Religious Leadership
At MALV, we have an Imam & Religious Director as well as an Associate Imam. Together, they lead the community in Friday prayer, 5 daily prayers, events, after school programs, social services and meet other needs of the community. Our dawah coordinator arranges for guest speakers and khateebs.
Imam & Religious Director
Imam Daniel Abdullah Hernandez
Imam Daniel was born and raised in Queens, New York which gives him the unique ability to understand the challenges of Muslims living in America.
He is a revert to Islam which gives him a different perspective, additionally, he experienced some of the challenges of youths in this country which gives him a unique advantage to easily relate with our youths.
Imam Daniel has many years of experience serving as imam in the USA including: Islamic Society of Triplex and Pearland Islamic Center where he served for the past eight years as the Imam. Prior to his career as an Imam, he has served as Islamic school teacher and principal
Daniel Hernandez
Imam & Religious Director
Background:
Imam Daniel was born in Queens, New York, of Puerto Rican descent. Imam Daniel has the unique ability to understand the challenges of Muslims living in America.
He embraced Islam in 1999, and being raised in America gives him a different perspective. He is tri-lingual and his cultural intelligence helps him in dealing with people of diverse backgrounds. He grew up in America and Puerto Rico. He experienced many of society's challenges as a youth in this country. Which gives him the ability to better understand and guide our youth from a Juristic perspective while taking into consideration their realities.
Education:
Imam Daniel was blessed with studying at Al Azhar University where he learned Arabic and Islamic Sciences. He attained his Master's from the Islamic University of Minnesota and currently working on his PhD. Imam Daniel's specialization is in Islamic Jurisprudence authorized by his teacher, Shaikh Muhammad Saad Al Khattab from Dar Ifta in Egypt.
Imam Experience:
Imam Daniel has over a decade of Imam experience serving as imam in the USA, including the Islamic Society of Triplex and Pearland Islamic Center where he served for the past eight years as the Imam. Before his career as an Imam, he served as an Islamic school teacher and principal.
Office Hours: Tuesdays 5pm - 5:30pm -6pmThursdays 5pm - 5:30pm - 6pm
*Appointments Required
*General information:30 minute Sessions
Islamic Rulings, Pre-Marital, Nikah,Marital Discord, Divorce Matters, Youth, New Muslim Care and more....
Yousuf Rashid
Imam & Maktab Lead
Mufti Yousuf Rashid was raised in New York City, where he began his journey in Islamic studies at a young age. He completed the memorization of the Quran at Darul Uloom New York under the supervision of Mawlana Sayful Islam in 2015. Thereafter, he commenced his Alim studies at Al-Hussnain Seminary in Indianapolis, where he completed the majority of his studies before traveling to South Africa in 2021 to continue his education at Madrassah Arabia Islamia, Darul Uloom Azaadville. He graduated from the Alim course in 2023.
Mufti Yousuf's pursuit of deeper Islamic scholarship led him to enroll at Darul Iftaa Chicago to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftāʾ) under the tutelage of the esteemed and honorable Mufti Abrar Mirza, one of the leading contemporary scholars in the field of fatwas and Islamic finance, whose wisdom and dedication to teaching has benefited students and communities across the country. Mufti Yousuf completed the iftāʾ program in 2026.
He will be leading the Maktab afterschool Islamic Studies and Quran program for students ages 5-15. Mufti Yousuf will also be leading our congregation in prayer.
Thank you!
