Vision
The Academy for Learning Islam aims to provide a trusted platform for teaching and explaining the faith, offering individuals of all ages a deeper understanding of Islam through accessible courses, rich online resources, and meaningful publications. Guided by seminary-trained scholars, our institution is rooted in authentic scholarship and committed to presenting the beauty and practicality of Islamic teachings, with a special focus on the Holy Quran and its enduring guidance for everyday life.
Based in the Greater Toronto Area, we serve a diverse community both locally and globally, striving to make religious education engaging and relevant for today’s world. While our current offerings centre on courses, digital content, and published works, we are actively working to expand our services to include counselling support, ensuring that we address not only the intellectual and spiritual needs of our audience but also their emotional well-being.
Team
Shaykh Hasanayn Kassamali
Instructor
Originally from Tanzania, Shaykh Hasanyn Kassamali is the founder and religious director of the Academy for Learning Islam. He has a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Alberta and a Masters in Islamic Studies from the University of British Columbia. He has studied hawza program at Islamic seminaries in the Middle East.
Shaykh Hasnain has served as Resident scholar in Edmonton, Vancouver, Orlando and has lectured in many different communities around the world.
Shaykh Mahdi Kassamali
Instructor
Shaykh Mahdi Kassamali was raised in Edmonton and Vancouver, where his father played an active role as a scholar within the Shia community. After completing his secondary education, he pursued a degree in software engineering at the University of Waterloo in eastern Canada. He then spent three years working in downtown Toronto for a financial software company.
Guided by Allah’s grace, Shaykh Mahdi relocated to the Middle East, where he has resided with his family for over a decade. There, he earned a bachelor’s degree from a traditional Arabic medium hawzah, focusing on fiqh and usul. He later pursued a master’s degree in history at a larger Farsi medium hawzah. Alongside his academic achievements, Shaykh Mahdi has dedicated himself to memorizing the Holy Qur’an, teaching, and editing English translations of Islamic texts.