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Amber Khan

Amber Khan

Our Team Back to Team After graduating from West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Amber Khan went on to pursue health education. She has been a Muslim youth health educator since 2010. She teaches health education at schools and community centers focusing on physical, social, mental, reproductive, and sexual health education. She is also the […]

Omar Shareef

Omar Shareef

Our Team Back to Team Omar Shareef is a Community Educator at The Family and Youth Institute. He has an MD and MBA dual-degree graduate from St. George’s University School of Medicine. He completed general psychiatry residency at Nassau University Medical Center, completed both Public Psychiatry Fellowship, and has certification in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy at Columbia […]

Rana Khalaf

Rana Khalaf

Our Team Back to Team Rana Khalaf Is a Community Educator at The Family and Youth Institute. She holds a Master’s in Educational Psychology and a post-graduate degree in principal-ship and K-12 school administration. She has served as a parent coordinator then as the dean of students in schools in Dearborn, Michigan. Currently, she is […]

Duaa Haggag

Duaa Haggag

Duaa Haggag, LPC is a Community Educator with The Family & Youth Institute. She holds a Master’s degree in counseling, with a dual certificate in school and community counseling. She currently works in private practice as a child, adolescent, and family therapist at Silent Sunlight Counseling. Her interests include group, play, and art therapy.

Alaa Mohammad Shareef

Alaa Mohammad Shareef

Our Team Back to Team Alaa Mohammad Shareef received her Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology as well as her Masters of Education degree in Mental Health Counseling from Teachers College at Columbia University. She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and additional certifications in Childhood & Adolescence Studies and Cultures […]

Steven Hernandez

Steven Hernandez

Our Team Back to Team Steven Hernandez is a Community Educator at The Family and Youth Institute. He earned his Bachelor’s in History and Anthropology from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and is trained in several marriage-education and enrichment programs for singles, couples, and youth. He is currently the Corporate Social Responsibility Compliance Specialist for Flagstar Bank. His […]

Maryum Khwaja

Maryum Khwaja

Maryum Khwaja, LCSW is a Community Educator with The FYI with over twenty years of mental health experience. As a licensed clinical social worker in New York and Massachusetts, she has worked in child protective services, mental health clinics, and as a therapist. She co-founded Nasiha Counseling, a private practice specializing in Muslim clients, and currently provides mental health support at Boston Medical Center’s Adult Day Health program.

Hanan Hashem

Hanan Hashem

Dr. Hanan Hashem is a Researcher and Community Educator at The Family and Youth Institute. Dr. Hanan Hashem is also an Assistant Professor in the Clinical Psychology Department at William James College in Boston, Massachusetts, where she specializes in teaching topics concerning cultural considerations in the field of psychology; lifespan development; psychopathology; and psychological research methods.

Amal Killawi

Amal Killawi

Our Team Back to Team Amal Killawi serves on the Board of Directors and is a Research Fellow and Community Educator at The Family and Youth Institute. She holds a Master’s in Social Work, a Certificate in Sexual Health, and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Michigan. She is currently pursuing her PhD in […]

Madiha Tahseen

Madiha Tahseen

Dr. Madiha Tahseen is the Research Director and a Community Educator at The Family and Youth Institute. She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Her research expertise is in positive youth development amongst Muslim-American youth, particularly focusing on the role of cultural and religious contexts in character development among minority populations.

Nadeem Siddiqi

Dr. Nadeem Siddiqi profile picture

Nadeem Siddiqi, PhD, is the Chairman of the Board of Directors. In addition, he serves as the Business Manager and a Community Educator at The Family and Youth Institute. He holds a Ph.D. in Finance from York University and works in Strategy and Analytics.

In his professional career, he has worked in Financial Services, served clients across multiple industries as a Management Consultant, and has taught BBA and MBA classes.

Sameera Ahmed

sameera ahmed

Dr. Sameera Ahmed is the Executive Director and Founder of The Family and Youth Institute. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Dr. Ahmed is a leading expert on American Muslim youth and has produced numerous groundbreaking publications, including The State of American Muslim Youth, Uplifting Black Muslim Youth, Prevalence of Risk Behaviors of US Muslim College Students, and Alcohol Use Among US Muslim College Students.

Zakat eligibility of The FYI

The Family & Youth Institute, or The FYI, is a well-known Muslim organization in the United States. It works to promote mental health and wellness by strengthening and empowering individuals, families, and communities through research and education. It has been working for many years to bring Islamic perspectives to understanding and promoting mental health in our communities.

It is dedicated to serving and supporting Muslims – safeguarding our deen, our families, and our future generations. Therefore, the work of The FYI comes in the category of ‘fi sabeelillah’ or the Path of Allah, within the eight categories where Zakat money can be used.

Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed for it and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah, and for the [stranded] traveler – an obligation [imposed] by Allah, And Allah, is Knowing and Wise.”
(Al-Tawbah 9:60)

According to scholars who widen the meaning of fee sabeelillah to include any activities that promote Islamic growth, The FYI is indeed eligible to receive part of the Zakat funds for its programs and services. I urge Muslims in America to support this organization through their donations, general charity, and through their Zakat. I ask Allah swt to strengthen and guide The FYI to continue its good work in supporting Muslims.

Shaikh Ali Suleiman Ali, PhD

About Shaikh Ali

Sh. Ali Suleiman Ali was born in Ghana where he spent his childhood studying with various Muslim scholars. He then moved to Saudi Arabia and enrolled in the Islamic University of Madina.  He graduated with a degree in both Arabic and Islamic Studies. Dr. Ali went on to complete his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Sh. Ali serves on the Advisory Council of The Family & Youth Institute. He is the Senior Imam and Director of the Muslim Community of Western Suburbs in Canton, Michigan. Additionally, he serves as the Director of Muslim Family Services in Detroit and is a council member of the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA). He is also a member of the North American Imams Federation (NAIF) and the Association of Muslim Jurists of America (AMJA).