25 April 2026 — London
The National Muslim
Teachers’ Awards 2026
Honouring the educators shaping Britain’s future
“The most beloved of people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to people.”
— The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
A night to remember...
From the first salam exchanged in the foyer to the final du’a as guests headed home, the room was alive with something rare in our busy modern lives: a shared, unhurried sense of gratitude.
The National Muslim Teachers’ Awards 2026 brought together teachers, headteachers, university lecturers, trustees, faith leaders, sponsors, judges, families and friends from across the United Kingdom. They came to do something simple but profoundly important — to say thank you to the men and women who quietly shape the next generation, often without recognition, sometimes without rest, and almost always without complaint.
For Nida Trust, the evening carried an extra layer of meaning. 2026 marks twenty years since the charity was founded in London in 2005, with a mission to improve the educational opportunities of young Muslim and BAME citizens by building the capacity of the community. Two decades on, the National Muslim Teachers’ Awards has grown from a modest gathering into one of the most anticipated dates in the British Muslim educational calendar — a national platform that recognises excellence, encourages aspiration, and reminds an entire community of what is possible.
The atmosphere struck a careful balance — formal enough to do justice to the achievements being honoured, but warm enough to feel like family. Teachers from Hackney compared notes with lecturers from Manchester. Headteachers from independent Muslim schools sat alongside senior leaders from large multi-academy trusts. The room was, in the truest sense, a snapshot of British Muslim education in 2026.
A Word From Our Trustees
In their own words
Haji Muttalip Unluer
Chairman, Nida Trust
“Being a teacher is a very important responsibility. Teachers guide, support, and inspire others. In this way, they follow the example of the Prophets of Allah, who taught and guided people with wisdom and care.”
Haji Khalid Chaudhry
Vice Chairman, Nida Trust
“Congratulations to all of our winners. You should be very proud. Your work is making a real difference by inspiring others and transforming communities.”
Keynote Speakers
Voices that moved us
An extraordinary line-up of system leaders, advocates and educators — each bringing a distinctive perspective on what it means to teach with excellence and faith.
Sir Mufti Hamid Patel CBE
CEO, Star Academies
Founding CEO of Star Academies, a national multi-academy trust running over 36 schools and consistently ranked among the very best in the country. Chair of the Confederation of School Trusts and interim Chair of the Ofsted Board. Awarded a CBE in 2015 and a knighthood in 2021.
Ashfaque Chowdhury
Chair, Association of Muslim Schools UK
Chair of AMS UK since 2012, the national voice for over 150 full-time Muslim schools. Trustee of Chiltern Learning Trust and a long-standing champion of interfaith education and curriculum reform across the British Muslim school sector.
Dame Alison Peacock DBE
CEO, Chartered College of Teaching
Founding CEO of the Chartered College of Teaching and one of the most influential voices in the British teaching profession. Previously Executive Headteacher of The Wroxham School, pioneering the internationally recognised ‘Learning Without Limits’ approach. DBE awarded 2014.
Mona Mohammed
Vice-Chair, Association of Muslim Schools UK
Vice-Chair of AMS UK and one of the most thoughtful advocates for Muslim education in the country. Her work sits at the intersection of school improvement, faith-based values, and the practical realities facing Muslim schools across Britain.
Someera Butt
Headteacher, Al-Noor VA Primary School
Has given more than two decades to Al-Noor Primary in Ilford, building it from two year groups to full capacity, then bringing a state-funded, purpose-built Voluntary Aided school into existence in 2018 with £8.5m in government funding.
Shofiquez Zaman
Deputy CEO, Community Schools Trust
Migrated to the UK from Bangladesh aged 9 and now oversees Headteachers across the Community Schools Trust, whose flagship Forest Gate Community School has been celebrated as one of the top-performing schools in the country for five consecutive years. Co-founder of Dynamic Progress Reporting.
Julie Robinson
CEO, Independent Schools Council
CEO of the Independent Schools Council, representing over 1,400 independent schools educating some 556,000 pupils across the UK. State-educated herself, she brings a genuine belief in the power of education to transform lives and champions independent-state collaboration.
The Judging Panel
Rigour behind the recognition
An award is only as meaningful as the process behind it. Our 2026 panel brought formidable expertise — in Islamic education, school leadership, teacher training, and academic research — to the difficult task of selection.
Dr Abdullah Sahin
Reader in Islamic Education, University of Warwick
One of the foremost academic voices on Islamic education in Britain and Europe. Developed the UK’s first Masters-level degree programme in Islamic Education and authored the landmark book New Directions in Islamic Education.
Dame Anna Hassan DBE
Education Consultant; Former Executive Head, Millfields Community School
Transformed Millfields Community School in Hackney from one of London’s worst-performing primaries into an Ofsted Outstanding institution over sixteen years. Made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2006 for services to education.
Bushra Nasir CBE DL
Education Consultant; Former CEO, Drapers’ Multi-Academy Trust
Among the very first Muslim women to lead a state secondary school in the UK. Took GCSE pass rates at Plashet School from 28% to 76% over twenty years. Awarded CBE in 2003, named TES Headteacher of the Year 2012, and the first female Muslim CEO of a Multi-Academy Trust in the UK.
Dr Mahera Ruby
Researcher & Academic; Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Open University
Holds a PhD from Goldsmiths and has spent over fifteen years researching how bilingual, Bangladeshi, and Muslim families learn across generations. Co-author of Interconnecting Worlds and founder of Blooming Parenting.
Rukhsana Yaqoob MBE
Independent Education Consultant; Director, UK Muslim Network
A secondary school teacher in East London who went on to lead the National Strategies’ Minority Ethnic Achievement Programme. Awarded MBE in 2022 and a former President of the Muslim Teachers’ Association.
Professor Jacek Brant
Professor of Education, UCL Institute of Education
Based at UCL’s Institute of Education, the world’s leading centre for education research. Has spent four decades shaping how teachers are trained and curricula designed, with international projects across Armenia, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Finland and beyond.
Dr Musharraf Hussain OBE DL
Chief Executive, Karimia Institute; Islamic Scholar & Author
A research scientist who memorised the Qur’an in childhood, studied at Al-Azhar in Cairo, and founded the Karimia Institute in Nottingham in 1990. Author of The Majestic Quran, awarded OBE in 2009.
The 2026 Honour Roll
Our winners & finalists
Twelve categories, every one of them hard-fought. Behind each name on this list is a school, a department, a class of children, a family, and a story of dedication that words can only partly capture.
Early Career Teacher of the Year
Khadeejah Hussain
Class Teacher, Apex Primary School
From university placement student to fully-fledged member of staff, Khadeejah’s journey at Apex has been one of extraordinary growth. As a Tazkiyah teacher in KS1, she brings warmth, creativity, and a contagious love for Islam into every lesson - through stories, role-play, art, and reflection. Pupil surveys consistently show how much children look forward to her sessions.
Nadimur Rahman
Teacher of Business Studies, Challney High School for Boys
A teacher of Business and RE who has earned the admiration of students, colleagues, and parents through deep subject knowledge, genuine warmth, and an unwavering belief in his students’ potential. He creates learning environments where young people feel confident enough to question, to think critically, and to push beyond their own expectations.
Early Years Teacher of the Year
Fatima Mamodo
EYFS Subject Lead, The Olive School Hackney
Under Fatima’s leadership, Good Level of Development outcomes have consistently outperformed national averages by up to 22 percentage points. Her seven-ability phonics groupings ensure no child is overlooked, and her commitment to SEND and disadvantaged pupils is unwavering.
Monsur Ahmed Khan
Teacher / Manager, Milkyway Preschool Playgroup
Over 36 years in education since 1989, dedicated to giving young children the very best start. Supports children from age two with values of respect, kindness, and responsibility, and works just as hard with parents as he does with pupils.
Primary Teacher of the Year
Rashida Khanam
Class Teacher & Year Group Manager, Old Ford Primary Academy
Has earned the trust and admiration of pupils, parents, and colleagues across the Old Ford community. Creates calm, caring, well-structured classrooms where every child feels capable. Her spiritual influence is equally powerful: she leads by example and helps her pupils develop empathy and gratitude.
Essaid Elkerf
KS2 Teacher / P.E. Lead, Apex Primary School
Has a remarkable ability to draw out confidence from even the most reluctant participants. As both Sports Lead and Tazkiyah teacher, he nurtures character alongside athleticism, helping young people understand that strength of spirit and strength of body go together.
Uzma Batool Aslam
Class Teacher, Beechwood Primary School
For Uzma, teaching is not a profession - it is a calling. Her lessons are thoughtfully planned, intellectually stimulating, and carefully differentiated, built on a classroom culture of respect, high expectations, and genuine academic rigour.
Secondary Teacher of the Year
Razziya Mohammed Siddique
Careers Education Leader, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School
Has transformed careers education from a statutory requirement into a genuine life-shaping journey. Frames career aspirations through the lens of amanah and service to the Ummah, helping students see their future as a contribution to something larger than themselves.
Wakib Ullah
Head of Business Studies, Royal Greenwich Trust School
More than a Head of Business - a visible, trusted, and deeply impactful role model, particularly for students who rarely see themselves reflected in positions of authority. His classroom is built on trust, high expectations, and genuine warmth.
Rubi Begum
Head of Science, Lantern of Knowledge
Has spent five years quietly transforming students’ outcomes. Her GCSE pupils make strong progress through structured interventions and proactive identification of learning gaps - she gives her time generously through after-school, weekend, and holiday revision sessions.
Middle Leader of the Year
Aysha Sharif
EYFS Phase Leader, Aldersbrook Primary School
Leads one of the only state school mainstream Montessori settings in the country. As EYFS Lead she guided her entire team through full Montessori retraining. Aldersbrook now opens its doors monthly to other schools, generously sharing practice and championing Montessori education across the state sector.
Afshain Noreen
Head of Science Department, Lea Manor High School
Year on year, science outcomes have improved under Afshain’s leadership. She weaves Islamic values - sincerity, compassion, integrity - naturally into her practice, helping students connect their learning not just to qualifications, but to who they aspire to become.
Fateha Begum
English KS4 Curriculum Lead & Middle Leader, Azhar Academy Girls School
Wears many hats - Learning Support Lead, Curriculum Lead for English - and excels in every one. She identifies needs with precision, monitors progress carefully, and delivers support with such warmth that students grow in confidence, self-esteem, and character.
Senior Leader of the Year
Samira Islam
Assistant Headteacher, Elmhurst Primary School
Her influence on mathematics education extends far beyond her school. As a leader of the London North East Maths Hub, she has reshaped how thousands of students across six London boroughs engage with numbers - replacing anxiety with confidence through Maths Mastery and Singapore Maths.
Summaiyah Mukadam
Associate Principal, The Olive School Hackney
Has been at The Olive School Hackney since its very first day thirteen years ago. Year 1 Phonics results reaching 98%, KS2 outcomes rising from 63% to 87%, consistently outperforming national averages. Still teaches every single day.
Farzana Chowdhury
Assistant Headteacher, Brays School
Known affectionately as Faz, she makes learning feel like an adventure. Her lessons are immersive, hands-on, and unforgettable - she once dressed as a lion for an entire unit on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, bringing the text alive in a way her pupils will never forget.
Zaheera Navlakhi Ahmed
Assistant Head, Al-Noor VA Primary School
SENCO, Deputy Head, DSL, and IT Lead. In twenty years at Al-Noor, she has risen from classroom teacher to the heart of senior leadership, bringing the same calm, empathetic, and deeply principled approach to every role.
Sixth Form Teacher of the Year
Shanaz Mughal
Curriculum Leader Business, Copthall School
A genuine cornerstone of the community at Copthall. She provides every student with carefully organised lesson booklets, marks exam questions with dedication, and extends her influence well beyond her own subject - offering whole-school PSHE resources.
Tamoor Malik
Maths Lecturer (Sixth Form), Newham College
Has spent nearly twenty years making people genuinely believe in themselves. Former students are now doctors, engineers, and software developers - some collaborated with him on Quranhive, a Qur’an app that reached over a million users.
Adnan Ilahi
Teacher of Business and Economics, Mill Hill School
The kind of teacher students remember long after they’ve left his classroom. Combines academic rigour with genuine investment in his pupils as human beings. Plays a vital role in supporting Friday prayers and the school’s Islamic Society.
University Lecturer of the Year
Dr Aleeza Khan
Assistant Professor, University of Greater Manchester
Introduced Virtual Wellbeing Cafes and innovative classroom strategies during the pandemic. The results were remarkable: first-time pass rates rose from 84% to 98% under her watch. A compassionate, innovative educator dedicated to empowering the next generation of nurses.
Atif Jaleel
Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education, University of Roehampton
Twenty years in education, from Kelmscott School - where he led Mathematics to 85% A*-C - to the lecture halls of Roehampton. Currently completing a PhD at Cambridge on comparative mathematics education between Qatar and the UK.
Marwan Elfallah
Senior Lecturer in Initial Teacher Education, University of East London
As a former Head of Department at Kelmscott, he built a department of excellence, achieving 75% Grade 5 and above at GCSE. Now training the next generation of Computing teachers, actively addressing gender imbalance by inviting female professionals from industry.
Headteacher of the Year
Thahmina Begum
Executive Headteacher, Community Schools Trust
A driving force behind one of the most remarkable school improvement journeys in recent years. Previously led Forest Gate Community School to an Outstanding judgement in 2020, having earlier led an English department to the best progress in the country in 2017.
Rajia Mukit
Headteacher, Edullect Academy Independent School
As Founding Headteacher of the primary phase, she has built something special in a very short time. Established a culture of high expectations, rapid progress, and deep spiritual nourishment - daily Qur’anic reflection, values-based discussions, meaningful routines.
Rookshana Adam
Executive Headteacher, Azhar Academy
Devotes countless evenings and personal time to ensuring her students and staff thrive. Her leadership has produced an Outstanding Ofsted judgement twice in two years - and a school culture rooted in Islamic values, kindness, and the belief that every young woman is capable of greatness.
Executive Leader of the Year
Sufian Sadiq
Chief Talent & Transformation Officer, Chiltern Learning Trust
One of the most impactful Muslim educators working in Britain today. An Ofsted Inspector, member of the DfE’s RISE team, and Co-President Elect of the Chartered College of Teaching - the first person from the global majority to be elected to that role by fellow teachers.
Gulbanu (Gee) Kader
Director, School Improvement Service Ltd
Has spent a career turning struggling schools around and leaving them measurably stronger. Raised a department’s A*-C outcomes from 22% to nearly 50%. Showcases leaders from Islamic history as role models and brings real-life examples of faith into the curriculum.
Omar Deria
Executive Headteacher, The Excelsior Academy
Came to Cumberland Community School and transformed it - with stricter policies, effective behaviour management, and a door-to-door attendance outreach programme. Now applying that same vision to The Excelsior Academy.
Zaitoon Bukhari
Director of Digital, Achievement Through Collaboration Trust
18 years in education, the last six as an EdTech specialist. Her ‘PedTech’ philosophy - putting pedagogy before technology, always - has guided over 100 organisations toward more effective digital practice.
CEO of the Year
Sir Mufti Hamid Patel CBE
Chief Executive, Star Academies
Has built something few in British education have managed: a large, high-performing national multi-academy trust that has improved the life chances of thousands of young people across England, many from the most disadvantaged communities.
Shah Sher Ali
Founder & CEO, Edullect Academy Independent School
In just eight months, moved from submitting an application to the DfE to receiving a glowing Ofsted report - designing and building a purpose-built school from scratch, raising over £450,000 entirely from the community.
Supplementary School Teacher of the Year
Dr Israfil Demirhan
Teacher of Islamic Studies, ICMG Edmonton
Known and loved by students as Israfil Hoca - a lead Imam and Islamic studies teacher. His mastery of Arabic allows him to bring the Qur’an alive in ways that go beyond recitation, helping students connect with meaning and application in their daily lives.
Partners & Sponsors
With gratitude
Events of this scale do not happen by accident. They are built, painstakingly, by a small army of partners and sponsors who believe that what we are doing matters. To each of them, our deepest thanks.
Avicenna Foundation
The scholarships arm of the Adam Foundation, dedicated to empowering exceptional young Muslim leaders through education, mentorship, and structured personal development.
ICMG
Islamic Community Millî Görüş - a Europe-based international Islamic non-governmental organization established in 1995, with roots in the local Muslim communities formed by migrants in 1960s Europe.
Yunus Emre Enstitüsü
Türkiye’s official cultural institute, with 94 branches in 70 countries, dedicated to promoting Turkish culture, language and heritage.
Read Foundation
“A world empowered through education.” Believes an educated community is an empowered community - providing accessible, inclusive, and quality education.
Muslim Hands
Founded in 1993 in response to the Bosnian war, Muslim Hands works in over 30 countries to help people affected by poverty, conflict and natural disasters.
Noor Ul Islam
Based in Leyton, East London since 1990, now offering a mosque, Pre-School, Primary school, Adult education, Health and Welfare events and a full-time Aalimiyyah course.
Al-Noor Foundation
Exists to nurture individuals, families and communities through six interconnected areas of work, including Al-Noor VA Primary School - a free school in Ilford.
Lonely Orphans
Provides humanitarian and development support to vulnerable children and communities through programmes that include essential aid, safe living conditions, and access to education.
The Chaudhry Group
A London-based family business with interests in property investment, home improvements and residential care services. In 2026, the Group proudly marks its 40th year of continuous operation.
Best Tutors
Provides a safe, friendly and pleasant environment for both students and tutors, encouraging enthusiasm and the finest teaching.
Islamic Relief
Empowers vulnerable populations, helping them become self-sufficient and resilient. Plays an active role in advocacy and humanitarian response across the world.
Ehsaas
Helps low income families alleviate poverty by taking care of basic necessities - food, water, shelter, health, education and employment - all without compromising their dignity.
“Knowledge exists potentially in the human soul like the seed in the soil; by learning the potential becomes actual.”
— Al-Ghazali