Imam Fode Drame was born in the Senegambia region of West Africa. He descends from the clan of Jakhanke whose unique expression of Islam dates back over 1,100 years. Since arriving in Canada in the 1990s, Imam Fode Drame has continued in the tradition of the Jakhanke imams by serving as a community leader and scholar of Islam, however he has also been an extraordinary teacher of Quranic exegesis, a guide for spiritual development or ‘tasawwuf’, and a healer to all those who seek his support.

Additionally, Imam Fode has authored a series of books titled “Expansions” of which he has currently published five volumes. He has also published a unique translation of the Quran, called Anwar ul-Quran. In 2005, Imam Fode founded Zawiyah Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to his vision for humanity. Zawiyah Foundation has been at the forefront of a number of community development and support initiatives since its inception; through Zawiyah, Imam Fode has been pioneering the Islamic participation in interfaith dialogue in Vancouver, and continues to lead his Foundation through the hosting of yearly interfaith dialogue events. Among charitable endeavors, Zawiyah Foundation initiated the Hastings Project, a program which aims to provide warm meals to those in need in one of Canada’s poorest neighborhood, the Vancouver Downtown East Side.