About Us

Vision

For the sacred tradition of Islam to resonate and thrive in the Australian context.

Mission

Support the Islamic intellectual revival, including engaging with challenges posed in the contemporary context

Promote Islamic living and practice in the contemporary context, including solutions to deal with the practical challenges facing Muslims and humanity at large

Cultivate the desire to draw nearer to God and support the youth on this journey

Provide our youth with the tools, networks and opportunities required to pursue careers, ambitions and passions to serve their families, communities and humanity at large 

Foster an Australian Muslim culture which resonates with those living here while staying true to Islamic principles

Encourage unity and build bridges between youth communities

Values

  • The Sacred Tradition: We uphold Islam’s sacred tradition in everything we do, and do not compromise on it. 
  • Non-Judgemental: We have compassion for and aim to reach all kinds of people. We create a welcoming and accessible environment for everyone. 
  • Unity and Collaboration: We promote unity within the community. We work together with community organisations to promote the greater good. 
  • Excellence in Everything: We aim to be excellent in every single action we do.
  • Relevant Today: We understand our environment and carry out work which is relevant and important in a manner which resonates with our community.  

MYA's Mentors

Although we are a youth-led organisation, we recognise that none of us are Islamic scholars or have decades of experience behind us. We may have passion and energy, but lack the knowledge and qualifications needed to navigate complicated questions of Islamic Law. We may feel like we understand the youth, but we still need strategic guidance from those with far more experience and knowledge than us. This is why MYA has strategic advisors on board with us; to help guide us make the best choices in everything we do.

Shariah Advisor: Shaykh Abdul Hadi Shah-Idil

After receiving a university medal and graduating with a First Class Honours in Economics from the University of New South Wales, Shaykh Abdul Hadi left in 2010 to study Arabic at the Qasid Institute in Jordan. During this period, he also furthered his learning of Arabic morphology and syntax under the tutelage of Shaykh Ali Hani and Shaykh Rajab Mutambay, and also studied the traditional Islamic sciences including Islamic law (fiqh), theology (aqidah), and Qur’anic exegesis (tafsir) with Jordanian scholars. Since returning to Australia in 2012, he has furthered his studies particularly in Hanafi Fiqh under the tutelage of Dr Salah Abulhajj and Hadith methodology (mustalah) with Shaykh Abdul Moez Nafti, and has taught at various institutions including Daar Ibn Abbas and ISRA Academy.

Currently, he is an instructor of Hanafi Fiqh at Daar Ibn Abbas, and a lecturer of classical Arabic at Charles Sturt University. He is also currently completing a Masters in Hanafi Fiqh and Legal Methodology, and furthering his studies with Dr Salah Abulhajj to become a qualified Mufti (jurisconsult). Shaykh Abdul Hadi regularly consults Dr Salah when providing us with advice.

We are incredibly blessed and grateful for Shaykh Abdul Hadi’s guidance and support. If our dream is to see a practice of traditional Islam flourishing within the Australian context, we believe having someone with Shaykh Abdul Hadi’s background is indispensable. Having grown up in the Australian context himself and later engaging in formal Islamic studies, Shaykh Abdul Hadi combines excellence in Islamic knowledge with a deep appreciation for the lived experiences it must apply to.

Dr Samir Mahmoud

Strategy Advisor: Dr. Samir Mahmoud

Dr. Samir Mahmoud is currently a Lecturer at the Cambridge Muslim College on the BA in Islamic Studies and the Diploma in Islamic Psychology. 

He has a BA (Hons) in Anthropology & Politics with a focus on multicultural theory and comparative religion, and an MA in Architectural History, Theory & Urban Design with a focus on the traditional townscape from the University of New South Wales. He also holds a MPhil in Theology & Religious Studies (Islamic Studies) with a focus on comparative philosophy and aesthetics. He has also completed a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Cambridge under the supervision of Dr. Timothy Winter (Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad). Alongside his academic studies, he has pursued knowledge of the Islamic sciences under traditional scholars, particularly in Tripoli, Lebanon.

Dr. Samir has taught at universities throughout the world. He is a former Andrew Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow (2013-14) in the Arts & Humanities Initiative at the American University of Beirut and a Postdoctoral Research Associate (2012-2013) at the University of Oxford. In 2011-2012 he was a Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT, Boston. Most recently he was an Assistant Professor at the Lebanese American University.  

MYA is extremely fortunate to have someone of Dr Samir’s calibre providing us with strategic guidance. With decades of study around the world, he combines a deep understanding of the modern world with his knowledge of traditional Islam to deliver a perspective that very few can. We believe such a perspective is integral to build a thriving practice of Islam in the modern Australian context.

How are we different?

Guided by Scholarship

As a growing team of passionate and dedicated youth, we understand that guidance from credible scholars and societal figures is imperative to achieve our objectives. The personalities mentoring our practice will be seasoned, experienced and deeply aware of the nuances relating to Islam’s application in the Australian context.

For Youth, By Youth

While consulting our elders is built into the very structure of our organisation, this is ultimately a youth led effort. We believe this approach will enable our organisation to achieve a deeper resonance with the youth, and will facilitate them to take responsibility for the issues that impact them most acutely. As repositories of passion and grit, we have seen the power of youth first hand in bringing transformative change to the community.

Islam Here & Now

Our wish is to see a practice of traditional Islam flourishing in the Australian context. Rather than copy-pasting practices of Islam from overseas or from the past, this is about understanding our contemporary environment and drawing on the principles of our classical tradition to manifest Islam in all its beauty. This is an expression of Islam which stays true to the tradition while also resonating with those living here today.

Projects In Need

Our mission does not involve competing with other community organisations or replicating their efforts. We will organise projects that provide unique value to our youth and are not being done by anyone else. If a project is being conducted by another community organisation and is within our scope and vision, we will offer our services and request to collaborate. In doing so, we hope to embody a mission-centred approach and truly support other organisations working for the benefit of Islam in Australia.

FAQs

Our target audience will vary across each project, however, will generally cover Muslims who have grown or are growing up in Australia. This includes males and females in the senior stages of high school, tertiary education and those who have embarked on the next stage of their lives. We will also occasionally target events at the wider community, including families and non-Muslims. This being said, anyone is welcome to attend our events!

Our long term aim is to achieve a model of self-sufficiency where our projects will fund our operations. However, in the lead up to this, we intend to seek support from community sponsorships, donations and trusted partners. We are also registered as a not-for-profit charity organisation with the ACNC which makes us eligible for certain concessions and benefits.

If you would like to donate to our cause please click here.

Any profits made will be entirely reinvested into our organisation to support future growth. We intend to maintain full financial transparency with the community.

If you would like more information please contact us here.

Anyone and everyone is welcome here at MYA. We are honoured that you would like to be a part of our vision.

Please click here to express your interest and we will get in touch with you shortly.

A donation can be any amount, be given at any time and be given by anyone, whereas a sponsorship is a mutually-beneficial arrangement between MYA and another business or organisation where MYA receives a fixed amount of funding in exchange for providing a package of benefits.

Donations and sponsorships play a crucial role in enabling us to organise our projects and carry out our vision. If you would like to donate to our cause please click here. If you would like to be a sponsor please click here.