“Indeed, that is My Path—perfectly straight. So follow it and do not follow other ways, for they will lead you away from His Way. This is what He has commanded you, so perhaps you will be conscious [of Allah].”
Qur’an (Chapter 6, Verse 153)
About Us
What is Nibras Institute?
Nibras Institute is a community of seekers of knowledge looking to improve their relationship with their creator and his creations. We focus on providing an opportunity for individuals who are at different stages in their life to come together around the blessings of studying sacred knowledge. Through formal classes, programs, events, retreats and other mediums of communication we want to make knowledge easily available.
What does Nibras mean?
Nibras is used to refer to lighting the torch or a light you can carry. We aim to light the internal torch for people to follow in search of their own spiritual goals. We hope this light shines bright within them and they pass this on to others through their character and interactions.
How are classes offered?
Classes are currently offered online via Zoom. Classes are recorded and then saved in our online portal so students may access them. We want to provide a flexible method of teaching to accommodate the different backgrounds our students come from.
What is Teachable?
Teachable is a leading online classroom portal which Nibras Institute uses to share recordings, class notes, textbooks and other relevant material with the student. When you register for a class you automatically will get access to the Teachable portal. Visit our teachable site: (https://nibrasfoundation.teachable.com)
Meet Our Founder
Imam Adéyínká “Muhammad” Mendes
Adéyínká “Muhammad” Mendes, aka Adé, is a son of Dayton, Ohio, born to a Christian African-American mother and a theist Nigerian father in 1975. His mother is a retired attorney who fought against workplace discrimination and his late father was a physician who found joy in treating the sick. Respecting and appreciating diverse religions and cultures was a core value in their home.
In 1982, Adé’s parents sold their suburban home and relocated to Lagos, Nigeria. There he experienced the wisdom, elegance, and healing power of traditional African living, and witnessed people of different religions coexisting peacefully.
Adé returned with his family to Houston, Texas, in 1989 for high school. In 1993, following a life-changing journey to Jerusalem, he felt called to embrace Islam, the Way of Love and Path of the Prophets. After attending Morehouse College and the Ohio State University, he traveled around the world studying Classical Arabic, theology, sacred jurisprudence, contemplative arts, and the science of spiritual illumination from living masters in Syria, Sudan, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, and Senegal. He has been teaching these and other sacred sciences since 2001.
Adé worked as an educator and award-winning sales executive before discovering his mission to serve as an Imam dedicated to the liberation of the human spirit in 2010. He is the founder of the Bilal Spiritual Center for Peace and the Arts as well as co-founder of the African-American Healing, Ancestry, and Development (AHAD) Collective. Adé speaks nationally and internationally on Quranic Spirituality, Youth and Adult Rites of Passage, Peace-building, and the healing wisdom of Black Muslim cultures and civilizations. His research interests include the political implications of mystical poetry, the history and adaptations of Islam in Black Africa and the African diaspora, and Muslim-led anti-slavery revolts in the Americas. He also translates sacred literature, teaches at retreats, and builds community.
Adé served as Imam at Masjid al-Mo’mineen and the Madina Institute Masjid in Georgia and as both Imam and Scholar-in-Residence at the Muslim Center of Greater Princeton in New Jersey. He currently serves on the advisory boards of Goodtree Institute and the Islamic Society for Holistic Education and teaches regularly with CelebrateMercy, Wasat, and the Rumi Center for Spirituality and the Arts. He is a recipient of the Center for Global Muslim Life "2020 Spiritual Impact Award" and his latest work, The Spirits of Black Folk: Sages Through the Ages, a translation of Imam al-Suyuti’s text on early Black Muslim luminaries is due to be released in 2021, God willing. Imam Mendes currently resides in New Jersey with his spouse Rukayat Yakub, a Montessori educator and award-winning children’s author, along with their seven lovely children.