Young Scholars 2025 Fall Semester Course Registration

ILI's fall semester is set to begin on September 2nd and we are excited to welcome back your young scholars!

Check out all of our course offerings below for additional details, course meeting times, and prerequisites. 

Please Note: Your registration is NOT complete by ONLY paying the registration fee. You MUST complete a registration form and initial assessment for Fall 2025. There is a $50 enrollment fee for each student, therefore this registration is for one student only.  Please login with a different user email address specific to each young scholar to register each student.

  • Instructors

    Ayesha Abdul-Raheem
    Fonda Muhammad 
    Aiesha Rasheed
    Nadiyah Ahmed
    Aneesah Dawan
    Shenequa Muhammad

  • 15-Week Fall Semester

    September 2 – December 19

Young Scholars 2025 Fall Semester Course Catalogue

Summer classes begin on September 2.  Young Scholar Registration ends September 13th.

  Class Meets: Sundays - 1:30PM-3:00Pm (CST)/2:30PM-4:00pM (CST)/1130AM-1:00PM (PST)

Young Scholars Beginning Qur'aanic Arabic - Level 1
(8-10yrs) (11-13yrs) (14-17yrs)

Instructor: Fonda Muhammad 

This is an ideal course for a Young Scholar requiring an introduction to the Arabic language, with the goal of reading the Holy Qur'aan.
  Class Meets: SUNDAYS - 11:00AM-12:30PM (CST)/12:00AM-1:30PM (EST)/09:00AM 10:30AM(PST)

Young Scholars Beginning Qur'aanic Arabic - Level 2B
(8-13yrs)

Instructor: Fonda Muhammad

This is the second progression in your young scholar's journey towards learning the language of the Qur'aan engaging more rules for reading.
  Class Meets: Sundays - 11:00am-12:30PM (CST)/12:00-1:30PM (EST)/9:00-10:30aM (PST)

Young Scholars Beginning Qur'aanic Arabic - Level 1/2
(13-17yrs)

Instructor: This class will be back in the winter Insha’Allah

This is an ideal course for a mature Young Scholar requiring an introduction to the Arabic language, with the goal of reading the Holy Qur'aan.
  Class Meets: Sundays - 10:00-11:30AM (CST)/11:00AM-12:30PM (EST)/8:00-9:30AM (PST)

Young Scholars Qur'aanic Arabic Reading Fluency -
Level A (8-13yrs)

Instructor: TBD

This Young Scholars course continues the progression of student's reading skills toward more precise articulation of rules in preparation for Intro to Tajweed. 

  Class Meets: Sundays-10:30AM-12:00PM (CST)/11:30AM-1:00PM (EST)/8:30AM-10:00AM (PST)

Young Scholars Qur'aanic Arabic Reading Fluency -
Level A (14-17yrs)

Instructor: Ayesha Abdul-Raheem

THIS YOUNG SCHOLARS COURSE CONTINUES THE PROGRESSION OF STUDENT'S READING SKILLS TOWARD MORE PRECISE ARTICULATION OF RULES IN PREPARATION FOR INTRO TO TAJWEED. 
  Class Meets: Sundays - 12:00PM-1:30PM (CST)/1:00PM-2:30PM (EST)/10:00AM-11:30AM (PST)

Young Scholars Qur'aanic Arabic Reading Fluency -
Pre-Tajweed (8-17yrs)

Instructor: Shenequa Muhammad & Nadiyah Ahmed

This course is designed for our Young Scholars who have completed reading fluency A but still require reading practice and better command of reading rules before entering into tajweed.
  Class Meets: TBA BASED ON STUDENT Enrollment

Young Scholars Introduction to Qur'aanic Tajweed - 2

Instructor: Aiesha Rasheed

THIS IS PART 1 OF A TWO-PART COURSE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR YOUNG SCHOLARS WHO REQUIRE A MORE REFINED APPLICATION OF TAJWEED RULES. THIS COURSE WILL COVER MADD RULES, STOPPING & STARTING, AND BREATHING TECHNIQUES.
  Class Meets: Monday/Wednesday: TBD Based On Student Availability

Young Scholars Advancements in Qur'aanic Tajweed - 3

Instructor: Aiesha Rasheed

THIS COURSE PROVIDES GUIDED READING IN SMALL GROUP SESSIONS FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED TAJWEED LEVELS 1 AND 2 FOR CONTINUED RULE APPLICATION AND REFINEMENT. this course may be taken several semesters.
  Class Meets: Young Scholars will be enrolled and meet during Tajweed 2 & 3 class time.

Young Scholars Rules Review for Advancements in Qur'aanic Tajweed 3

Instructor: Nadiyah Ahmed & Shenequa Muhammad

THIS COURSE IS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR YOUNG SCHOLARS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THE INTRODUCTORY ARABIC COURSE WORK. THEY WILL FURTHER DEVELOP AND BEGIN UTILIZING THEIR SKILLS TO BUILD READING FLUENCY OF QUR'AAN, WITH A FOCUS ON POINTS OF ARTICULATION, KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF ARABIC LETTERS, AND OTHER BASIC RULES FOR READING. IN ADDITION TO WEEKLY INSTRUCTION AND GUIDED READING LABS, YOUNG SCHOLARS WILL HAVE DAILY READING ASSIGNMENTS TO ENSURE ADVANCEMENT.THIS IS the first step iN OUR HifDH PROGRAM OFFERED TO ASSIST OUR YOUNG SCHOLARS WITH MEMORIZATION TECHNIQUES, improve articulation AND CONDITION THEIR HEARTS AND MINDS TO THE PRACTICE OF regularly MEMORIZING QUR'AAN.
  Class Meets: Sundays - 2:00-3:30PM (CST)/
3:00-4:30PM (EST)/12:00-1:30PM (PST)

Young Scholars Seerah 1 - The Life of Prophet Muhammed (saws) 
Pre-Islam to Prophethood

Instructors: Aneesah Dawan

THIS IS THE FIRST COURSE OF A 3-PART SERIES WHICH GOES OVER THE LIFE OF MUHAMMAD THE PROPHET (SAWS).  SEERAH 1 BEGINS WITH PRE-ISLAM TO PROPHETHOOD.

  Class Meets: Sundays - 12:00PM-1:30PM (CST)/
1:00PM-2:30PM (EST)/10:00AM-11:30PM (PST)

Young Scholars 
"Pray As You See Me Pray" - Salah & Dua Level 1

Instructors: Aneesah Dawan

THIS COURSE WILL ENGAGE THE PROPHET'S (SAW) COMMAND TO "PRAY AS YOU SEE ME PRAY", COVERING IN-DEPTH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SALAH IN AN INTERACTIVE FORMAT TO INCREASE OUR YOUNG SCHOLARS REGARD.

What are the benefits of our Young Scholars courses?

The Young Scholars path begins with the mastery of Qur'aanic Arabic.  Our course curriculum aims to place them on that journey and expand their hearts and minds to benefit from Allah's Mercy.  

Progressive Curriculum

Fun Arabic Reinforcement

Social and Cultural Connections

Peer to Peer Engagement

Live Sessions

Video Playbacks
Our instructors love teaching your young scholars

Meet Our Instructors

Zaimah Habeeb
Introduction to Qur'aanic Arabic - Level 1 & 1/2
SISTER ZAIMAH HABEEB WAS RAISED WITHIN THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY OF IMAM WARITH DEEN MOHAMMED AND HAS BEEN A STUDENT OF QUR’AANIC ARABIC FOR 28 YEARS. SHE HAS HAD THE HONOR OF BEING TAUGHT BY HIGHLY NOTABLE ISLAMIC EDUCATORS SUCH AS IMAM QASIM AHMED (RA). ZAIMAH HAS A 20 YEAR HISTORY OF TEACHING BEGINNING QUR’AANIC ARABIC TO CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW YORK. COURSES TAUGHT: INTRODUCTION TO QUR'AANIC GRAMMAR - LEVEL 1 AND YOUNG SCHOLARS BEGINNING QUR'AANIC ARABIC.
Fonda Muhammad
Introduction to Qur'aanic Arabic - Level 2
Fonda Kitt Muhammad is the Founder and Executive Director of Leaders by Choice (LBC). At LBC, Fonda aims to guide each student toward responsible self management. With a Masters in Education, she has created a myriad of learning environments wherein students learn to love challenging themselves. Her personal philosophy is, "You have to reach them before you can teach them." She plans to bring that same practice to the Islamic Learning Institute on her journey with the young scholars.
Aiesha Rasheed
Qur'aanic Arabic Reading Fluency - Level A/B
Born into the Warithud-deen Mohammad Muslim community, Aiesha Rasheed is passionate about volunteering and her community.  A graduate of Cornell University with a Bachelor's of Science in Biology, Aiesha has also studied Arabic at ILI for two years, and is currently working to complete an Ijazah in Tajweed.  Aiesha is a co-founder of the Young Muslim Association in Houston, Texas, as well as one of the founding members of Muslim Culture Con, serving as its Director of Volunteer Services. 
Nadiyah Ahmad
Qur'aanic Arabic Reading Fluency - Level A and B
Nadiyah Ahmad is the Director of Islamic Learning Institute. She has worked for 24 years alongside her late husband, Imam Qasim Ahmed (RA) in building and growing ILI. Sister Nadiyah holds a BS in Education and a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. As a lifelong educator in both private and public sectors, Sister Nadiyah uses her curriculum and instruction background to create learning materials and programs for ILI.
Aneesah Dawan
Introduction to Tajweed 1, Advancements in Tajweed 3, & Salah & Dua - Level 1
Hajjah Aneesah Dawan serves as an Advisory shuraa member and Assistant Director at the islamic learning institute. A life-long student of Qur'aan, Aneesah studied under Imam Qasim Ahmed (ra) for many years. She has both secular and religious training with a BA in Philosophy and Religious Studies, as well as a 2-year Arabic Language Certification from Abu Nour University in Damascus, Syria.
Swiyya Haqq
Introduction to Qur'aanic Arabic Grammar - Level 1
SWIYYA HAQQ WAS A PART OF THE IMAM W.D. MOHAMMAD DELEGATION TO SYRIA FROM 2000-2004. SHE ALSO STUDIED ARABIC AND ISLAMIC STUDIES IN YEMEN IN 2005. SINCE STUDYING ABROAD, SWIYYA HAS CONCENTRATED HER STUDIES IN THE SCIENCE OF TAJWEED. SINCE GAINING IJAZAS IN HAFS RECITATION FROM SYRIA, SHE HAS STUDIED THE 10 WAYS OF QURANIC RECITATION, RECEIVING IJAZA IN THEM AS WELL. SWIYYA ALSO HOLDS A MASTERS DEGREE IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS AND TESOL.