Hidaya Academy: From Small Hands to Changing the World

Hidaya Academy is a nonprofit Islamic school startup dedicated to providing the children of the Iowa City area an authentic, Islamic-centric education where religious knowledge and practice intertwine with the skills and proficiency of worldly subjects, enabling our students to be successful in their worldly life and achieving the ultimate goal in the Hereafter. By providing a grounded core education with an Islamic emphasis, students have the opportunity to shape their future without having the need or feeling to sacrifice their identity as Muslims.

Hidaya Academy was the result of two years of testing homeschooling techniques that started with a parent, Hidaya Academy's founder and president, Elwaseela Elhassan, and his two children learning at the hands of Al Iman Center of Iowa's Imam Sheikh Molhim Bilal. In the first year, it was just Elwaseela and his children performing their homeschooling activities, gaining core subject strengths, and then gaining an Islamic education from an Imam who delivered a curated curriculum that accelerates a student's growth in Quran, Islamic Studies, and Arabic. With its success, more families participated in the second round of testing where core education subjects were taught via an online school platform, and the Islamic subjects were taught in person by the Imam. This proved to be very beneficial, with the students excelling in both areas and formulating a strong identity as Muslims and future world changers.

Hidaya Academy was formed to bring a more formal approach to this methodology, and with the nonprofit model, the team is focused on delivering a community-centered experience, helping ensure that education is not compromised by business. With our three classes lined up and staff members ready to kick off the school year, Hidaya Academy is looking to gather donations to support paying our staff, enhancing the student experience with onsite activities and provisions, and preparing for a larger expansion and greater onboarding of student numbers and staff in the years to follow.

Our initial goal is to reach $100,000 to cover our 2025-2026 year expenses and seed money for next year's efforts, and we plan to have more fundraising events in the future with more to show on Hidaya Academy's success and growth.

Hidaya Academy is currently a candidate for accreditation from the renowned COGNIA institution and plans to gain full accreditation within the next two years.

We appreciate you all taking the time to read about our history and outlook for the future, and look forward to supporting our students in their years of development and success in their worldly life and the Hereafter.