Shaykh Ismail Hamdi was born and raised in the Tri-State area. After spending his formative years in the rich, bustling Muslim community of Paterson, New Jersey, Shaykh Ismail decided to travel to Egypt to pursue Islamic studies at the young age of 19.
While there, Shaykh Ismail pursued a full-time career as a student of the Islamic sciences. After completing preliminary courses in Arabic grammar and rhetoric, he gained acceptance in the prestigious Al-Azhar University. He went on to spend the following years studying Islamic Theology, Law, Quranic Tafsir, Hadith, Usul-ul-Hadith, etc. at the feet of the best scholars of Al-Azhar, including Dr. Mahmud Abdur Rahman Abdul Mun’im, Shaykh Hazim Al Kaylani, Shaykh Konate Sidi Faozi, Shaykh Abdul Rouf Habbal, and many others.

It was also during this time that Shaykh Ismail diligently memorized the entirety of the Blessed Qur’an.
After completing his Bachelors at Al-Azhar University, Shaykh Ismail immediately gained acceptance in Al-Azhar University’s Masters’ Program where his thesis is centered on Hanafi Usul-ul-Fiqh. As his Mater’s is still ongoing, Shaykh Ismail finally returned to the US in 2021 to serve the American Muslim Community Center as a full-time Imam.

Memorized the entire Quran
Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
Master of Arts (M.A.), Islamic Jurisprudence (currently enrolled)
Master’s Thesis: critical reading, and editing of ‘Usul ul Fiqh’ ‘Hanafi Legal Principles’ by the
renowned Iraqi scholar Hamdi Al-Azami
Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Islamic Jurisprudence, 2019.
Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey
Biomedical engineering, 2011-2012

CLASSICAL TRAINING
Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh)
As a graduate from the faculty of Islamic law (Shariah) my focus was Hanafi fiqh, comparative fiqh,
and contemporary issues.
Quranic Sciences
In addition to memorizing the entire Quran by heart, I have also studied the classical Quranic sciences
such as tafseer and the history of the Quranic text.
Sciences of Arabic Language
I have studied the Arabic sciences extensively, grammar (nahw), morphology (sarf) and rhetoric
(balagha), literature (adab) receiving ijaza certifications in several fundamental Arabic texts.

Sciences of Hadith
I studied the science of hadith extensively and have ijaza from some of the world’s most renowned
ḥadīth scholars. For example, I have an ijaza on imam Nawawi’s 40 Hadith from the renowned Syrian
scholar Abd Al Jaleel Al-Ataa.

IMAM OFFICE HOURS

M – 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
T – 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
W & Th off
Sat. 10 am – noon
Sun. No office hours (Sunday school)

To schedule a meeting time with Imam Ismail, please email at [email protected]

and put in SUBJECT: IMAM OFFICE TIME REQUEST. Thank you for your cooperation.