Ustadh Taha Abdul-Basser

Shariah Scholar, USA

Born and raised in New York City, Taha bin Hasan Abdul-Basser is an independent consultant, researcher and translator in the field of Islamic ethics and law. He is Chaplain of the Harvard Islamic Society & Muslim Chaplain at the Harvard Chaplains; former Senior Tutorial Instructor at Harvard University; formerLecturer in Arabic at Boston University; Instructor at the Fawakih Institute and Managing Partner at Straightway Ethical Advisory. He has served as a financial ethicist and consultant to Fajr Capital Ltd, Javelin Exchange Traded Shares (JETS), The Datestone Group and other financial, commercial and non-profit entities. As lead researcher and contributor to the “Sharī‘a Database,” the Harvard Islamic Finance Information Program’s electronic database on Islamic financial ethics and jurisprudence, Taha translated and annotated more than 100 ethical-legal responsa (fatāwā) on finance. He received an A.B. in the Comparative Study of Religion from Harvard College, a Certificate in the Advanced Study of the Arabic Language from the Spectra Institute of Language Studies (San‘a, Yemen), a A.M. in Arabic and Islamic Studies from the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University and is an ABD in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. He has been studying traditional Islamic disciplines since 1994, in Yemen and the US, with teachers from the Sudan, Yemen, Tanzania and Bahrain. He has traditional licenses (ijazāt) from several teachers, including Shaykh Nizam Ya‘qubī (Bahrain). He currently resides in Eastern Massachusetts with his wife, Monifa Matthew (Harvard College ‘98) and their children.

Join us this Saturday for our weekly lectures. Our guest speaker is Imam Abdullah Faaruuq. He is currently the resident Imam of MasjidAl-Hamdu Lillah, aka Mosque for The Praising of Allah, one of the oldest mosques in Boston established in 1973. The mosque is located at 724 Shawmut Ave, Roxbury, MA 02119. He is one of the pioneering Muslims of Boston, a bridge builder,and an example of the caring American citizen and a defender of the rights of Muslims in America. He is a member of the Islamic Council of New England and the Center for Jewish-Muslim Relations, serves as the Muslim Chaplain of Northeastern University as well as in various interfaith and social associations.

About IMAM TAALIB MAHDEE:

Imam Taalib was born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  In December 1978 he publicly declared that there is nothing of worship except our Creator, Alone and there is no like Him and that Prophet Muhammad) Peace Be Upon Him) is Allah’s last Messenger and servant through whom the Holy Qur’an was sent as the final revelation to humanity.   This simple public declaration added him to the international community of Muslims which to date is over a billion people.  He is a happily married husband and devoted father.

Imam Taalib Mahdee was educated in the Cambridge Public School System and has earned an Associate Degree from Roxbury Community College and a B.S. in Human Services from New Hampshire College.  He made the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) in 1980, which was the beginning of the 15^th century Islamic calendar.

In the summer of 1989, he traveled to Cairo, Egypt to study Arabic at the prestigious Al-Azhar University.   I the spring 1990 he was part of a national declaration of Clara Mohammed School educators who traveled to Saudi Arabia to analyze its educational system.    Imam Warith Deen Muhammed earned this invitation for the community.   They were able to make the Lesser Hajj (‘Umrah) while they were there.

Imam Mahdee participates in several community organizations that represent a diverse population such as the United Way Faith and Action, Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries, Islamic Council of New England and the Muslim American Society Northeast Region Masajid.     Currently, he is the resident Imam of Masjid Al-Qur’an.

On Saturday Jan 30, 2010, we had the pleasure of having two special guests with us. The first guest is a pillar of the Muslim community in Boston and America at large. To prove it, he was appointed by former president Mr. Bush as a commissioner at the United States commission on International Religious Freedom. Imam Dr. Talal Eid is the founder and executive of the Islamic Institute of Boston. He had served as the Muslim chaplain at Boston’s Children’s Hospital, Tufts and is currently serving Brandeis University and Mass General Hospital of Boston. He is an Adjuct professor of Arts of Ministry at Hartford Seminary, Connecticut. Imam Talal Eid is a Doctor of Theology in Comparative Religion from Harvard University. He studied Islamic Law ‘Shari’aa’ at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. The Imam is a consultant, specialist and expert on Islamic law, including issues of marriage, marital dispute, marital violence, divorce and child custody. Imam Dr. Talal Eid spoke to the parents about the importance of realizing and properly dealing with their American Muslim youth regarding the topic of dating and marriage.

The second special guest we had was a groom and bride from Tunisia joining together in a religious ceremony led by Imam Dr. Talal Eid himself. This event marked the first religious ceremony at YUSUF MOSQUE and hopefully there will many more to come, and more importantly many more content couples and successful families. The family of the groom and bride provided delicious sweets and desserts as a special touch to the social community potluck dinner.

The evening also was a time to recognize three special volunteers at YUSUF MOSQUE for their dedication, tirelessness and excellent service to the mosque and the community: Mr. Nazir Khan, Mr. Malhar Saheed and Mr. Masdooq Saheed.

We were delighted to have two special guests this evening. The first was a group of wonderful students from various schools in Boston who happen to go to the same church. Mr. Kurt Morrill coordinated their visit and we thank him and the entire group deeply for their warm interest in experiencing an evening at a mosque and learning about Islam. The second guest visits us for the second time, Mr. Suheil Laher. He reflected on the perished nation of Aad and reminded us to strive to strike a balance between fearing God’s anger and punishment and hoping for his pleasure and reward. The evening was followed by a social community potluck dinner in the lounge, so thank you to all those who prepared and brought food with them.