حُجْرَةُ الْمُؤَسِّسِ
The Founder's Chamber
Welcome to the Founder's Chamber of Bayt al-ʿIlm, a quiet place dedicated to the journey of seeking knowledge, teaching, and service to the community.
مُؤَسِّسُ الْمَعْهَدِ
Founder of the Institute
Ustaadh Nafis Abu Zayd was born and raised in North Philadelphia. His journey in seeking Islamic knowledge has included studies in the United States and Egypt, with a particular dedication to the Qur'an, the Arabic language, and the foundational sciences of Islam.
He memorized the Qur'an at the age of twenty-nine, by the grace of Allah. His educational journey has shaped his commitment to making Islamic knowledge accessible to students from different backgrounds and levels of experience.
رِحْلَتُهُ فِي طَلَبِ الْعِلْمِ
His Journey in Seeking Knowledge
His studies began in the United States, where he pursued Islamic learning, Qur'anic recitation, and the Arabic language.
His journey also took him to Egypt, where he studied with Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Raslan in Menoufia.
He completed memorization of the Qur'an at twenty-nine years of age, an important milestone in his pursuit of knowledge.
His studies and teaching have emphasized Arabic as a key to understanding the Qur'an, Sunnah, and Islamic scholarship.
مَشَايِخُهُ وَدِرَاسَاتُهُ
His Teachers and Studies
His educational journey includes learning from teachers of the Qur'an and Islamic sciences.
- Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Raslan Islamic studies in Menoufia, Egypt.
- Shaykh Hassan Al-Banaa Qur'anic recitation and study.
- Qari Muhammad Al-Masri Qur'anic recitation and study.
- Imam Muhammad Shahatah Qur'anic recitation and study.
This account describes his studies and teachers; it does not claim a formal ijazah or certification from each teacher.
خِبْرَتُهُ فِي التَّعْلِيمِ وَالْإِمَامَةِ
Teaching and Community Service
He served as Imam of Masjid Ibn Taymiyyah for eight years.
He has more than ten years of experience teaching Qur'an and Arabic to non-native speakers.
His educational work includes developing structured learning materials for Arabic language and Islamic studies.
As founder and director, he works to establish accessible pathways for studying the Qur'an, Arabic, and foundational Islamic sciences.
رِسَالَةُ الْمَعْهَدِ
The Institute's Mission
Maa’had Ibn Taymiyyah seeks to revive the traditional path of Islamic learning through structured education, beneficial knowledge, and the cultivation of good character.
Its programs emphasize Qur'an memorization and Tajweed, Arabic language, Islamic sciences, mentorship, and personal development.
تَعَرَّفْ عَلَى الْمَعْهَدِ
Discover Maa’had Ibn Taymiyyah
Explore the institute's publications and educational resources.