He comes from a lineage of scholars. His father, grandfather and great grandfather were all graduates of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. His family are descendants of the Shaykh and historian Abdur Rahman al-Jabarti. With this legacy in mind, Shaykh Zakaria’s father took his family to Egypt when Shaykh Zakaria was just 11 years old to learn Arabic and memorize the Qur'an. In Egypt, Shaykh Zakaria’s father met Habib Ali al-Jifri who recommended Shaykh Zakaria study at Dar al-Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen. 

By the age of 13, Shaykh Zakaria began his studies in Tarim, Yemen  at Dar al Mustafa. Starting at such a young age, he was often the youngest in the class.  He fondly remembers his interactions with the Habaib at a young age and yearning to be like them. He completed the 10-year degree program, which requires memorization of both the Qur'an and Riyadh as-Saliheen.

After 17 years studying abroad, Shaykh Zakaria returned to Canada with his family in 2021. He now teaches locally across the GTHA.

In this episode, he talks about how his father’s encouragement and his teachers’ generosity helped him stay motivated during the rigorous 10 years of study. He speaks about what it really means for knowledge to be sacred and the beautiful wisdom behind what scholars call "a burning beginning" for students of knowledge. 

His journey intersects with many familiar names: Habib Abdullah bin Ismail as-Saqqaf, Habib Omar, Habib Ali al-Mashur bin Hafidh, Syed Abdul al-Jifri, Shaykh Mokhtar Jamil, Shaykh Assad Ullah, and he also taught many of our other teachers in the West that studied in Tarim.

Shaykh Ahmed Saad Al-Azhari visited Toronto a few weeks ago to give a series of lectures about the life of his teacher Habib Abu Bakr al-Mashur, his reflections on post-modernism and Islam, and to provide an educational framework for Muslim families. These are all components of his PhD thesis, which he just completed recently from the University of Birmingham.

Dr. Ahmed Saad’s journey began in Egypt where he was born into a family of scholars who are descendants of the prophet muhammad pbuh. He memorized the Quran at the age of 10 and Riyadh as Salihin at the age of 15. In 2001 he graduated from Al-Azhar University with a bachelors in Islamic Sciences. 

He was mentored by Habib Abu Bakr al-Mashur and went on to to translate and teach his book Al Nubdha Al Sughra, which discusses the signs of the end of times. Shaykh Ahmed lives in the UK where he founded Ihsan Institute.

In this episode he reflects on his early life and upbringing in Egypt, the teachers that influenced him and the value of a traditional lifestyle.
His story intersects with many familiar names:
Shaykh Mohamed Saad, Habib Dr. Abu Bakr al-‘Adni b. Ali al-Mashhūr, Shaykh Shibl Matar, Shaykh Dr. Ali Gomah, Shaykh Dr. Abdel-Hamīd Al-Mubarak, Shaykh Ahmad Mawlūd b. Muhammad al-Mustafa al-Yaqūbi al- Shinqīti, Shaykh Dr. Ayman Suwaid, Shaykh Abdul-Fattah Madkour, Shaykh Ali Tawfīq al-Nahhas, Shaykh Abdul-Rahman al-Kittani, Habib Zayn b. Sumayt, Shaykh Abdel-Basit Hashim, Shaykh Yahya al-Ghawthani, Shaykh Ahmad al-Surti, Shaykh Yahya al-Mulla, Shaykh Dr. Ahmad Sharīf al-Manbiji, Shaykh Muhammad al-Baqqāli, Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim Abdel-Ba’ith Al-Kittani.

Please view his full bio here: https://www.ihsaninstitute.sg/about-shaykh-ahmed-saad

Shaykh Hamzah learned Uzbek while doing  a double major in Biochemistry and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at the University of Washington. While he initially intended to go to med school he was also drawn to his faith and was actively looking for a path to study Islam. 

During his undergrad years, the doors opened for him when he was able to do a combined independent study and study abroad trip to Mauritania. He was able to study with scholars in Mauritania and the UAE. He then went to study for four years in Pakistan at Jamia al Madaniya. 

Currently he works with Imam Ghazali Institute, teaching aqidah intensives across the country as well as organizing heritage trips to explore Muslim history in Turkey, Uzbekistan, Sicily and Bosnia. He also founded Ribat and teaches locally in the Chicago area. 

In this episode, he discusses the value of connecting with Muslim history and tradition in an immersive way, connecting with the layman as a scholar, and the importance of zuhd and detaching from one’s wealth.

His story intersects with many familiar names:

Murabit al-Hajj, Murabit Haddamin, Murabit Ahmad Fal, Mufti Abdul Wahid, Syed Nafees Hussaini, Mawlana Abdul Haleem Chishti, Dr. Imam Zijad Delic Delic; he has also worked closely with Shaykh Mohammed Amin Kholwadia's Darul Qasim College, Musa Sugapong, and HFSAA Midwest.

After over a year-long hiatus, I'm very excited to be posting this episode. Please note, it was recorded in May 2023. 

Please note this episode was recorded in May 2023. 

As I pursue my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

At age 16, Ustadh Omar Popal was an extremely homesick madrasa student in Campertown, South Africa. He was far from home, his family and friends.  He was struggling to adjust to life at Madrasa In’aamiyya, so different from his public high school and life as he knew it in Fairfax, Virginia. He found his way to the madrassa library, and there he found a mentor in Maulana Muhammad Abbas Omar, who befriended him and took him under his wing. In the same library he found three books which awoke a thirst for knowledge within him and were his introduction to tasawwuf: Protecting Yourself from Whisperings of the Devil, the Path to Perfection, Ma’arif Al Mathnawi. After completing two years in South Africa, Ustadh Omar returned to Virginia and continued studying the Islamic Sciences and completed high school as one of the first students at Mufti Yusuf bin Yaqub’s school, Madinatul Uloom.

After high school, he was looking for the next opportunity when his father heard about Tarim, Yemen. He had met someone whose daughter was studying at Dar al Zahra, the girls madrassa in Tarim, and so he decided to send Ustadh Omar and his sister to Yemen as well. Ustadh Omar spent two years in Tarim at Dar al-Mustafa, the boys madrassa, including one year at a campus in Ai’nat. The Ai’nat campus was even more remote, academically rigorous and challenging, and he was the only Westerner there at the time. Despite the challenges, he grew fond of his unique time in Ai’nat and refers to it as the best year of his life.  

After returning home, he continued his studies at Darul Qasim in Chicago with Shaykh Amin Kholwadia  and later with Dr. Recep Senturk in Turkey. 

Ustadh Omar is now the founder of the Tanwir Institute in Fairfax, VA. where he is attending to the educational and spiritual needs of Muslims in his hometown as well as the DMV area (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia) at large.

In this episode, he discusses both the struggle of adjusting while studying overseas as well as the many distractions and difficulties that come with seeking knowledge while staying in the West. He gives heartfelt advice to students of knowledge on humility and setting priorities. 

His story intersects with many familiar names: 

Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Maulana Haroon Abbas Omar, Maulana Muhammad Abbas Omar, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Mufti Yusuf bin Yaqub, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, Maulana Ibrahim Muhammad, Maulana Ridwaan Desi, Shaykh Amin Kholwadia, Dr Umar Faruq Abd-Allah, Shaykh Khaled Al-Kharsa, Dr. Hamza al-Bakri  Dr. Mahmoud al-Masri, Shaykh Faisal Matadar, Shaykh Hamzah Wald Maqbul, Shaykha Mariam Sheibani, Dr. Recep Senturk

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I pursue my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Imam Ahmad Deeb's grandfather Dr. Sheikh Ramadan Deeb, one of the oldest living scholars in Damascus, is a renowned Syrian scholar who built important bridges between western and eastern scholarship. Imam Deeb grew up watching his father Shaykh Abdallah Deeb lead a Muslim community in Orlando, Florida.

But, even though he was born into a family of Muslim scholars, Imam Deeb struggled as a teenager seeking answers to fundamental questions about religion.

It wasn’t until university when he began attending a local halaqa and listening online to Shaykh Hamza Yusuf that Imam Deeb felt his mind and his heart begin to find a connection to Islam. Upon graduation he turned his focus to seeking knowledge at a higher level. 

Shaykh Muhammad bin Yahya al-Husayni al-Ninowy, a family friend, invited him to join a Madina Institute pilot program he was starting in South Africa. Imam Ahmad Deeb spent a year at the Madina Institute in Cape Town. When he returned he continued studying with local scholars, including his father, and began a Masters in Islamic Studies at Bayan Islamic Graduate School in Claremont, California.

Today, Imam Ahmad Deeb is the imam at Islamic Center of Greater Toledo, located in one of the oldest muslim communities in North America. He is the co-founder of Pillars Seminary alongside Shaykh Ismail Bowers, which focuses on teaching the foundational Islamic sciences to busy professionals, as well as the co-founder of Itqaan Institute, dedicated to developing love of God through a relationship and mastery of reciting Qur’an, with his father as the primary teacher and leader.

In this episode he talks about Muslims who are seeking answers to fundamental questions about their religion. He advises them to seek out reliable teachers of Islamic knowledge and spend time reflecting on any potential barriers they may have to a relationship with Allah SWT.

His story intersects with many familiar names: Shaykh Ramadan Deeb, Shaykh Muhammad bin Yahya al-Ninowy, Shaykh Abdallah Deeb, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Dr. Sherman Jackson, Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad / Timothy J. Winter, Shaykh Jihad Hashim Brown, Shaykh Ismail Bowers, Ustadh Arthur Richards Jr., Dr. Ali Shahata, Imam Mohamed Masri.

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Sidi Mustafa Davis’ timeline follows many in the ‘90s who took their shahada and travelled overseas seeking knowledge. He converted as an atheistic college student after finding clarity in Surah Mariam. Soon after, he met Shaykh Hamza Yousuf and his teachers in California. That led him on a journey to Mauritania, Spain, the UK, Syria, and eventually Yemen with his friend and travel companion Shaykh Yahya Rhodus.

While in Tarim, Yemen, his path took a different direction. Habib Omar advised him that  media production would be his path to Allah swt. And so he began his work with Habib Ali Al-Jiffri at Guidance Media and Tabah Foundation مؤسسة طابة. After returning to the U.S. in 2008 he started his own production agency called Mustafa Davis Studios, which he hopes to use to tell stories that would otherwise go untold.

Today he is in Turkey studying with Shaykh Mokhtar Maghraoui, running his production studio and teaching a full-time film training program. 

In this episode, he takes us on a journey around the world, sharing advice from his experience as a student and an artist and how his work has become a means for him to seek nearness to Allah.  

He’s met many beautiful teachers and befriended many familiar names along his journey: Shaykh Murabit al-Hajj and his son Shaykh Abdur-Rahman, Shaykh Murabit Ahmad Fal and his son Shaykh Abdullah, Shaykh Khatri, الحبيب عمر بن حفيظ - Habib Omar, Habib Ali al-Jifri, Sh. Mokhtar Maghraoui, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, Shaykh Ibrahim Osi-Efa, Shaykh AbdulKarim Yahya, Shaykh Jamal Ud-Deen Hysaw, Hassan Siddqui, Khalil Moore, Shaykh Shaykh Jihad Hashim Brown, Shaykh Walead Mohammed Mosaad, Shaykh Musa Furber, Imam Dawood Yasin, د. طارق السويدان Dr. Tareq AlSuwaidan and Dr. Jonathan AC Brown.

Photos courtesy of Sidi Mustafa: https://www.facebook.com/hebahpotamus88/videos/10208380184459931

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Ustadha Zaynab Mansour Ansari is the daughter of converts — an African American mother and a Lebanese American father. Her parents converted to Islam in the 1970s and met Imam Zaid Shakir during the latter part of the decade. The impact of Imam Zaid’s friendship with her parents was profound and their spiritual journeys became deeply intertwined.

When Ustadha Zaynab was in her late teens, her parents wanted her to study Islam so the family moved to Iran for a few years, and later, at the advice of Imam Zaid and his wife, Umm Hassan, Ustadha Zaynab and her sister were enrolled at Abu Noor College in Damascus, Syria.

She returned to the United States after over 4 years of study in Syria and enrolled at Georgia State University, where she earned degrees in history and Middle Eastern Studies. During this time, she started a family and was invited to volunteer for the pioneering SunniPath Answers Service.

Ustadha Zaynab describes herself as a late bloomer. She felt intellectually and academically stimulated as a student in Damascus, but it wasn’t until her late 30s that she had a spiritual awakening — what she refers to as a Ghazalian moment of realization that what she was teaching was not necessarily being translated into her own life.

Today Ustadha Zaynab is the women’s scholar-in-residence at Tayseer Seminary where she teaches and mentors students under the guidance of Shaykh Hassan Lachheb. She also offers presentations, workshops, and classes for a number of other organizations, including for the Ribaat program founded by her teacher, Anse Dr. Tamara Gray.

In this episode, she opens up about and reflects on the tragic death of her husband over five years ago. She also discusses the benefits of having female-only learning spaces and the importance of female role models and spiritual guides.

Her story intersects with many familiar names: Imam Zaid Shakir and his wife Umm Hassan, Zaheer (Sunni Path), Anse Dr. Tamara Gray, Shaykh Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, Shaykh Muhammad Sukkar, Shaykha Houda al-Habash, Ustadh Dr. Nadeem Siddiqi, Shaykh Hassan Lachheb

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Imam Dawud Walid grew up south of the Mason-Dixon line in Chesterfield County, Virginia. It was commonplace to see Confederate flags and signs like “The South will rise again.” Like others of his generation, listening to hip hop, watching Spike Lee’s “X,” and the protests following the brutal beating of Rodney King and murder of Amadou Diallo played a huge role. They awakened in him not only an interest in social justice but also Islam. He wanted to learn Classical Arabic to better understand the Quran. At that time, the best place to learn Arabic in the U.S. was in Detroit, Michigan, and so he moved to the Midwest.

His spiritual journey would take him from learning in Detroit to eventually traveling to Ghana, Mali and Senegal. Today, Dawud Walid heads Cair-Michigan. He has authored four books. Two titled “Centering Black Narratives,” a third titled "Towards Sacred Activism," and a fourth, coming out this February InshaAllah titled “Blackness in Islam.”

In this episode, he sheds light on the importance of learning Black Muslim history and the relationship of tasawwuf with sacred activism and anti-racism work within our communities.

His story intersects with many familiar names: Shaykh Ali Suleiman Ali, Imam Salim Abdulrahman, Dr. Sherman Jackson, Shaykh Abdullah Bin Hamid Ali, Shaykh AbdulKarim Yahya, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, Sidi Ahmad Mubarak, Chris Abdur-Rahman Blauvelt.

***Pre-order his new book "Blackness in Islam" here!***

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Shaykh Zane Abdo was born and raised in Liverpool, UK. From a young age, he was inspired by lectures from scholars like Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Abdul-Hakim Murad and Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller to study abroad and bring back scholarship to the UK.

After studying in Tarim, Yemen, for just under a decade, Shaykh Zane returned to the UK in 2010 as the imam of the South Wales Islamic Centre in Cardiff, a port city which has its own unique history of Muslim migrants from Yemen and Somalia.

He is now a Muslim advisor and university chaplain at the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University. His course for university students, “Simplifying the Chaos,” is linked below. You can also find him at Spiritual Corner with Sheikh Zane.

In this episode, he talks about Islam in the UK, the challenges with working with different Muslims groups and his experiences in dealing with extremists and radicalized Muslims throughout his life - both in Cardiff and then as a prison chaplain in Liverpool. He opens up about the importance of not just “copying and pasting” what he’s learned in Tarim, but adapting it in a way the suits the needs of the people he’s serving in the UK.

And finally Shaykh Zane shares a touching story from his youth about an emotional moment with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf that brought Shaykh Hamza to tears. Habib Ali al-Jifri who was also present remarked that the young man had stirred something in Shaykh Hamza’s heart. That story has stuck with him all these years, leading him to inspire others the way Shaykh Hamza inspired him.

His story intersects with many familiar names: الحبيب عمر بن حفيظ - Habib Omar, the late Mufti of Tarim Habib `Ali al-Mashhur bin Hafiz, Habib Abdullah Bilfaqih, Habib Salim al-Shatiri, Habib Ali al-Jifri English, Habib Abdur Rahman bin Ali Mashur bin Hafiz, Shaykh Umar Husayn Al-Khatib, Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller, Shaykh Mohsen Al-Najjar, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad / Timothy J. Winter, Shaykh Ibrahim Osi-Efa, Shaykh Haroon Hanif, Shaykh Adeyinka Mendes, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, Imam Zaid Shakir, Sheikh Sa'id Hassan.

Simplifying the Chaos:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQMcTFuzeWCnpnOModFwxfDTi3W7MIOGi

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQMcTFuzeWCkHryYoAxm9wRgeGevvsP_P

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Shaykh Abdullah Anik Misra prefaced his interview by saying he had nothing great to share. But as you’ll soon see, he has a heartwarming and inspiring story. He was born and raised Hindu. At the age of 18, he took his shahada and entered Islam. At the time, he was a student at the University of Toronto, and it was a combination of meeting his future wife, his circle of friends and reading books like “Islam in Focus” that led him to explore Islam and convert.

After finishing his undergrad and unexpectedly being invited to perform Hajj, he knew deep down that what he really wanted was to study sacred knowledge. So he embarked on a journey to Tarim, Yemen or as he calls it, “the desert of love,” to learn Arabic. He then went on to study the Islamic sciences as well as spirituality with Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller in Jordan. After 12 years there, he travelled to Trinidad and studied the books of Hadith at Darul Uloom and is currently in their iftah program. Because he's travelled all over the world he has an interesting insight into the different places of Islamic learning that exist today. His story has many lessons for converts and aspiring students of knowledge about the intellectual and emotional journey through the deen.

His story intersects with many familiar names: Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller, Shaykh Ashraf Muneeb, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, Nader Khan, Dawud Wharnsby

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

JazakAllah khayr and special thanks to Sister Mozynah Nofal and The Women's Circle at the University of Toronto for the opportunity to host this week’s event and interview Anse Dr. Tamara Gray where this episode was recorded!

As a college student, Anse Tamara Gray became intrigued by the idea of the hijab. She had grown up Lutheran, but liked the protective nature of the hijab and so began wearing it. Within a week she purchased an English translation of the Qur'an. She was stunned to read verse 35 in Surah Al-Ahzab that addresses both men and women as equal believers. As someone with a feminist background, it caught her attention and she decided to take the shahada. In those early years as a Muslim, she found herself frustrated with the often confusing answers she was receiving to religious questions, so she realized she had to study sacred knowledge. She had heard of female teachers in Syria, which appealed to her. Her plan: marry a Syrian and study in Syria. She would end up spending 20 years in Syria, moving back to the United States in 2012.

Today, most people know Anse Tamara Gray as the founder of Daybreak Press and Rabata, an organization dedicated to serving women's spiritual and educational growth. She talks about female scholarship, and the need for a women's organization by women, for women.

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

The daughter of Caribbean Immigrants who converted to Islam, Ustadha Nuriddeen Knight , began her own journey to seek knowledge at the Muslim Education and Converts Center of America in NYC. She completed classes at the Center offered to beginners by Imam Amin Muhammad. She went on to study privately with him along with other sisters. She then began supplementing these in-person classes with online courses from SeekersGuidance: The Global Islamic Seminary and Kiflayn. But she wanted more — she craved a deeper understanding of prophetic character and knew she needed to live in a place where Islam was not just studied but lived. So, she left to study in Jordan with Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller, Shaykha Umm Sahl and other scholars.

In this episode, Ustadha Nuriddeen discusses the importance of seeking knowledge as a woman and the value of having female teachers. She also talks about the beauty of the community in Jordan and how impactful suhba is when studying. She returned to the United States where her bold, and outspoken blog, "By the Fig and the Olive,” has become a must-read for many women of our generation. She has also authored "40 Hadith Of 'Aisha," a collection of Hadiths narrated by Sayyida Aisha that showcase her close relationship with the Prophet PBUH.

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah SWT along that journey.

Shaykh Nuh Lavotte Saunders grew up in Philadelphia, a place he describes as having a lot of Muslims but very little Islam. As a teenager, he lacked good suhba, the right kind of friends. But one day, he heard a recording of a khutbah by Shaykh Abdur Rahman Sondalaani in his grandmother’s car and broke down in tears. Shaykh Abdur Rahman— whose grandfather was part of the first Muslim community in Philly— talked about the challenges of growing up as a young Muslim in the city, something Shaykh Nuh could relate to. A month later he met Shaykh Abdur Rahman, who became his mentor, teaching him aqidah, introducing him to Imam Amin Muhammad from Atlantic City, and taking him to meet Habib Omar during his 2011 visit to the United States.

For the past eight years, he has been studying in Tarim, Yemen at Dar al-Mustafa. His kids are still there, while he is taking a break to study Quranic recitation in Lebanon. He also founded Dar Al Qurra, an online institute dedicated to connecting youth, particularly in the inner city, with the Qur’an. His plan once he returns to the United States is to expand it into a boarding school InshaAllah.

In this episode he talks about the importance of meeting people where they are when giving da’wah, the tarbiyah (spiritual mentorship) of the scholars in Yemen and the need to instill prophetic character in children.

His story intersects with many familiar names: الحبيب عمر بن حفيظ - Habib Omar, Habib Ali al-Jifri, Shaykh Munir Ba-Zahayr, Shaykh Ali Bafadal, Sayyid Ali Ba Alawi, Shaykh Bashar al Riz, Shaykh Samir al-Nass, Shaykh Abdur Rahman Sondalaani, Imam Amin Muhammad, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, Shaykh Amin Buxton, Shaykh Musab Penfound, Suliman Yaseen, Ibn Ali Miller.

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

-

Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Sidi Saleh Clemons’ journey starts with the adhan. He first saw the word in a novel, then listened to a recitation on YouTube. He was struck by the beauty of the adhan (call to prayer). It would lead him to learn more about Islam and eventually take his shahada. A close Muslim friend taught him about the religion and offered “good” suhba, (companionship), helping him transition into Islam. He got on the path of Islamic learning initially through tapes from Sheikh Abu Yusuf Riyadh Ul-Haq, a Hanafi, Deobandi scholar based int he UK. He then met Shaykh Yahya Rhodus and other teachers and students who guided him to Tarim and studying with Habib Omar. He also studied in Egypt and Kenya with his wife and now teaches at the Sakinah Institute and Islamic Center of Ewing in New Jersey.

In this episode, Sidi Saleh talks about how seeking knowledge can sometimes reveal our own faults, and the importance of being there for other Muslims through difficult times.

His story intersects with many familiar names: الحبيب عمر بن حفيظ - Habib Omar, Habib Khadim As-Saqqaf, Habib Ali al-Jifri English, Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq, Mufti Muhammad Ibn Adam Al - Kawthar, Sh Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, Ustadh Abdul Qadir Wiswal, Ustadh Hasan Petrus, Shaykh Nuh Lavotte Saunders, Shaykh Hamdi Ben Aissa

My sincere apologies for the poor sound quality for the first 20 minutes.

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

I first met Imam Sohaib Sultan at a weekend retreat organized by the Princeton MLP. Imam Sohaib and his wife Arshe Ahmed welcomed me to the Central Jersey community with open arms, and I think I’m not alone in saying that they go the extra mile to make everyone feel included – even if you’re not part of the university.

Imam Sohaib’s journey started in the Midwest. He describes himself as an “ISNA baby,” whose parents were heavily involved in the establishment of ISNA’s headquarters in Indiana. During an ISNA convention, then President Dr. Ingrid Mattson recruited him to be among the early graduates of the Islamic Chaplaincy program at Hartford Seminary. He has served as the first full-time Muslim Life Coordinator and chaplain at the Muslim Life Program at Princeton for the past 12 years. Within the world of Muslim chaplaincy, he is known as a trailblazer and a prominent community builder.

A few months ago, Imam Sohaib was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer. This was devastating news for the Central Jersey community. In this episode he talks about the diagnosis and his own journey to being content with the Qadr of Allah. There are many lessons in his story and his ability to see everything in life as an opportunity to get closer to Allah SWT — which should help make us grateful for both our blessings and our trials.

For more of his reflections please see his blog.

Please share any memories of Imam Sohaib here.

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

-

Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Sidi Wendell Uthman Ames’ story begins at a hip hop store in Southern California where he worked during high school. He watched his manager take breaks during the day to pray in a back room. A group of Filipino converts began visiting the store further triggering his interest in Islam. The Filipino converts would befriend him, and he took his shahada with them at the age of 17, MashaAllah! He began driving with them to the Bay Area to take classes with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf. This is pre-Zaytuna College. Sidi Uthman would eventually move to the Bay Area and live with Sidi Usama Canon. He’s now a well-known munshid and shares his beautiful voice at gatherings all over the world. Many of you may have heard him at Al-Maqasid or Ta'leef Collective.

In this episode, he talks about what many call the “Golden era” of converts coming to Islam in California, watching institutions like Zaytuna and Ta’leef develop from the ground up, and his own spiritual development over the years.

He’s met many beautiful teachers and befriended many familiar names along his journey: Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Imam Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Nuh Keller, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin, Dr. Shadee Elmasry, Sidi Usama Canon, Shaykh Abdullah Bin Bayyah, Shaykh Tameem Ahmadi, Ustadh Tarif Arabi, Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah, Dr. Hatem Bazian, Amir Muhammad Shareef, Shaykh Muhammed al-Yaqoubi, Mauritanian scholars like Shaykh Khutri and Shaykh Abdullah, Shaykh Walead Mohammed Mosaad, Shaykh Abdullah Qadi, Shaykh Mahmud Kellner, Shaykha Maryam Dhuhayb, Shaykh Faraz Khan, Habib Ali al-Jifri English, Feraidoon Mojadedi,

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Sister Zainab Ismail is known by many for her popular Instagram page @zainab_fitforallah. Prior to taking her shahada, she worked as a fitness trainer and nutritionist with the “one percent” — hopping between Las Vegas, Miami, the Hamptons and Hollywood for work.

A life threatening car accident and deeper reflections on faith led her to Islam and a new lifestyle. She began taking classes for new Muslims at the New York City Muslim Education and Converts Center of America, where Fit for Allah was born.

After studying further at MECCA Center, Al-Maqasid, and SeekersGuidance: The Global Islamic Seminary she embarked on a da'wah opportunity to Chiapas, Mexico. That led to more da'wah trips in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, and Panama. She also sparked the idea to translate Dr. Asad Tarsin’s “Being Muslim” to serve the Spanish speaking world and would later help it be translated into Portuguese as well.

In this episode she reflects on how influential it was to learn about tasawwuf and meet scholars like Habib Omar in her early years as a Muslim. She also talks about how important it is for new converts to be in spaces where they feel mercy, care and compassion.

Her story intersects with many beautiful teachers: Habib Omar, Nuh Ha Mim Keller, Imam Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Imam Amin Muhammad, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, Dr. Asad Tarsin, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, Shaykh Samir al-Nass, Ustadha Wajiha Khalil, Ustadh Khalid Abdu, Shaykh Imadudeen Abu Hijleh, Shaykh Walid al-Rifa’i, Shaykh

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

This special quarantine episode features my mom, my very first teacher and biggest inspiration. Those of you who know my mom and me, know that she's the cooler one. I knew when I started the podcast she would definitely be in one of the episodes, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

She takes us through the journey of her life as one of the first Muslims to attend a well-known prep school in Toronto, going on to Medill - Northwestern University's School of Journalism and eventually working for the Chicago Tribune for 15 years. She talks about this immense feeling of protection from Allah swt while her father was in and out of spinal surgery, as a foreign correspondent in Afghanistan and Pakistan, in reporting battles with the mayor of Chicago, and just throughout her everyday life.

She reflects on the powerful tafsir given by Shaykh Amin Kholwadia at Darul Qasim in Chicago and how it set her on a new phase in life, one without journalism. Now back in Toronto, she takes classes at SeekersGuidance: The Global Islamic Seminary and works as a senior advisor for a university.

Listen as she shares some mother-to-daughter wisdoms from her remarkable life.

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Ustadh Tariq Ameer grew up in a family that was part of the Nation of Islam and then made the transition to Sunni Islam with WD Muhammed. His own journey began with the Muslim Student’s Association at Morehouse, a historically black men’s college, in Atlanta. Once he started on his path he was able to learn how to read Arabic in one week and began studying part time. He would eventually follow the path of his teacher Ustadh Jamal Hysaw to Tarim, Yemen.

He is currently a prison chaplain with the New Jersey Department of Corrections and a student at Bayan Islamic Graduate School. He also teaches at New Brunswick Islamic Center with Safina Society in NJ, the Muslim Education and Converts Center of America in NYC and his own institute based out of Newark, Al-Muwatta.

Listen as he gives a rich and detailed description about living and studying in Hadhramaut, Yemen and learning from teachers who exemplify Prophetic character. He also talks about his important work as a prison chaplain and giving dawah to those who are incarcerated a segment of society many of us rarely think about.

My sincere apologies for the poor sound quality for the first half hour.

Ustadh Tariq’s story intersects with many familiar names: Habib Omar, Habib Hashim bin Sahl, Habib Tahir Al Attas, Imam Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Imam Siraj Wahaj, Shaykh Suhaib Webb, Ustadh Jamal Hysaw, Imam Adeyinka 'Muhammad' Mendes, Shaykh Khalil Abdur-Rashid,

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Sister Pari Ansary is a key part of what makes Al-Maqasid in Allentown, Pennsylvania a special and welcoming place. She is a humble and gentle soul, who happens to also be the wife of Shaykh Yahya Rhodus. Sister Pari came to America with her family at the age of three as a refugee from Kabul, Afghanistan, and grew up in Virginia.

In this episode she talks about how influential Imam Siraj Wahhaj was in the early stages of her journey and how his tape recordings helped her become more religious. Following that a convert friend of hers introduced her to Imam Al-Haddad’s The Book of Assistance, which convinced her to study in Tarim. Once she married Sh Yahya she spent over five years learning from the female scholars in Hadramawt Yemen, while raising her children there.

Since graduating from Hakim Salim Khan’s College of Medicine and Healing Arts in the UK she runs her own practice: Pure Earth Healing. She talks about the importance of natural healing and understanding the temperaments, which she says is important for Muslims to know in order to understand themselves, and by extension improve their relationship with Allah SWT and His Creation.

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

-

Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch has a fascinating family history. He is part African American, British and Costa Rican, but he has Inca, Cherokee, Nicaraguan and Irish blood too.

His journey begins in Trenton, New Jersey where he was a young pianist and professional pool player before being introduced to Islam by his brother.

His pursuit of Islamic knowledge took him from the Darul Uloom madrassah in Queens, NY to Dar al-Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen and, finally, to Canada. I first met Shaykh Yusuf while he was teaching a summer intensive program at Seekers Guidance in Toronto. Who knew his journey would intersect with so many of my own teachers in New Jersey. It’s truly amazing to see how Allah swt weaves these journeys together.

In this episode, Shaykh Yusuf discusses the lack of community and classes as a new convert and how this struggle impacted him — something familiar for many of our new Muslim brothers and sisters. He also talks about teaching in Mexico and the need for Spanish speakers in dawaa work.

Listen in, to all the beautiful stories within his story.

His story intersects with many familiar names: Habib Omar, Shaykh Luqman Abdul Ghani, Shaykh Suhel Teli, Hazrat Maulana Ijaz Sahib, Shaykh Mikaeel Abdur Rahman, Shaykh Abdur Rahman Ahmad, Shaykh Umar bin Hussein al-Khatib, Habib Khadim al-Saqqaf, Habib Ali Abu Bakr, Habib Muhammad Aydarus, Habib Hashim bin Aqil bin Yahya, Habib Hussain al Haddad, Habib Abdullah Al-Mehdar, Abdul Qadir Wiswall, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, Imam Tahir Anwar, Shaykh Jihad Hashim Brown, Imam Adeyinka 'Muhammad' Mendes, Shaykh Hasan Abunar, Shaykh Amin Buxton, Ustadh Hasan Petrus, Shaykh Musab Penfound, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Granddaughter of a well-known community member in New Jersey, Mohammad Yousseff, Sr. Tammy Elmansoury knew from a young age that Islam would play a central role in her life.

After receiving two master’s degrees in Islamic and African Studies from SOAS University of London, she taught in post-secondary institutions along the East Coast, before joining Noor ul-Iman School as the high school division head. She also started HijabFest six years ago to encourage young women wearing hijab.

As the wife of Dr Shadee Elmasry, the founder of Safina Society, she also devotes much of her time to serving the community at New Brunswick Islamic Center. It’s no wonder that she acts as an incredible role model for young Muslim women in the area.

In this episode, she talks about the importance of seeking knowledge as a woman, having the correct intention when it comes to hijab and prioritizing deen within the family.

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

-

Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast

As I begin my own spiritual journey, I want to hear from those who have taken this path before me. This podcast focuses on them and listening to their stories — uninterrupted. My name is Hebah Masood and I invite you to reflect on the trajectories of their lives, and the guidance and blessings provided by Allah swt along that journey.

Listening to Shaykh Amin Kholwadia’s voice takes me back to high school, when I used to attend his Sunday tafsir classes. His classes were not just for the average person.

Sometimes guests included other scholars like Dr. Umar Faruq Abdallah who would ask very deep questions and in that space became students as well.

Shaykh Amin with his dry British humor is known as a hidden gem of Chicago. He studied all across India and Pakistan for just under a decade including at the original Darul Uloom in Deoband, India, where his father had also studied.

Shaykh Amin’s journey includes growing up in the household of a scholar, leaving home at 16 to do hifz, studying tasawwuf, training as a mufti in Islamic law and eventually founding Darul Qasim — an institute that helps students gain Islamic knowledge that is authentic and relevant for Muslims in the West. Today Darul Qasim has over 40 students, 12 faculty, and an amazing new space— complete with an extensive library. Please listen to the visionary behind this beautiful institution.

His story intersects with many great luminaries: his father Hadrat Mawlana Musa ibn Ibrahim Kholwadia, Mawlana Abu Sawood, Qadi Mujahidul Islam al-Qasimi, Shaykh Muhammad Miran, Qari Muhammad Tayyib al-Qasimi (grandson of Mawlana Muhammad Qasim al Nanotwi, the founder of Darul Uloom Deoband), Qari Riyad al-Rahman, Dr. ‘Abd al Razzaq Iskandar, Mawlana Idris Mirathi, Mufti Rida al-Haqq, Mufti Sa’id Ahmad al-Palanpuri, Mawlana Mi’raj al-Haqq, Mawlana Muhammad Na’im, Mawlana Anzar Shah al-Kashmiri, Mawlana Nasir Ahmad Khan al-Barni, Mawlana Muhammad Salim al-Qasimi and Dr. Allama Khalid Mahmood.

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Also available on most other major podcast streaming services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podbay.

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Do you enjoy this podcast? Support the Patreon to ensure the best podcast quality possible. All funds go to equipment and editing software. May Allah reward you. https://www.patreon.com/thejourneypodcast