School Staff

Meet the Team

Principal

Nabeela Syed

Nabeela Syed serves as the Principal for the Mohammad Webb Youth Sunday Program for the 7th year consecutive year. Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, she moved to Chicago at the age of 13 and has lived here since then. She has her Bachelor’s degree in Arts of Social Science with a concentration in Early Education, and a post-bachelor degree in communication disorders and speech-language pathology. She does therapy part time and works full time in medical sales for a biopharmaceutical company in post organ transplant care. Nabeela also committed two years of teaching services to Webb Foundation and taught Seerah class for 4th/5th grade and Islamic Studies for 6th/7th grade. She enjoys working with children and adults and looks forward to working with Webb staff as a support and encouragement to help make teaching faith exciting and fun. Nabeela newly resides in Naperville and is a proud mama of a Freshman in College and Freshman in Highschool.

Vice Principal

Yasmin Ayyad

Yasmin Ayyad serves as the Vice Principal and Arabic 1 teacher for the Mohammed Webb Sunday School program. With over 12 years experience in the education field, Yasmin has taught students who need emotional/ behavioral support, English language learners abroad in Palestine, and is currently working full time in special education at the junior high level. She is a native to the Chicago-land area living here her whole life. She is a mom of 3 and enjoys instructing women-only fitness classes in her community.

Arabic - level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Nasreen Pahumi

Arabic Level 1

I am a registered behavior technician. I work as a behavior therapist in a public school setting where I help students thrive academically, emotionally and socially. I am dedicated to empowering young ones to stay curious about the world around them, as everything is a learning opportunity. As a Muslim sister, I want to be a positive influence on the next generation of Muslims. I teach Islamic studies with integrity and innovation. Making it a fun and educational experience.

Yasmin Ayyad

Arabic Level 2

Yasmin Ayyad has a bachelors degree in special education. She taught students who need social & emotional support for 3 years. She was born a son raised in Illinois before moving abroad to Palestine to teach English to native Arabic speakers for 8 years. Yasmin has worked with almost all grade levels and had a huge passion for learning and personal development. She is a mama of 3 and enjoys fitness and reading in her spare time.

Lama Sharaf

Arabic Level 3

Asalamualaikum! My name is Lama Sharaf and I will be teaching Quran and Arabic for kindergarten - 3rd grade. I was born and raised in Syria, Arabic being my native language. I have been teaching it at Webb Foundation for the last 9 years. I love teaching because of all the learning, exploring, and the fun, new experiences we get to have together. I can’t wait to help my students learn to recognize Arabic letters and start reading! Looking forward to a wonderful year ahead of us and can’t wait to spend it learning and having fun with you!

Islamic Studies Teachers

Fatma Alzahara Hussein

Arabic Level 4

Fatma Alzahara Hussein is a Benedictine University graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Science and a minor in Arabic & Islamic Studies. At Benedictine University, Fatma served as the Interfaith and Ecumenical Coordinator in which she would serve as an ambassador to the campus for interfaith events. Outside of school, she is the Secretary at the Sudanese American Charity of Illinois. What interests Fatma the most is doing volunteer work. She loves to get involved with the community and stay connected to it. In her free time, she likes to meditate to diminish stress and engage herself spiritually. Fatma likes meeting new people and growing better connections with her surroundings. The quote that she lives upon is “Everything happens for a reason” in which she believes that people should be optimistic and focus only on the positive sides.

Ahmed

Arabic Level 5

Salam aleykum, my name is Ahmed. Along with my wife Karoline , I will be teaching Arabic this year, god willing. I grew up speaking the Arabic language and have a vested interest in classical Arabic as well as the other sacred sciences of Islam. I work as an engineer and my hobbies include reading and sports. I look forward to serving the MWF Sunday school community and helping pave the way for the next generation of bright students.

Karoline

Arabic Level 5

Salaam! My name is Karoline and I am teaching advanced Arabic with my husband Ahmed. I graduated in 2020 with a minor in Arabic from Virginia Tech, and also volunteered at the ISNRV Sunday school. In 2019 I completed an Arabic program at the University of Nizwa in Oman. I am a couples therapist by training, and outside the classroom I'm either playing with my cats, reading, or playing pickleball

Onessa Mirza

Pre K

Asalam Alaikum! My name is Onessa Mirza and I will be a third-grade Islamic Studies teacher this school year. My parents immigrated from Pakistan right before I was born and we have lived in the Chicago suburbs ever since. I currently work at a law firm but aside from work, I like to hang out with my friends and family, spend time outside in nature, travel and bake new recipes. Because of my background in the legal field, I have always loved history and philosophy but recently I have been delving further into Islamic history and ethics. I’m excited to create a warm and welcoming environment for my students that is gentle and kind and am looking forward to teaching Islamic Studies and creating lasting relationships with everyone that I will meet!

Nasreen Pahumi

Afshan Haseeb

1st Grade

Asalamualaikum! I am Afshan Haseeb. I live in Naperville with my husband and two boys I love teaching , especially history Have taught American history to high schoolers and undergrads

Riva Mehmood

2nd Grade

Assalam Alaikum! My name is Riva Mehmood and I will be teaching the second-grade class this year. I was born and raised in Chicago, and love living here. I like reading, traveling, and going to the gym in my free time! I also have a pet kitty, named Cookie. I am passionate about Islamic studies and helping kids learn new skills and information that they can implement in their daily lives. I hope to create an inclusive and safe space for each and everyone. I'm also super excited to get to know everyone and guide each student through a successful school year!"

Sofia Khan

3rd Grade

Hi! I’m a current college student at UIC. My experience regarding teaching includes babysitting and being a pre school teacher for my high school. I’m excited to be a teacher at Mohammed Webb and I cannot wait to educate students and help them become better muslims!

Asma Zaman

4th Grade

Assalamualaikum everyone! My name is Asma Zaman and I've been living in the Chicago-land area since I was 5 years old. I've been working in the finance industry for over a year now. In my free time, I like to travel, cook new recipes, volunteer, learn about islam, and hang out with my friends and family. I've always loved spending time with kids, and have often been the go-to babysitter in my family. I look forward to combining that with my passion for islamic studies as the 4th grade teacher this year!"

Shama Ahmed

5th Grade

Shama Ahmed, a native of Toledo Ohio, has lived in the Chicago area for the last 20 years. She is currently a Staff Attorney at CARPLS legal Aid where she assists low-income clients with their legal issues. She is also a long-time volunteer with Pro Bono Network, an organization that connects attorneys with pro bono opportunities. Shama resides in Glen Ellyn, IL with her husband and 4 children, where she can often be found on the sidelines of her kids’ soccer games. As she joins the Sunday School staff this year, she hopes to play a small part in nurturing her students’ hearts for a life-long love of the Quran and our beautiful deen.

Saym Basheer

6th & 7th Grade

Saym Basheer is a Pakistani-American. He has Masters in Computer Science and work as a Manager Software Engineering. He enjoys arts, logic, psychology, and building things with his hands. His recent interest has been social and emotional intelligence. His goal for students is to become critical thinkers to deepen their faith and religious practices. By doing so, they will be able to create their own understanding of Islam and become a proud Muslim, InshAllah.

Teens Teacher

Sabahat Awais

Salam, my name is Sabahat Awais and I will be teens teacher this year. I grew up in Saudia Arabia and Pakistan and have been residing in Naperville with my family. I am currently working in a pharmaceutical company and love to read, meditate and travel. I have been teaching at Webb Foundation for past 6 years and have taught islamic studies to almost all age groups. I love connecting with children and encourage them to build their faith through critical thinking and positive mindset. I love the quote by Benjamin Franklin “ Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn. I look forward to teaching students to build the connection with Allah (swt) and be proud muslims.

Dawood Ali

Dawood Ali was born in Iowa to a Christian American mother and a Muslim Indian father. He grew up as a practicing Muslim in Chicago and graduated from the University of Illinois with an engineering degree. While his professional life has been involved with engineering and information technology, his personal life has been engaged in Islamic learning and teaching since his teenage years. He was actively involved in the operation of the Institute of Islamic Information and Education since its inception in 1986, eventually becoming its Managing Director. He has been the Director of the Muslim Youth Camp for the Muslim Community Center of Chicago for 15 years, teaching boys 12-18 years old about living life as a Muslim in America. He is currently a speaker for the Muslim community to a variety of audiences, educating the public about Islam and Muslims.