To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Majlis Ash-Shura: Islamic Leadership Council of New York is excited to launch the Muslim New Yorker of the Year, Muslimah New Yorker of the Year, and Young New Yorker of the Year awards. We expect this to be an annual award that seeks to motivate, inspire, empower Muslims in the New York area, and recognize their great achievements. The awards will be presented on the day of the banquet, Sunday, February 10th, 2019.
These nominees have all been recognized by their fellow community members for their great work and achievements. Please read about their work and VOTE for who you believe are this year’s Muslim New Yorkers of the Year!
Voting ends at 11:59 pm – February 5th, 2019.
Muslim New Yorker of the Year Nominees
Kamal Bhuiyan
Kamal Bhuiyan, received his Bachelor of Engineering Degree from SUNY Maritime College. He has worked with the NYC Government in various capacities for the last 20 years, and is currently working with the New York City School Construction Authority. He believes in defending the community’s right, unity and activism, and is the founding General Secretary of Bangladeshi American Group (BAAG), Inc., whose main goal is to bring legislative changes to the community for justice and equality. Kamal has served as an executive member of Jamaica Muslim Center for 3 terms and is the 1st vice president of the Muslim Community center of Richmond Hill. Kamal is also the treasurer of his Union Local 1740 (Local for Professional, Engineer & Architects, and a democratic party judicial delegate from Queens. Lastly, he is the 1st Vice President of Queens Democratic Club of Assembly district 45 (Part B). Kamal currently lives with his wife and their three children.
Karim Mozawala
Karim Mozawala has been very active in supporting political candidates who have shown a desire to help the Muslim community. He has been on the forefront of several charitable initiatives, such as clothing drives, and fundraising. He is a respected figure known for encouraging the new generation in his community to participate in the political sphere. Karim has campaigned for obtaining an Eid holiday in Valley Stream. He is active in the Islamic Center of Five Town (ICFT), Masjid Hamza and other religious institutions in the Long Island locale. He has helped in the purchase of property for ICFT, and Masjid Hamza. He was instrumental in establishing Hamza Academy. Karim is also the liaison between the Muslim community and the Nassau County Police Department.
Mohamed Bahe
Mohamed Bahe is the founder of Muslims Giving Back, the Director of MCC: Muslim Community Center, co-founder of the Asiyah Women’s Center (NYC’s 1st Muslim women family domestic violence shelter), co-founder of SalamSports (Basketball league to help the youth stay out of the streets and combat the drug problems in our community) and he has helped on numerous projects as such Islam Peru and Mercy Bakery in Yemen. He is a radio-graphic technologist by profession and a volunteer by passion.
Muhammad Sattaur
Muhammad Sattaur currently serves as head of the Outreach Department for CAIR-NY. After graduating from Drexel University with a BS in Psychology, Muhammad moved to Cairo, Egypt, along with his wife, where they completed a certificate in Arabic studies alongside private Islamic studies. He is a founder of the Imam Ghazali Institute and Lead Project Director where, through his leadership, they have published over 10 books utilized by masajid around the country. Thousands of students have taken in-person classes through the global efforts of the Imam Ghazali Institute. For the last fourteen years, Muhammad has served as a Hajj guide and coordinator — nearly 10,000 pilgrims have performed Hajj under his guidance. His Hajj and Umrah guide, “Journey to Makkah” has been utilized by thousands of American and British pilgrims.
Najee Hassan
Mu’allim Najee Hassan, along with his beloved wife Rahma Hassan, founded and established the internationally recognized Sirat As-Sayf International Martial Arts (SSIMMA) school. SSIMMA is a unique merging of the tradition of mixed martial arts, self defense, and Islamic education. At the school, students aren’t just taught how to defend themselves, but Islamic studies are offered, regular prayers are established, and dissemination of Islamic literature, Qur’aan, events and classes are also provided. SSIMMA has provided several free courses to battle contemporary dangers. Under the initiative, “Project Fight Back!” SSIMMA provided free self defense and rape awareness classes for women. Additionally, Mu’allim Najee has offered free self defense training for women in the wake of increasing Islamophobia. Currently, Mu’allim Najee and his wife provide free safety and security consultation to masajid in the tri-state area.
Muslimah New Yorker of the Year Nominees
Halimah DeOliveira
Halimah Deoliveira is a New York native, public speaker, author of 2 books, a brand strategist, a philanthropist, and is the creator of the Not Without My Hijab Play and the Boss Hijabi Society Brunch Series. As CEO of Be You In HD her mission is to provide coaching that inspires people to live bold, authentic and purposeful lives through any of their programs, intense interactive workshops, webinars, and one on one sessions. Be You In HD provides proven strategies, tools, and resources for female entrepreneurs and thought leaders looking to grow their professional brands. Her efforts have also allowed her to go on a 2 year tour across the U.S. and beyond for her “Not Without My Hijab” workshop and play.
Batool Chaudhry
Batool Chaudhry served as the Charity Week USA National Director in 2018 overseeing the US chapter currently based in NY, MA, DC/MD/VA, TX, CA, and IL. Charity Week is an international, 100% volunteer-led youth project spanning seven countries in five continents seeking to foster unity through supporting orphans and children in need via Islamic Relief sustainability projects. Batool worked as the International Educational Coordinator for Mishkáh, an organization dedicated to helping find one’s niche through life-changing spiritual, cultural, social, and intellectual experiences. She serves on the Executive Team of Razján and helped build the flagship village. Razján seeks to build Medina-style micro-villages to help serve the holistic needs of a community. Batool studied Biology and Middle Eastern Studies with an Arabic minor at Queens College where she once served as the MSA’s Vice President.
Young New Yorker of the Year Nominees
Ahsanul Abeer
Ahsanul currently serves as the secretary of City College’s Muslim Students Organization. For the last two years, Ahsanul took part in organizing Charity Week at City College. Through various initiatives including: brainstorming sessions with volunteers, marketing all fundraising activities, and reaching out to multiple institutions, Ahsanul helped to raise over $30,000 in 2017 and over $20,000 in 2018. Ahsanul also directed Charity Week New York’s Second InterMSA Basketball Tournament in 2018 and its success resulted in the participation of 14 teams from NYC Muslim Students Associations, raising over $1400 in charity. He is also the youth director at Elmhurst Muslim Center, where he helps to organize community get-togethers to introduce young students into the masjid and shelter them within an Islamic environment.
Hebh Jamal
At the young age of fifteen Hebh Jamal became a widely-regarded advocate for education reform; she known for her impact toward tackling injustice and her vision for the possibility of a transformed society. Hebh was featured in the NY Times in “Young Muslim Americans Are Feeling the Strain of Suspicion” for her perspective on the impact of Islamophobia on young Muslims and her vision for a more conscious and educated society. She made a huge buzz in 2017, when she organized a city-wide student walk out to protest Trump’s “Muslim Ban.” Since then, she co-created the first ever City-Wide Youth Council on School Integration run by IntegrateNYC. Hebh was once again recognized for her work when she was featured on Teen Vogue in their 21 under 21 list. Currently, she’s the VP of her college’s Students for Justice in Palestine and the Youth Director of Muslim American Society of NY.
Mamunur Rayhan
Mamunur Rayhan has been involved in community affairs since he was a freshman at Hunter College MSA. His time serving the MSA comprised of event planning, dawah sessions, mentoring, guidance and companionship. Concurrently, while serving at his MSA, Mamunur embarked on a journey at Masjid Eesa Ibn Maryam. He started off as a security guard, then moved on to becoming a frequent khateeb, as well as helping to organize many events, and working with the Mayor’s Office in bringing resources to the community. Masjid Eesa focuses on a myriad of topics such as spirituality, the youth, converts, mental and physical health, social services and aid. On top of these few endeavors, he was a member of Charity Week. He started off as a volunteer participant in college and then later on served as the NY Events Coordinator with his most recent role serving as the NY Vice Director. Professionally, he works as a mental health Registered Nurse in a Psychiatric Inpatient Hospital where he performs medication administration and psychotherapy.
Mosaab Sadeia
In 2015, Mosaab Sadeia advocated on behalf of Egyptian political prisoners in the State Department and the UN with the R4BIA Story Foundation, an organization that aims to recognize and document the R4BIA massacre of 2013. A year later Mosaab was introduced to Young Muslims, where he initiated the first Neighbornet in Staten Island in the MAS Staten Island center. He moved on to open a new YM expansion in the Islamic Center of Staten Island, where he currently serves. Mosaab worked on the Max Rose for Congress campaign as a full-time Field Manager, where he was instrumental in the “biggest upset of 2018.” After the election, Mosaab became a Community Liaison in the Office of Assemblyman Charles Fall, the first Muslim Black Assemblyman from SI. He is also a MIST organizer in the Programs committee. Currently, Mosaab is studying International Criminal Justice at John Jay, is the YM National Public Relations and Outreach Director, and serves as the president of John Jay’s MSA.
Saleem Rahim
In 2018, Saleem Rahim earned his Bachelor’s in both Finance and Economics, and served as the Queens College (QC) MSA President. During his presidency, he sought to enhance the quality of life of MSA members through efforts such as: mentoring the new board, organizing weekly halaqa sessions, Qur’an classes, interfaith events, Islamic Awareness Week, and collaborating with other clubs on campus. Saleem was the head organizer and host for the first Yaqeen Institute event in New York at QC. He helped fundraise over $85,000 in just 3 hours for Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA). He assisted in organizing an Inter-MSA basketball tournament for Charity Week (CW). Through his leadership, QC MSA was able to fundraise over $13,000 for CW. He is currently working in his third year as a secretary for his family-run nonprofit organization, I.S.L.A.M. (Institute For Social Learning and Advancement of Muslims). I.S.L.A.M helps the needy around the world, discovers and provides for zakah recipients in the local area, and organizes local da’wah events.
