Founder
Ustadh Ashir Kirk
Adrian “Ashir” Kirk is the founder and executive director of Measured Tones Institute of Quran, which is a religious and educational non-profit organization. From the age of 16 to 22, he went overseas to Syria and Morocco to study Arabic and various Islamic sciences with a heavy focus on tajweed (the science of Quran recitation). For 8 years, he taught Quran and Islamic studies at Islamic schools in Ohio and Tennessee, after which he decided to go full-time with his non-profit in 2021.
He currently holds 2 ijaazahs in the recitation of the whole Quran with tajweed in the Hafs style of recitation by way of Shaatibiyyah and Tayyibatun-Nashr. His preferred style of recitation, however, is the Warsh style by way of Azraq. Ashir is also a business owner, mosque board member, and Director of Interfaith Relations of Midtown Mosque in Memphis, TN, and Outreach Coordinator for the Muslim Prisoner Project.
Born to a Muslim convert mother, he started studying Quran at the age of 10. At 16, he dropped out of high school to pursue his Quranic studies in Damascus for 4 years and 2 years in Morocco, before moving back to the States to continue studying. Ust. Ashir received the Muhammad Ali scholarship to Bayan Theological Seminary in Chicago to pursue his Master’s of Divinity with a concentration in Islamic Chaplaincy.
He is currently looking to publish his very first children’s book titled “The Amazing Believer.” Ashir is happily married with children and thoroughly enjoys anything that involves nature and traveling. He humbly asks that anyone reading or hearing this takes a moment to pray for him and his family.
- 2
- Ijaazahs in the recitation of the whole Quran
- 6
- Years of study in Damascus and Morocco
- 8
- Years teaching Quran and Islamic studies
- 2021
- The year MTI went full-time
Who teaches here
Our instructors
- Ust. Ashir KirkFounder & Executive Director
- Hafidha Ust. Naisha ChowdhuryInstructor
- Hafidha Ust. Deenat YusufInstructor
- Hafidha Ust. Maryam ColemanHead teacher, Hafsa Quran Society
- Ust. Majidah Owuo-HagoodCo-founder, Hafsa Quran Society
- Ust. Halima Nalo AfiCo-founder, Hafsa Quran Society
- Ust. Said BarackFree tajweed sessions
- Ust. Ahmed ZayedFree tajweed sessions
- Ust. Faris SafiiaFree tajweed sessions
- Ust. Khawla BenslimFree tajweed sessions
- Ust. Yaseen MahmoudFree tajweed sessions
Behind the teaching
Employees and Interns
- Abdul-Malik NegeduChief Financial Officer
- Melita RahmaliaExecutive Assistant
- Abdur-Rahman AbutinehIntern
- Amin FarisIntern
Hifz
Hafsa Quran Society
To inspire and facilitate the recitation and memorization of the entire Holy Quran by Black American Muslim women.
About the program
