Join Imam Tom live this week as he’s joined by Dr. Osman Umarji and Dr. Mohamed Abu Taleb to discuss the newest Yaqeen Research Report covering the lives of Imams in North America. Imam Tom will also cover the hate crime in Texas, ceasefire resolutions around the U.S., and an attempt at humiliation that backfired on an Israeli soldier.
Tom Facchine
Tom Facchine (pronounced fa-KEEN-ee) converted to Islam in 2010 as he was finishing his BA in Political Science. For the next few years he studied Islam and Arabic with local teachers while working with Muslim youth, founding and directing youth groups in two different communities. In 2015 he was accepted into the University of Madinah and is now close to completing a bachelor’s degree in Islamic Law. In addition to youth group activities, for the past two years Tom has directed an after school program for young Muslims called the Ramadan Academy, which operates out of the GCLEA mosque in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Tom’s academic and personal background brings a unique dual ability to relate to mainstream Western cultural norms and engage them from a traditional Islamic perspective. His unique teaching style is highly interactive and brings high-level concepts to a level that even children can understand. He is passionate about building relationships with Muslim youth and giving them the tools and confidence to live as observant, well-adjusted people of faith in our times.
Dr. Osman Umarji
Director of Survey Research and Evaluation | Dr. Osman Umarji holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s and Ph.D in Educational Psychology from UC Irvine. He has studied Islam at al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. His research interests include the development of human motivation, religious socialization, spirituality, and Islamic legal theory. Dr. Umarji is also an Adjunct Professor in the School of Education at UC Irvine. He has previously taught child development, adolescent development, and statistics. His expertise in both psychological and Islamic sciences allows him to conduct empirical research on contemporary issues facing Muslims.
Dr. Mohamed AbuTaleb
Curriculum Trainer | Mohamed AbuTaleb serves as the Imam of the Islamic Association of Raleigh. He is a lifelong student of the Quran and Islamic studies, has studied with a number of credentialed scholars and teachers and has been blessed to memorize the Holy Quran. Mohamed has pursued seminary training through the Cambridge Islamic College and Al-Salam Institute in the United Kingdom, and studied under teachers trained at Islamic universities across the world.
