Speakers
Note: Due to unforeseen circumstances, event has been cancelled. All participants will receive full refund. Contact admin@mya.org.au for any questions.
It’s been two years since October 7 changed everything. Two years of feeling like the world is happening to us, not with us.
But there was a time when Muslims didn’t just endure history – they made it. Our ancestors cultivated a civilisation that lit up the world, advancing in science, knowledge, culture, architecture, and broader human and societal flourishing.
That time is now.
Ilm Fest 2025: Stop being a spectator. Start being a changemaker. Find your path as a scholar, activist, builder, creative or healer.
Speakers
Dr Recep Senturk
Recep Şentürk is the dean of the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar. He is also the founding president of Usul Academy. He was the founding president of Ibn Haldun University in Istanbul. Dr. Şentürk holds a PhD from Columbia University’s Department of Sociology, and specializes in Islamic studies, ethics, human rights, social theories and methods, sociology of religion and education, social networks, civilization studies, modernization and post-modernization.
He served as researcher at the Center for Islamic Studies (İSAM) in Istanbul, and as founding director of the Alliance of Civilizations Institute (MEDİT). He is head of the International Ibn Khaldun Society, and has a seat on the editorial boards of multiple academic journals. He has publications in English, Arabic and Turkish. Among his books are Âdamiyyah: I am therefore I have Rights; Futuwwah: Noble Character; Modernization and Societal Sciences in the Muslim World; Comparative Theories and Methods; Narrative Social Structure: Hadith Transmission Network 610-1505; Open Civilization: Towards a Multi- Civilizational Society and World; Ibn Khaldun: Contemporary Readings; Malcolm X: Struggle for Human Rights. Dr. Şentürk’s works
have been translated to several languages including Arabic, Japanese, Urdu, Malayar, and Spanish.
Ahmed Karat
Founder of Maydaan Archery Club Australia, Ustadh Ahmed revives the prophetic discipline of archery as a spiritual art form rooted in the Ottoman tradition. His classes masterfully blend deep spiritual insights with historical techniques, cultivating tawakkul (trust in God) and hudūr (presence) through the sacred practice of the bow.
Ust Sahar Dandan
An educator, community leader, and advocate for women’s well-being, Ustadah Sahar draws on her background in engineering, organisational development, permaculture, and Islamic studies in Lebanon and Mauritania. She is the founder of GoActive, a pioneering health and education program that empowers diverse women through movement, purpose, and faith.
Kamal Saleh
A renowned spoken word poet, content creator, and Islamic educator based in Sydney, Australia. Known for his powerful poetry that addresses faith, identity, and contemporary challenges faced by Muslims, he is a prominent figure at One Path Network.
Naimah Naturopath
Naimah, a qualified naturopath with over 10 years of experience, is passionate about helping women achieve optimal health and balance. With expertise in skin diagnostics and a deep understanding of Unani Tibb, a traditional healing system rooted in Islamic medicine, Naimah offers a holistic approach that nurtures both the body and soul. With her vast knowledge and dedication to empowering women, Naimah will help you rediscover the harmony between your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Assala Sayara
Assala Sayara is a Palestinian-born social worker, mental health practitioner, academic, and activist based in Sydney, Australia. She has experience in community development, child protection, and mental health across Jordan, Palestine, and Australia. Assala works as a primary and secondary school counsellor and tutors at the University of Sydney, where she is completing a PhD in Philosophy. A distinguished public speaker locally and globally, she advocates for justice and liberation, centering Palestinian and Indigenous rights. She is the founder and Director of Haweyate, a grassroots organisation fostering education, healing, and resistance within the Palestinian diaspora and beyond.
Sh Ahmed Abdo
Abdo is a Sydney born Imam, a scholar and respected teacher of Islam. After nearly ten years studying Islam in the blessed city of Tarim in Yemen he returned to give back to the people of Australia, his country. He studied in Dar al-Mustafa, an Islamic Seminary in Tarim, Hadramawt, under the tutelage of its Founder and Dean, Habib Umar bin Hafiz, a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and worldwide authority on Islamic Jurisprudence, Theology, and Spirituality. During his course of studies in Dar al-Mustafa, Ahmed studied the core Islamic sciences including Arabic grammar, jurisprudence, theology, prophetic traditions and spiritual wayfaring, with a particular interest in the area of Islamic Jurisprudence. He currently serves as an Honorary Chaplain, teaches Islamic Law and Spirituality courses through Shifa Institute which he founded to better inform people regarding the principles and teachings of Islam and how they apply in modern day society, particularly Australia. He has taught the “Foundations of Islamic Law”, and “Marvels of the Heart”, on spiritual excellence. His students are located in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane as well as Sydney. They access his courses through an online learning platform currently being refined through Shifa Institute. He has taught Arabic, Quran, and Islamic Studies at various schools in Sydney including Rissalah College and Australian International Academy. Ahmed is also an accomplished Interpreter. He enjoys the challenge of listening to a message, absorbing it, then immediately communicating in a way that is appropriate and relevant to the target audience. He is actively involved in interfaith work, as well as within the Muslim community. He has conducted lessons at Auburn Gallipoli Mosque Youth Centre and Lakemba Mosque in the past. He delivers Friday sermons in various Islamic centres and mosques.
