Quran
Memorized the Quran at age 14; certified in all ten canonical readings with a connected sanad.
About the teacher
A life dedicated to the Quran, language, and community.
Imam Dr. Abdulkarim Sekta is an academic, Quran instructor, Imam, translator, and interpreter whose work has connected faith and language across Libya, the United States, and Canada.
He has taught learners ranging from children to university students, led religious services, delivered sermons in Arabic and English, and provided spiritual guidance in mosques and healthcare settings.
His teaching philosophy is modern, practical, and accessible. He helps beginners build confidence while giving advanced students the scholarly depth needed for serious study.
Qualifications
Knowledge supported by study, certification, and service
Academic
Ph.D. and M.A. in Translation Studies from Kent State University, with GPAs of 3.9 and 4.0.
Recognition
First-place Quran competition winner in 2012 and 2013; certified judge for international Quran competitions.
Languages
Native Arabic, fluent English, and elementary French.
Education
Advanced study in translation and language
Kent State University
Doctor of Philosophy, Translation Studies
2018–2025 · GPA 3.9/4.0
Kent State University
Master of Arts, Translation Studies
GPA 4.0/4.0
Omar Almukhtar University
B.A., English Language & Literature
2007–2010 · GPA 3.5
Research interests
The Impact of the 9/11 Attacks on Quran Translations in North America
His Ph.D. dissertation in Translation Studies (advised by Professor Said Shiyab) examined how the 9/11 attacks changed English Quran translations published in North America. It compiled a corpus of 32 complete translations and analyzed key passages closely, focusing on the terms that became especially contentious after 9/11: kufr (disbelief), jihad, hijab, and darb (strike). The findings show a profound impact: translation strategies shifted from a predominant reliance on literal translation and borrowing before 9/11 to an increased use of modulation and explicitation afterward, embedding a heightened sensitivity to the political and cultural nuances of these terms. His broader research interests span Quran translation, the canonical readings (Qira'at), and religious translation.
Experience
Twelve years of teaching, Imam service, and translation
Across Libya, the United States, and Canada — as a professor, Imam, chaplain, and Arabic⇄English translator.
2024 – Present
Pedagogical Director
Canadian Youth Development Centre (CYD) — Montreal, Canada
- Leads all educational programs
- Teaches religious translation
- Researches Quran translation, the multiple readings, and Tafsir
2021 – 2023
Full-time Imam
Muslim Association of Canada — London, Canada
- Friday sermons in Arabic with English translation
- Counseling and guidance
- Teaching Tajweed, Tafsir, Hadith, Seerah, and Fiqh
2017 – 2020
Muslim Chaplain & Arabic⇄English Interpreter
Cleveland Clinic Akron General — Akron, OH, USA
- Patient counseling in Arabic and English
- Sermons, lectures, and prayer services
2016 – 2021
Full-time Imam
Islamic Society of Akron and Kent — Ohio, USA
- Led daily prayers, Friday sermons, and lectures
- Weekly Arabic, Tajweed, and Hifz programs for all ages
2015 – 2019
Graduate Assistant — Arabic Instructor
Kent State University — Kent, OH, USA
- Taught Elementary I & II and Intermediate Arabic
- Developed syllabi and teaching materials
2015 – 2020
Part-time Imam
Masjid of Kent — Kent, OH, USA
- Taught Arabic studies at three levels
- Led religious services and Friday prayers
2015 – 2020
Freelance Translator & Copyeditor
Kent, OH, USA
- Legal, medical, commercial, and diplomatic translation
- Localization with SDL Trados and MultiTerm
2014
Temporary Imam
Islamic Institute of Toronto — Toronto, Canada
- Led Taraweeh prayers
- Taught a course on English and Arabic phonology
2011 – 2014
Teaching Assistant
Omar Al-Mukhtar University — Al-Bayda, Libya
- Taught translation, phonetics, phonology, morphology, and syntax
2010 – 2013
ESL Instructor
Al-Manahel School & Al-Wahda Bank — Libya
- Taught English to high-school students and bankers
2006 – 2014
Quran Instructor
Bilal Mosque and Quran Institute — Al-Bayda, Libya
- Taught Quran, Arabic, and English to students aged 6–20
Certifications
- Complete memorization of the Holy Quran (2010)
- Ijaza in the ten readings with a connected Sanad — Shaykh Muhammad Bilal Totonji, Amman (2011)
- Memorization of the Forty Hadith (2011)
- Judging international Quran competitions — Saudi Arabia (2011)
- Ijaza in the Al-Jazariyyah poem (2012)
- First place, national Quran competition — Misrata, Libya (2013)
- Supreme Court interpreting ethics — Ohio (2016)
- Python programming for data science (2018)
Awards
- Kent State teaching assistantship for the MA in Translation Studies (2015–2017)
- Scholarship to train as a Quran competition judge (2011)
- Awards for judging Quran competitions in Libya and the USA (2011–2019)
Skills
- Quran instruction
- Melodies of the Quran
- Religious translation & interpreting
- Leading religious services
- Education & training
- Learning strategies
- Communications & media
- Fundraising
Languages
- Arabic — native
- English — fluent
- French — elementary
Selected publications
Research across Quranic readings and translation
- 01The Impact of the 9/11 Attacks on Quran Translations in North America (2025)
- 02Translators are Bilingual but not Vice Versa (2016)
- 03The Different Readings of Abo Amer and Yacoup in Comparison with Qalun (2011)
- 04The Different Readings of Abo Jafer and Ibn Kathir in Comparison with Qalun (2011)
Study with Imam Abdulkarim
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