About MAPS
Muslim Association of Puget Sound, MAPS, is an Islamic organization founded in 2006 with the intent of serving the Muslims of Puget Sound. Its mission is to provide Islamic educational, social and cultural services to the Muslim community in the region and to promote the teachings of Islam to the inquiring non-Muslim. MAPS strives to build links between Muslim families, businesses and organizations, provides year-round activities and religious services and is committed to helping the needy.
To learn more about MAPS, please refer to our Vision and the by laws.
Now enjoy our video presentation on the activities of MAPS
Board Of Directors
Hyder Ali, President
Hyder Ali is currently employed at Microsoft as an Industry Manager in the Communication Sector. He moved to Seattle in September 2005. Hyder has been actively involved in Muslim community activities for the past 15 years in US. More recently, he served as the President of Bay Area Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). As the chairman of the Khutba Committee in Muslim Community Association in Santa Clara, CA, Hyder streamlined the khutba process that is still being followed today. He helped establish a vibrant Islamic center in Huntsville, AL. Born in India, he spends his spare time outdoors with his son, plays tennis and enjoys jogging and biking.
Elyasse Elacoubi, Vice-President
Elyasse Elacoubi is of Moroccan descent and is currently working at Microsoft as a Software Engineer. He came to Seattle in November of 2000 and has since been an active member of the community. Married with two children, Elyasse hopes to promote a healthy and positive environment that helps the community members to excel in both their spiritual and social spheres; an environment where his kids can enjoy the most of their identity: being Muslim and being American.
Ahmed Ayad, General Secretary
Ahmed was born and raised in the coastal city of Alexandria, Egypt. In August of 2000, he moved to Madison, WI to attend graduate school in the UW-Madison where he earned another Masters and a Ph.D. in Computer Sciences in 2002 and 2006 respectively. Ahmed is married to Sherine Abbas. They are both the proud parents of Nour El-Din and Hoda. Both Ahmed and Sherine were active members of the Muslim community in Madison. Ahmed served for three years as the secretary of ICMA (Islamic Community of Madison Area), was the president of the Egyptian Student Association's chapter, and was active with the local chapter of the Muslim Students Association. The family moved to Redmond where Ahmed is currently working for Microsoft.
Tarek Mahmoud, Treasurer
Tarek Mahmoud is currently employed at Boeing as an aerospace engineer for the 787 program. He moved to Seattle in February 2001. He grew up in Cairo, Egypt. He was a board member in the Islamic Center of Everett in 2004, Tarek and his wife live in Bellevue and are expecting their first child. His favorite hobby is playing soccer.
Kabir Jeddy, Social Affairs Secretary
Kabir is originally from Hyderabad, India and has been a member of this community since 1974. He has lived and worked on the Eastside (Bellevue/Redmond/Issaquah) for the past 33 years and has seen the community grow in numbers as well as in diversity. Up to the late 1990's, Kabir attended the Masjids up North (Idris Mosque and Masjid Omar Al-Farooq). However, over the past 10 years, he has been involved more with the Eastside community and currently attends the Masjids and Musallahs in Bellevue, Redmond and Sammamish. Kabir has been involved with MAPS since the beginning of the organization and served as the Treasurer for most of the first year of its life. His previous services to the community involved volunteer efforts with local organizations to raise funds for people affected by natural disasters (Tsunami of 2004, Pakistan Earthquake 2005, New Orleans Flood 2005). Kabir continues to be an active volunteer in the community and is looking forward to seeing the growth of Masjid Ar-Rahmah. Kabir is currently employed with Microsoft. He lives in Issaquah with his wife and 2 kids.
Alaa Badr, Facilities Secretary
Bio coming soon.
Marlina 'Nina' Soerakoesoemah, Women's Affairs Secretary
Marlina 'Nina' Soerakoesoemah resides with her husband and two sons in Redmond. She is a co-founder of WOW Publishing, Inc., and publishes Azizah Magazine - The Voice for Muslim Women, of which she is the Creative Director. As an Indonesian who grew up in an international environment, Nina celebrates diversity and is dedicated to creating a platform at MAPS from which the community can prosper.
Azi Colling, Education Secretary
Azi Colling is a Malaysian who lives in Issaquah with her husband and three sons. She is the President and Executive Director of H.E.L.P. of Puget Sound, a tutoring and mentoring project which currently delivers free literacy services at Miller Community Center in Seattle, WA. She was on the PTA committee at Medina Academy. Azi serves as an Office Manager at Merit Consultants, which is a nuclear executive recruiting and consulting company located in Bellevue, WA, while home schooling her three children.
Rany El Houseiny, Religious Affairs Secretray
In 1999, Rany moved to Bellevue to work for MS. He stayed in Bellevue area (close to ICOE) for 6 years. In 2006, Rany had to move to an area in Redmond that was far from ICOE. He was wondering about the reason of this area until I found later that it was Allah’s Will to be closer to MAPS. Rany is a former member of the ICOR board.
Imam Mohamad Joban
Imam Mohamad Joban is a full time imam at Masjid Ar-Rahmah (MAPS). Residing in Redmond with his wife and twins, he is also the current president of the Imam Fatwa Committee in Washington State, an instructor of Internet Islamic University, as well as the Muslim chaplain for the Department of Corrections in Washington. Before coming to Redmond, he was a full time imam of the Islamic Center of Olympia. He has a BA in Arabic from the Islamic University in Jakarta, Indonesia and a BA in Theology, Islamic Call and Culture and an MA in Islamic Studies from the prestigious University of Al-Azhar in Cairo.