Dr. Haifaa Younis is an American Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist with roots from Iraq. She is the founder and chairman of the Jannah Institute, an educational platform that offers Islamic education to women. Dr. Younis studied Islamic sciences with teachers across the United States, then graduated from the Mecca Institute of Islamic Studies and the Al-Huda Qur’an Memorization School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where she completed the memorization of the Qur’an. She teaches courses and seminars on the thematic explanation of Qur’anic chapters, with a focus on how to apply them in everyday life, and she offers retreats that connect the inner spirit of Islam with outward practice.
Short BIO of Dr Haifaa Younis
Full Name: Dr. Haifaa Younis
Profession: Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Islamic teacher and scholar
Nationality: American, with roots from Iraq
Religion: Islam
Islamic Education: Mecca Institute of Islamic Studies and Al-Huda Qur’an Memorization School (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
Qur’an Credentials: Memorized the Qur’an; holds an ‘ijaza in the Hafs recitation through Asim from Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah
Founder of: Jannah Institute (2013)
Resident Scholar at: Islamic Center of Irvine, California
Areas of Teaching: Qur’an and Tafsir, Tazkiyah (purification of the heart), Islamic studies for women
Channel: Teaches through online platforms, including YouTube and podcasts
Known for: Women’s Islamic education, the Year of Knowledge program, spiritual development
Dr Haifaa Younis’s age
Dr. Haifaa Younis has not publicly shared her date of birth, so her exact age is not confirmed by reliable sources. This page will be updated if an official date is published.
Dr Haifaa Younis’s Biography
Dr Haifaa Younis is a physician who became one of the best-known Islamic teachers for women in the English-speaking world. She is a board certified obstetrician and gynecologist in the United States who also pursued Islamic knowledge. Her teaching focuses on understanding the Qur’an, building a personal relationship with Allah, and turning religious knowledge into daily practice.
She is the founder and chairman of the Jannah Institute and serves as its resident scholar. She is also a resident scholar at the Islamic Center of Irvine in California. Through classes, seminars, retreats and online programs, she reaches students in many countries, and her lectures are widely shared on YouTube and podcast platforms.
Her approach places heavy emphasis on Tazkiyah, the purification of the heart. She often reminds audiences that teaching Islam should begin with knowing Allah, not only with lists of rules. Her work has earned her a profile in The Muslim 500, the annual publication on influential Muslims.
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When you put Allah ﷻ first, you’ll find peace in His provision.
Prefer something over Him—and you’ll be betrayed by it.
Break free.
Trust Him alone.
Prioritize your relationship with Allah ï·» above all else.— Dr. Sh. Haifaa Younis (@DrHaifaaYounis) May 15, 2025
Early Life and Education
Dr. Haifaa Younis has roots from Iraq and is an American Board Certified obstetrician and gynecologist. Details about her childhood and family are limited in public sources, and she has spoken about her early years mainly in interviews and lectures.
Her search for Islamic knowledge began alongside her medical career. She studied with several scholars across the United States and attended individual courses on subjects such as Aqeedah, Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Hadith and Tazkiyah. In interviews she has explained that she found this path difficult in the United States and that she learned a large part of what she knows from women scholars.
She then moved to Saudi Arabia, where she graduated from the Mecca Institute of Islamic Studies in Jeddah. She also studied at the Al-Huda Qur’an Memorization School in Jeddah and completed the memorization of the Qur’an there. She later received an ‘ijaza in the Hafs recitation through Asim from Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah.
Career
Dr. Younis built her career in two fields. In medicine she is an American Board Certified obstetrician and gynecologist. In Islamic education she has become a teacher, author and community scholar. Today she is best known for her teaching, and she lives and works in the United States.
Founding of Jannah Institute
In 2013, Dr. Younis founded the Jannah Institute, an educational platform that offers Islamic education to women, taught by women. She has said she wanted to create the kind of place she could not easily find when she began to learn. The institute offers a wide range of programs, including:
- Qur’an memorization and Tafsir.
- Spiritual development classes (Tazkiyah).
- Courses on the Prophetic character and personal development.
- Foundational Islamic studies, including Aqeedah, Fiqh and Hadith.
The mission of the institute is to help Muslims, especially women, grow closer to Allah through structured learning. Jannah Institute combines online and in-person learning so students around the world can take part.
The Year of Knowledge
One of the institute’s best-known programs is the Year of Knowledge, a full-time foundational Islamic studies program that Dr. Younis teaches. It is designed around traditional books and sciences, presented in a practical way. She has explained that the goal is not to produce scholars, but to help ordinary women learn their religion and apply it in daily life.
Teaching and Writing
Dr. Younis teaches seminars on the thematic commentary of different chapters of the Qur’an, courses on spiritual purification, and retreats that bring together the inner meaning of Islam and outward practice. She has also given talks for major Islamic organizations and appeared in interview series such as Yaqeen Institute’s Sincerely Yours. Her book, Sins: Poison of the Heart, focuses on the spiritual impact of sins and the path of repentance.
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Personal Life
Dr. Haifaa Younis keeps her private life largely out of the public eye. Public sources confirm that she lives and works in the United States, and her recent courses and workshops are held in Irvine, California. She has described her search for knowledge as a long personal journey. Details about her family are not widely published, so this page does not list them.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Younis is profiled in The Muslim 500, which lists influential Muslims worldwide, and she is a regular guest at Islamic conferences, institutes and media programs. Her work is also recognized through the growth of the Jannah Institute and its reach among students internationally.
Impact on Community and Mentorship
Many students describe her as a teacher who connects Qur’anic study with emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Her programs create a supportive learning community for women who want to study Islam seriously while managing family and work.
Legacy
Dr. Haifaa Younis has helped open a path for women to study traditional Islamic sciences in a structured, accessible way. By combining a professional medical background with deep Qur’anic training, she has become a role model for Muslim women who want to pursue both worldly careers and religious knowledge. Her emphasis on Tazkiyah and on knowing Allah continues to shape the programs of the Jannah Institute and the many students who study with her.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Where does Dr. Haifaa Younis live now?
Answer: She lives and works in the United States and is a resident scholar at the Islamic Center of Irvine, California. She also travels for lectures and events.
Q2: What is the Jannah Institute?
Answer: It is an educational platform founded by Dr. Younis in 2013 that offers Islamic education to women, including Qur’an, Tafsir, Tazkiyah and foundational Islamic studies.
Q3: What is the Year of Knowledge?
Answer: It is a full-time foundational Islamic studies program taught by Dr. Younis at the Jannah Institute, designed to help women learn the essentials of their religion and apply them in daily life.
Q4: How can I study with Dr. Haifaa Younis?
Answer: Visit jannahinstitute.org for current programs, and follow her social media channels for class and event updates.
Q5: Is she a medical doctor?
Answer: Yes. She is an American Board Certified obstetrician and gynecologist. Her public work today is centered mainly on Islamic education and outreach.
Q6: Has Dr. Haifaa Younis memorized the Qur’an?
Answer: Yes. She completed the memorization of the Qur’an at the Al-Huda Qur’an Memorization School in Jeddah and holds an ‘ijaza in the Hafs recitation through Asim.
References
[1]: The Muslim 500: Dr. Haifaa Younis profile
[2]: Celebrate Mercy: Dr. Haifaa Younis
[3]: WAMC 51%: Women religious leaders, Haifaa Younis on the Jannah Institute
[4]: Yaqeen Institute: Sincerely, Haifaa Younis
[5]: MuslimMatters: Author profile of Dr. Haifaa Younis
[6]: Sins: Poison of the Heart, author biography
[7]: Jannah Institute official website
