Online Instructor, YOK Year 1 & 2
Shaykha Zehra Hazratji was born and raised in Western Massachusetts. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a self-designed major in Islamic Studies. Her studies took her abroad to Syria and Egypt, focusing on Arabic language and literature, before returning to complete her bachelor’s degree. She then traveled again to Egypt, where she earned a second bachelor’s degree in Sharia from the renowned Al-Azhar University. She spent several years in Egypt studying advanced Arabic, Qur’anic and Hadith sciences,
logic, and other Islamic disciplines. She also participated in the “Future Scholars Program” hosted by the International Union of Muslim Scholars. Shaykha Zehra is a hafidha of the Qur’an and earned an ijaza in the recitation of Hafs ‘an ‘Asim from the esteemed Shaykh Al-Kurdi in Damascus, Syria. She later pursued further education in Qatar, obtaining a master’s degree in Islamic Studies with a specialization in Contemporary Fiqh from Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Currently, she is enrolled in a mufti training program with Dar Al-Ifta Al-Missriyya.
Since 2014, Shaykha Zehra has been an instructor at Mishkah University, teaching various courses including the History of Legislation, Introduction to the Islamic Sciences, Introduction to Islamic Culture, and Family Law. She is also an instructor for Mishkah’s recently launched High School certificate program. She has taught and developed courses in Arabic, Qur’an, and Islamic Studies for both youth and women in Western Massachusetts and has delivered weekend seminars elsewhere. She has conducted bi weekly halaqas at the University of Massachusetts with the MSA sisters. She is also an instructor at the Institute of Noble Knowledge Baltimore, MD, where her focus includes Qur’anic recitation, tajwid, and Islamic Studies.
Shaykha Zehra’s research interests include Islamic legal theory, contemporary Fiqh issues, and matters related to women in Islam. Her contributions to these fields include a few articles as well as her undergraduate and postgraduate theses.
