Salizah Abdul-Aziz started out with helping Daarul Uloom PTO organize various school activities like hot lunch and Reading Night. In 2013, she and other parents started to help the school with planning for graduation decorations. Now, she has joined Daarul Uloom as a staff member.

It is Mrs. Saima Adnan’s belief that the Quran and Sunnah lay extreme importance on knowledge – both acquiring it and then passing it on. She believes our children have natural curiosity and teachers are facilitators. It is a teacher’s responsibility to guide them and help them achieve their full potential.

Mrs. Adnan joined Daarul Uloom in 2014 as a 3rd Grade teacher. She is excited to work with the 3rd graders again this year.

Mrs. Adnan graduated from Karachi University, Pakistan. After coming to USA, she observed the professionalism and passion of the educators. So when she decided to return to school after her children were a little older, she decided to pursue the field of education. She graduated with honors in Spring 2014 with Associates in Science (Elementary Education) from Illinois Central College. During her studies, she got the opportunity to observe and worked in several schools in the area including Ridgeview Elementary School in Dunlap School District 323, Quest Academy in Peoria School District 150, and Peoria Academy. Mrs. Adnan lays a lot of importance on professional development. She regularly attends many webinars/workshops/conferences/seminars organized by other experts in education, and brings what she learns to her class in order to enhance students’ learning experience. In the past, Mrs. Adnan was an administrator for Islamic Foundation of Peoria Sunday School from 2009-2014. She has been a part of Peoria’s Muslim community 2001. She is married and has two children. In her free time, she enjoys reading.

Mrs. Maha Ahmed is teaching Islamic Studies and Quran/Arabic for middle school and high school and is a teacher in Daarul Uloom Qur’an Academy. She taught Islamic Studies, Computer Science, Art and Character Education the previous school year. Mrs Ahmed holds Bachelor degree in Medicine & Surgery, a Master’s degree in Human Physiology, a teacher certificate in Hafs and Tajweed, and a Certificate in Nooraniyah. Additionally, she comes to Daarul Uloom with five and a half years of past teaching experience, with about 18 months out of those years teaching here at Daarul Uloom.

Mrs. Alqudah has done her Ijaza in Quran 2018 from Chicago and she holds a bachelor’s degree in Islamic Studies from Zarka Private University. She has also completed all coursework for a Masters in Islamic Studies from American Open University 2004. She has been active in our community since 2002 by establishing the Sunday school at ICP as a teacher then starting Hafs Center 2006 as a principal then working at DUQA 2011 as a full time teacher. She has 17+ years of education experience for younger and older ages and attended several conferences in Chicago on education and Islamic Studies. Mrs. Alqudah has also done multiple trainings at DU and one of them at the Harvard Graduate School of Education on the opportunity of Bilingualism in 2019.

Mrs. Alqudah is a Daarul Uloom Arabic and Quran teacher. She joined Daarul Uloom in 2003 as a Quran/Arabic and Islamic Studies teacher and she is currently a full time teacher at Daarul Uloom Quran Academy. She is a part of the Advisory board at Hafs Quran Memorization Center and working on her Reading Ijaza in Quran third level.

Mrs. Alqudah is originally from Jordan and is married to Osama Alrefai, former Imam of Islamic Center of Peoria for 10 years. They have two wonderful daughters and two lovely sons, Alhmadu LiLLAH. They both believe knowledge, an Islamic environment, and faith is crucial to having a strong generation of Muslims who are proud of their dean and working positively in their society. One of her favorite things is helping students to love Arabic by engaging them in hands-on activities as well as implementing the book of Allah Subhana Wata Allah in their life. Mrs. Alqudah likes to read, enjoys cooking, and going on walks in the park.

Mr. Hassan Brik is Daarul Uloom Physical Education Teacher. Mr. Brik believes all of his students are special and possess a wide variety of talent and skills. It is his mission to expose the students to a wide variety of activities, as to encourage them to discover and enhance these skills. As a professional educator, Mr. Brik will present these activities in a positive and professional manner, as to maximize the self-esteem and the self-confidence of his students. As a result of physical education, his students will learn that physical fitness is crucial for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, not only now, but for the rest of their lives. Mr. Hassan has a great passion into soccer in which he specializes. Outside of DU, Mr. Brik had the opportunity to coach soccer in Morton Premier Soccer Club and ICC as goalkeeper coach. Mr. Brik is originally from Morocco and he has been in the United States for ten years now.

Mr. Brik is happily married and recently blessed with a beautiful daughter and a son. He now has 2 daughters, one from his wife previous marriage.

Muhammad Aquib Dada teaches Arabic in High School and this is his third year with Daarul Uloom.

He is originally from Pakistan. He completed his MS in Structural Engineering from UIUC and has been working for Caterpillar since 2003.

He has been married since 2004 and has four children all studying in DU alhamdulillah.

Mr Dada completed his Quran memorization at the end of 2022. His key interests are in Arabic Lexicography, Etymology of words of Quran, Principles of Arabic rhetoric, and Thematic explanation of Quran.

Mrs. Amber Fandel was born and raised in central Illinois and currently resides in Chillicothe. She graduated in December of 2015 with a bachelors in elementary education with middle school endorsements in language arts, physical science, and social studies.

Mrs. Fandel married a wonderful man named Jeff on April 22, 2017. They had a little girl named Maylee in May of 2018, a son named Ben in 2021, and another son named Rhett in 2022. That said, her summers are spent with lots of mommy and kids' time.

This is her eighth year with Daarul Uloom. Before coming to DU, she taught pre-k at a daycare and was a substitute in various districts, including District 150. She is very excited to begin this year. She hopes to accomplish her goal of having a safe, but fun environment for my students.

Mrs. Saba Fatima is a dedicated educational leader with over 15 years of experience at Daarul Uloom Islamic School, where she has contributed in multiple roles. As Assistant Principal, she is deeply committed to cultivating an Islamic learning environment that empowers students to achieve their fullest potential for the sake of Allah.

Her journey in education began as an Islamic Studies teacher, sparking a fervent commitment to student-centered learning and effective instructional practices. Over the years, she has embraced a variety of teaching and administrative positions, including serving as Principal of Daarul Uloom Quran Academy an after-school program focused on Quran memorization and reading.

Outside of her professional responsibilities, Mrs. Fatima is an engaged member of the Peoria Muslim community and a devoted mother of three. In her downtime, she enjoys reading and spending quality time with her family. She values the importance of work-life balance and actively encourages both her staff and students to pursue their passions and interests beyond the classroom.

Mrs. Mubeen Fatima is a dedicated Computer and Islamic Studies teacher at Daarul Uloom, where she has been enriching the lives of students for the past six years. Originally from India, Mrs. Fatima moved to Peoria, Illinois in 2006 after marriage and has called it home ever since. She and her husband have three wonderful children.

Mrs. Fatima holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from Osmania University in India and is currently advancing her Islamic studies through the Islamic Online University, working toward a Certificate in Islamic Studies. Her commitment to both education and faith is clear in her teaching philosophy. She emphasizes the importance of understanding Deen to ensure success in both this world and the Hereafter.

In her computer class, Mrs. Fatima aims to equip students with valuable computer skills and proper etiquette to enhance their educational journey and future careers. She believes that building a solid foundation in both technology and Islamic principles will help students become well-rounded, principled individuals ready to face modern challenges.

Outside the classroom, Mrs. Fatima enjoys spending time with her family, watching Islamic and educational videos, and traveling. She is dedicated to fostering an environment where students grow into caring, God-conscious individuals who are prepared for success in all aspects of their lives.

May Zeid Ghazawna is from Palestine and was born in Kuwait and raised in Jordan. She has lived in the United States for the past 19 years. Education has always been an important component of her life; it’s one of the main reasons why her parents brought her to America. They wanted to see her strive to receive an education that would ensure a successful future. Alhamdulillah, she was fortunate enough to go to school here and receive a high school and college education which has opened many doors for her. Mrs. Ghazawna has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Bradley University.

Mrs. Ghazawna is married to Nashaat Ghazawna, who is an engineer in Caterpillar and has three wonderful children. Her children are students of this promising school, and she wants to continue to contribute to the efforts of helping children receive a good education. Ever since her first child was enrolled in Daarul Uloom, she has volunteered in various activities in the school and was the PTO secretary for a couple of years.

Mrs. Ghazawna is very passionate about teaching Arabic and Quran. She is fluent in Arabic as it is her first language. She also taught in Daarul Uloom Quran Academy along with her husband for four years. She taught al nooraniyah method to children and has a very well known knowledge in Tajweed. She is very excited and honored that she will be the first one to instill the love of Arabic and Quran to the children at a young age.

Mrs. Israa Habeeb is a teacher at Daarul Uloom Islamic School. This is her first year with Daarul Uloom after years of experience teaching at Lote Tree Academy, and a teacher assistant role at Hafs Quran Center.

Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Habeeb loves to spend time with her four children who attend Daarul Uloom. She also loves to spend time with family and friends, being outdoors, and trying new things.

Miss Noshrat Jahan is a dedicated kindergarten teacher at Daarul Uloom Islamic School. This is her fifth year with Daarul Uloom. Miss Jahan has completed courses in Early Childhood Education from Illinois Central College (ICC). She is also Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) qualified teacher. She has earned her Master’s and Bachelor’s in Environmental Sciences from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. She has worked in a Preschool at Peoria for two years and taught students of various age groups including Pre-K and Kindergarten before joining Daarul Uloom Islamic School.

Miss Jahan firmly believes that emotional engagement is the core of powerful learning. To foster socio-emotional development in her students, she infuses her classroom with love, laughter, empathy, Islamic nasheed, storytelling, and meaningful projects. Her commitment to personalized learning experiences sparks the imagination of each child.

Miss Jahan also believes nurturing, respectful relationships with children and their families are the keys to success for creating a positive Kindergarten learning experience. She collaborates closely with parents, sharing the responsibility of educating their child.

Outside of the classroom, Miss Jahan is a devoted mother of two young children, and both of whom attend Daarul Uloom Islamic School. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her children, family travel, reading, and gardening.

Shagufta Lodhi came to live in Peoria with her husband, Majid Alikhan from Hyderabad,India. She has three children; two boys who graduated from DU high school and a girl currently enrolled in 6th grade.

She has been an active community member for over 20 years serving as a volunteer for ICP and Daarul Uloom Islamic School in different capacities.She started her teaching career as a full-time preschool teacher at DU, moving on to teach elementary and middle school Islamic Studies, Arts and Character Education. Ms.Lodhi has been one of the main organizers of DU Summer Camp for the past several years. She has a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature and History and is currently teaching high school Social Studies.

Ms. Lodhi believes that one should always share the talent one possesses to benefit our future generations. Her goal in life is to please the Creator through serving humanity and spreading beneficial knowledge. She is humbled by the efforts and many sacrifices made by the DU community members to make this school a success and is grateful to be a part of it.

Ayesha Mahmood was born and brought up in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, then moved to Hyderabad India for higher secular education and earned a degree in Bachelors of Commerce and Accounting. She married Shaji Siddiqui with 3 daughters and settled down in Peoria in 2011. She has always been interested in learning Islam, so she pursued her ineterest and completed a bachelors degree program in Islamic studies from Knowledge International University. Currently Pursuing a Higher Diploma from Islamic Online University and a special course in Aqeedah with Shaikh Murtuza of Saudi Arabia. In these programs she has studied all Foundations and Usools(principles) in the subject of Aqeedah, Hadith, Tafseer, Fiqh, Contemporary issues, etc.

She has been active in the Peoria Muslim community in various capacities. Has been teaching Islamic studies in Daarul Uloom since 2017. Started with elementary grade and now currently teaching Middle and High school grades since 2021 She would like to spark this interest of learning and understanding the true value of life to this community, especially the youth. She believes secular studies are very important in this dunya, however, Islamic knowledge is what will give true value to whatever we do. And in today's world of too much information and confusion, she would like to help the youth to understand not just to how to practice Islam rather Why we practice it, which will help them lay the strong foundation so they can become good leaders and help others and be successful in both this life and the next.

Although,She is very passionate about her subject and would never stop learning, she also love sports, trying new skills, traveling and meeting people from all different backgrounds and learning about new cultures.

Mrs. Maoued graduated in 2016 from Western Governors University with a Post-Baccalaureate degree in Elementary Education K-9, and an endorsement in middle school science. In addition, she graduated in 2008 from Oklahoma State University with a bachelor’s degree of Science in Human Environmental Sciences, majoring in Human Nutrition. She also has an associate degree in Medical Technology.

Mrs. Maoued has been teaching for eleven years at Daarul Uloom Islamic School. Outside the Education field, she worked as a medical technologist for 2 years. While attending Oklahoma State University, she worked in the nutrition research lab for one semester.

Mrs. Maoued is passionate about Science and she enjoys both learning and teaching it. When it comes to teaching Science, Mrs. Maoued believes that students will best learn the subject through many hands-on activities. Also, she believes that each student has the potential to succeed and thrive when provided with an accepting and trusting environment. Each student should be treated as an individual with unique learning abilities and requirements.

Mrs. Maoued and her family joined Peoria Muslim Community late 2008. She is happily married and has three boys (who keep her on her toes). In her little free time, Mrs. Maoued likes to read about nutrition, exercise and go for walks.

Miss Robin E. Mathis came to DU after 10 years in District 150. This is her seventh year here. She graduated from Bradley University in May, 2005 with a BS in Elementary Education and a minor in science. She has taught K-5 Science, K-4 Language Arts, as well as Kindergarten and First grade. She was also a summer school teacher for several years.

Miss Mathis has two daughters, Amber and Emma. Amber is a graduate of Eureka College and is beginning her seventh year as the 1st grade teacher at DU. Emma graduated from IVC High School and watches her niece after school each day. Miss Mathis has two grandchildren, Maylee and Ben, and a third, Rhett, will be arriving 12/22.

Miss Mathis understands that the partnership between the parents and the teacher is a critical component to the child’s success. She looks forward to meeting the parents and working together to give the children the best education possible.

Rabha Mizyed has been a member of this community for 43 years. She joined Daarul Uloom Islamic School in the 2006-2007 school year and has been a member of the staff since, so this is her 16th year with Daarul Uloom. In addition to her assistant teacher responsibilities, Ms. Mizyed teaches Islamic study to pre-k1 students. Ms. Mizyed has so much passion and love to share with the little ones. She is very thankful for the opportunity.

Ms. Mizyed is always interested in history and she loves to bake and cook😊

Shazeda Mosaffa was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She has been living in Peoria for the past 23 years. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Arts with Psychology major. She is married to Mohammad Ahsanul Karim.

She started at Daarul Uloom School for after school student care. Then started as a part time Kindergarten Assistant Teacher in the 2021-22 school year. She has been working as a full time Kindergarten Assistant Teacher for the last three school years.

Shazeda has a passion to work with kids and always wants to help them whatever way possible. She is very grateful to Allah to have this teaching opportunity and would love to work with kids.

Traveling, gardening and cooking various types of food are few of Shazeda’s hobbies.

Mrs. Naffakh joined in 2008 as Daarul Uloom’s Math teacher. She graduated from Bradley University in 2004 with a BS in Computer Information Systems; however, it was her love for children and teaching that led her to seek a degree in Education at Illinois Central College. Subsequently, she graduated with a master’s degree in Elementary Mathematics Education at the University of Houston-Victoria in 2013. She later earned her certification through the state of Illinois.

Mrs.Naffakh has been teaching 2nd through 8th grade Math for eleven years. She has a great passion for the subject and enjoys sharing it with her students in various interactive and entertaining ways.

Mrs. Presseau comes to DU with a Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Studies and a Master’s Degree in Writing, both from DePaul University. Her Master’s studies concentration was in teaching writing and she has taught at Harold Washington Community College in Chicago and Illinois Central College. She also has experience running and managing writing centers at both DePaul and Illinois Central College.

She believes strongly that writing and reading are skills that can be developed and honed through practice. She is passionate about student-centered teaching and her goal is to get each student to view themselves as a writer and a reader. One of her favorite things is helping students find books they love and that are relevant to their lives. She views literacy as a lifelong skill that is crucial to success in the 21st century.

Mrs. Presseau has been teaching in DU for six years. She has a 4-year old and 8-year old boys. She is also a published writer and is committed, in her spare time, to community work and interfaith work in the Peoria area. She is the College and Career Counselor at DU.

Fehmida Rajiwate was born in Mumbai, India and has been living in Peoria for the past 26 years. She completed her Master’s degree in Arts with Economics major. She is married to Arif Rajiwate.

After coming to Peoria, she took some classes related to education, culinary arts and computers to broaden her horizon. She helped her husband with his restaurant business venture and then moved on to the retail industry. She worked with Bergner’s for a period of 6 years. Over these 6 years, she took on different roles: Sales Associate, Team Lead, Mentor, and assisting manager with planning and organizing. She enjoyed every moment of it!

She loves working with kids and has a passion for teaching. This is her 13th year at Daarul Uloom – 11 years teaching Pre-K1 and KG for a year. She adapts to kid’s needs, helping them build a strong foundation and developing them socially and emotionally. She is looking forward to working with your kids in Pre-K1. She is grateful to Allah S W T to have presented her with this opportunity.

When she is not working, she loves to read, cook, bake, and gardening.

Mrs. Ramquist began her working career as a tax accountant after obtaining a BS in Accountancy and an MS in Taxation from the University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign. She practiced as a tax accountant in Northern Virginia (DC) before moving to Germany with her husband in 2007.

After moving back to the US in 2010, Stephanie worked as a teacher’s aide in a bilingual Spanish-English preschool and volunteered as a GED and an English as a Second Language (ESL) tutor. She obtained an MA in Teaching English as a Second Language in 2016. Mrs. Ramquist has been happily teaching middle school English at DU ever since!

Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Ramquist enjoys reading, hiking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. In her mind, there is little better than sharing a cup of chai and/or a cappuccino outside on the deck with her husband (Nathan) and two daughters (Elena and Annika).

Mr. Rosenje is a high school math teacher. This is his fourth year with Daarul Uloom Islamic School. Mr. Rosenje earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree at University of Illinois. He has worked with freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. He has thought a variety of math classes including but not limited to Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and Pre-Calculus. When not teaching, Mr. Rosenje enjoys study Islam, spending time with family, traveling, and playing sports.

Mrs. Soukaina Sassi is Daarul Uloom elementary, middle and high school Arabic and Quran teacher for the 2019 -2020 school year. She joined Daarul Uloom in 2009 as a Quran and Arabic teacher.

Mrs. Sassi holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Tunis law and political sciences University. She worked as Human resources manager in Tunisia health ministry from 9 years. She has a Qur’an Ijazah for beginners from Chicago. She will start soon working on her second level Ijazah In Sha’ Allah. Last year she joined Brighter Horizon Academy in Dallas /Texas as Arabic, Qur’an and Islamic Studies teacher for first and fifth grades. She has 10+ years of education experience and attended many conferences in Chicago on education and Islamic Studies. She is also a full time teacher at Daarul Uloom Quran Academy since 2012.

Her main goal at DU is to help her community raise righteous kids by: *Implementing Islamic manners in future generations. *Helping the students learn and grow spiritually. *Teaching each student how to read and memorize Qur’an with perfect Recitation and Tajweed.

Mrs. Nazia Shabnam has joined Daarul Uloom as a 4th Grade teacher this year. She was born and brought up in India, where she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Zoology, and a Master's degree in English. She acquired her Professional Educator's license last year, getting certified in Middle Grade Science.

Mrs Shabnam moved to the US in the year 2014, along with her husband and two sons She has worked at the Islamic Foundation of Peoria (Sunday School) as well as in the Peoria Public school district and the Dunlap school district. She completed her student teaching experience at Dunlap Middle School.

She believes that 4th Grade is an exciting and important time for a child's academic and personal growth. Her goal is to provide an engaging and fun learning environment for the children so that they can reach their full potential.

Mrs.Iqra Shahzad is the Prek2 teacher. She was born and raised in Chicago and went to Islamic school there. She has completed a Bachelor's degree in islamic sciences from DU New York and is trained district 69 teacher for early childhood students.This is Mrs.Shahzad’s 3rd year teaching early childhood students and 1st year at DU Peoria.

Mrs. Shahzad believes we should uphold our muslim identity and embed in children from young age though character and morals. She is very passionate about teaching younger children and making sure they succeed in growth as well as academics.

Mrs.Shahzad moved to Peoria in December of 2017 with her husband and one lovely son who is a student at DU Peoria. In her free time, she loves to travel with her family , cook and do new crafts using her cricut machine.

Mrs. Jabeena Syed has been in Peoria since 2005. She has completed her Bachelor’s in Commerce with specialization in Computer Science from Nagarjuna University, Guntur, India. Allhumdullilah, she has four kids who are in Daarul Uloom.

She started her career in 2016 as a Customer Support and served different clients like Turbo Tax, Comcast, Walgreens, and Mdlive. In her free time, she likes to volunteer. She has been volunteering as a Quran Teacher in Friday Hafs for three years. She has been helping Daarul Uloom as a substitute teacher and as an after school care teacher from Oct 2021, and from Feb 2022 she is with Daarul Uloom as Prek-2 Assistant Teacher.