#MuslimPhilanthropy Podcast · American Muslim Community Foundation

#MuslimPhilanthropy Podcast with ITKAN IAR Robotics Team

·55 min·3 clips

The new robot is built for a 30-point Level 3 climb after the old one maxed out at Level 2.

1. MuslimPhilanthropy Podcast speaks with ITKAN IAR Robotics Team 21836 from the Islamic Association of Raleigh about FIRST Tech Challenge and the World Robotics Championship. 2. Mouhi Khwaja hosts the discussion, and coach Mustafa Habib introduces Arshad Anas, Youssef Siddiqui, Arshad Rahman, Samara Tarek, Yahya Joualeh, and Zubair as team members who explain the program. 3. The episode asks how a mosque-based robotics team built since October 2022 reached Worlds in April and why the team chose FIRST Tech Challenge over larger competitions. 4. The team explains that FIRST has three pathways: LEGO League, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Robotics Competition, with FTC using smaller robots and tighter collaboration. 5. Members say the team came through the ITKAN Institute of Technology for Robotics and the Islamic Association of Raleigh, which was already looking to enter competitive robotics. 6. The team says it started as one of the first groups in the network outside Texas and quickly gained experience through online resources developed after COVID. 7. Members describe a six-week recruitment process after the first season that included interviews, assignments, and multiple tasks for 11 applicants. 8. Yusuf’s interview is used as an example, because he had to learn how to CAD a part on his own before joining the team. 9. The team says it also builds a pipeline from three FLL teams, letting younger students move up into FTC as they get older. 10. Yahya and Zubair describe coming from FLL, with Yahya noting prior World competition experience and Zubair describing a move from a beginner team to a stronger FTC group. 11. Samara says this is her first year in a robotics competition and that FTC feels different from Science Olympiad because students do more of the work themselves. 12. Mustafa Habib says he joined in October 2022 after Ahmed Goma reached out while starting FLL and FTC at the same time. 13. Habib says he has not written code since joining and prefers to support the students so they become the leaders. 14. The team says its roster changed from 15 students in the first season to 12 last season and about nine students this season. 15. The episode notes that FTC requires 7th grade and up, while FLL has a competitive track from 3rd grade through 8th grade. 16. The team describes the competition interview process, the outreach questions judges ask, and the importance of gracious professionalism. 17. Team members also explain that robotics on the team works like a small nonprofit, with outreach, sponsorship, fundraising, and community service alongside robot building. 18. The tone stays conversational and practical, with several pauses for audio issues, member introductions, and live explanations of robot parts and team roles. 19. Listeners interested in Muslim youth leadership, student robotics, and mosque-based community programs will get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners looking for a tightly edited technical walkthrough with no side discussions may skip it.

As heard by us

A clear look at a mosque-rooted robotics team learning, organizing, and pushing forward.

The discussion follows ITKAN IAR Robotics Team 21836 as it situates the group within FIRST Robotics Competition and traces how the team has grown since October 2022.

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Why you'd press play

Press play if you want a real look at a mosque-based robotics team building toward FIRST from the ground up.

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