About
Welcome to
The Foremost Institute
We are an educational and leadership institute designed to bring the authentic knowledge of Islam to young Muslim adults (age 13 to 18) and its application in the real world.
Based in Harrow, we are at the inception stage.
Our Vision
Our long-term vision is to support the next generation of thinking Muslims who are confident in their identity, nurtured with the value of service and the desire to create a positive change in the world.
We hope they achieve this whilst being rooted in their faith, and in the sound knowledge of Islam.
Our Team
Zayna Sheikh
Zayna is a first year University student. She supports the Institute by designing marketing materials and helps with publicity.
Fahad Khan
Fahad supports the design, development, and maintenance of the website, implementing secure and scalable architecture.
Our Teacher
As a student of knowledge Sabeen Sheikh is in the midst of setting up The Foremost Institute. An aware humanitarian with a Masters in Public Health, Sabeen spent 6 years working in the non-profit health sector in the US, including global health projects at UNICEF.
In 2007, Sabeen started her journey of seeking Arabic grammar and Islamic studies with Nurul Ilm Academy, Dubai which culminated into an Alimiyya degree (Darse Nizami curriculum). She then sought to expand her knowledge of the Islamic sciences by actively taking courses at Cambridge Islamic College, Utrujj Foundation, Arabica Institute and recently at London College of Islamic Studies and Basira Education. A student of Shaykh Haytham Tamim, Sabeen also volunteers her time at Utrujj transcribing and copy-editing Tafseer lectures and the Arbaeen Nawawiyyah (40 Hadith of Imam Nawawi). In 2014, in collaboration with family and friends, Sabeen set up Sohba Saleha, an after school club to provide an Islamic leisure environment for young children in the Harrow area. Over the last few years, Sabeen and her husband have been running circles for teenage girls and boys in the community to deliver knowledge and address the modern day challenges through an Islamic perspective.
Our Values
We draw our inspiration from the Quran and Sunnah of Prophet (pbuh)
The Sabiqun (The Foremost)
"As for the foremost, they will be the foremost"
Belief and good deeds
"And those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah) and do righteous good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they will dwell therein forever."
The Quran frequently pairs belief with good deeds, highlighting that faith must be accompanied with righteous acts. Such a state of the believer is loved and praised by Allah Almighty where He promises the reward of Paradise in the Hereafter.
Spreading good and forbidding evil
"Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining Al-Ma'ruf and forbidding Al-Munkar. And it is they who are the successful."
In building a just and righteous society, we are commanded to be active participants through our words, actions or holding positions of responsibility.
Changemakers and Reformers
"And your Lord would not have destroyed the cities unjustly while their people were reformers."
Allah Almighty talks about Reformers and in this verse and He uses the word, Muslihoon (reformers) rather than Saalihoon (righteous) ones. The Saalihoon are those who do good but their actions are limited to themselves. The Muslihoon go a step further. Their righteousness is not just for their own selves and their families but they create change which ripples out to the community and beyond.
Be a Palm Tree
"See you not how Allah sets forth a parable? – A goodly word is as a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the sky."
In a related hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) likens the believer to a palm tree. The palm tree has deep roots, it stands tall and strong, resilient to harsh weather. It bears fruits that are sweet, nourishing and beneficial and its branches spread out far and wide providing shade to all those around it.
We hope that the young people we nurture and educate will be like the date palm tree, strong, tall and upright in their character, deeply rooted in their belief in Allah and Prophetic character, bearing goodness that will be beneficial to their family, community and the society at large.