Who are we
A non-profit Islamic organisation in Melbourne, working to revive the true message of Islam through knowledge, reflection and community.
“The word of Allah — that is the highest.”
Holding on to the truth in a noisy age
Contradictory and misleading ideas surround us — in social media, television, film and everyday conversation. They bring doubt and confusion about Islam, and about the true purpose of our existence.
We are blessed, however, that Allah (swt) has given us the means for guidance: the Holy Qur’an, the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, and his progeny and righteous companions. Our work at Kalima Institute revolves around this.
Kalima Institute
Kalima Institute is a non-profit Islamic organisation based in Melbourne, Australia. Our primary focus is to increase Islamic awareness and to provide inspiring resources in an engaging, thought-provoking way — so that people are motivated to keep seeking knowledge and improving themselves.
We are guided by the words of Allah (swt) in the Holy Qur’an. His words are all-truthful and take precedence over every other source of knowledge: the Qur’an is free of flaws and holds nothing but the truth.
Kalima — “word”
Kalima literally means “word” in Arabic, yet it carries many symbolic meanings. We took our name from the Qur’an 9:40 — “The word of Allah — that is the highest.”
The word of Allah (swt) represents truth; and because it is the truth, it stands above all else and becomes the measure by which we determine what is true. One of the names of the Qur’an is al-furqān — the criterion that allows us to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Our President
Dr. Iman al-Attar
- Urban designer by profession
- PhD (2014) — socio-urban history of Baghdad
- Author, Baghdad: an urban history through the lens of literature (2018)
- Contributor to Noor and al-Mishkat magazines
- Of Iraqi origin; from the family of Sayed Dawud al-Attar
An urban designer by profession and of Iraqi origin, Dr. Iman al-Attar has dedicated her life to serving Islam and the community. From a young age she attended regular halaqahs — including those by Bint al-Huda — covering topics such as the role of women in Islam and practical lessons from the Qur’an. She comes from a family of well-known scholars in Iraq, most notably Sayed Dawud al-Attar, which nurtured in her the desire to follow in their footsteps. Much of what she knows today was learned in her father’s library, where she spent most of her childhood reading.
In her twenties she wrote for Noor Magazine, producing children’s stories with Islamic morals that drew an overwhelmingly positive response, and later published a series of Islamic stories in al-Mishkat. She has never stopped serving the community — volunteering with multiple organisations, teaching at Sunday schools and mosques, and giving countless talks.
In 2014 she completed her PhD on the socio-urban history of Baghdad, reflecting not only on the city’s urban history but on deeper questions of historiography and Islamic versus Western philosophies. In August 2018 she published her first book, Baghdad: an urban history through the lens of literature. She is currently working on her second.
“When your intention is purely for the sake of Allah (swt), every bit of hard work is worth it.”
Learn more about our work
Read what we are aiming for, what we have done so far, or get in touch with a question.