My aim in life is to spread the message of The Quran so that it is accessible to everyone. My aim is not to produce scholars. My aim is to make people understand it in a simple, comprehendible manner so that they take it as a living guide like it is meant to be. The Quran is not just for the Muslims. It is for everyone. I want it to be in every hand and in every heart, guiding us every step of the way. Al-Huda is a means to this end. It is an off shoot of this ultimate goal of mine.

To live as one of those who served the Quran, and to be resurrected amongst the people who served the Quran and are known as the ‘people of the Quran’.

I honestly see myself as a servant of the Quran and Islam. In short, a servant of Allah. Pre-dominantly, I am a teacher, and that is my primary role whether in the class room or at home with my children. My role as a scholar or an orator is secondary.

I love people and this is how it has always been. I want the best for people, irrespective of where they are coming from. And the best for people, in my eyes, is that they attain guidance through the Quran and Sunnah so that they find success in both this world and the Hereafter. Empathy and understanding the psyche of people helps me in my role as a teacher.

Rasool Allah (s.a.w) of course is every Muslim’s role model, every step of the way. But I see his teachings translated into a female role model in the person of his wife, Ayesha (r.a). When I started reading about her life in-depth, the many dimensions of her personality fascinated me. Not only was she one of the leading narrators of the ahadith of the Prophet (s.a.w), but also a brilliant orator and scholar. Her home was like a university and she used every minute of the 48 years she survived after the Prophet (s.a.w) to serve Islam. In addition, she was a mother figure to hundreds of orphans and was known for her charitable acts. She is truly my role model as a woman.
Fatima (r.a), the daughter of Rasool Allah (s.a.w) is another role model for me. Her piety and her excellence as a role model for Muslim women in the capacities of daughter, sister, wife and mother are truly motivating. Her virtues and the love of Rasool Allah (s.a.w) for her make her my role model.

My husband has been a huge support to me, as he is like-minded. I have led a very normal family life. My children are my prime responsibility, and I have tried my best to multi-task my role as a mother and a teacher efficiently. I have gone through the phases of pregnancy, giving birth, feeding and weaning my children and simultaneously continued my work. I recall going for my son’s birth to the hospital immediately after my class. It is all about time management. Women are naturally good at multi-tasking and they can do so much if they utilize their full potential.

Dawah (calling people towards Islam) is a helping profession, and social service is a part of it. This is the example our Prophet (s.a.w) set for us. You cannot just lecture people unless you do it with sincerity and a helping spirit, and they trust you as their well-wisher. That is why, in pure Islamic tradition, I have made sure that Al-Huda’s efforts are directed at spreading literacy, helping the impoverished and aiding them to develop skills that help them earn a decent living and improve their quality of life. We strive to help people achieve prosperity in both dunya (this world) and Akhirah (the Hereafter).

I learn a lot from my students who are from every walk of life. The inter-active nature of my classes enables both me and my students to learn from each other. Reflecting on the meaning of the Quran and the life of the Prophet (s.a.w) broadens our horizons.

The Quran and the Sunnah of Rasool Allah (s.a.w) are our primary source of guidance. There are no two ways about the basic teachings of Islam. But there are minor differences of opinion in how the rituals of faith are to be performed. While I may not agree with some of the opinions of other Islamic scholars on certain issues, I trust their good intentions and respect other schools of thought. I have studied the works of Islamic scholars of all schools of thought. I see this as a more all-encompassing vision of Islam. It is a like a beautiful bouquet that has flowers of different colours, making the whole a beautiful sight. So long as the basic, mainstream teachings are not refuted, I can handle difference of opinion.