Afraz Khan graduated from NYU this spring with a B.A. in International Relations and served as the president for the Muslim Students Association for the 2016-2017 academic year. Afraz began and completed his Quranic studies in Southern California where he was raised under the guidance of his teacher and mentor, Bilal Lakhani. Since completing his memorization, Afraz has sought to deepen his comprehension of Qur'anic Arabic by attending Zaytuna College's Summer Quranic Arabic Intensive, completing an 8-week classical Arabic course through Studio Arabiya as well as taking classes in modern standard Arabic at NYU. This is Afraz's first year leading Taraweeh at the Islamic Center.
Ismail Sayeed is a second generation African American Muslim, born and raised in Harlem, NY. His Islamic studies began at a young age and he completed his Quran memorization at the age of 16 [after a year and a half] at Jami Madinatul Uloom in Trinidad, becoming the first American to complete at the school. Currently, Ismail is a photographer, and visual creative based in NYC, with a passion for the youth and the awareness of African American Muslims in America.
Ebadur Rahman memorized the Qur'an at the age of 15, while a sophomore at Stuyvesant High School. Ebad studied in a pilot seminary program at Zaytuna Institute from 2004-8, before completing his B.A. in the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at NYU in 2013. He's in his 4th year of PhD program in the Religion Department at Columbia. He has been leading taraweeh, with Ismail, at the ICNYU for the last 3 years.