ABOUT
The Academy
Taqwa Academy was founded by Ustadh Syed Hassan in 2010 in an effort to serve the community, beginning with family and friends. Over the years, the academy has developed into a place for erudite learning, with a focus on developing minds through the insights and wisdoms of the tradition, all to enable and encourage the spiritual growth of individuals thereby enabling positive change in society. The academy focuses on developing strong foundations in the traditional sciences through a research-oriented perspective coupled with a practical toolkit to facilitate the development of functional leaders of the everchanging modern milieu.
RESEARCH-ORIENTED CURRICULUM
Our curriculum fosters inquiry and critical thinking, encouraging students to explore Islamic knowledge using modern research methods, equipping them to address today’s challenges through Islamic principles.
TRANSFORMATION-DRIVEN EDUCATION
Taqwa Academy nurtures well-rounded individuals, encouraging them to apply their learning practically and embody values of humility, empathy, and resilience for
TRADITIONALLY SOURCED WISDOM
Grounded in the Quran and Sunnah, our program draws from classical Islamic texts, guiding students in Islamic jurisprudence, theology, and spirituality.
TRADITIONALLY TRAINED TEACHERS
Our expert teachers, trained in classical Islamic disciplines, mentor students to integrate traditional knowledge with contemporary issues for a comprehensive understanding of Islam.
ALLEGIANCE TO THE TRUTH
Our core principle is an unwavering commitment to truth, instilling values of justice, compassion, and integrity to prepare graduates as ethical leaders.
Our Instructors
Ustadh Syed Hassan was raised in Toronto and studied Theoretical Mathematics at the University of Waterloo and Psychology at York University before pursuing Graduate Certification as a Life Coach. He initially received his traditional ijaza to transmit the Islamic sciences from Shaykh Nūr al-Dīn al-Ṣādiq of Syria through private studies. Afterwards, he completed several programs and courses through various institutes and scholars:
- Ijāzāt in tajwīd and Qirāʾāt (Shaykh Gelal al-Behwashy al-Azhari and Shaykh Nūr al-Dīn al-Ṣādiq)
- Cambridge Islamic College under the tutelage of Shaykh Muhammad Akram Nadwi:
- Diploma in Arabic and Islamic Studies
- Diploma in Classical Islamic Texts;
- Diploma in Islamic Spiritual Texts;
- History of Female Scholarship in Islam; and
- Various modules in exegesis.
- Bayyinah Access Program under the instruction of Ustadh Aarij Anwar.
- Mathabah Learning Centre under the tutelage of Shaykh Omar Subedar:
- Community Leader Program.
- Scholar of Islamic Sciences Certification Program – Exegesis Specialization (Ongoing).
- Irshad Centre for Hanafi Studies:
- The Hanafi Legal Code Program (Ongoing) under the tutelage of Shaykh Tabraze Azam
- Exegesis training under Shaykh Sohail Hanif
Since 2012, Ustadh Syed Hassan has continuously served the community by conducting Friday, Eid prayers and academic seminars all over the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. He is currently the Curriculum Lead and Vice-Principle at AlHuda Secondary School and has previously served as the Head of Curriculum Design and Vice Principal of Al-Manarat Heights Islamic School.
Raised in the Greater Toronto Area, Ustadh Danyal spent most of his childhood in Mississauga before moving to Brampton in the early 2000s. At the age of 16, he completed his ḥifz under the guidance of Hafiz Asim Ali at Brampton Islamic Center, where he led Taraweeh and other prayers. In 2020, Ustadh Danyal received Ijāzat al-Tadrīs in the Islamic Sciences after completing the Academic Bare Essentials Program (ABC). He has authorizations in Ḥafṣ and ʿAshara Ṣughra as well as in many poems of tajwīd: Tuḥfat al-Atfāl, Khaqāniyya, Sakhāwiyya, and Jazariyya.
Currently, he is completing the Scholar of Islamic Sciences Program at Mathabah Learning Centre with a specialization in exegesis under the tutelage of Shaykh Omar Subedar. He is also under the mentorship of Shaykh Tabraze Azam, enrolled in the Hanafi Legal Code Program.
In his formal education, Ustadh Danyal has completed an Honors Bachelor of Information Sciences (Cyber Security) with honors, an undergraduate certificate in Creativity and Creative Problem Solving with high honors, and obtained his CISSP certification. He is currently pursuing an additional bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto majoring in Philosophy and Psychology. Ustadh Danyal works as a Cybersecurity Consultant and serves as the Imam at Huttonville Jame Masjid. He previously served as the Imam at Taseen Musalla (Masjid Ibrahim) for a number of years. He is an instructor at Taqwa Academy, Mathabah Learning Centre, and Roots Academy. He resides in Brampton with his family. In his free time, he enjoys working on personal projects and appreciates a good warm beverage.
Born in Montreal, Ustadh Mohammad has been immersed in Islamic learning and community service from an early age. He completed his ḥifẓ under the guidance of Ḥāfiẓ Asim Ali at Brampton Islamic Center, where he also led Taraweeh and other congregational prayers.
Ustadh Mohammad studied the foundational Islamic sciences through the Academic Bare Essentials (ABC) Program under Ustadh Hassan Syed, where he is currently completing his credentials. He previously studied under Qārī Armaan, from whom he received ijāza in the recitation of Ḥafṣ ʿan ʿĀṣim, along with instruction and certification in the classical tajwīd texts al-Jazarīyya and Tuḥfat al-Aṭfāl.
He is presently enrolled in and actively studying Dawrat al-Ḥadīth under the tutelage of Shaykh Omar Subedar at Mathabah Institute, and is also pursuing formal studies in the Ḥanafī legal tradition under Shaykh Tabraze Azam.
In his formal education, Ustadh Mohammad pursued undergraduate studies in Ecotoxicology at the University of Ottawa, completing an Honours degree. He later obtained an Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing from York University. Professionally, he works as a Registered Nurse at Georgetown Hospital. In addition to his clinical work, he serves as the Lead Instructor for Ḥafṣ and as a Teaching Assistant at Taqwa Academy.
Ustadh Mohammad resides in the Greater Toronto Area and remains actively engaged in teaching and mentorship, balancing his professional career with his commitment to Islamic scholarship and service.
