Shaykh Ashhar grew up in Troy, MI, completing his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in Arabic & Islamic Studies and Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive Sciences in 2007. After completing memorization of the Holy Quran in 1994, he furthered his Islamic studies with local scholars during his college years. In 2008, he began formally studying the traditional sciences in the Sacred Learning Program, and in 2014, was granted formal authorization (ijāzah) in the spiritual sciences (tasawwuf). Shaykh Ashhar is currently a practicing neurologist at the Henry Ford Hospital and serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology. He spends his free time teaching and lecturing on various subjects of Islamic knowledge and guides seekers on the path of purifying their heart and attaining nearness to Allah. Shaykh Ashhar currently resides in suburban Detroit with his wife and children, where he oversees Refined Heart.

Shaykh Basharath Alikhan was raised in the Chicagoland area, where he attended college at Benedictine University studying biology and health sciences. He went on to receive his medical doctorate (MD) from Rush University in 2005. Thereafter, he completed training in the field of Pathology, with further subspecializations in Hematopathology, Surgical Pathology, and Molecular Genetic Pathology from the University of Chicago. His training in the Islamic sciences began with the study of Quran memorization at the Institute of Islamic Education (Ma’had Ta’leemul Islam) in Elgin, IL in 1996. He since studied the religious sciences with local scholars, culminating in a one-year training program leading to authorization in Hadith (Ijazah) from teachers in Zambia. Since 2004, his spiritual training was guided by Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattar, leading to formal authorization in tasawwuf in 2015. He is currently a staff pathologist at NorthShore University HealthSystem, where he serves as Director of Hematopathology and Molecular Diagnostics, as well as Clinical Assistant Professor at the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago. Outside of his profession, he teaches and serves at the Sacred Learning Center. He lives with his family in Lincolnwood, IL.

Shaykh Obaid Bengali is a hafidh of the Holy Qu’ran and completed his alim course at Suffah Educational Guidance in 2018. In 2002, Shaykh Obaid started training in the science of Islamic spirituality and was formally authorized to guide others in the path of Islamic spirituality in 2014. Shaykh Obaid holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Illinois Institute of Technology and works full-time as a Support Engineer. He spends his free time teaching and lecturing on various subjects of Islamic knowledge and guides seekers on the path of purifying their heart and attaining nearness to Allah. He currently lives in suburban Chicago with his family.

Born in the Chicagoland area, Shaykh Mohammad Omar Hussaini completed his Bachelor’s in Psychology in 2000 and his medical degree (MD) from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2006. After completing memorization of the Qur’an at the Ma’had Ta’lim ul-Islam in 1996, he further studied the Islamic sciences with local teachers for over a decade until he completed his ‘alimiyya degree in South Africa in 2006. Throughout his years of study, Shaykh Omar also continued his training in Islamic Spirituality and was formally authorized to teach Islamic Spirituality (tasawwuf) in 2009. Shaykh Omar is currently Director of Molecular Hematopathology at the Moffitt Cancer Center and Associate Professor of Oncological Sciences at the University of South Florida. Shaykh Omar teaches and lectures on various subjects of Islamic knowledge and also serves as an instructor in Sacred Learning’ Individual Study program. He resides with his wife and children in suburban Tampa Bay, where he oversees Makkiyyah Institute and Pureway.

Born in the Chicagoland area, Shaykh Sa’ad Quadri completed his Bachelor’s in English and History at Northern Illinois University and his Master’s in Education at DePaul University. After studying the Islamic sciences with local teachers on a part-time basis, Shaykh Sa’ad completed his ‘alimiyya degree in Lusaka, Zambia. Throughout his years of study, Shaykh Sa’ad also continued his training in Islamic Spirituality and was formally authorized to teach spiritual development (tasawwuf). Shaykh Sa’ad currently serves as the Islamic Studies Department Chair for the MCC Academy; during his free time, he teaches and lectures on various subjects of Islamic knowledge and serves as an instructor in Sacred Learning’s Individual Study program. Shaykh Sa’ad resides with his wife and children in suburban Chicago.

Born in Bloomington, Indiana, Shaykh Zaib Talat completed his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science in 2008 and a Masters in Analytics in 2022 from Georgia Institute of Technology. After completing hifz of the Holy Quran (2011) and studying the Islamic sciences part time for seven years with local scholars, Shaykh Zaib went on to complete a rigorous alimiyya degree with a post doctoral focus in Hadith sciences in 2016 in Lusaka, Zambia. During this time, he also received formal authorization in the Islamic science of spiritual purification. Shaykh Zaib currently serves as a Senior Data Scientist for Shopify. During his free time, he teaches and lectures on various subjects of Islamic knowledge and serves as an instructor in Sacred Learning’s Individual Study program. Shaykh Zaib currently resides in suburban Atlanta with his wife and children, where he oversees Seeking Perfection.

Dr. Jawad Pervez grew up in the Chicagoland area where he completed his BA in Psychology from Loyola University and then went onto medical school at Midwestern University. He completed his residency in Adult Psychiatry at Loyola University Medical Center in 2015 with a specialization in women’s mental health. He currently works as a Psychiatrist for Advocate Health in Kenosha, WI. Throughout his adolescence and adult life, Dr. Pervez has been in the company of traditional scholars, and is currently enrolled in the Sacred Learning Individual Study program.

During his free time, Dr. Pervez corresponds with scholars in addressing the psychiatric needs of the community and regularly conducts presentations and seminars on various mental health topics. He currently resides with his wife and children in the western suburbs of Chicago.