Dr. Ashraf Muneeb, Dean of the Academy

As the Dean of SunniPath Academy, Dr. Ashraf manages SunniPath faculty; implements the curriculum; sets academic policies; and establishes academic partnerships; all with the goal of fostering excellence in teaching and service. He has a background in both the Shari'ah sciences and management. Learn more about Dr. Ashraf.

Noura Shamma

Bringing a very deep and real love for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to her courses, Ustadha Noura Shamma has a unique story-telling style of teaching that brings the past alive and connects it with the present. Raised mainly in the American Midwest, Ustadha Noura has a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Cincinnati and a M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from Indiana University. She has also completed coursework for a Ph.D. in Islamic Thought through the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization. Ustadha Noura spent two years studying at Zaytuna Institute and two years at the Qasid Institute in Amman, where she completed the highest level in Arabic. She is currently continuing her studies privately with numerous teachers in Amman. At SunniPath, she teaches history and the Prophetic biography. Learn more about Noura Shamma.

Sohail Hanif

Shaykh Sohail has spent most of his life in England and the Middle East. Particularly passionate about Arabic, tafsir, and fiqh, he has been studying with numerous scholars in Amman. He previously served as a full-time instructor in Arabic grammar at the Qasid Institute of Arabic Language. Learn more about Sohail Hanif.

Sulayman Van Ael

A Belgian convert, Shaykh Sulayman memorized the entire Qur'an and studied Arabic, Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Mustalah Hadith, and Aqida in Belgium, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. Shaykh Sulayman then travelled to Jordan where he studied Usul al-Deen and Hadith at Zarqa University. He also received authorization to teach Arabic from the director of the Arabic language department at Jordan University. Shaykh Sulayman is authorized in all 7 recitations of the Qur'an. He is an official imam and Friday prayer speaker of the Jordanian government and has taught at 'Anwar 'Ulema Institute and lectured at Balqa' University and several local mosques. Learn more about Sulayman Van Ael.

Farid Dingle

Ustadh Farid's study of Arabic at the hands of traditional scholars, his background in learning multiple languages, and his years of teaching experience have made him into one of the most knowledgeable and skilled teachers of Arabic today. Born into a convert family in the green fields of Herefordshire, England, he moved to Amman to join the SunniPath team as a tutor for the Miftah courses in introductory Arabic grammar. Following years of more intensive Arabic study, Ustadh Farid is now a full-time instructor teaching courses in both the Miftah and Sibawayh curriculums. Concurrently, he also regularly attends classes in Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Hadith, Tafsir, and Tajweed, while continuing his advanced studies in Arabic grammar. Learn more about Farid Dingle.

Sulayman Shahnewaz

Ustadh Sulayman Muhammad Shahnawaz is known to infuse warmth, humor, and a high level of excellence in his teaching. Born in the UK and a graduate with Honors in Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic and Persian Language) from the University of Manchester in 1996, Ustadh Sulayman furthered his studies of Arabic by living in Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. He completed both the Dawrah in Classical Arabic at the University of Alexandria and two years of Arabic study at the famous Abi Noor Institute in Damascus. Ustadh Sulayman has many years of Arabic teaching experience in MSA and Rihla 1996/97 and experience teaching ESL at Amideast in Amman. He has been living in Amman since 2003 with his wife and children, continuing his studies of Arabic and the religious sciences with local shuyukh. He teaches introductory Arabic at SunniPath. Learn more about Sulayman Shahnewaz.

Abu Omar Abdurrahman Borrás

A convert to Islam who has himself traveled the demanding path of mastering Arabic and tajweed as an adult, Ustadh Abu Omar brings a gentle and encouraging demeanor in helping students master the reading of the Arabic script and learning the beginnings of proper Quran recitation. Born in Barcelona, Spain, Ustadh Abu Omar accepted Islam at the age of 18 while in the army and at 21, became cofounder of Mexico's first Islamic Center. A medical graduate from the Faculty of Medicine at Mexico's National University, Ustadh Abu Omar traded his work in emergency pediatrics at America's top hospital to become a student of traditional Islam. He participated in several summer intensives and traveled to Medina with the Rihla program, which changed his life. He now lives with his wife and children in Amman, where he obtained ijazas for teaching tajweed of the Quran and studied a number of classical texts. He currently studies at a local university and privately with the local scholars, and teaches Arabic and Tajweed on SunniPath. Learn more about Abu Omar Abdurrahman Borrás.