About the Author

Writer Ustadh Hatim Yousef is a hafidh of the Quran who has studied tajweed, aqeeda, fiqh, and spirituality with traditional scholars in the UAE and Jordan. He has also studied English literature and is blessed with the ability to communicate sacred knowledge with clarity to English speakers. He has worked as an imam and teacher at the ADAMS center in Sterling, Virginia, where he taught classes in Arabic grammar, hadith, seerah, tafsir, and tajweed. A fluent user of educational technology, Ustadh Hatim has taught core Quranic vocabulary online. Through community engagement, he has shown how love and empathy can develop a student's confidence and drive. For Safa's Palette, Ustadh Hatim took the meanings of the names of Allah from his study of tafsir, Arabic and Imam Ghazali's book on divine names. He currently resides with his family in Virginia, where he is the director of the tahfeedh program at Pearls Academy. Calligrapher Usman Ghani is based in Gujranwala, Pakistan. He obtained his Certificate in Calligraphy from the National College of Arts in Lahore and then practiced and worked as a calligrapher for many years, winning national competitions with his calligraphy in thuluth and nastaliq script. In recent years, Ustadh Usman has taught calligraphy at a well-established Lahore institution. He teaches adults and children privately as well. Safa's Palette is the first book to feature his work. Illustrator Sanah Z. Shan was born and raised in the United Kingdom and studied English Language and Literature at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, England. Life took her to Istanbul, Turkey, where she spent three years as an English teacher specializing in the Montessori method. She currently lives in Burnley, England with her family. Her contributions to Journey Beyond the Great Tree and Safa's Palette embody her love for the creative arts and for guiding young minds to achieve their best.