While Europe lay dormant in the Dark Age, the Nizam-al-Mulk established the Nizamiyyah institutes, lighting a torch of knowledge that spread throughout the Empire, from Baghdad to Isfahan. The Nizamiyyah became renowned as the premier academic centers of the time, hosting professors like Imam al-Ghazzali.
The Nizami Order seeks to revive the tradition of Islam’s rich intellectual past. The word Nizami is a reference to the Nizamiyyah institutions of higher learning, founded by the famous Vizier of the Seljuk Empire, Nizam-al-Mulk.
Many Nizami students went on to be the greatest minds of their time, including the Persian poet Sa’di. The Nizami Order at Tarbiya Institute seeks to reconnect modern young Muslims with their intellectual legacy, thereby enabling them to fulfill their spiritual and intellectual potential through education and service to the community.
The #NizamiOrder was created to address the lack of structured Islamic education and support beyond the “Sunday school years,” for the youth and young adults. Though the Nizami Majlis-ul-Ilm, or Majlis for short, began as just one Majlis in 2017, it is now comprised of eight youth groups, and three groups for young professionals and adults. It is at the heart of our efforts to assist the community in finding harmony between one’s divine obligations and worldly responsibilities. Through seminar based learning, the Nizami Majlis fosters high-level Islamic education, discourse, and positive social activism.
Vision
Graduates of the Nizami Majlis-ul-Ilm will, God willing, be well prepared to serve as leaders, teachers, mentors, Imams, Chaplains and Ustadh/Ustadha in the community. Our hope is that our students will be accomplished in matters of deen and dunya, and choose to serve their Creator in the manner that best befits them.
Mission
The Nizami Order at Tarbiya Institute provides a rigorous and comprehensive course of study for the spiritual, emotional and intellectual growth of our students. A faith-based program specially curated for ages 12-22, the Nizami Order aims to cultivate the next generation of scholars and leaders in the community by training students to live morally, act wisely and lead compassionately in the footsteps of the Beloved (peace and blessings be upon him).
To achieve these goals, the program is structured around the following objectives:
- Equip students with critical thinking tools and foundational knowledge to understand traditional Islamic texts.
- Provide students with the skills, training and opportunities to embrace leadership roles through public service.
- Offer a system of moral support to foster spiritual and emotional intelligence.
Meet Our Majlis Leaders

Imam Azeez holds multiple degrees in a variety of subjects, from Medicine to political science to Islamic history and theology. An advocate for Islamic activism and education for the past 20 years, Imam Azeez has worked with and taught Islam at numerous institutions from the Midwest to the West coast. Imam Azeez believes the key to building and sustaining a healthy Ummah is to empower future generations with Islamic knowledge and a sound Muslim identity. Imam Azeez lives in California with his wife and three wonderful children.

Imam Sherif was trained in the Islamic sciences and finished memorizing the Quran at a young age. Sherif worked and volunteered at numerous Islamic institutions in Ohio, Nevada, and California. Three years ago, Imam Sherif decided to move with his family to Sacramento and helped to found Tarbiya Institute. He brings a host of Islamic knowledge, professional experience and a passion to further Islamic education initiatives in the Muslim community. Imam Sherif is married with four lovely children, Hamsah, Ahmed, Sandra, and Selim.

Kamran is a specialist in organizational leadership, project management, and Islamic educational program development. He is also one of the rotating chaplains for Tarbiya Institute’s Campus Chaplaincy program which serves college students on their college campus. With his years of leadership experience and an enduring love for teaching, Imam Kamran is ideally suited to lead Majlis-ul-Ilm groups. He currently resides in Sacramento with his wife and two young children.



