About Us
With separate talents, combined passion for Islamic education,
and partnerships with fellow educators, Drs. Abidullah and Tasneema Ghazi founded IQRA’ and created its Program of Islamic Studies.
The IQRA’ Story
At Harvard University in 1968, the Ghazis questioned how they would teach Islam to their children. Deciding to make America home, they knew they had to nourish their children’s fitrah with more than the memorization of Islamic tenets. Even more, they wanted their children’s Islamic education to positively impact those around them.
Their answer? As educators – by training and vocation – they conceived an entire curriculum of Islamic Studies, based on the traditional madrasah syllabus yet framed within a modern educational methodology.
Along the way, they gathered like-minded Islamic educators and professionals until, in 1983, their collective efforts coalesced to found IQRA’ International Educational Foundation. Since then, the Ghazis and the IQRA’ staff created the defining Program of Islamic Studies, which includes 150 books of syllabi, textbooks, workbooks and teacher manuals.
As the Muslim community grew, so did their educational needs. IQRA’ designed workshops and assessment tools for school administrators and teachers, coaching for parents to nurture their children’s classroom experience, and school events for children.
All this, sprung from the concern of two parents.
Dr Abidullah Ghazi (1936-2021)
Dr. Abidullah Ghazi, was an expert in Islamic Studies and comparative religion, and hailed from a distinguished lineage of Indian ‘Ulamā’. Educated at Dār ul-‘Ulūm (Deoband), Qāsim ul-‘Ulūm (Pakistan), Aligarh Muslim University, London School of Economics, and Harvard University, he earned doctorates in Comparative Religion and the History of Religion. Dr. Ghazi has taught at prestigious universities worldwide, including Harvard University, Northwestern University, and King Abdul Aziz University, and served as an educational consultant. Recognized among the 500 Most Influential Muslims, Dr. Ghazi has received awards such as the Citizen’s Award and Ronald Reagan Award. Throughout his life, he was a respected community activist, poet, and author, and he co-founded pioneering Islamic education initiatives with his wife, Dr. Tasneema Ghazi. Learn more about him on wikipedia
Dr. Tasneema Ghazi
Dr. Tasneema Ghazi holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Minnesota, along with three master’s degrees from Aligarh Muslim University and the University of London, plus a post-graduate diploma in Child Development from Harvard University. She has taught at Governor State University and the University of Illinois at Chicago, as well as in elementary and high schools for 15 years.
Since 1968, Dr. Ghazi has been instrumental in establishing Islamic schools across North America and developing contemporary Islamic Studies curricula for children. She has authored and edited over 300 educational books and conducted numerous teacher training workshops. A recipient of ISNA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, she is recognized among the 500 Most Influential Muslims.
Vision and Mission
IQRA’ believes that all Muslims have a responsibility to exhibit the beauty of Islam by example. IQRA’s bedrock are the teachings of the Qur’an and the wisdom of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. We view as sacred the ethical values taught by all Divine Messages and Prophetic figures. For humanity to benefit from the Islamic tradition, IQRA’ believes that the hearts and minds of our children must be cultivated by a religious education. That education must be of the highest standards as well as sensitive to what is cognitively appropriate to a child’s age.
Our mission is to develop an Islamic curriculum for Islamic schools; support school administrators and teachers with workshops and assessment tools; and extend Islamic learning outside the classroom with programs for parents and students.
Our vision is to take the Divine Command of “Read!” and turn it into a concrete Islamic education.
The IQRA’ STAFF
Meet our team
Shahab Khan
General Manager
Shahab@IQRA.org
Huseyin Abiba
CHIEF EDITOR
iqrapdc@yahoo.com
Ayesha Umme
ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT
ayesha@iqra.org
Sead Puskar
Marketing |Trainer
sead@iqra.org
Wajid Khan
MAIL ORDER ASSOCIATE
WAJID@iqra.org
NASIR KHAN
BOOK SERVICE ASC NASIR@iqra.org
