# Prominent Personalities

8 personalities.

- **Dr. Nigil Haroon** — MD, PhD, DM, FRCPC, MBA. Head of the Division of Rheumatology at Sinai Health and University Health Network, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, and President of the Canadian Rheumatology Association. (Internationally recognized for Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) research — led the first study showing spinal progression in AS can be reduced with TNF inhibitors, and identified the role of MIF in driving AS-related inflammation and bone formation. Runs a translational research program in AS functional genomics.)
- **Dr. Shabbir Amanullah** — Consultant Psychiatrist and psychotherapist based in Woodstock, Ontario. Holds DPM, MD, FRCPsych, FRCPC, and FAPA credentials, and was a gold medallist at NIMHANS. Adjunct Professor at Western University's Schulich School of Medicine. (Researches physician burnout, geriatric psychiatry, and dementia care. Former Chief of Psychiatry at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, PEI, and a peer reviewer for the Indian Journal of Psychiatry.)
- **Faisal Kutty** — Canadian lawyer, academic, and human rights activist born in Valanchery, Kerala. Holds degrees from York University, the University of Ottawa, and Osgoode Hall Law School. Associate Professor of Law Emeritus at Valparaiso University; son of Sheikh Ahmad Kutty and brother of author S.K. Ali. (Co-founded the Canadian Muslim Civil Liberties Association and helped establish the National Council of Canadian Muslims. Writes on civil liberties and Islamic law reform for the Toronto Star, Newsweek, and Al Jazeera English; named among "The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World" multiple times.)
- **S.K. Ali** — Canadian author born in South India, raised in Toronto from age three. Holds a Creative Writing degree from York University; sister of lawyer Faisal Kutty. Works as a teacher alongside her writing career. (Author of the award-winning YA novels Saints and Misfits and Love from A to Z, and co-author of the picture book The Proudest Blue with Olympic athlete Ibtihaj Muhammad. Created the \#MuslimShelfSpace hashtag to spotlight Muslim authors; won the 2017 Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature.)
- **Sajeeb Koya** — Kerala-born engineer (B.Tech, Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering Trivandrum, 1982–87), based in Pickering, Ontario. Founder, President, and CEO of 3S International Inc. (Founding member of Merchant Foundation. Prominent figure in building the Muslim Malayalee community in Canada.  Built 3S International into a leader in architectural and solid-state LED lighting — his firm's façade lighting illuminates the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. Recognized as a 2023 Kerala Center awardee for professional achievement and community contribution. )
- **Sh. Ahmad Kutty** — Born 1946 in Valanchery, Kerala. Studied at Islamiya College Santapuram, earned a licentiate from the Islamic University of Madinah (1972), an M.A. in Islamic Studies from the University of Toronto, and pursued doctoral studies at McGill University's Institute of Islamic Studies. Senior Resident Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto since 1996. (Translated Sayyid Qutb's Social Justice into Malayalam and authored numerous works on Islamic jurisprudence, ethics, and spirituality. Served on the Fiqh Council of North America and was named among "The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World," known for advocating moderation and condemning extremism.)
- **Sh. Ibrahim Malabari ** — President and Founder of the Messenger of Mercy Foundation in Toronto, and a contributor to About Islam, a prominent Islamic educational platform. (Writes extensively on Islamic history and theology, women's rights in Islam, Quranic authenticity, and interfaith relations — including work on the Prophet Muhammad's life and legacy aimed at both Muslims deepening their understanding and newcomers to the faith.)
- **Wazeer Rahman** — Police Constable with the South Simcoe Police Service in Ontario, Canada. He graduated from Georgian College with a diploma in Police Foundations. He moved from Kerala to Canada and established a career in frontline law enforcement. (• Founding President of The Last Monday - Kerala Muslim Students Association  • Won the 2021 Community Champion award at the Simcoe County Newcomer Recognition Awards for helping immigrants integrate into the region.  • Guides South Asian and Malayali youth on entering policing careers and public service in Canada.  • Protects residents across Innisfil and Bradford West Gwillimbury through frontline patrol and emergency response.)