Aqsa School in Bridgeview: Celebrating 40 Years as the First All-Girls Muslim School in the U.S.

A celebration in the southwest suburbs as 2026 will mark 40 years since a Muslim family made history.

The first all-girls Muslim school in the United States was formed in Bridgeview, Illinois. Decades later, the graduates of the Aqsa School are living proof of a family’s promise kept.

In the heart of Little Palestine, in Bridgeview, is a building built for the betterment of women. Born from the mind of a man.

“Everybody thought that we are dreamers, me and the other people,” said Aqsa School co-founder Mahomoud Ismail.

For Ismail, the school is a dream with roots in his native land. “Well, I am one of those Palestinians who are very proud to be a Palestinian,” he said. And there he grew into a doting son, who listened. “And my mother, God bless her soul, was very kind and she always said, ‘Look,’ to me and to my brother and stuff like that, ‘the only thing that will save you in this life is if you hit the books,” he said.

So, he did, using his mother’s words and her battle with ovarian cancer to motivate his career in medicine in the United States. Then, when he and his wife, Widad, had their own children, that sentiment stuck. “We want them all to get educated. We don’t want the boys to go to colleges and the girls to stay home,” he said.

In pursuit of this vision, he and like-minded families helped to found the very first all-girls private Islamic school in the United States, right here in Bridgeview. That was 40 years ago. Mahmoud’s daughters, Tammie and Nadia, were among the inaugural classes.

“Uh, my father would often say, you know, as a Palestinian refugee, ‘You can lose your home, you can lose your land, but no one can take your education from you,” Tammie recounted.

Even as generations pass, reminders of their homeland infuse the school. Aqsa School shares its name with the third-holiest site in the Muslim world. A student-painted mural commemorates this significant place, reflected in its very nomenclature—which means “farther,” a nod to a journey Mahmoud’s mother always wished for him.

In sharing his mother’s message, Mahmoud emphasizes the dual pillars of education and faith as instruments for inspiring approximately 350 students within the institution.

Over four decades, the school has expanded its offerings from girls-only education in grades 6-12 to include boys as well, now serving elementary-aged children through high school. This single-sex environment has yielded profound benefits for many students, including junior Layann Nazer.

“So I feel like at public school, I always felt like maybe I had to run with the crowd a little bit more,” Layann shared. “In this learning environment, I’ve gone farther than I’d ever dreamed.” She expressed her gratitude for the encouragement and confirmation she received, which enabled her to soar in her academic pursuits.

Involvement in Advanced Placement classes, student council, and Model UN, along with off-campus leadership initiatives, showcase the drive and ambition facilitated by Aqsa School’s curriculum. “These students compete not only with other Islamic schools, but statewide,” board member Rouhi Shalabi noted.

Recognition from other communities has also begun to surface. “Once they know who we are, they’re like everybody else. They want good jobs, good schools, a safe environment—everything that all Americans desire,” Shalabi said.

Another notable group that’s taking interest? College recruiters. Aqsa boasts decades of graduates who have continued on to esteemed universities, including Michigan, Northwestern, and even Ivy League institutions like Yale. These alumni have become lawyers, authors, politicians, and more. One graduate even serves on the board of Doctors Without Borders.

Yet, it’s not just about faraway success. A special cadre of alumna returned to the school to serve their community. “I said I’d like to come back for a year, I can teach part-time, and after that, I just was like, ‘this is where I need to be,’” Tammie, now Aqsa’s principal, recounted her heartfelt decision. “I knew I wanted to serve the community, and I felt this was how I could do it best.”

Nadia, currently the college counselor, echoed similar sentiments: “This school gave me so much, I felt like I had to come back. We’ve got dreams to dream for kids. We’ve got kids to believe in.” This full-circle journey showcases the commitment to instill a sense of responsibility in every student who passes through Aqsa’s halls.

“If someone graduates here with straight As but doesn’t have good character, we haven’t done our job,” Tammie emphasizes, underscoring the school’s guiding principles that extend beyond academic achievement.

With a vision rooted in their father’s legacy and the aspirations of generations before them, Tammie and Nadia continue to uplift the spirit of their community. “You have to think of the future, and these girls and these children, our children, they are the future of this country now,” Mahomoud passionately stated.

What lies ahead for Aqsa School? When asked about future ambitions, its founder expressed, “My next big dream would be to start a college.”