Cultivating moral and ethical excellence among Muslim professionals through a principles-based Islamic framework rooted in traditional Sunnī Māturīdī foundations.
Through the Fadl of Allah, Muslims are blessed to hold high-ranking, influential positions in the various industries of corporate America, including Healthcare, Information Technology, Business and Law. The enormous potential that Muslims have in their respective fields is commendable to say the least. We, at Al-Amin Ethics Institute, want to tap into this potential and add value to the skill sets of these professionals.
There is no doubt that ethics and moral behavior is the cornerstone of human success in any enterprise of any industry. There is no doubt also that greed has caused tremendous harm across all of corporate America. Greed leads to selfishness, nepotism, fraud, deceptive practices and other criminal activities that they beget. The enormity of fraud in just the legal and healthcare industries is proverbial.
At Al-Amin Ethics, we propose to introduce an Islamic ethics framework by representing the glorious Islamic civilizational values that we have inherited from our beloved prophet SallAllahu 'alayhi wa Salaam.
In the eye of this malicious storm of moral, ethical and spiritual bankruptcy, Shaykh Mohammed Amin Kholwadia founded the Al-Amin Ethics Institute in Jumāda Al Awwal 1445 AH/December 2023. This visionary collaboration under the leadership of Shaykh Amin seeks to cultivate moral and ethical excellence (ʾIḥsān) among Muslim professionals from the disciplines of healthcare, law, and information technology.
Shaykh Amin is the founder of Darul Qasim College, a world-renowned institute of higher Islamic learning. He is a muftī, a master theologian and a polymath in the field of Islamic sciences. He has trained scholars and professionals to represent Islamic ethics in today's context.
The upper hand is better than the lower hand, (for) the upper hand is one that gives and the lower (hand) is one that takes.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Ṣaḥih Al-Bukhāri 1429, Ṣaḥih Muslim 1033
Founder & Director
Shaykh Mohammed Amin Kholwadia is a prominent Islamic scholar, theologian, and jurist widely recognized as the founder of Darul Qasim, an Islamic institute of higher learning in Chicago, Illinois. He is known for his unique ability to synthesize classical Islamic sciences with contemporary challenges.
In addition to Darul Qasim (founded in 1999), he established the Al Amin Ethics Institute (2023), creating a framework that translates Islamic thought into actionable guidance for governments, industries, and institutions.
He is internationally recognized as an expert in various fields, including Islamic philosophy, theology, bioethics, finance, and law.
Shaykh Amin is known for addressing modern issues, from artificial intelligence in medicine to constitutional design and educational reform, using a deep, traditional Islamic scholarly approach. He regularly publishes op-eds in outlets like Al Jazeera English on global issues of faith and justice.
Born in Gujarat, India, in 1959, he received his extensive traditional education in the Deobandi schools of Northern India and later became a professional translator and book reviewer in England before moving to Chicago in the 1980s.
He has authored or contributed to several works, including a translation of the first volume of Tafsir ibn Kathir and publications in Islamic bioethics. He is currently working on a book on Ghazalian Eschatology.
His work aims to produce scholars who can present Islam academically and effectively in the modern Western world, influencing policies and serving in higher echelons of society.
Vision of Shaykh Mohammed Amin Kholwadia
Meet the dedicated professionals who are committed to advancing Islamic ethics in their respective fields
Interventional Cardiologist
Dr. Yasir Akhtar was born in rural upstate NY and moved to Pakistan to complete medical school at the Aga Khan University. He completed residency training at Indiana University and served as Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine before moving to the University of Chicago for basic research in mitochondrial function in stem cells. He completed a fellowship in Vascular Biology and Clinical Cardiology at the University of Virginia conducting research in an exercise physiology lab focusing on mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetes. He currently works in East TN and southern KY as a structural, Peripheral and complex coronary interventional cardiologist with clinical research focusing on percutaneous treatment of endocarditis.
Internal Medicine Physician
Dr. Ahsan Arozullah has lived in the Chicagoland area for the past 30 years. He completed his medical school, Internal Medicine residency, and Chief Residency training at Northwestern.
Investment Management Attorney
Zahed Haseeb is a native of the suburbs of Cleveland, OH, and grew up in Rockford, IL. After graduating from the University of Chicago with a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Philosophy, he obtained his law degree from Columbia University. He currently works as an Investment Management attorney in the Chicago office of Skadden Arps, a full-service global law firm. Currently, he is engaged in several projects related to Islamic finance, law, business, and spirituality and is pursuing studies in Hanafi fiqh.
Chief Technology Officer
Asim Mohammad has an MBA from Duke University and is a business attorney from Chicago. He is currently the Chief Technology Officer for a software company.
Psychiatry Resident
Dr. Kanwal Ahmed completed her medical training at UT Southwestern Medical School in 2022. She is currently a psychiatry resident at UTSW. Her academic interests include holistic and Islamically-integrated medicine, women's health, addiction psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, and global mental health advocacy.
Pulmonologist, Intensivist & Sleep Medicine Physician
Dr. Omar Hussain grew up in Woodridge, IL. His educational background includes graduating from Benet Academy, a Catholic high school in the Western suburbs, then heading to The University of Chicago where his concentration was Law, Letters, and Society. He went to medical school at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri and then came back home for Internal Medicine, Pulmonary, and Critical Care training at Loyola University Medical Center/Hines VA hospital. For the past 16 years, he has been a private practice Pulmonologist, Intensivist, and Sleep Medicine physician. He has developed additional expertise in Clinical Informatics and Coding, Billing, and Regulatory issues affecting US-based clinicians.
Our team represents diverse professional backgrounds united by a commitment to Islamic ethics and scholarship
Get InvolvedThe time has come for well-intentioned Muslim professionals to sincerely ask themselves a simple question: Are we among those who give (the upper hand) or are we among those who only take (the lower hand)? Are we even equipped with knowledge of what and how to "give"?
Under the guidance and direction of Shaykh Amin, the Al-Amin Ethics Institute will promote an usūli (principles-based) Islamic ethical framework. This is rooted in a traditional Sunnī Māturīdī foundation. This ethical framework will help Muslim professionals in appropriating moral and ethics complexities in their respective fields.
Once students at AEI realize the value of Islamic civilizational values, they will inculcate them in their own professions and help others do the same.
At Al-Amin Ethics, we approach this initiative at two levels – the macro and the micro.
We write articles, position papers, books/manuals and host conferences in which we bring forth elements of a shared ethical framework and its underpinnings. These artifacts will be used to influence policy and regulation in various branches of industry and government.
AEI will advance practical guidelines for professionals to actualize the idea of "do no harm, do no haram." AEI prefers a vertical integration approach whereby all components of a specificized ethical framework are composed of and from AEI general principles.
Said differently, each cohort will shape professional codes of conduct to represent the Islamic civilizational value of adab (decency, morals & manners) and first principles that can be applied to governing policies of American professional organizations.
An ʿālim is someone who knows how revelation relates to reality, providing guidance not only for worship, but for all aspects of life and society.
Al-Amin Ethics Institute seeks to establish a universal platform for Muslim professionals to benefit directly from the ʿĀlim in bringing forward the timeless wisdom of Al-Amīn (a known title of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ) through the legacy of his noble Ṣaḥābah (may Allah be pleased with all of them).
Al-Amin Ethics Institute invites all Muslim seekers of more knowledge to join us in learning from esteemed ʿulamāʾ at Darul Qasim about:
How to replace complacency with actions that reflect Allah's attribute of Al-Karīm (most generous, most noble)
How to replace dishonesty and lack of integrity with Rasūlullah's ﷺ attributes of Al-Sādiq Al-Amīn (the truthful, the trustworthy)
How to address the many forms of ẓulumāẗ (injustice and darknesses) with ʿadl (justice) and nūr
How to reform material selfishness with īṯhār (altruism) through iṣlāḥ (reform) and tazkiyah (self-purification) of the nafs
With Allah's faḍal (grace) and through our sincere and collective efforts, we intend to holistically represent and manifest the strength of the upper, giving hand to benefit all creation.