Shaykh Alauddin Elbakri founded Tawasaw Institute in 2018 with a clear vision: to bring generations together and cultivate a socially holistic understanding of Islam rooted in the Prophetic method.

An Islamic scholar, speaker, and thinker, Shaykh Alauddin was born to Palestinian parents. His grandfather, Shaykh Yaseen Elbakri, served as the Imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque for 30 years.

Shaykh Alauddin began his study of Islamic knowledge while in high school in Jordan. He later earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Islamic and International Law and History. Over the years, he studied with numerous scholars in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, receiving ijazahs in Qur’an, Hadith, and Sirah.

Since coming to the United States in 1996 to serve as an imam, Shaykh Alauddin has devoted his life to serving Muslim communities and building impactful institutions. He was a founding member of IMAN (Inner-City Muslim Action Network) in Chicago in 1997, co-founded My Deen in Fresno in 2007, and co-founded Support Life Foundation in Oakland in 2016.

At the heart of Shaykh Alauddin’s work is a lifelong passion for bringing Muslims together through learning, service, and meaningful community.