Omer Rangoonwala is the founder of IDRS and currently serves as the Executive Director.

Omer was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. In 1995, he traveled to Toronto, Canada to attend Jaamiah al-Uloom al-Islamiyyah. At the seminary, he began his Islamic studies and completed the memorization of the Quran with Shaykh Qari Umer Farook.

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Thereafter, he taught and studied locally at the Institute of Knowledge, Diamond Bar, California. While also serving as Religious Director and Imam at the Islamic Education Center, Walnut, California, which was founded by the late Dr. Ahmed Sakr.

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In 2018 Omer graduated from Al-Salam Institute, UK, under the tutelage of Shaykh Dr. Akram Nadwi. He completed the institute's distinguished Alimiyyah Program receiving a License in Islamic Scholarship - First Class (Shahadah al-Alimiyyah), authorized by Dar al-Uloom Nadwat al-Ulama, Lucknow, India.

Omer has also completed a bachelor’s degree (B.A., 2003) in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Juris Doctor Degree (J.D., 2007) from the Chapman University School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in the State of California and focuses his practice in the areas of employment law and mediation. He also serves as a legal advisor to companies and nonprofits spanning across several different industries and countries. 

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Outside of work, Omer enjoys relaxing and spending quality time with his wife, four daughters, and his mom -- six women who fill his life with love, laughter, and just enough chaos to keep it interesting!