Back in 2015, a few Muslim scholars and concerned brothers of greater New York gathered to discuss how to preserve Islam in the USA. They concluded that America needs a high-quality maktab system to preserve and promote the Islam of young Muslims. These concerned individuals sought guidance in the ideal maktab system from successful worldwide institutions. Some scholars traveled to the following countries for training and to receive insight into already-established Maktab/Islamic Studies programs:
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa (Johannesburg)
Talimi Board KZN (Durban, South Africa)
Moulana Yusuf Bikoo’s program (South America)
ACJU All Ceylon Jamiat-ul-Ulama (Sri Lanka)
An-Nasiha Publications (UK)
Safar Publications (UK)
Tasheel Series (South Africa)
Waterval Islamic Institute (Hayatul Ulema)
Deeniyat (Mumbai, India)
Qasim Institute (Bangalore, India)
Noorani Maktab (Bangladesh).
With the institutions’ experience, insight, and guidance, these individuals started to develop their own unique maktab schools in America, Alhamdulillah.
Since then, many localities have been motivated to start their own structured maktab/Islamic Studies programs all across America. After seeing the growth and success of many programs nationwide, the need was identified for an organization that would support masjids & communities in America wanting to develop and grow in their educational programs. The goal of this organization would be to support existing maktab/Islamic Studies programs and help establish Maktabs/Islamic Schools in every Muslim community in the US, where the local community would take the initiative.
In 2020, through the grace of Allah, MESBA was officially formed through cooperation between some scholars and concerned brothers of the Greater New York area. MESBA has since supported over a hundred different localities in America through their Maktab, Hifz, Weekend School, or Islamic School programs, and hopes to support many more in the near future, In sha Allah!
Our Team
MESBA’s organizers include:
Mufti Ubaidullah Awal
After completing Hifz from Trenton, NJ, in 1997, Mufti Ubaidullah traveled to multiple countries, completing His Alimiyyah and Ifta Courses. He has attended various workshops on the Maktab/Islamic Studies programs from countries such as the UK, South America, South Africa, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh etc. He has been coordinating with and supporting the educational programs of hundreds of masjids, Islamic centers, and communities in the USA and globally since 2015. He is the principal of both the Tawheed Dawah Center in Somerset, New Jersey, and Masjid Bilal in Farmingdale (Long Island), New York. He is the Director of MESBA.
Moulana Suhel Teli
After completing his Alamiyyah course abroad, Moulana Suhel has dedicated his life to youth education, engagement, and character development. He is the dean of Darul Uloom, New York, and has been a senior teacher there for over two decades. Moulana Suhel is a senior Maktab/Islamic Studies teacher at Masjid Bilal Farmingdale (Long Island), NY, a MESBA-affiliated maktab program. He is also the principal of the Aa’limah course and maktab of Muhammadi Masjid in Elmont, NY, comprising over 200 students. He is the Secretary of MESBA.
Moulana Afzal Sheikh
He is the Secretary of the Islamic Center of Deer Park of Long Island, NY, which is also an MESBA-affiliated Maktab program. Their evening Maktab/Islamic Studies program has over 150 students, and Maulana Afzal is active as a senior Maktab teacher there. Maulana Afzal has extensive experience running successful Maktab programs in Connecticut and Long Island. He serves as an examiner for MESBA-affiliated programs and is the President of MESBA.
Moulana Talha Lasania
He graduated from the aalimiyah program at an institution in the UK and has a Master’s in Islamic Education from the University of Warwick. He has experience as a principal and teacher of a Sunday School, After-School Quran Program, and Maktab program in Columbus, Ohio. He is the Education Coordinator for MESBA.
