About Us
Working Towards a Better Tomorrow
Aspiring to be a vanguard in the West, Mohammed Webb Foundation seeks to integrate the best of the American tradition with the universal teachings of Islam. We see the value in everyone. We want to be a catalyst for positive change, and since our beginnings in 2000, we’ve been driven by the same ideas we initially founded our Non-Profit Organization upon support, empowerment, and progress. Learn more about our mission, our vision, and how we go about making the changes we want to see.
WHO WAS MOHAMMED WEBB?
Mohammed Alexander Russell Webb
Mohammed Alexander Russell Webb (1846-1916) was among the first prominent Euro-American converts to Islam. He accepted Islam in 1888 while serving as U.S. Consul to the Philippines.
Upon returning to America, he established an Islamic mission in Manhattan with a mosque, circles of brotherhood, and reading rooms. Webb was the father of the North American Islamic press and published several booklets and journals, the most famous of them being a monthly called The Moslem World. Webb was the official spokesperson of Islam at the World Parliament of Religions in 1893.
Mohammed Alexander Russell Webb considered himself every bit an American whose Islamic convictions were in complete harmony with the best in his national heritage. Today, we are honored to help carry his legacy forward.
Our History
Muslims throughout history have created beautiful, indigenous cultures wherever they went. The Muslim community of America aspires to be a vanguard in the West, and, as such, Mohammed Webb Foundation seeks to integrate the best of the American tradition with the universal teachings of Islam. In keeping with the legacy of Mohammed Webb, Abdulla Quilliam, Marmaduke Pickthal, and many others, we hope to take our community full circle, from east to west and back again, so that we may all come to the realization that ours is an interconnected, interdependent world in which civilizations are meant not to clash but to dovetail, complement, and enrich each other.
Mohammed Webb Foundation is based on an idea shared by many American Muslims—that of creating a space and community that embraces American values in an Islamic context. In March of 2004, a group of seven individuals began the initiative to translate this desire into a physical space that can serve everyone who shares these values and ideals. We seek to create a comfortable and inviting space for Americans to experience Islam through spirituality, and an atmosphere of community love and respect. We stress authentic relationships in an environment that allows our community members to develop spiritually while building life-long friendships
Our Mission
The success of our organization is deeply tied to the generosity and support of people like You. Our mission is to focus on families and support a positive synthesis of American culture and Muslim identity. Together, we hope to make a positive contribution to the wider American society.
Our Vision
Mohammed Webb Foundation invites American Muslims who share this vision to join us in the creation of a people-friendly and Islamically positive environment that will lay the basis for a lasting and dynamic Muslim community in America.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Mohammed Webb Foundation’s Board of Trustees is comprised of individuals with diverse ethnic and professional backgrounds. In order to best serve the community, it is imperative for an organization to reflect its community in its decision-making body. As such, the board has teachers, entrepreneurs, physicians, and engineers each making contributions based on their skill set and all being equal participants in framing the future of our organization. Please feel free to email the board at board@mohammedwebb.org with your questions or comments.
Our Team
Sumayya Khan
President
Nausheen Ali
Treasurer
Saym Basheer
Board Member
Saym Basheer is a Pakistani-American immigrant. He has a Master degree in Computer Science and works as a software development engineer at Nielsen. He enjoys the arts, logic, philosophy, and building things with his hands. His recent interest has been social and emotional intelligence. His goal for his class is that each student thinks critically about their faith and religious practices. By doing so, they will be able to create their own understanding of Islam and become proud Muslims.
Nausheen Ali is of Pakistani descent and immigrated to the USA in 1993. She has an MBA in Marketing from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) University of Karachi. Currently Nausheen works as a business banker for First American Bank and her experience in banking spans 27 years and counting. Nausheen’ s father and mother hail from UP in India and Bangladesh respectively and she wears her multi-cultural background with pride. She is a divorced single mom of two beautiful daughters Fareezeh and Imaan. Her passion is travel, watching documentaries, gardening and all things nature. Nausheen’ s impetus to join the Mohammed Webb Foundation arises from a deep-rooted belief that “All lives Matter” and envisioning a society that collaborates and celebrates its similarities more than its differences. Her passion is to serve the community regardless of race, religion or culture.
Sumayyah Khan was born and raised in Pakistan and migrated to the United States in 1997. She is a dentist and owner of private practice in the southwest suburbs of Chicago and has been providing dental care since she graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2001. Dr. Khan’s mission in life is to create and spread beautiful smiles one person at a time. She has been actively involved in serving the community by providing free dental care through various community outreach programs. She has been an active supporter and has closely worked with organizations like Give Kids a Smile, Dentistry from the Heart and Operation Gratitude. She lives in Naperville with her husband and two children and always knows to have fun. Sumayyah currently serves as the interim President.
Svend White
Board Member
Svend White is an software engineer in Chicago. Svend was raised Muslim. His father Barry embraced Islam in 1957 and his mother Jette did so in Copenhagen in 1970. Through a mutual acquaintance they became penpals and soon got married. They settled in Boston, where they raised Svend and his brother, Erik. Svend is married to Shabana Mir. They have a daughter. Over the past 3 decades, Svend has participated in various Muslim community and interfaith dialog initiaves, including helping to found the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID), on whose board of directors he served in the early 2000s. He has a Masters Degree in Religious Studies from the University of Georgia. Over the years, he has authored a number of articles and book chapters on Islam, the Muslim world and the place of Islam in America. He has written on these topics for online publications such as OpenDemocracy.net, altMuslim, Patheos and Religion Dispatches. Svend's vision for the Webb Foundation is for it to be a vibrant community center where Chicagoland Muslim families can explore their Deen and place in American society in an atmosphere of openness, tolerance and diversity."
Sumbul Ghani
Board Member
Sumbul is an active mother of 2 wonderful children. She has a bachelor's in Liberal Arts The Ohio State University. Professionally she has worked in Administration and Office Management for Fortune 100 and Healthcare industry-leading agencies. 6 years at Ernst and Young and 5 years at the Joint Commission. Additionally, 3 years as a Laboratory Assistant at Children’s Hospital (Columbus). Sumbul was awarded the Joint Commission’s prestigious Andrew Thomas Spirit of Quality Award in 2019 which is given once every 2 years. Certified as a Change Agent and Green Belt in process improvement
Assad Ghani
Board Member
Assad is Healthcare Reform Strategist specializing in Value Based Care. He has a BS from The Ohio State University (Columbus), Dual Masters MHSA/MBA from Xavier University (Cincinnati). His professional experience includes 15 years in the Healthcare industry, Academic, Community, and Inner-City Safety Net Hospitals and Administrative Fellowship. Assad specializes in redesigning care and population health for the purposes of improving the US Healthcare system. Currently employed by the University of Chicago Medicine as the Director of Value Based Care Models. Assad is married to Sumbul Ghani, he is a father of two wonderful children. Assad’s family enjoys sports, music, outdoors, traveling, and spending time with extended family. Assad has been an active member of the community. He worked in the earliest stages in activating an effort to flip a US Congressional seat in the House of Representatives for the Illinois 14th Congressional District. Advocated for community and advised campaigns during earliest stages. Also supported local Trustee, City Council, County Board races as well. Appointed to IL-14th US Congressional District Advisory Council.
Mohmmed Aly
Account Manager
Mohamed Aly is the Accounting Manager at Mohammed Webb Foundation. With more than 11 years of experience in the field of accounting and auditing, his experience spans several lines of businesses and sectors. He is a Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA).
Nabeela Syed
Sunday School Principal
Nabeela Syed serves as the Principal for the Mohammad Webb Youth Sunday Program for the 5th 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.
Farhana Khalil
Program Manager
Farhana Khalil was born and raised in Pakistan and migrated to the United States in 1995. She has a degree in Management Information Systems from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. She has worked as an IT professional and a Corporate Recruiter for last 25 years. She has lived in Naperville since 2004 with her husband and 3 kids. Farhana started working for Mohammed Webb Foundation as a Program Manager in the year 2020. She is passionate about giving back to the community and be an integral part of the society.
SUPPORT OUR MISSION
— DONATE TODAY!
Mohammed Webb Foundation relies on the generous support and donations from community members like you to help keep all our events and programs going strong. Please consider either making a one-time or recurring donation through our website or you can donate while shopping online through AmazonSmile. We thank you for your generous donations!