About
About Us
Empowering students through Islamic education
Our 2026 Impact Report is here
Vision & Mission
Who We Are
Vision - A generation of young Muslims who embody and promote a God-centred way of life.
Mission - To deliver a structured and transformative education in the Essentials of Islam in a way that lowers barriers to access, develops a deep certainty, and inspires action.
We are currently delivering workshops in the UK, Ireland, Canada, USA, Turkey and Australia.
Employing our unique Roots teaching method, we guide students to absorb the information, engage in reflection, and ultimately apply the knowledge in their lives.
The name
So why 'Roots' ?
Allah says in the Quran:
Do you not see how Allah compares a good word to a good tree? Its root is firm and its branches reach the sky. [14:24]
Allah likens the Iman of a believer to a tree that is deeply rooted in the ground, and its fruit and branches are far reaching.
In an era of rapid change and digital noise, this metaphor from the Qur’an has never been more relevant. It is the inspiration behind Roots Academy, and it defines our answer to a growing problem: How do we help young Muslims stand firm when the ground beneath them feels like it is always shifting?
Why we exist
The Silent Crisis
We are currently witnessing a crisis of faith among young Muslims, with 1 in 4 Muslims leaving Islam. 1
Young Muslims today are facing a unique set of challenges:
A lack of safe spaces
There are few environments where they feel safe asking “big questions” about the existence of God, identity, or personal struggles like addiction without fear of judgment.
Fragmented education
Traditional Islamic education can sometimes feel inaccessible or disconnected from the modern reality students face on campus.
The onslaught of doubt
Constant exposure to conflicting ideologies and temptations leaves many feeling vulnerable and spiritually disconnected.
The result is a generation that is often searching, vulnerable, and in some cases, questioning their belief in Allah entirely.
What we’re doing
The Essentials
Since our establishment in 2020, Roots Academy has been on a mission to reverse this trend.
Our vision is simple but ambitious: to see young Muslims living God-centered lives.
We believe that for a tree to reach the sky, its roots must first be deep.
That’s why we developed The Essentials, a transformative programme of teaching the basics of Islam across 5 modules:
ABOUT US
Our Scholarly Advisors
Sheikh Dr. Sajid Umar
Scholarly Advisor
A senior scholar serving at the Islamic Council of Europe as a jurist, he holds a PhD in Sharī'ah and Comparative Islamic Law (Al-Fiqh al-Muqaran) with honours, from the Higher Institute for Judiciary Studies (Ma'had al-'āli li'l-Qa'dhā) at the Al-Imam Muhammad ibn Sa’ud University, Saudi Arabia. He has served in leadership roles in countless educational institutions, and provides governance and direction to Roots from an academic as well as a strategic point of view.
Sheikh Dr. Muhammad al-Mustafa al-Shaybani
Scholarly Advisor
He was traditionally trained in the Islamic sciences by his father, the world-renowned Maliki scholar Shaikh Mustafa al-Shaybani who was a senior judge and author of numerous works in the field of jurisprudence. He then went on to study in the classical mahdara system of Mauritania, and served as an Imam in various countries for over 10 years. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies from Imam Muhammad ibn Sa’ud University, an MA and PhD in Islamic Studies from the university of Yarmuk (Jordan) and Manchester, respectively.
Sheikh Dr. Shoaib Saeed
Scholarly Advisor
He is a specialist in Tafsir and Quranic Studies, based in Scotland. He earned a degree in this field from Al-Azhar University and went on to complete a PhD at the University of London under the supervision of Professor M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, the renowned translator of the Qur’an. He has taught and researched at several universities in the UK and Europe, and published in leading academic journals.
Our Instructors
The tireless teachers, mentors, and inspirational educators who bring the curriculum to life.
Hisham Abu Yusuf
Instructor
He holds a BA Islamic Studies from Al-Azhar University, and has studied traditionally with scholars for a number of years, with a specific interest in the Qur'anic sciences and Shafi'i law. He has served as a Muslim Chaplain in higher education, an Imam, Khatib, and a teacher to young adults for a decade now. In addition to this, he also holds a BEng Electrical Engineering, a MSc in Senior Leadership, and has had a successful career holding leadership roles in startups and large corporations.
Mustafa Razzak
Instructor
Senior Instructor & Researcher He completed his Pharmacy degree from Aston University, a BA in Islamic Law from the European Institute of Human Sciences, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Newman University. His classical Islamic studies have been mainly with scholars in the UK.
Syed Hussain
Instructor
He graduated from a traditional 7 year Alimiyya programme studying the foundations of most Islamic sciences including fiqh, hadith, Quran, Arabic and other auxiliary sciences. He is currently a student of the Islamic Rational Sciences. He has also completed a masters degree in Theoretical Physics and is currently completing a PhD in Physics.
Mohammad Al-Kayani
Instructor
He serves as an Imam in Sheffield and a Youth Director. He studied the Islamic sciences traditionally for a number of years with scholars in the UAE, and has been teaching young adults for almost a decade. A nutritionist by profession, he is one of Roots' most engaging instructors (by the testimony of his students) and provides leadership and strategic oversight to the education team.
Shujhaat Aslam
Treasurer
Shujahat Aslam has delivered khutbas and classes at various mosques and universities in Nottingham. With 30 years of experience, he is actively engaged in dawah, charity work, community initiatives, and masjid management.
Omar Taha
Instructor
Omar was born & raised in South East London. He has degrees in Medicine and Psychology, and currently works as a GP. He simultaneously pursued Arabic & Islamic studies, with an Alimiyyah degree from Al-Salam Institute (ASI), and since completed an Ifta specialisation degree from ASI. He is a founding member and trustee of a mosque in Bromley named Al-Emaan Centre, and served as Chair of the South-East London & Kent Council of Mosques for 5 years.
OUR WORK SO FAR:
Testimonials from students
ABOUT US
Team Roots
We’re a volunteer-powered organisation, from across the world, united by a passion to provide transformational teaching to every single student. We’re made up of various sub-teams: