Dr. Hatim Yousef – President
Dr. Hatim Yousef’s journey through sacred learning took him across the UAE and Jordan, where he delved into the intricacies of sacred law under the guidance of venerable traditional scholars. After several years of this immersive education, he embarked on a new chapter in the United States, dedicating himself to teaching Islamic Studies and stepping into the role of Executive Director at an Islamic school.
During his time overseas, Dr. Hatim’s commitment led him to memorize the Quran and obtain several Ijazas, empowering him to impart the nuances of tajweed and hifdh. His studies encompassed Islamic jurisprudence and Quranic sciences, under the tutelage of distinguished scholars in this realm. Fluent in both Arabic and English, his profound grasp of Shariah’s foundations enabled him to effectively transmit Islamic teachings to non-Arabic speakers through both online and in-person settings.
Upon his arrival in the United States in 2008, he became an integral part of the ADAMS center in Sterling, Virginia. Here, Dr. Hatim assumed roles as an Imam and instructor, offering enlightening classes spanning Arabic grammar, hadith, seerah, tafsir, and tajweed. His teaching endeavors further extended online, including Islamic Studies and Islamic Life coaching at Qibla.com and subsequently at Kiflayn.com.
Beyond his instructional efforts in Islam and Quran, one of Ustadh Dr. Hatim’s standout talents lies in interpretation. His profound fluency in both languages and his rooted understanding of Shariah facilitated skillful translation of a diverse array of articles. During his time in the UAE, he served as an interpreter at the University of Sharjah and played a pivotal role in translating religious fatwas for Seekers Guidance.
Dr. Hatim’s academic journey is punctuated by a degree in English and translation, an MA in English and literature, and a PhD in Linguistics. Currently, he resides in Virginia, USA, alongside his family.
Sevim Kalyoncu – Naturalist
Sevim Kalyoncu is an environmental educator with a passion for helping children understand and connect with nature. Her classes include Chesapeake Bay Watershed education and local plant and animal identification as well as lessons in camping and outdoor skills. She also serves as the Executive Director of Green Muslims, a nonprofit organization aimed at guiding Muslims towards environmental stewardship, where she leads educational nature hikes and Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences (MWEEs) and emphasizes Islamic teachings about human responsibility towards nature and nature’s role in connecting humans with their Creator. Sevim teaming up with NGA is absolutely crucial, given that one of our core missions is to get children in touch with nature. Throughout the school year, she’ll be joining forces with us to ramp up our science programs every month. She is also on board for our summer program extravaganza.
Coach Kareem – Physical Education, Head Trainer
Coach Kareem specializes in training athletes. He is dedicated to helping athletes of all levels reach their full potential and achieve their goal through speed and agility training. He also trains mindset and effort. He played collegiate and professional football. His knowledge comes from NASM and sports performance seminars from various organizations. He works with DC United Academy and various high school teams in the Northern Virginia area.
