By Sanaa Asif

Sept/Oct 2023

While the Covid-19 pandemic robbed many of a sense of normalcy, there was a silver lining for some. Job losses and no social life enabled people to explore creative interests and try novel business ventures. Just like someone on a fitness journey may reach out to a personal trainer, new entrepreneurs began seeking advice from business coaches to help navigate their transition to business owners.

Bushra Murad from Canton, Mich., is the owner of Barakah Boutique, an Islamic lifestyle business of high-quality products curated from different Muslim creatives. She started her business in 2020, just a few months after she had joined a Muslim entrepreneurship group. “That group was how I started learning from different Muslim businesses,” Murad said. “It gave me the confidence to take the leap of faith.”

Asma Iqbal, from Northern Virginia, had just started her Islamic gift wrap business when she was intrigued by a free business workshop she saw online. “I signed up and was blown away by the content and community that came with it,” Iqbal said. Her venture, Mubarak Paper Co. focuses on high-quality Islamic kid centered gift-wrapping products and specialty items like Eid ribbon and stickers. Soon after taking the workshop, she joined a one-year Islamic business coaching group.

Islam and Business Advice

Both entrepreneurs observed that their business coaches helped in jump-starting and rapidly growing their businesses. However, what stood out most was how their coaches integrated Islamic values into their guidance. “It’s very beneficial to have a Muslim coach because they’ll keep you in check in terms of what your intention is or what is the end goal of your business,” Murad said. Often, Muslim coaches meld strategies they’ve learned from non-Muslim coach mentors with Islamic values to bring holistic advice to Muslim clients. Murad often has exclusive sales in her boutique where all proceeds go towards Muslims in crisis. 

Hafsa Taher, from Toronto, Ont., used to run a business before she became a sought-after business coach for Muslim women. She urges her clients to merge Islam and business to become a stronger believer. She highlights the fact that Muslims should strive to live with the end goal of earning a place in Paradise. “What if your business is one of the ways you get to Jannah?” Taher asks. “It could be making someone’s life easier or making one person smile. These all could be ways of earning good deeds.”

Some entrepreneurs argue that having a Muslim business coach isn’t necessary, as many coaches from other faiths also cherish values like spending time with your family and practicing good ethics. However, having a Muslim business coach can bring more to the table. For instance, Taher shares “Business duas you can make on the Day of Arafah” on her social media. Some of her most popular  posts are “Islamic Affirmations for Muslim Entrepreneurs” and how you can “Post Less, Sell More” so you can spend more time with the people you love. 

Tie Your Camel, But Don’t Strangle It

An important Islamic value often discussed in the business world is rizq. Loosely translated as provision, rizq can be defined as anything that benefits or brings goodness. Taher reminds her clients that God is the source of all rizq — not products, sales, or clients. She believes it is necessary for businesses to bring the hustle into working toward their goals, instead of sitting back, waiting for God to provide for them. However, she believes in working smarter, not harder. 

Her popular analogy is “Tie your camel but don’t strangle it.”  What is strangling a camel? Taher says that means hustling so hard that you can’t even breathe. Hustling like you provide for yourself. You make the plants grow. Where in fact God is Ar-Razzaq (The Ultimate Provider.)

What is a Good Business Coach?

A good business coach not only helps to grow a business, but also helps to equip a business owner with the tools they need to be successful. Just like a personal trainer can’t actually do the push ups for you, but he or she can show you good form. A trainer can suggest the best times to work out, and what to eat before or after. 

“A good business coach will equip you with the skills, tools, and habits for you to become independent,” Taher said. “A good coach will make sure you can think independently and you’re trusting your own instincts to move forward in your venture.”

Finding a Good Business Coach

For someone just starting in their business, it can be difficult to choose which business coach will suit their needs and fit their budget. 

“I think it is important to look at the coaches themselves,” Murad suggests. “Check out their qualifications, experience, and the type of industries they have worked in, because that will help you to decide if they would be a good fit for your business.” For example, if your business is product-based, a business coach specializing in selling products would be more beneficial than a coach specializing in providing services. 

“Shop around,” said Iqbal. “Many coaches offer free introductory workshops or go live on social media. That’s a cost-effective way to see if their values align with yours.  Make a list of what you hope to gain from a coach.” The most important thing when finding a business coach is making sure that they are able to help the business where it needs it most, such as email marketing, or product pricing. 

Short Term or Longer

Depending on your business needs and size, your relationship with a business coach can be for a few months or even a few years. After a few months of having a business coach, Iqbal realized it was more beneficial for her to join a group of like-minded small business owners she trusted. She preferred to openly discuss anything business-related with a group of entrepreneurs.

Murad, on the other hand, Bushra thinks a business coach is a valuable investment. Accountability is one of the biggest advantages. “A good coach will bring a new and fresh perspective which can help you with growth,” she said. “But of course, you have to be ready to follow their suggestions and do the heavy lifting.” 

Sanaa is a student at Hinsdale Central High School. She is an avid reader and loves to write and learn about other people’s stories.

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The post Muslim Business Coaches Add Spirituality to the Bottom Line  appeared first on Islamic Horizons.

By Kiran Ansari

Sept/Oct 2023

“If we don’t speak to our children in Urdu, the language can die with us.” This realization hit hard for Nadia Siddiqui from San Jose, Calif. Twenty years ago, there were not many online resources. With no extended family nearby, she was worried that her children – and grandchildren – would not know how to speak their mother tongue if she didn’t put in the effort.

It helped that her husband was also an immigrant from Pakistan. They made it a point to converse in Urdu only and focused on it more than English when their children were young.

“The kids will automatically pick up English from TV and school,” Siddiqui said. “That’s the factory default setting for our North American kids. If we value our mother tongue, then we must put in time to preserve it.”

Mirela Uddin from Algonquin, Ill. made it a point to speak to her children in Bosnian only. She subscribed to a Bosnian language TV channel at home and had the kids Skype with their grandparents regularly. She also spent a couple of months every summer in Bosnia so the children could soak in the language and culture. She believes the Bosnian weekend school and weekly talk in Bosnian at the mosque also helped reinforce the language.

“80-90% of my conversation with my kids is in Bosnian,” Uddin says. “Since my husband is not from Bosnia, and we didn’t have many Bosnian friends here, I knew I had to put in the work.”

Today, her older kids can carry on a conversation in Bosnian. They can order food and converse with the locals. Her daughter even has some Bosnian songs in her playlist. Uddin feels learning an additional language at a young age could have increased their affinity to learn new languages. Her college-aged daughter is also fluent in Spanish.

Siddiqui also took her children to Pakistan regularly. Even though their cousins in Pakistan were encouraged to speak in English, hanging out with extended family and domestic help made a big difference. She started with teaching her children the names of objects in Urdu. Later came stories and the famous “Urdu game” on long car rides and waiting at the doctor’s office. Siddiqui used to say “tree,” or “red,” and the kids would compete to see who could translate in Urdu the fastest. What ensued was a lot of learning – and laughter. After all, keenoo (orange) and konee (elbow) do sound alike.

Enter YouTube and Co.

While Siddiqui didn’t have many resources, parents today can supplement their efforts with online help. Tamania Jaffri in Calgary, Canada has been working tirelessly for the last eight years to preserve the language with her blog, urdumom.com. She loves sharing ideas with families to pass on language and culture to the next generation. Viewers saw her kids grow up on her weekly Urdu story time on Facebook. Recently, she started a YouTube channel called Urdu preschool with familiar rhymes for the littlest ones.

“The response has been amazing,” Jaffri said. “I have years of material based on my experience, and I love taking names of children during the video. Families write to me about how their kids would love to hear their name called out on TV.”

Oregon-mom, Rinad Qutub wanted her children to have educational screen time that helped them learn Arabic. She collaborated with Abrar Shahin from New Jersey and came up with the idea of Kalam Kids after noticing their children responding well to video content. Kalam means words or speech in Arabic. They wanted kids in multilingual households to have access to conversational Arabic. 

“The response for our YouTube channel has been overwhelmingly positive,” Qutub said. “Nothing makes us happier than seeing little ones smiling and engaging with our videos.”

Like other languages, there are many dialects in Arabic. “It’s tough to cater to all dialects because even between the two of us, we say words differently,” Shaheen added. “When choosing which words to use, we refer to traditional Arabic.”

Parents – the Best (and Free) Resource

Jaffri believes that the best tool for passing on language is the parent themselves because children model after them. So, a parent who actively speaks the language with their child, and sings/plays/reads in the language is the best resource. Her videos give parents ideas and remind them of poems and stories in Urdu they might have forgotten themselves.

“The most important thing parents can do is to love and respect Urdu,” Jaffri said. “We carry a lot of colonial baggage in our disdain for Urdu and consider English superior. Children are smart and can pick how their parents feel about the language.”

The Kalam Kids ladies agree that a multimodal approach yields the best results.  They encourage parents and caregivers to watch and repeat the videos along with their little ones to promote an active learning environment. They stress the importance of including learning a language in the daily routines.

Multilingual Households

Children can learn another language even if their parents don’t speak it. The key is that they continue to practice the concepts with someone who can. Today, thanks to Kids Bolo, that can also be online.

In addition to leveled Urdu-English books, and an innovative Urdu talking pen, the Kids Bolo online Urdu conversational classes have become very popular. They have around 200 kids from the U.S., Canada, U.K, and other countries outside Pakistan enrolled in their monthly subscription model.
  

“As parents whose children were born in the West, we felt our choice of relevant resources was limited,” said Masooma Aftab from Toronto. “So, my husband Hamid and I leveraged each other’s professional degrees (Finance/Start Up and Early Childhood/Youth Work) and created those resources ourselves.”

In 2020, they launched as “Inglish For Kids” and sold thousands of books. They used that feedback to rebuild the products from scratch and relaunched as Kids Bolo. Their Urdu taking pen has been very popular as it allows kids to read books in Urdu on their own.

“Bilingualism has many cognitive and social benefits,” Aftab said. “Learning your heritage language not only connects you to a larger community but it helps preserve the culture – its mannerisms, dialogue, nuances. To preserve it, you must practice it out loud and increase exposure like being around people where you hear it consistently.”

“This exposure doesn’t need to come from parents. However, it is extremely helpful if the home environment is supportive of language acquisition and participates in the ‘back and forth’ dialogue,” Aftab said. “Dialogue with other children that are at the same learning level does wonders for learning. In many cases, I have seen both the child and parent hone their Urdu language skills together – which is phenomenal as it enhances bonding between generations.”

Hard Work Pays Off

It can feel daunting to introduce a new language. However, it is possible — and rewarding. You could play regular games like Go Fish or Charades, but in the other language. You could also stick flash cards around the house for kids to remember what a clock or table is called in their mother tongue.

A new language can be fun as long as it doesn’t feel like a chore or homework. “Kids learn best and fastest when they are having fun,” said Qutub. “We find that singing songs and implementing language into games and activities is most beneficial. Just be silly and have fun. “Parents do have to put in extra effort at first. Later, they can enjoy seeing their vocabulary increase and how the children gain more confidence in a beloved language. They don’t have to become poets or scholars in the second language. But if a language can bring them closer to grandparents and their heritage, it is worth the effort for future generations as well. It does not have to be perfect. However, with practice and love, it can be well worth it.

Kiran Ansari is the Assistant Editor of Islamic Horizons. Even though her three kids are at different levels of Urdu fluency, she is grateful that they keep trying. 

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By Tayyaba Syed

Sept/Oct 2023

The first time Amina Shams of Potomac, Md. stepped through the doors of Le Nid, an orphanage that resides on the top floor of a hospital in Meknes, Morocco, she could not help but notice how quiet it was. There were rows and rows of children laying in their cribs but most of them were not making a sound. She soon realized that these innocent babies lived with a harsh reality: why cry if no one is going to come?

Over the next few weeks, she got to spend time with her adopted son, providing as much love and sensory stimulation as she could and watched him bloom. “My heart ached for the children that I’d be leaving behind, and I knew I had to do more,” Shams said.

In 2017, with a group of other adoptive mothers, she founded BLOOM (Better Lives of Orphans Overcoming Misfortune) — the nation’s first 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing mental health, development and educational support to children residing in Moroccan orphanages.

“We wanted to give back to the children we left behind as well as maintain a connection to our children’s birth country,” said Shams. “It happened organically as we talked to other families, and we were able to do things very quickly like put wheels on the cribs, add colors and sensory play items, and get local volunteers to interact with the kids for proper development. The purpose of the main caregivers on staff was to keep the orphans alive but not help them thrive. All these kids needed nurturing, so we decided to formalize our effort, fundraise and do things with structure. Our pilot project was to build an outdoor play garden upstairs for Le Nid. The photographer who was documenting the children’s first exposure to the play garden described their reaction like ‘birds being released from their cage.’ He then became our program volunteer. It’s these small impacts that keep us going.”

Even though BLOOM is a young volunteer-run nonprofit, the organization has been awarded the seal of transparency five years in a row, maintaining its grass-root community-based feel. Visit www.bloomcharity.org to learn more. 

From Intention to Fruition

In 2018, Dr. Fariha Rub moved to Chicago and searched to find a community for herself. That same year, she lost a baby in utero (named Jannah) and performed Hajj. Upon returning, she founded a small halaqa group for Muslim women called Jannah Circle in Naperville, Ill. 

“A lot of women relocate after marriage and don’t [easily] find community,” shares Rub, who is originally from St. Louis, Mo. “My initial intent was to get women together to talk about God once a month. We would meet at home to learn from a local female scholar/teacher and enjoy a meal together. We had social and spiritual time in one gathering.” Once the pandemic hit, Jannah Circle transitioned to virtual programs, collaborating with different speakers and organizations. They quickly grew to a community of 800+ women. Rub then recruited volunteers to help her bring in-person programming back on a larger scale post-Covid. 

“We needed to borrow community spaces, banquet halls, and mosques to serve at a bigger capacity,” Rub recalls. “I wanted everyone to get a piece of the pie in a nonjudgmental setting and leave feeling closer to God.” 

In December 2022, Jannah Circle transitioned into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with an official team of board members and an executive leadership committee of volunteers, who are actively planning and executing its many programs and events. It offers a Sunday school for kids ages 4-11, a community outreach program, supports an orphanage in India as well as local refugee families and single women’s needs, spiritual and social events for women, children and families, and virtual classes. 

To gain nonprofit status, it only took Jannah Circle a short amount of time due to it having a revenue of less than $50,000 a year. There was no paperwork or lawyer needed. Instead, they were able to apply online through a swift process. 

“We hope to expand into a space that offers a sense of belonging for every member of the community from the cradle to the grave,” says Rub, who is a mother of three and a full time hospitalist by profession. “There needs to be a culture of acceptance and growth, and we want Jannah Circle to be able to provide that for people.” 

For those looking to evolve into a nonprofit organization, Rub advises some things to consider like the amount of personal time, commitment and money that is needed to get started. However, she also advises that we should keep a check on our intentions at all times. If your intention remains pure, you can see great barakah (blessings), spiritual advancement, and a sense of community. It’s a beautiful feeling of leaving a legacy behind that comes with this work. 

“Knowing that you are part of an effort towards increasing in sadaqa jariya (ongoing charity) even after you are gone makes it all worth it,” Rub said. 

Check out www.jannahcircle.com to learn more.

Fruits of Labor

The process for Jannah Circle to eventually become a nonprofit from a small group was more gradual than it was for Carriers of Light (COL), a Quran-centered elementary school based in Wheaton, Ill. What originally began as a small part time memorization program for home-schooled girls in 2010, quickly became an established organization in a matter of months.

“We had one teacher and 12 students in my basement three times a week,” remembers Mehreen Bawla, who founded the school with fellow mom and friend Dr. Rand Diab. “In order to pay our teacher, we had to collect funds and needed nonprofit status from the start. We established a board right away and were incorporated by the end of the first year.”

According to Diab, the process to gain nonprofit status was difficult and required a lot of paperwork. ‘Thankfully,’ they had a nonprofit attorney who offered pro bono help. There are also multiple requirements such as having a board and by-laws. However, they did not need to have money in the bank to get started nor are federal audits required to maintain a 501(c)(3) status.

Since neither Bawla, a pharmacist, nor Diab, an ophthalmologist, were educators, they also had to figure out how to run a school efficiently and professionally. They put their trust in God and stayed determined to provide a sound environment for their girls to be able to memorize the Quran.

“We have just been the vehicles, but God is the One that has been guiding us and continuously opening doors for us,” Diab says. “Anytime we wanted to give up or hit a wall, He would show us a way. COL has so strongly been focused on Quranic education, and there’s lots of barakah (blessings) in that. Our mission has been to provide a positive atmosphere for kids to experience the Quran through love and joy and to connect with God in a beautiful way.”

This was lacking in the few programs Diab and Bawla had originally visited before opening COL. They found these places to be ‘cold’ and ‘uninviting’ and wanted to provide a better environment for their girls. The demand quickly grew, and COL added more days, more students, more grades and more subjects. The school relocated to an office space and then eventually moved into its own building in 2017. Since its inception, it has graduated 24 memorizers of the Quran. Now with 125 students, they have already outgrown their current space and are looking to expand yet again. 

“As much as we would love to accommodate more students and families, we want to maintain COL’s elements of being Quran-centered, keeping a small student-teacher ratio and not diluting what makes us special and unique,” notes Diab. 

Bawla adds that COL has always grown in a ‘careful’ way and is certain it will continue to do so with God’s help. To support, visit www.carriersoflight.com.

Tayyaba Syed is a multiple award-winning author, journalist, and Islamic studies teacher. She conducts literary and faith-based presentations for all ages and is an elected member of her local school district’s board of education in Illinois, where she lives with her husband and three children. Learn more at www.tayyabasyed.com.

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The post Blossoming Intentions appeared first on Islamic Horizons.

By Islamic Horizons Staff

Sept/Oct 2023

In the early 1990’s, ISNA leadership asked Dr. Sayyid Muhammad Syeed to take over the helm during challenging times. ISNA’s flagship publication, Islamic Horizons, was also suffering.

Soon after his arrival at ISNA headquarters, Dr. Syeed invited Omer Bin Abdullah to serve as the editor of the magazine. OBA — as he is known to his near and dear —  was born into print media. It is said that he set aside the English alphabet book and insisted on learning it through Lahore’s newspaper, The Pakistan Times. It was through this foundation that he learned to read and write voraciously. With postgraduate degrees in both journalism and advertising, OBA was a great choice.

At a meeting with a new printing company, he asked for a quote based on the paper quality and color of a Sears catalog he had saved from the Sunday newspaper. The printer agreed, but there was a catch: He only accepted jobs of 15,000 or more. Dr. Syeed agreed upon the number when he learned that on average, a magazine is seen by four people in a household. That would make an initial readership of 60,000.

September Means September

OBA  assumed all the responsibilities associated with such an undertaking. “I was everything from the editor, writer, advertising salesperson, accountant, and author recruiter,” he reminisces. “I then went around the ISNA office to collect various magazines and started calling advertisers.” One of their first questions was when the next issue will be mailed out. Omer assured them that “September means September” and that they would find the magazine at that year’s ISNA Convention.

29 years later, Islamic Horizons magazine has always been delivered on time. That is no small feat with only one person in charge of the content.

Not only did Islamic Horizons lack staff, but it also needed interesting content that prospective subscribers would like to read. OBA wrote a lot of the content for the first few issues. The stories and the fresh new look were an instant success. Consistent and timely issues gave impetus to advertisers not only to return, but also to increase their ad sizes. As the ball got rolling, ISNA decided to double the print order to 30,000, and later to 60,000 copies.

People started taking an interest in and inquiring about how to publish articles in the magazine. The quality of the articles continued to improve.

From the design perspective, Anjum Mir made a significant contribution. The masthead she designed continues to adorn the cover. When she left, it was difficult to find a Muslim designer in Plainfield, In. who could find appropriate graphics for the articles. When they were finally able to find one, he also came with a caveat. He would work flexible hours. That sounds commonplace today. However, it was not that convenient before high-speed internet, Zoom and Google Suite. OBA would wait for him to ring the headquarters doorbell, even if it was at 2a.m.

OBA also faced personal challenges during this time and when his health did not allow him to continue living in what was once a grand farmhouse, he started working remotely from his home in Northern Virginia. This way he could also be close to his wife and two children.

OBA  brought on Omar Elhaddad, a gifted graphic artist and desktop publisher, and Jay Willoughby, an experienced copyeditor. Their professionalism, along with that of Gamal Abdelaziz, who eventually replaced Elhaddad, has raised the magazine’s profile and encouraged more people to contribute. Over the years, scores of seasoned and new writers graced the pages of this popular magazine.

“Omer Uncle’s tenacity and humor has kept the magazine afloat at a time when many other publications have closed down,” said Saba Ali, Islamic Horizons board member (and incidentally, like him a Syracuse alum). “He has given countless young writers, me included, a platform to tell our stories and our Muslim community a voice that is uniquely ours.”

The Inclusive Coverage

From day one, Islamic Horizons’ staff has worked hard to make the magazine more inclusive by highlighting various Muslim communities both within North America and abroad. For instance, the cover report on African American Muslims impressed the (late) Imam WD Mohammad so much that even though he had only sought three copies, he eventually asked for 5,000 more. ISNA rushed the print order and gifted it to him.

Upon seeing the issue, Louis Farrakhan also requested 500 copies by courier for distribution to the heads of delegations attending a conference being held by the Organization of African Unity.

In 2003, OBA obtained an exclusive photographer’s bird’s-eye view of the hajj from photography enthusiast Princess Reem al-Faisal, granddaughter of King Faisal. Among the many other outstanding issues, Omer takes personal pride in publishing the cover story “Jerusalem: A Muslim City” (Jan/Feb 2001) and the grand cover report on poet-philosopher Mohammad Iqbal (March/April 2005).

The effort to keep the North American community informed continues. Islamic Horizons has highlighted Latino and Indigenous North American peoples, the Cham of Vietnam and Cambodia as well as the Rohingya of Myanmar, and other minorities of our ummah.

The Documentation

Islamic Horizons has also featured, whenever possible, reports on North American cities with large Muslim populations (such as Chicago, Detroit, and Dallas) to record the history of Islam and Muslims on this continent. This includes articles on Islamophobia and various polls conducted among Muslims; the election or appointment of Muslims to local, state, and federal offices; as well as the ongoing establishment of mosques and/or Islamic centers and schools.

OBA said. “We request pioneers to contact us and relay their memories. We consider it a vital undertaking to record our history for our descendants.”

Islamic Horizons has also garnered praise from its own genre — publications by religious organizations. It has secured several awards from the century-old Religious Communicators Council — of which it is the only Muslim member. OBA considers it a crowning moment when his alma mater, Syracuse University, contacted him to let him know that they had decided to bind, shelve, and catalog Islamic Horizons, thereby making it more accessible to everyone.

“Unfortunately, our community’s support in terms of both subscribing and contributing informative articles has been negligible,” OBA said. “While 60,000 families were glad to receive the magazine for free at one point, only few of them subscribed when the complimentary issues stopped.”

The Vision

OBA envisages Islamic Horizons as a mix of community news and Time/Newsweek sort of publication. Therefore, he has highlighted the situations in many parts of the Muslim world and presented accounts of events and other information that is not reported in the Western media. He also strives to obtain reports and first-hand accounts to highlight the challenges faced by Muslims living under occupation and as minorities.

Clearly, existing Muslim media outlets cannot improve and flourish without institutional support. Moreover, unlike mainstream media outlets, the reality of Islamophobia prevents it from garnering a great deal of advertising revenue.

A strong believer in the print media’s ability to survive, he cites the example of the retail industry that, despite having top-notch websites, keeps mailing expensive catalogs. In short, he sees hope.

“During these nearly three decades, I have faced multiple health issues, like complicated fractures and illnesses,” OBA adds. “But despite such problems, Islamic Horizons has never missed its publication date or compromised on its quality. The small staff we have at the magazine staff continues its efforts to continue my vision. I invite our magazine readers to join us in this ongoing effort.”

A Hardworking Family Man

Despite being a wordsmith, OBA finds it hard to express appreciation for the support he has received from his wife and children while rebuilding the magazine — an unstinted support that continues even today.

His dedication has not gone unnoticed.

“Coming from a line of writers, my dad would often tell me that his passion for writing ran in his blood,” said his daughter, Amal Omer. “He believes deeply in the value of Islamic Horizons sharing the positive work of the Muslim community. With his work on the magazine, he shared that he hoped the stories inspired our Ummah — especially the next generation — to remain strong and committed to practicing their faith.”

“I recall my dad frequently shuttling between Virginia and Indiana, dedicating himself to working on the magazine,” said Ali Omer, his son. “He went to great lengths, even residing in Plainfield for a few months, as he tirelessly strived to resurrect an abandoned publication and transform it into a nationally recognized and acclaimed magazine. It has truly been a labor of love for him, pouring his heart and soul into it for the betterment of the Ummah.”

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The post The Revival of Islamic Horizons appeared first on Islamic Horizons.

Sept/Oct 2023

As the summer sun gently retreats beyond the horizon, an unmistakable air of anticipation permeates the atmosphere, heralding the annual ISNA convention. This mega event exerts a magnetic force that draws throngs of Muslim Americans, united in their fervent pursuit of knowledge, connection, and inspiration. The convention halls come alive, transformed into bustling hives of lectures and activities, echoing with the eager footsteps of attendees traversing the long corridors of Chicago’s Donald Stephen Convention Center. Every inch of the premises seems infused with an inherent rush, guiding each person from one captivating session to the next, leaving them wanting for more. With each passing year, the fervor intensifies, and the race to attend sessions surges as the program ambitiously expands, featuring an array of topics as diverse as the stars in the night sky.

To outsiders, it may seem like a familiar picture repeating itself annually — thousands of individuals hurrying from hall to hall, clutching their program catalogs like cherished treasures, their eyes alight with excitement. The inexperienced may question the utility of including so many sessions, spanning from deeply personal narratives to issues of local importance, and even touching upon global challenges faced by Muslims.

A Grand Vision

But beneath this seemingly repetitive surface lies a tapestry of intricate dynamics, interwoven with layers of purpose and meaning. The whirlwind of activities transforms them into participants of a movement that crosses the confines of national or ethnic borders. Within the seemingly modest organization called ISNA, a grand and audacious vision has spread its roots, blooming flickers of hope even in the most skeptical of hearts.

As the vision and hope weave together people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and ages, a vibrant mosaic of experiences and perspectives continues to emerge. Each thread flaunts its distinct character, seamlessly woven into the fabric of a united community, converging hyphenated identities and bridging the gaps of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. With every passing year, the convention has ensued a unique space of connection, discovery, exploration, and growth. Within this sacred space, fundamental human questions find answers — “Who am I?” “Where do I belong?” and “How can I be a bridge to a brighter future?”

True observers get to witness the interplay of diverse voices and visions coming together in a symphony of harmony, each note adding to the larger narrative of the Muslim American community’s journey and their generational transitions. Serving as a vantage point, this convention allows Muslims to observe and understand the evolving dynamics of individual identity and their respective communities in North America. It unfolds a comprehensive view of generational shifts, reshaping Muslim Americans’ identity, priorities, and aspirations.

Cast back to 1963, ISNA members acknowledged the Eid festivals by exchanging heartfelt greetings through the simple yet meaningful Eid cards. In those early days, the Muslim American communities were significantly few and still in their infancy, forging their paths in a society largely unfamiliar with Islam. In that context, the exchange of Eid cards served as a beacon, fostering connections, celebrating religious holidays, and nurturing a sense of belonging despite their small numbers. However, it marks a time of only laying a solid foundation for future growth by building strong brotherhood.

Fast forward to the year 2022, where the ISNA convention celebrated approved Eid holidays in multiple states across the nation. It hosted a full session showcasing kids’ captivating movies based on the life of the famous Persian spiritual leader, Jalaluddin Rumi. This powerful display embodies how American Muslims are coming of age and expanding their spiritual heritage, seeking innovative ways to pass it on to the younger generation in a manner that engages and resonates with their youthful hearts. These are just a couple of many changes of convention themes and topics, which bear testimony to the generational evolution from defending to defining themselves.

From its early years centered on forging a sense of community and religious identity among immigrant Muslim populations, the ISNA convention has evolved into a powerhouse addressing pressing issues like voicing against injustice, eliminating biases, and securing Muslims’ equal rights in America. Again, Muslim security is enforced not by protecting them with high walls, but by giving them all possible resources, and its convention is the plugging point of all appropriate networks to instill confidence and bargain for what they need. This transformation signifies a significant shift from mere survival to a proactive approach of shaping their narrative.

In the past, many lecture sessions emphasized the importance of establishing mosques and Islamic centers, creating sacred spaces for newcomers to connect with fellow Muslims, preserving their cultural and religious heritage in a foreign land. Now, the convention includes sessions to educate Muslim communities on how to combat animosity in neighborhoods and challenge unjust opposition from county offices.

Themes Over the Years

Many such transitions become apparent as the tides of history unfold. During the mid-sixties and seventies, the ISNA convention hosted sessions to highlight the importance of adhering to Islamic practices amidst dominant secularizing Judeo-Christian ideals in America. Whereas, in the following decade, mid-seventies to eighties, it stressed on refuting implicit blame on Islam and restoring American Muslims’ image. In the post-2001, after 9/11, the convention sessions emphasized on raising American non-Muslims’ awareness of Islam through interfaith collaboration and political participation, and lastly after 2016, an increasing number of sessions are allocated in raising civil rights and political awareness of domestic Muslims.

These changes in the convention’s topics and themes transcend mere events; they personify the profound generational shift that has taken place within the Muslim American community. A shift reverberating through language and cultural expression, radiating the demographic transformation of the Muslim American identity. While the early years saw predominantly English language sessions, the exponential growth and diversification of Muslim communities in America have given rise to sessions conducted in multiple languages, namely Arabic, Turkish, Urdu or Hindi, honoring the needs of the younger, American-born generation.

Additionally, the inclusion of various art forms, including spoken word, poetry, and music, at the convention showcases how the contemporary Muslims seek to express their faith and cultural identity in creative and innovative ways. Such a rich convention outline plays as a powerful tool for engaging and connecting with young attendees, allowing them to see their values and experiences reflected in the convention’s programming.

Under the presidency of Dr. Ingrid Matson, ISNA consciously ensured to have women speakers for all main and parallel sessions. These changes and the expansion of topics, including discussions on social justice, human rights, environmental sustainability, and civic engagement, resonate with the heightened awareness of broader societal issues.

It’s important that Muslim American communities undergo many such transitions not as a linear experience; rather it represents a profound blend of past realities and present possibilities. ISNA itself has changed its strategy to ensure the maximum coverage for mirroring this generational shift comprehensively. Previously, ISNA spent their time working for religious committees and guilds, but now they let professional experts – writers, artists, therapists, spiritual guides — be the producers while they consume what they need to enrich themselves spiritually and holistically. This strategic change encourages Muslims to view their religion anew and realize that Islam is no longer something people inherit, but something for which they strive.

Next 60 Years

The claim made by ISNA executive director, Basharat Saleem, that the convention “has ably served the community for 60 years, and we are ready to embark on our journey for the next 60” is not an exaggeration at all. The convention embodies the changing needs and interests of its attendees, reflecting the awe-inspiring growth, diversity, and dynamism of the community. Beyond merely connecting various generations, it artfully bridges the gap between the rich heritage of the past and the vibrant aspirations of the future.

As the convention continues to be redesigned, let us witness the Muslim Americans’ evolution and learn our distinct individual influence and contribution. Let us find our rightful place in the broader community and understand how the Muslim identity — individually and collectively — has been reshaped by the social factors to which we have been subject from time to time in America. Such an understanding will not only enrich our appreciation for the Muslim growth in America but also enhance our ability to meet challenges of the time ahead.

Rasheed Rabbi is an IT professional who earned an MA in religious studies from Hartford Seminary and is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry from Boston University. He is also the founder of e-Dawah (www.edawah.net) and secretary of the Association of Muslim Scientists, Engineers & Technology Professionals. He serves as a khateeb and Friday prayer leader at the ADAMS Center and a certified Muslim chaplain at iNova Fairfax, iNova Loudoun and Virginia’s Alexandria and Loudoun Adult Detention Centers.

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By Iqbal J. Unus

Sept/Oct 2023

It is often said that those who do not know where they came from will not know where they are going. This is a truism that applies even more aptly to communities and organizations, and by extension, their leaders, and members. It is important that those who take the reins of organizations today grasp the fact that their long journey began with small steps, and that their communities of thousands have grown from the dedicated service of a few.

Today ISNA is arguably the most influential of organizations and institutions that represent and serve the interests of the growing community of Muslims in the U.S. and Canada.

ISNA claims and promotes leadership and service as its guiding principles and draws from those themes for its most visible activities; an annual convention, its flagship bimonthly award-winning publication, two annual education forums, and its active engagement with governmental and religious institutions. In addition, a vibrant youth program, an inclusive orientation, and a stewardship outlook have earned ISNA a prominent place in the Muslim American community. ISNA’s annual conventions and Islamic Horizons magazine are recognized as significant contributions to the maturity of the Muslim American presence in North America.

ISNA’s comprehensive work in many areas of Muslim American life has enabled it to initiate and lead collaborative initiatives among Muslim organizations to advance common goals. By thoughtfully collaborating with faith-based organizations, civic-minded activist groups, and governmental entities at national levels, ISNA has secured a preeminent position as a representative voice of Muslim Americans.

How did it all begin?

In 1963 a small group of Muslim international students met on the campus of University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. Enthusiastic about the opportunity to make a mark on the social discourse in a continent they had barely settled in yet and committed to Islam as their ethical and spiritual anchor, they began to chart an ambitious plan to strengthen bonds among Muslims and promote friendly relations with people of other faiths across the continent.

Their vision was to encourage and enable Muslims in the U.S. and Canada to live their lives in their new environment inspired by their Islamic ethos and to present Islam to their new compatriots. They knew they had the energy and the foresight to chart a course that would guide generations of Muslims to nurture an Islamic society in this continent.

They were still students. They decided to stake their presence where they had the space and privilege to plant the roots of their movement — on college campuses. They formed the Muslim Students Association of the United States and Canada, popularly known as MSA.

Their numbers on various college campuses increased rapidly in the 1960s leading to the expansion of MSA chapters across the country. While these chapters provided Muslim students on college campuses a cultural home, MSA at the continental level offered services and representation far beyond their reach. From sending advanced students and learned scholars to help Muslim communities celebrate religious festivals to offering advice and support in navigating new cultural norms, MSA was what the Muslim community needed. It offered seminars and conferences, handouts and publications, and an affirmation of their Muslim identity where it was scarcely recognized.

MSA’s second annual report in 1964 listed thirty-four community organizations that it had already established contacts with. In the following two decades MSA established a sure footing in the Muslim American community at large. A college campus could not confine the unbridled energy and ambition of these international students, the best and the brightest in days of “brain drain.”

The all-encompassing vision

The students’ ambition was reflected in the 1972 Constitution of MSA, which described MSA as “a nonprofit Islamic religious organization.” The organization’s stated purposes included “to help Muslims in the U.S. and Canada carry out Islamic activities in pursuance of Islam as a complete way of life,” and “to assist Muslim students, alumni and communities to form local chapters and carry out Islamic activities.” Its membership qualifications stated that “All Muslims are eligible to participate in the Islamic activities of the Association.”

The Constitution did give “A Muslim student” an upper hand as an “Active Member” as opposed to “Any other Muslim” who would be an “Associate Member.” Active members had full voting rights and could seek election to offices in the Executive Committee, whereas “All Muslims” could vote for the office of Secretary for Community Affairs.

The Constitution encouraged the formation of local chapters “at University Campuses and in the communities to facilitate achieving the purposes of the Association.” It reinforced this definition by including in its description of Affiliation “All Islamic Organizations in the United States and Canada … that conduct regular Islamic activities.” (Emphasis added)

Further reading of the MSA Constitution, presented to the General Assembly on September 2, 1972, defined an organization that was wedded to a vision, aspiration and commitment associated with the interest of all Muslims within its reach.

MSA’s annual conventions reflected this broader foresight, and a community-oriented vision, through their themes. For example: Contemporary Islamic Movements in 1970, Islam and Muslims in North America in 1972 and Future of Islam and Muslims in North America in 1974.

Notwithstanding its student roots on a college campus, MSA unquestionably dedicated itself to all Muslims and all things Islamic. It focused on the place and participation of Muslims in American society at large. It asserted its presence and practice in both the U.S. and Canada as the two prominent countries in North America.

Thus, the ISNA was born on Jan. 1, 1963, as the MSA, anticipated to fulfill the pioneers’ penetrating vision to lead and serve Muslim Americans and American society at large.

This is a vision that ISNA honors at its 60th annual convention in Chicago this year.

Pathway to ISNA

During these early MSA years, graduate students and newly appointed academics and professionals formed nascent professional organizations. These professional organizations — Islamic Medical Association (IMA), Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers (AMSE), and Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS) — teamed with MSA to form a Council of Presidents for coordination and collaboration purposes.

In the Spring of 1977, MSA’s leadership gathered about fifty local community leaders for consultation at the MSA headquarters in Plainfield, In. Following this consensus-seeking meeting, dubbed “Closing the Ranks,” the MSA executive committee set up a taskforce to respond to the growth of post-college and off-campus Muslim communities in the U.S. and Canada. The Council of Presidents endorsed the idea.

The deliberations of this taskforce, and its subcommittees, resulted in a set of significant recommendations. The recommendations created the Muslim Community Association of the United States and Canada (MCA) and redefined MSA exclusively as a student organization with a membership limited to college students. The recommendations also created an umbrella organization, the ISNA, to bring together the newly minted MCA and the three professional organizations with the redefined student organization, the MSA, as its constituents.

This process of MSA graduating to the predestined ISNA, with a redefined MSA as the new student-based constituent, took almost two years. A steering committee educated its members and other Muslims in the U.S. and Canada about the concept and implementation of the anticipated changes. Several teams of two MSA leaders each traveled to major cities and spoke to Muslims in mosques and other places of their gathering. They explained the rationale behind the proposed transformation and displayed the new organizational structure that will follow from those changes.

In May 1982, during a joint MSA-ISNA convention at Indiana University in Bloomington, In., eleven past MSA presidents spoke in a special session titled “From MSA to ISNA: Twenty Years of Islamic Work in North America.”

The Steering Committee reported on the referendum results on the new draft of the ISNA constitution, and attendees elected MCA’s Executive Committee. At the following joint MSA-ISNA convention in 1983, members of ISNA elected and appointed ISNA’s first Majlis ash Shura and ISNA officers. These actions, in effect, transferred MSA’s interests and assets, as well as members who were not students, and off-campus chapters, to ISNA. ISNA’s Majlis ash Shura met for the first time at ISNA’s headquarters in Plainfield in July 1983.

Having fully developed from its proto existence as MSA, and following a later merger with MCA, ISNA entered the eighties amidst a backdrop of global turbulence that created waves in the U.S. Each and all these events nudged ISNA to respond to the Americans’ curiosity, concern, and distress about Muslim Americans and their organizations. ISNA responded by opening itself more to mainstream America than it had done in its MSA years. It sought to openly speak for Muslims at large and found a slowly growing acceptance of its representative role in American society.

Over the years, ISNA has endeavored to live up to its matured vision: To be an exemplary and unifying Islamic organization in North America that contributes to the betterment of the Muslim community and society at large.

This year, ISNA celebrates its sixty years of service since its founding as MSA in 1963. Firmly anchored in its roots, reaching into its unbridled potential, and aiming high at what is ahead, ISNA is navigating its way forward with confidence in its ability, drawing strength from its members and well-wishers and its whole-hearted belief that no success comes except from God.

Iqbal J. Unus is former president of MSA (1975), former secretary general of ISNA, and current ISNA Board member.

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Sept/Oct 2023

Since 1963, ISNA’s annual convention has been part of many Muslim calendars. With the first convention held in Urbana, Ill., ISNA has come a long way. From university lecture halls to gigantic convention centers, and from attendees staying in dorm rooms to nice hotels, the convention has really evolved.  

What has remained consistent is a great speaker lineup and an opportunity to meet friends from near and far.

Hamid Khan was the vice president of MSA Canada from 1972 until the late 1980s. He was also their science and technology advisor. One of his jobs was to invite speakers to the conventions.

“We used to invite speakers from India, Pakistan, Britain, and even South Africa. The speeches were not only for students, but for families as well,” Khan said.

Iman Elkadi, a former chair of MSA’s women’s committee, moved from Austria to the U.S. in 1967. Her husband learned about the convention from the founders, whom they knew from Europe. When Elkadi and her family arrived in the U.S, they attended their first convention in Ohio. She figured that would be a good way to learn about being a Muslim in the U.S. and to connect with fellow Muslims in the country. She was excited to go to her first convention because there were not many Muslims in Louisiana.

“We would travel a lot so that we could meet other families who had children because for many years, we were the only Muslim family in our town. The ISNA convention was the highlight of the year for me. We lived for it because it was what we needed, what we wanted, and what we enjoyed.”

Since she attended that first convention, Elkadi has attended numerous times over the years. The convention was very small at the start, so everyone got to know each other well. She got to make meaningful connections with other Muslim families, and her kids were able to play with other Muslim children. The families she had met were from all around the country, yet they kept in contact through phone and mail.

The sentiment was mirrored by Khan.

“Students and families came together and got to know each other. Muslims from around the U.S. and Canada would meet each other and make great connections,” he said.

MSA Canada worked closely with MSA in the U.S. in terms of planning conventions, starting programs for Muslim students and families, and building a large Muslim community. 

Women at ISNA Conventions

With the MSA women’s committee, Elkadi organized a girl’s camp for MSA. She remembers how she worked with the women she met to bring about change. At the conventions, the women used to have separate sessions which Elkadi and some of the other women would lead. They would discuss the role of women in society and how they could contribute in different ways. Many of the women, including Elkadi herself, were first generation immigrants. Some other immigrant women felt they could not contribute as they were “just” homemakers.

“We tried to get them to see that they could contribute whatever skills they had, whatever knowledge they had, even if it wasn’t formal education,” Elkadi explained. “We would have sessions about parenting and how to be a more productive member of society, from an Islamic perspective. That was our primary concern: how to get women to become more active in the community. 

She would write articles for Al-Imtihan Magazine about the different issues that women were facing. She also helped organize an effort to make different items to sell to the Muslim community.

“I remember, one year, it was very hard to find long sleeved dresses to wear for Salah, so we bought cloth and made dresses. We then sold them at the convention.”

They also created Islamic coloring books for kids and helped compile a book about Islamic parenting as well. Looking at the bazaar today with such a wide range of products, it is interesting to learn about its humble beginnings. The idea for the bazaar and selling Islamic items began with Elkadi and the women’s committee several decades ago.

On a personal note, Elkadi reminisces about her experiences attending the conventions, not only as part of the women’s committee, but as a Muslim woman and mother. She remembers listening to speakers, like Jamal Badawi. Her favorite talks were centered around spirituality rather than politics. She fondly looks back on how she was able to quickly make friends with everyone at the conventions, and how close they became. She still remembers how happy she felt being able to see her friends each year at the conventions.

“What I miss now is that when I go to a convention, I don’t know anyone,” she says.

The Muslim population has grown over the years making the conventions a lot bigger than they used to be. At the start, it was a small group. Everyone was able to talk to and meet just about everyone, but with bigger conventions, it is a little harder. Elkadi admits she does miss the way the old conventions felt, as she prefers smaller, familiar groups. She knows that having a big venue is necessary, as the Muslim community has grown.

“I have never enjoyed large crowds, but that’s just a personal thing,” Elkadi said.

“When the conventions used to be smaller, there used to be only one big Islamic speech at a time. In the evening, after the main speeches, there would be group discussions on different topics. Some people would teach things about Hadiths, Fiqh, and even topics students were majoring in, like accounting. I would talk about science and technology to engineering students,” Khan explained.

The group discussions worked well because of the smaller size. Now that the conventions are bigger, there are different sessions happening all at once throughout the day, with one big session that everyone attends at night.

“Multiple parallel sessions are nice as they can cover a variety of topics. However, that’s a little frustrating for me, because if there are two or three in the same time slot that I would like to attend, I can’t pick one,” Elkadi said.

Even though she misses the smaller, more familiar gatherings, she knows the heart of the convention is the same. It is just on a bigger scale to accommodate the growing needs. 

The ISNA convention has not only been a means to spread Islamic knowledge but also build a sense of community and belonging. And that is exactly what it did for Elkadi and her family. 

Rabiyah Syed, a Junior at Naperville Central, loves photography and is interested in pursuing a career in the medical field.

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Sept/Oct 2023

Through its wide array of services, ISNA has undoubtedly touched hundreds of thousands of lives in six decades. From conventions that provide spiritual guidance through highly qualified scholars, to high-level engagement with federal and state administrations, ISNA is looked upon as a leader in various areas.

Vice President, Kareem Irfan, who has been associated with the organization since 1984, was attracted to ISNA through the convention and since has served in various high-level positions dealing with Islamic wills, strategic planning, Muslim arbitration, and interfaith coalitions. His legal expertise helped tremendously when the State Department was investigating Islamic organizations.

“ISNA has been an incubator for many organizations that started with people getting together and pooling intellectual and financial resources. Several ISNA alumni work in top levels of academia, government, and the corporate and nonprofit world,” Irfan said. “I came back to ISNA when I could dedicate serious time because I strongly believe in leadership transparency. The higher up you go, the humbler you need to be. I have taken on this role as an amanah (trust) and that’s why I refer to myself as ‘Servant number 2’ for the community.”  

Treasurer, Azhar Azeez, has been with ISNA for the last 22 years. He believes ISNA has been able to thrive for 60 years because of the duas of our community and sacrifices made by the founding fathers and mothers and the leaders and volunteers that served this organization.

“The beauty of ISNA is that it is not ideologically driven. It is an all-inclusive organization,” Azeez said. Its leadership is elected through an electoral process. The membership or the general body is the top decision-making body. ISNA’s vision right from its inception in 1963 was that the Muslim community is very diverse. Anyone who believes in the creed (shahadah) is a Muslim. They should not be ignored because of their sect or school of thought.”

Both leaders agree that ISNA’s consistent interfaith and intrafaith work is considered a benchmark in the country for various communities to emulate. ISNA is also passionate about gender equality and women empowerment. Nearly every session in a conference or convention has a female speaker or presenter as part of policy.

The Education Forums bring hundreds of full-time Islamic and weekend school teachers under one roof and provide them innovative ways and solutions to cater the growing needs of our community. The chaplaincy programs assist chaplains in U.S. armed forces, hospitals, and universities. The matrimonial services benefit hundreds of couples every year to find suitable life partners. The convention bazaar brings more than 600 vendors annually promoting Muslim businesses and organizations offering important products and services.  

Leadership agrees that ISNA needs to enhance its online presence and leverage the MYNA success story. Mentoring around 3,000 youth annually with Islamic values and launching well-rounded leaders for tomorrow is no small feat.

With lots of successes under its belt, ISNA still has a lot of important work to do.

Tall Task Ahead                                                        

“ISNA needs to promote its services and have tiered levels of membership across the country. It needs to chalk out a network of regions and key cities where staff members host town hall meetings to understand current challenges,” Irfan said. “We need to recruit highly efficient staff in our Washington D.C. office to elevate its credibility on a national level.”

ISNA also needs to coordinate mental health programs and senior homes on a national level. There needs to be more collaboration with ISNA Canada – and perhaps even foray into Mexico to become a truly North American organization.

“The core responsibility of ISNA leadership is not just raising funds — but ensuring good use of the funds,” Irfan said. “To remain relevant, ISNA needs to have a finger on the pulse of the communities it serves. It needs to remain active on the civic, government, and interfaith levels.”

“I pray ISNA continues to offer these important services to the American Muslim community and provide solutions to the challenges faced by our community for the next several decades,” Azeez concluded.  

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By Wendy DIaz

Sept/Oct 2023

There is a new vacation destination that is captivating the hearts of Muslims around the world. With miles of crystal-clear beaches, stretches of rainforest, architectural gems, and tantalizing cuisine, this place is a haven for those seeking both natural beauty and cultural immersion.

What surprises visitors even more is the unexpected Islamic influence that adorns this enchanting place. We are talking about none other than the Isla del Encanto, Puerto Rico. In the aftermath of the devastating Hurricanes Irma and María in 2017, Islamic relief organizations and Muslim leaders rallied together to provide aid to the affected population. Witnessing the island’s breathtaking beauty and recognizing its potential as a “halal” tourist destination, Muslims began traveling to Puerto Rico for vacations and voluntourism. This emerging destination is causing a buzz within the Muslim community in the United States, and it is no surprise. Affordable prices, gorgeous views, and a rich history intertwined with Islam make it the perfect place to visit.

Travel enthusiasts may be surprised to learn that a plane ride from the U.S. to Puerto Rico is considered a domestic flight. Puerto Rico, once a Spanish colony, was annexed by the U.S. in 1898 at the end of the Spanish-American War and has since remained its territory. Prior to Spanish colonization, Puerto Rico’s indigenous inhabitants, known as the Taíno, referred to the land as Boriken or Borinquen, meaning “the land of the valiant and noble Lord.” The term Boricua is used to describe a person of Puerto Rican origin. While often referred to as an island, Puerto Rico is an archipelago consisting of one main island and several smaller islands and islets located in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Florida.

The Colonial History of Puerto Rico

Spain colonized Puerto Rico in the late 15th century, leading to significant changes in its religious and cultural identity. Before colonization, the indigenous Taíno people had a complex belief system rooted in nature and a connection to the divine. The arrival of Christopher Columbus and subsequent Spanish influence transformed the island’s religious landscape. His efforts were driven by the spread of Christianity and the acquisition of wealth and power at a time when the Spanish monarchs were reconquering the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rulers. King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabela succeeded in expelling Muslims and Jews from the Iberian Peninsula in 1492. Consequently, Columbus’ voyages to the New World were funded by the spoils of war gained with the defeat of the final Muslim stronghold in Granada.

The Doctrine of Discovery, issued by Pope Alexander VI in 1493 (Inter Caetera), authorized Spain and Portugal to colonize the Americas and its Native peoples as subjects. Only recently rescinded on March 30, 2023, it provided religious and legal justification for Spanish exploration and colonization, marking the beginning of the colonial era in the Caribbean. This religious document resulted in the forced conversion and exploitation of the native inhabitants of the newly discovered islands, including Puerto Rico’s Taíno.

Spanish settlers reshaped Puerto Rico’s cultural and sociopolitical landscape over a period of three hundred years from the 16th to 19th centuries. They imposed their culture, language, and religious beliefs on the indigenous population. Islamic influences may have been present in the early Spanish explorations and with the arrival of crypto-Muslims (Muslims pretending to be Christians), descendants of the Moors of Spain, and enslaved Africans, many of whom were Wolof Muslims. Later migrations of North and West Africans and Middle Easterners would solidify the Muslim presence in Puerto Rico in the 19th and 20th centuries. Puerto Rico evolved into a melting pot of diverse traditions and a new Puerto Rican identity emerged over time, blending elements of Spanish, African, and indigenous heritage.

American colonialism followed Spanish rule in Puerto Rico after the Spanish-American War. The American government sought to assert control over the island and introduced English language schools, American laws, and Protestant missionary work. However, Puerto Ricans largely maintained their Spanish, African, and indigenous identities. The process of colonization and the interplay of different cultures gave rise to a unique syncretism, reflected in language, music, dance, and religious practices. This new identity continues to evolve, driven by ongoing efforts to reclaim lost heritage and resist the effects of colonialism. While Catholicism remains dominant, other faiths, including Islam, are also flourishing on the island.

The Muslims of Puerto Rico

From the early to mid-1900’s, Puerto Rico welcomed the migration of former citizens of the Ottoman Empire and Arabs, particularly Palestinians, fleeing political turmoil and seeking business opportunities. Today, the Muslim community in Puerto Rico consists mostly of Middle Eastern and Asian immigrants and their descendants. Palestinians make up the majority, residing in large cities like San Juan, Caguas, and Ponce, where they have established Islamic centers and thriving businesses. The influence of the prominent Arab Muslim community is evident in the presence of nine mosques scattered across the island, where services are conducted in Arabic.

Alongside recent Arab immigrants, there are also Puerto Ricans with roots on the island who are converting to Islam. Puerto Rican Muslims, both on the island and in the diaspora, have contributed to the growth of the Muslim community and formed organizations to serve the needs of Latin American Muslims. While there is no accurate measure of the Muslim population, anecdotal evidence suggests an increasing number of local converts in Puerto Rico’s mosques.

A Halal Tour Guide

One Puerto Rican convert who is raising awareness about her homeland’s Islamic roots through what she calls “halal” tourism is Carolina resident Miriam Colón. Miriam is a Puerto Rican Muslim who embraced Islam in 2001 while studying in New Jersey. The Covid-19 pandemic prompted her to reevaluate her priorities and move back to Puerto Rico to be closer to family.

During that time, Miriam found the opportunity to pursue her passion project: becoming a tour guide and establishing Islam en/in Puerto Rico. Settling in Orocovis, she completed a tourism course and developed a successful business plan that combines community project management, outreach efforts, and halal tourism. This venture allows her to serve and educate residents and guests of Puerto Rico while fulfilling her spiritual aspirations.

Miriam’s curiosity about the Andalusian architecture in Old San Juan led her to explore the history of Islam in Puerto Rico. She said, “I read what I could find on the web, but I wanted to visit and get to know the Muslims there.” She initially sought information online, but moving to Puerto Rico was a turning point. She said, “Living here has definitely played a huge role in being able to benefit the future growth potential of Islam on the Island.”

As a tour guide specializing in Islamic-inspired architecture and culture, Miriam has led over 100 tours in Puerto Rico since June 2021. These tours have catered to both Muslims and non-Muslims, including humanitarian organizations like Islamic Relief, COSSAO, and local initiatives. Her clients have included imams, who have visited Puerto Rico to vacation with family or provide services. The overall impression from those who have experienced her tours has been extremely positive. Find out more on social media @islamenpuertorico  

An Enduring Islamic Legacy

Miriam now serves as a guide to help others discover the hidden cultural gems of Puerto Rico. Islamic influence can be found everywhere, from the language of its people to the architectural masterpieces of the Spanish colonial period. Phrases like ojalá, which is derived from the Arabic “in sha’Allah” or “law sha Allah” (God willing), and words like arroz (rice), azúcar (sugar), and barrio (neighborhood) are part Puerto Rican Spanish echoing its Arabic heritage. In Old San Juan, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983, buildings such as La Casa de España, El Ateneo Puertorriqueño, and Moorish style haciendas give the city a unique vibe reminiscent of Southern Spain and North Africa.

Puerto Rico’s cuisine reflects the flavors of the island’s diverse cultural influences, including African, Mediterranean, and Spanish flavors that trace their roots to the Islamic Golden Age in the Iberian Peninsula. An example of this culinary fusion is seen in the popular dish known as pinchos, or Puerto Rican style kebabs.

In addition to language, architecture, and gastronomy, several other customs showcase the cultural influences in Puerto Rico. These include music and dance forms like bomba and plena, and traditional festivals that celebrate African and Spanish roots. Artistic traditions, such as vejigante masks, symbolizing the defeated Moors of Spain, highlight the blend of indigenous, African, and Iberian art. Furthermore, religious beliefs and superstitions demonstrate the multicultural nature of the island’s society.

Descendants of Puerto Ricans who have migrated to the U.S.  and other countries, and embraced Islam, are also returning to Puerto Rico to explore their history. Mutah Beale, a famous former rapper and member of the musical group Outlawz, is an example of this phenomenon.  Beale’s father was African American, and his mother was Puerto Rican. Both joined the Nation of Islam in the 1970’s, and later converted to Sunni Islam. Three years after Beale’s birth, his parents were killed but he and his siblings maintained their faith as Muslims. Beale has had a remarkable journey from being a rapper alongside the late superstar, Tupac Shakur, in the 1990s to becoming a practicing Muslim living in Saudi Arabia.

In recent years, Beale has turned his attention to his mother’s homeland, purchasing land to develop and dedicate to her legacy. In a social media post in 2022, he shared a video of his property on a hillside near El Yunque Rainforest and wrote, “Puerto Rico is my late mother’s homeland. May Allah have mercy on her. May Allah make this project a success and a way to give back to the Puerto Rican people.” Beale, who is now a successful restaurateur, has expressed his intention to give back to the island and its inhabitants by building an eco-resort and providing job opportunities for locals. His commitment is driven by this genuine personal connection and desire to make a positive impact on the local community.

With these ongoing projects that promote Puerto Rico’s rich cultural heritage, Muslims and non-Muslims can benefit from everything it has to offer. What is certain is that vacationers will continue to flock to this dream destination but will hopefully gain more than just a trip to the beach or a hike through the rainforest. Instead, they will unearth a treasure chest of Islamic history in the heart of the Caribbean.  

Wendy Díaz is a Puerto Rican Muslim writer, award-winning poet, translator, and mother of six. She is the co-founder of Hablamos Islam, Inc. (https://hablamosislam.org), a non-profit organization that produces Spanish language educational resources about Islam. She is the Spanish content coordinator for the Islamic Circle of North America’s WhyIslam Project, and has also written, illustrated, and published over a dozen children’s books.

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By Dalia Rakha

Sept/Oct 2023

Environmental sustainability and its execution have been greatly debated across the globe. From discussions on waste management and restoration techniques to health concerns and global disasters, the sustainability movement has attempted to define the ideal relationship between humans and the natural world. Yet, these definitions have only gone as far as physical manifestations, detailing the how but not the why.  More than 1400 years ago, Islam filled the gaps through the revelation of a single verse.

“And it is He who has made you successors upon the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] that He may try you through what He has given you” (Quran 6:165). 

The God-given responsibility of being His vicegerents on Earth and emulating His Divine traits of mercy, justice, and wisdom is at the core of how Muslims look at their relationship with the natural world. Islam offers a unique perspective on how and why taking care of this planet is important not only for one’s physical well-being, but also to the well-being of the soul and to fulfilling the fundamental purpose of life. Deeply spiritual, God-centric, and ethically founded, the Islamic worldview on environmental sustainability is a rich tradition being actualized through various methods in Islamic organizations across North America.

Zaytuna Modeling Vicegerency 

In the U.S., Zaytuna College is on the front lines of a movement towards self-sustainable agriculture and reconnecting with the natural world. As the first accredited Muslim American college, Zaytuna has used the Islamic lens to not only inform its academic curriculum but also its experiential learning initiatives through the Zaytuna College Center for Ethical Living and Learning (ZCELL). 

“ZCELL is a place to model methods of actualizing Muslims’ vicegerency on Earth,” said Rhamis Kent, a scholar-in-residence and instructor for Zaytuna’s Permaculture Design Certificate Course. “As a modern human society, we have accepted unexamined lives where we no longer take responsibility for our existence. We have outsourced everything that makes our lives possible to someone else, merely consuming what is grown and produced by others and never truly connecting to its origin.”

Kent is also the co-founder of the IGE-PEARL (Islamic Gift Economy — Program for Ethical Appropriate and Regenerative Livelihoods). He believes one of the most important ways of connecting to the Earth, to ourselves, and to God is through the cultivation of land. Kent shared that in the Islamic tradition, what we eat is often tied to our spiritual state. As modernity has deprived us from connecting with the Earth and fulfilling our responsibility to it, he believes that this has also resulted in a disconnection with each other, for the deepest bonds come from struggle and self-sufficiency as a community. His work aims to empower Muslims to retake this essential responsibility, knowing it not only reconnects humans with each other and all of creation, but most importantly with the Creator.  

Muslims and Indigenous Communities in Canada

The Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) is a charitable grassroots organization aimed at helping Muslims revitalize their faith to better serve society. It promotes local community building and education through various programs, all within Islamic ethical frameworks. One of MAC’s directors, Memona Hossain, focuses on community-based learning initiatives to help Muslims reconnect with nature through the lens of Islam.  She is also a lecturer at the University of Toronto and a current PhD candidate in Applied Ecopsychology.

Through conversations with Indigenous peoples, Hossain has come to learn that the centralization of God in the way Muslims see the world is what often allows Muslims and Indigenous communities to relate to and connect with each other. She has had opportunities to engage in dialogue with and to learn from Indigenous communities across Canada to understand how this Creator-centric worldview fundamentally changes conversations on environmental sustainability, as well as in the ways justice is addressed and perceived. 

While secular worldviews often face these issues with a sense of despair, Hossain noted that because a Muslim’s understanding of justice and success are not limited to worldly outcomes, it is profoundly hopeful. Muslims believe even the smallest of acts do not go unnoticed by God. It is this hope that distinguishes Islam’s understanding of the world, and according to Hossain is one of the most beautiful gifts Muslims can bring to the sustainability movement.

Environment in the Quran

In both of these examples, it is clear that the most essential part of the Islamic environmental worldview is its connection to God. Throughout the Quran, God mentions the miracles of creation as proofs and reminders of His existence, signs of His perfection and mercy, and expressions of His love and generosity. Verses that describe the life-giving properties of rain (16:65), the marvel of milk (16:66), and the healing of honey (16:69) are all examples. This creates a much deeper relationship with the land, a profoundly spiritual bond. God revealed in the Quran that humans are made from clay (15:26) and water (21:30), a reminder that human beings and the Earth are intimately related. Thus, in understanding the natural world, humanity is better able to understand and connect with ourselves.

Kent emphasized that when Muslims emulate the life of Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), it is at its core “modeling a behavioral pattern that permits us to benefit everyone and everything.” The way Muslims treat all of creation is based upon this lens. This seemingly small shift in worldview fundamentally alters everything. Instead of looking only at preventing harm, Muslims are asked to heal, to mend, and most importantly, to improve conditions. Muslims have been given a rich and deeply rooted tradition in building and maintaining relationships with the Earth and all that is in it. 

The world is in desperate need of alternative methods to connect with each other and all of creation. Islam provides a beautiful example centered around God and His attributes, rooted in ethics and sustained with soul. It is a gift too precious not to be shared. 

Dalia Rakha holds an MS in environmental engineering from UC Davis, is a graduate of Tayseer Seminary, and is pursuing a career in water quality and health within a spiritual framework.

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