Teaching Artist, Wajiha Khalil 

Teaching Artist Wajiha Khalil, founder of Sacred Art Academy, has been immersed in the arts from a young age, which entirely shaped her identity prior to embracing Islam. She studied at NYU’s Gallatin School, where her thesis explored the influence of political theory on urban design and planning. 

During her time at NYU, she embraced Islam through the school’s MSA, which transformed her purpose and direction in life. After graduating, Wajiha set out on a journey to Syria to anchor herself in Islamic knowledge firsthand. She spent four years studying in Syria and Jordan, gaining sacred knowledge from scholars of Ahl Sunnah wa Jama’ah, both privately and at institutions like the University of Damascus and Mahad Al-Fath Al-Islami.

Upon returning to New York and starting a family, Wajiha began teaching in NYC in 2009. While homeschooling her young children, she became a natural art leader in youth co-ops, discovering a beautiful synergy between her Islamic studies and artistic skills. She continued teaching locally until 2020, when she expanded Sacred Art Academy’s reach online to a global audience. 

An artist and poet at heart, Wajiha writes and performs poetry in praise of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) at gatherings in her area. 

Now offering both public and private classes, she shares her unique approach to sacred knowledge and art with students worldwide. Wajiha lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, three wonderful boys, and two adorable cats.