The people behind Uswah.
Teachers who carry what they teach, and a team that looks after every student behind the scenes. These are the people you will meet inside the institute.
Sh. Said Noor Wone
Executive Director and Co-Founder
Sh. Said Noor Wone was born and raised in Tampa, Florida, where he began memorizing the Qur'an with his father. He later traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana, to study at Masjid Hidayah, where he completed the memorization of the entire Qur'an at the age of 16, and went on to graduate from the Alimiyyah program at the age of 23. During his studies he learned Hifz, Arabic, Tajwid, Fiqh, Hadith, Aqeedah, Tafsir, and many other Islamic sciences. He is one of the co-founders of Uswah Institute and currently serves as its Executive Director.
Sh. Hamza Harun Abdushaheed
Director of Education and Co-Founder
Sh. Hamza Harun Abdushaheed began his studies in the Islamic sciences at the age of four in Senegal, later returning to the United States to complete his Qur'an studies under a different teacher. He then pursued further studies in Egypt, spending three more years benefiting from scholars and graduates of both the Islamic University of Madinah and Al-Azhar University. His areas of study include Fiqh, Aqeedah, Arabic, and Qur'an. As a founder of Uswah, he teaches Arabic and Aqeedah, focusing on delivering authentic Islamic education that is practical, accessible, and rooted in the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Sh. Muhammad Wone
Director of Administration and Co-Founder
Sh. Muhammad Wone is a co-founder of Uswah Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to making authentic Islamic education accessible to Muslims around the world through online learning. He has served as an Imam at Sabeel ul Fouz Islamic Center and Geist Masjid in Indianapolis, Indiana, and currently teaches Islamic studies at Sabeel ul Fouz. Over the years he has been actively involved in teaching the Qur'an, Arabic, and the foundational Islamic sciences to students of all ages. Driven by a passion for preserving and spreading authentic Islamic knowledge, he co-founded Uswah Institute to provide structured, high-quality Islamic education to people who may not have access to traditional madrasah programs. The institute currently offers online courses in Qur'an, Arabic, Tajwid, and Qaidah, serving men, women, and children across the globe. His vision is to cultivate knowledgeable, practicing Muslims by combining traditional scholarship with modern technology, making Islamic education flexible, affordable, and accessible to every home.
Sayed Saif
Teacher
Sayed Saif has a diverse background in Islamic studies and education. He was an Islamic studies researcher at Ebntaymiah Center (2008-2011) and a senior technical editor at Sahm Group Inc. From 2011 to 2019 he taught English at El Minya School, raising student performance with customized lesson plans. He also taught Qur'an and Islamic studies at Al-Taqwa Institute (2015-2016), focusing on Tajwid. Sayed holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, higher diplomas in Education and Counseling Psychology, and an ijazah in Qur'an.
Nouran Nasr
Teacher
Nouran Nasr is a Qur'an, Arabic, and Islamic studies teacher from Cairo, Egypt. She studied applied arts at Helwan University and the Islamic sciences at ZAD al-Ghurabaa Academy under teachers such as Magda Abu El Kher. She has 10 years of teaching experience, including 2 years with non-Arabic speakers, and holds ijazahs in Qur'an, Al-Qaidah Al-Nooraniyyah, and Noor Al-Bayan.
Mohamed Essam
Teacher
Mohamed Essam graduated from a medical technical institute with a focus on therapeutic nutrition. He began memorizing the Qur'an at the age of four and has since pursued courses in Fiqh, Aqeedah, and Seerah. With over three years of experience teaching Qur'an, Tajwid, and Islamic studies in mosques, and the past year at online academies, he combines his academic background with a dedication to Islamic education.
Ashraf El Sayed
Teacher
Ashraf El Sayed is a supervisor at Safa Schools, USA, responsible for teaching quality, teacher evaluations, and parent communication. He has been a Qur'an tutor at Hidaya Academy since October 2021, teaching Qur'an and Tajwid to students around the world. Previously he taught Qur'an and Islamic studies at Safa Schools and worked as an English trainer, developing curricula and training students.
Amal Adel
Teacher
Amal Adel was born in Cairo, Egypt, and graduated from Cairo University's Faculty of Pharmacy in 2009. She then studied the Islamic sciences for four years and received ijazahs in the Hafs and Shu'bah recitations in 2015 and in the Qalun recitation in 2023. She has completed several Tafsir and Islamic studies courses, as well as training in teaching non-Arabic speakers through Muslimetto Training Academy. She has 10 years of experience teaching Arabic speakers and 2 years teaching non-Arabic speakers.
Dr. Mona Fekry El Santawy
Teacher
Dr. Mona Fekry El Santawy is an Egyptian dentist with a strong foundation in the Islamic sciences. She studied at several reputable Islamic institutes, including Al-Ansari Institute, Iqra Institute, Saif Institute, and Ibad Ar-Rahman Institute, following the approach of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaah, and has studied with respected scholars including Shaykh Hatem al-Deeb, Shaykh Abu Ishaq al-Huwaini, Shaykh Muhammad Hassan, and Shaykh Mustafa al-Adawi. She has taught Qur'an to Arabic-speaking students online and spent roughly two years teaching Qur'an, Arabic, and Islamic studies to non-native speakers at BeQuran Academy. She also taught at Safa USA, where she was promoted to academic supervisor after three months, overseeing curriculum and teaching standards. Her teaching focuses on creating a comfortable environment where students can ask questions and express their thoughts, using visual aids, videos, whiteboards, interactive games, quizzes, and student-led explanations to simplify lessons and keep students engaged.
How we work.
Itqan
Precision in every letter. We hold recitation, memorization, and teaching to the standard the Quran deserves.
Rahmah
Gentleness in teaching. Correction is given with kindness, and every student moves at a pace that honors their effort.
Amanah
The Quran is a trust. We carry it carefully, from teacher to student, the way it has been carried for fourteen centuries.
Learn with us.
Explore the programs, or write to the team with your questions.