Tabari Zahir, SoCal Reentry Manager 

Tabari Abdul-Zahir began formally studying the Islamic Sciences in early 2003 with Muslim scholars at Zaytuna Institute. Due to a series of bad choices and spiritual heedlessness, he found himself in federal prison for a non-violent drug crime from 2005-2016. It was in prison that Abdul-Zahir made the transformative ‘Tauba’ which Imam Ghazali said everyone needs to make one time in their life. In prison, Abdul-Zahir spent all of his time learning and teaching Aqeedah, Fiqh, Tazkiya, and Arabic which make up the Tayba Foundation educational curriculum.

Upon release, Abdul-Zahir completed an Associates degree in Behavioral Sciences, a Bachelor’s in Arabic Language, and a Master's in Clinical Social Work. He was also commissioned by the Tayba Foundation to write a book to serve as an introduction to Islam and the Tayba study curriculum for Muslims who are incarcerated. This book was completed in late 2017 and is called, ‘Introduction to Islam: with practical examples and advice for incarcerated Muslims’ aka Islam 099.

Currently, Abdul-Zahir is using his Master’s of Social Work working as a therapist and drug counselor, while directing both the national and local re-entry programs for the Tayba Foundation in Southern California where he also serves by delivering khutbas to the local communities and runs a spiritual study group for Tayba students.