Dear ISLA Members and Supporters,
I am honored to begin 2026 as the incoming Vice Chair of the Islamic Schools League of America (ISLA) Board of Directors. It’s truly been a joy serving on the ISLA board for the past five years. During this time, I’ve witnessed my own growth as a Muslim educator and school leader, deeply shaped by this crucial organization.
As a founding Head of School and now CEO of Tarbiyah Academy, a K–8 international baccalaureate Islamic school, I can say with confidence that ISLA’s work has meaningfully influenced how I think, lead, and make decisions. To now enter into the role of vice chair this year is a truly humbling moment.
For me, as an educator and Islamic school leader, I have personally seen how ISLA’s offerings are crucial to my ability to serve my Islamic school community with ihsan. In particular, I have used ISLA’s research reports regularly as a practitioner to ground both strategic and day-to-day decisions.
Just as importantly, ISLA has opened doors to meaningful relationships and professional networks that have supported my growth not only within Islamic education spaces, but also in non-Muslim settings where I have advocated for and supported Muslim students and educators.
Being connected to ISLA has strengthened my ability to show up clearly, confidently, and with purpose in those spaces.
This past year, I was proud to represent ISLA at the Global Association of Islamic Schools (GAIS) Conference in Sri Lanka, where I was truly amazed to witness our global ummah at work. I met educators from Egypt, Australia, South Africa, Qatar, and beyond—each innovating boldly in Islamic education. From discipline models grounded in prophetic tarbiyah, to science curricula that re-infuse the Divine into how students understand the natural world, to a reimagining of research through Islamic and Indigenous epistemologies, I was inspired by the depth, creativity, and seriousness of this work.
What excites me most is that ISLA is helping bring these global innovations into practical, accessible spaces for our schools and educators here in the U.S.
As a researcher myself, I am particularly energized by my own work in developing a practitioner framework that operationalizes shura-based decision-making, and by the opportunity to work alongside Islamic school leaders to make this approach real and sustainable in their contexts.
Furthermore, ISLA has also opened avenues for my teachers to connect with both national and global networks of Muslim educators—to collaborate, learn, and feel part of something much larger than their individual school communities. And, I hope ISLA has and will continue to do the same for you.
As Vice Chair, I am especially excited about ISLA’s current strategic direction. I deeply resonate with what Dr. Nadeem Memon shared at our 2025 ISLA Leadership Retreat: Islamic education has the potential to help heal education for everyone.
I truly believe in the work we do: supporting Islamic school teachers in building systems rooted in an Islamic worldview, cultivating spaces of belonging where Muslim children can thrive, and helping young people grow into confident Muslims at a time when the world increasingly pushes them to question their identity.
I see ISLA as a thought leader and a trusted mirror for Islamic schools. Like a good friend, ISLA not only celebrates our accomplishments, but also tells us the truths we need to hear—the ones that help us grow. It challenges us to reflect honestly, ask what “better” looks like, and strive for excellence for the sake of Allah ﷻ.
I believe deeply in this mission, and it is truly an honor to help advance this work in whatever way I am able, trusting that anything we do sincerely for our community ultimately benefits our local, national, and global ummah.
K-12 Educator, Trainer, & Coach