The Foundational Knowledge Certification

Sh. Rami Nsour

Founding Director, Tayba

Shaykh Rami Nsour is a scholar, speaker, teacher, and translator of Islamic texts. He spent over 10 years studying Islam—including five years in Mauritania—earning an ‘ijāza to teach. He also completed an in-residence program researching fatāwā on Islamic faith, law, and practice.

Dr. Shade Elmasry

Founder, Safina Society

Born and raised in the great state of New Jersey, Dr. Shadee was inspired to study Islam in the traditional manner, traveling to places such as Makka, Madina, Egypt, Morocco, and Yemen, learning Arabic, aqida, and fiqh. He also completed an MA from The George Washington University with a thesis on Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki, and a PhD from the University of London on Imam al-Haddad.

Sh. Hamzah Maqbul

Founder, Ribat

Shaykh Hamzah Maqbul is an accomplished Islamic scholar, educator, and cultural explorer with a unique academic and spiritual journey. Known for his profound knowledge of Islamic creed (aqidah) and his contributions to reviving Muslim heritage through immersive educational experiences, Shaykh Hamzah Wald Maqbul’s impact on students extends beyond the classroom into the real world, where faith, history, and cultural understanding intersect.

Sh. Zakaria El Houbba

Instructor, Dar Al Rayyan

Shaykh Zakaria El Houbba is a scholar of the Islamic intellectual tradition whose work bridge classical Islamic sciences and contemporary research. A researcher at KU Leuven, Belgium, and resident instructor at Dar al-Rayyan, he completed years of rigorous traditional study under renowned scholars across Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria. His scholarly work focuses on Māliki fiqh, Ashʿari theology, and the epistemology of law and Sufism, with specialized research on the intellectual legacy of Aḥmad Zarrūq.