‘We open our arms to all’: New Islamic school in Elgin hopes to appeal to families of all faiths

Burhan Academy welcomed members of the Elgin community to the Islamic school last week, saying they “stand on the shoulders of a great legacy” after taking over the former Elgin Academy campus.

Mufti Yasir Nadeem, founder and president, told guests during a Wednesday ribbon-cutting and open house that the school wants to be “partners in a shared mission — the pursuit of knowledge, excellence and community building.”

“While Burhan Academy is a faith-based institution, let me be clear. We open our arms to all,” Nadeem said. “We are not just a school for one community. We are a school for all who seek knowledge, character and a sense of belonging.”

The academy purchased the former Elgin Academy campus for $3.7 million following that school’s closure in June after 185 years.

Nadeem said they want to build on the legacy left by Elgin Academy.

“The spirit of academic rigor and character development lives on in Burhan Academy,” he said. “We believe education is not just about acquiring facts, but about nurturing individuals with integrity, purpose and a sense of service to others.”

When school officials closed on the sale of the property in August, they were planning to open for the 2025-26 academic year.

But Hamid Nazeer, vice president of Burhan, said the academy was able to open with 90 students in September.

“It kind of shocked all of us. When it (the sale closing) happened, we all just kind of looked at each other and said, ‘Why can’t we just start school?’” he said. “There was a big demand. So we did it, and it worked out.”

The school currently has roughly 100 students in pre-K through third grade. It will expand up to eighth grade next school year, and Nazeer said they have about 250 kids preregistered for the 2025-26 school year.

Ultimately, the school will offer grade levels through high school.

Nazeer likens the mission of Burhan Academy to Catholic schools in that they want to be “an open door here for everybody.”

“In times when education may be deteriorating, they’ve taken a lead in creating nice, strong environments that stress character, morality and boundaries and also give them a good education with awesome extracurriculars and athletics,” he said.

They’ve already laid the groundwork for sports programs, hiring coaches to teach kids and running camps for basketball, soccer, volleyball and wrestling.

“We believe in that holistic approach. It’s one of the best ways to teach kids lessons,” he said.

Nazeer said they want to make the school as affordable as possible, keeping tuition at about $5,000 per year.

“We hope it to be an opportunity for everyone — for everyone of every socioeconomic background, of every ethnicity and every faith,” Nazeer said. “Burhan Academy is going to be more than a school. It’s going to be a beacon of light.”