Our religious leaders

RELIGIOUS ADVISOR

Beacon Awards Most Impactful Imam 2025

Shaykh Saalim graduated from St.George's Medical School, University of London in 2007 before completing his Arabic studies in Egypt where he obtained a diploma in Arabic rhetoric from the Egyptian ministry of education and was the top ranking student.

He then joined the prestigious Al-Azhar University and graduated from the secondary school with a rank of excellence and was awarded for his academic achievement before joining the faculty of Shariah where he graduated in 2016 with honours and the highest rank in his year.

Shaykh Saalim has licenses in multiple sciences, including Hadith, Hadith classification, Fiqh, Aqidah, and Sirah. A number of these are in classical texts, including Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

He has been a longstanding khateeb in London, including the biggest mosque in the UK and appeared on a variety of TV channels and programs such as Islam Channel Q&A for a number of years. He has also edited several books for both children and adults, including the first book ever written on the purification of the heart.

Having grown up in the MCWAS area, Shaykh Saalim now serves as our religious advisor.

RESIDENT SCHOLAR

Shaykh Muhammad Ziyad is a traditionally trained scholar with an Alimiyyah degree and ijazahs in the Six Books of Hadith, the Ten Qira’at, and other core disciplines of Islamic scholarship. He studied under scholars in the UK, Egypt, and Syria. He also completed an MA in Islamic Studies at SOAS University of London, holds Qualified Teacher Status, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Qur’anic Studies.

Based in London, he has led the iGCSE Islamic Studies and safeguarding departments at a Muslim secondary school. He is also active as an editor of Islamic texts, contributes articles to various online platforms, and has led Tarawih prayers abroad in countries including Australia and the United States. He judges national Qur’an competitions and is a frequent guest on Muslim television channels.

After volunteering with MCWAS for a couple of years after moving into the area, he officially joined us as resident scholar in September 2025.

PRINCIPAL IMAM

Imam Yusuf Sahin serves as the Principal Imam of the Muslim Cultural & Welfare Association of Sutton (MCWAS). Born and raised in Makkah, he developed a strong foundation in Islamic knowledge from an early age and is a Hafiz of the Qur’an, having memorised the Holy Qur’an in full. He later returned to Türkiye, where he pursued advanced studies in Islamic theology and scholarship.

Imam Yusuf studied at the Faculty of Theology and also attended the circles and lectures of renowned scholars outside the university, studying core source texts across nearly all Islamic sciences. He obtained certification (ijazah) in numerous Hadith collections, particularly Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim and also earned a certificate in pedagogical education.

Prior to his work in the UK, Imam Yusuf served under the Turkish Ministry of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), where he completed three years of advanced training at the Religious Higher Specialisation Centre. During this period, he held various roles as an Imam, educator, scholar and translator, gaining extensive experience in mosque leadership, formal religious education and community guidance.

In addition to his pastoral duties, Imam Yusuf has made scholarly contributions through the editing and organisation of Islamic texts for both adults and children, with a particular focus on spiritual development and the purification of the heart (tazkiyah). He is currently recognised as an education specialist within the field of Islamic studies.

Since taking up his role at MCWAS in 2000, Imam Yusuf has played a central role in strengthening religious and community services. His responsibilities include delivering sermons, leading Eid and Taraweeh prayers and supporting a wide range of educational, pastoral, and community initiatives.

Imam Yusuf Sahin is widely respected for his ability to combine traditional Islamic scholarship with contemporary community engagement, making him a valued leader who continues to guide, educate and inspire the community he serves.