Sheikh Tarik Ata was born and raised in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago. During his childhood, he attended conventions and learned the basics of Islam through formal and non-formal means. Sheikh Tarik pursued his higher education at Northern Illinois University, where he attained a BA in psychology.

After graduating from NIU, Sheikh Tarik went to Jordan in pursuit of Islamic knowledge. While in Jordan, Tarik studied at the World Islamic and Science Education University (also called the Islamic University), where he achieved a BA in Islamic jurisprudence, as well as an MA in Islamic jurisprudence with a specialty in Islamic commerce and finance. While working on his degrees, Sheikh Tarik studied with scholars and achieved various certifications (ijazat) in Islamic jurisprudence, the foundations of jurisprudence, the science of hadith, the Arabic language, Quranic recitation, and Islamic creed/theology.

In addition to his studies in Jordan, Sheikh Tarik holds a master’s degree from Bayan Islamic Graduate School and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Ministry in Islamic Leadership at the same institution. He has been with the Orange County Islamic Foundation (OCIF) since 2017, where his primary focus has been on individual well-being, leadership and strengthening the community and Muslim family unit.