated way. The use of a wide range of learning resources, kineasthetic activities modern assessment tools positively contributes to the development of the students theoretically and practically.

Umm Ayyoub currently resides in Riyadh with her husband and 2year old son. 

Ustaadhah Shurma is a teacher with the Oak Tree Initiative.