Our Scholars
At Islamic Relief, we work with a range of scholars to ensure our work and the information we share remain in accordance with Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh).
We believe this is paramount to fulfilling our organizational values, such as Ihsaan (excellence) and Amana (custodianship).
Zakat Advisory Board
We have enlisted the expertise of some of the leading and most respected Islamic scholars to form an independent Zakat Advisory Board and uphold Islamic Relief’s Zakat Policy.
Our Zakat Advisory Board, comprised of a group of respected scholars, has ratified our Zakat policy and will provide oversight and verification of the distribution of Zakat by Islamic Relief.
Our Zakat Advisory Board is made up of the following renowned scholars:
Dr. Ingrid Mattson
Dr. Ingrid Mattson is an eminent scholar of Islamic studies and sciences, an expert in interfaith relations, and a Muslim religious leader. After completing her bachelor's, she earned her Ph.D. in Near Eastern Language and Civilizations.
She was a Professor of Islamic Studies at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut for fourteen years, where she developed and directed the first accredited graduate program for Muslim chaplains in North America and served as Director of the Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations. Since 2012, Dr. Ingrid Mattson has held the London and Windsor Community Chair in Islamic Studies at Huron University College at Western University in London, Canada.
Shaykh Abdalla Idris Ali
Dr. Abdalla Idris Ali is a pioneering North American Muslim community leader, Imam, director and public speaker who founded the first full-time Islamic school in Toronto, Canada.
He has served the Muslim community through tremendous contributions in promoting education, Islamic knowledge and community cohesion. Dr. Abdalla Idris Ali holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Toronto and is an expert in Islamic sciences in Tafsīr, Sharīʿah, and counselling.
Shaykh Yusuf Badat
Shaykh Yusuf Badat is the main Imam and Director of Religious Affairs at the Islamic Foundation of Toronto. He serves as an Islamic and Quranic Studies teacher, instructor at the Toronto Shariah Program and the Uloom Program and founder and director of Mathabah Inc.
Shaykh Yusuf Badat completed a rigorous 6-year Alim course at Darul Uloom Zakariya, where he achieved his masters in the Islamic sciences, with a focus on language, exegesis (tafseer), and jurisprudence (fiqh). He earned authorizations in Hadith under the Grand Mufti of South Africa, Shaykh Radha-ul-Haq.
Scholar Verified Content
In addition to the Zakat Advisory Board, and to ensure that we remain a reliable resource for our community and beyond, we have sought qualified in-house scholars with the expertise to thoroughly review the information Islamic Relief Canada puts out on a regular basis.
We continue to work closely with our scholars to help make certain that our valuable supporters are getting Scholar Verified content. Meet our scholars here:
Shaykh Sohaib Zuberi
After completing his memorization of the Qur'an, Shaykh Sohaib Zuberi pursued higher Islamic studies at Al-Rashid Islamic Institute. After completing the rigorous full-time 7-year Aalim program, he started and is currently pursuing his 'iftaa', a postgraduate degree in Islamic Law and Verdicts, at Jamiah Qasim ul Uloom in Scarborough.
Shaykh Sohaib Zuberi works full-time for Islamic Relief Canada as a Major Donors Manager and is an instructor at Mathabah Institute. He is a community leader and regularly gives Friday khutba and leads halaqas across the Greater Toronto Area.
Shaykh Sadique Pathan
Imam Sadique Pathan is a community leader, spiritual counsellor, registered social worker, and therapist. He is the Outreach Imam of Al Rashid Mosque in Edmonton, Alberta, and works as a Senior Community Engagement Specialist at Islamic Relief Canada.
Imam Sadique Pathan holds a Bachelor of Social Work Degree and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Dalhousie University. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Usool al-Deen) from the University of Jordan Faculty of Islamic Studies.
Our Scholarly Review Process
Our scholars review various pieces of faith-based content published on Islamic Relief’s website and a range of content published across other channels.
Our content creators thoroughly research each piece of content in the drafting phase, especially those that contain important information regarding the religion of Islam.
However, before publishing, our content undergoes a rigorous verification process by one of the qualified scholars we’ve enlisted to ensure that all information presented is completely accurate.
Here are a few examples of our content that underwent this process:
Once all parties are satisfied, we hit publish so you can benefit!
No compromises are ever made in the process of verifying our content, so you can always rely on us to bring you the information you need, when you need it.
Donate Zakat
Your Zakat is an Amanah, and we take that trust very seriously.
Looking to give your Zakat? Our online Zakat calculator allows you to instantly calculate everything if you have all your numbers ready. It also makes it easy to donate your final Zakat amount directly online.