Team & Advisors

Omair Malik is the Co-Founder of Al-Aaqib Institute and Ihya International, initiatives dedicated to reviving authentic Islamic knowledge and fostering religious growth within communities. A determined student of sacred knowledge, he embraced mainstream Islam in 2020 after leaving the Ahmadiyya movement, marking a pivotal turning point in his religious journey.

Before accepting Islam, Omair was actively involved in tabligh and outreach efforts within the Ahmadiyya community. His years of involvement gave him a deep understanding of the community, its teachings, and its perspectives. Drawing from both his personal experiences and continued research, he hopes to sincerely invite Ahmadis to Islam with wisdom, compassion, and clarity while helping build understanding and dialogue between the Ahmadis and the Muslim community.

After completing his high school education in Michigan, Omair traveled to Tarim, where he spent a couple of years studying the Arabic language and foundational Islamic sciences in a traditional scholarly environment. He is currently continuing his studies under qualified scholars from various parts of the world, with a focus on strengthening his understanding of the classical Islamic sciences. He is also pursuing a bachelor's degree in Hanafi Fiqh from World Islamic Sciences and Education University.

Alongside his studies, Omair actively teaches foundational Aqeedah and Hanafi fiqh and participates in da'wah efforts throughout the United States, working to educate and support Muslim communities. He has also served for approximately one year — and continues to serve — as an instructor for the Tarbiyya youth program at Muslim Community of Western Suburbs (MCWS), where he works closely with young Muslims in both their Islamic education and personal development.

In addition to his academic and teaching roles, Omair served as a leader for an Umrah group in 2024, helping guide and support pilgrims throughout their spiritual journey. Through his studies, teaching, and community involvement, he remains committed to serving and uplifting Muslims through authentic Islamic education, sincere mentorship, and compassionate outreach.

Abu Bakr is the Co-Founder of Al Aaqib Institute and a dedicated advocate for individuals navigating the transition from Ahmadiyya to Islam.

His background provides a rare and deeply insightful perspective on this journey. A direct descendant of one of the companions of the founder of Ahmadiyya, Abu Bakr — formerly known as Jeri-Ullah — was born in Rabwah (Chenab Nagar) into a deeply rooted and scholarly Ahmadi family. He was also a devoted member of the Waqf-e-Nau program prior to his acceptance of Islam.

Abu Bakr's departure from Ahmadiyya began in early 2013 while he was in Palestine. After eighteen months of intensive research, theological reflection, and sincere prayer for guidance, he formally embraced Islam in late 2014. This transformative period of rigorous study, combined with his lifelong Ahmadi upbringing and training, gave him extensive knowledge of Ahmadiyya polemics and a unique understanding of the historical and theological discourse between the Ahmadi community and classical Islamic scholarship.

Beyond his academic and research efforts, Abu Bakr's work is deeply pastoral and community-focused. Drawing on more than a decade of experience as a Muslim, he provides specialized mentorship and support to seekers and former Ahmadis. He helps guide individuals through the spiritual, emotional, and social complexities of their journeys, assisting them in finding both stability and a sense of belonging within their new Muslim communities.

Through Al Aaqib Institute, Abu Bakr continues to develop educational resources and support systems that bridge the gap between inquiry and integration, ensuring that those seeking the truth are met with both intellectual clarity and a welcoming home within Islam.

Shaykh Nabeel Khan was raised in the Bay Area and began his journey in Islamic studies at a young age. He traveled to Karachi to memorize the Holy Qur'an, and by the grace of Allah, completed his hifz at Ashraf ul Madaris, the school founded by the renowned sage Mawlana Hakeem Akhtar, at the age of 13. He then returned to the United States to complete his high school education.

Afterward, Shaykh Nabeel traveled to South Africa, where he pursued advanced Islamic studies at the renowned Darul Uloom Azaadville. He later continued his studies in the United Kingdom, completing specializations in Islamic jurisprudence, Hadith, and Tafseer at Darul Uloom London. In addition, he spent many years studying privately under the guidance of his teacher, Shaykh Mumtaz ul Haq Nazir, a prominent student of the great Hadith scholar Allamah Yusuf Binnori.

Shaykh Nabeel also completed advanced studies in Qira'at and holds ijazah in Hafs, Asharah Sughra, Asharah Kubra, as well as the four non-canonical modes of Qur'anic recitation.

Over the years, he has served as an imam and teacher in various masajid and Islamic schools throughout the United States. Currently, he works as a case manager for a nonprofit organization serving individuals with severe mental illness. Alongside his community work, he is pursuing a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, with the goal of becoming both a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC).

Shaykh Ishtiaq studied the Islamic sciences in Damascus, Syria for nearly a decade under some of the most renowned scholars of our time, including Shaykh Ahmad Al Habbal and Shaykh Samer Al Nass. He later traveled to Tarim, where he spent roughly a year specializing in tasawwuf under distinguished scholars such as Habib Umar bin Hafidh and Shaykh Umar bin Hussein Al-Khatib.

Originally from Bradford, Shaykh Ishtiaq moved to Michigan in 2010. From 2011 to 2013, he taught in the Hifz Program at Islamic Association of Greater Detroit (IAGD). He then served as the Director of Quran and Islamic Studies at Huda School from 2013 to 2016, while also serving as Principal of the IAGD Weekend School during the same period.

From 2016 to 2018, Shaykh Ishtiaq served as the Chaplain at University of Michigan. He also led Umrah groups through Miftaah Institute in 2017 and 2021. Over the years, he has held several leadership positions in Islamic education, including serving as Principal at Muneer Academy and Assistant Principal at Michigan Islamic Institute. He currently serves as the Principal of the Middle School at Oakland International Academy and as an instructor at Miftaah Institute.

In addition to his traditional Islamic studies, Shaykh Ishtiaq earned a Bachelor's degree in Biology and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Oakland University. He is widely known and loved for his humility, humor, and dedication to Islamic education and community service.