Rooted in Revelation, Rising to the Sky
By Yerusalem Work
Mar/Apr 26
When God designated the entire Earth as a masjid (al-Tirmidhī 317), Muslims gained the ability to pray anywhere as long as certain conditions were met. While most mosques in the United States were built as a result of Muslims needing a place to pray on Jummah or a place to host iftars during Ramadan, Dar-us-Salaam was created to serve a different purpose.
Dar-us-Salam, based in College Park, a suburb of Washington, D.C., was established 30 years ago to build hearts and minds with the express goal of knowing God and loving and pleasing Him. It was started by a group of young people who shared a vision of giving dawah and opening community hearts to the religion of God.
What began as the Al-Huda School has grown to curricula encompassing grades K-12 on two campuses: one in College Park, Md. and one in Camp Hill, Pa. They have also established a robust online presence. In all, its educational reach extends to roughly 4,780 students, more than 150 of whom have memorized the Quran in its entirety. Al-Huda School’s goals are fourfold: to know Allah, including His names, attributes, and actions; to show gratitude toward Allah through every action; to glow with Islamic character so people know you are Muslim through your etiquette and character; and to grow an intentional Muslim community.
Al-Huda School has earned the Middle States Association accreditation, making this Muslim student body eligible to enroll in the most competitive of universities such as Harvard and Princeton, and other Ivy League schools. Al-Huda School is also the first Islamic school in the U.S. built on the foundation of Understanding By Design (UBD). Aligning God-centered curricula with pedagogical best practices such as UBD distinguishes the school as a strong alternative to the public school system.
What makes Dar-us-Salaam, a mosque with 30 to 40 programs and projects throughout the year, unique is its environment. The mosque and the community within it inculcate the beauty of Islam by practicing an authentic form of Quran and Sunnah. Living by Islamic principles has therefore become a daily reality and one reason why the mosque was named Dar-us-Salaam (Abode of Peace) from Quran 10:25. Organizations such as the Global Association of Islamic Schools connect Al-Huda School with the wider world. From creating a much-needed curriculum that feeds the minds of young believers, to offering students access to counseling and coaching to purify the heart, Dar-us-Salaam is meeting a need few area schools can match.
Its 30th anniversary theme during the 2024-25 academic year was “Rooted in Revelation, Rising to the Sky,” drawing inspiration from the Quran: “Have you not considered how God presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?” (14:24).
In the early years, during Dar-us-Salaam’s foundation, the mosque’s leadership heard from many naysayers, but through consistency and purposeful action, the founders’ resilience grew stronger, and their vision expanded from establishing an Islamic school to accomplishing so much more – including building a community, seeking justice, and offering matrimonial services. Its current four-member Shura body is set apart from many other mosques in the country. The Shura (consultation) is conducted by a team of full-time employees at Dar-us-Salaam responsible for serving in a collective decision-making capacity on a volunteer basis. By being employed full-time at the mosque and acting as devoted council members, these servant-leaders have an inside look at the mosque’s operations.
Shura member Minhaj Hasan referenced the following verse to describe how Goliath can be opposed from within Islam: “‘How often a small group overcame a mighty host by God’s Leave?’ And God is with As-Sabirun (the patient)” (2: 249).
At the annual fundraiser on Nov. 8, 2025 welcomed 600 attendees. The community raised $100,000 which will go toward the general fund and will be allocated accordingly. Over the years, the mosque’s financial team has managed a budget of upwards of $11 million.
The Dar-us-Salaam community gives new meaning to AI, which for their purposes does not just represent “artificial intelligence,” but instead speaks to “Allah-inspired” education. This education is bolstered by a partnership with Travel Light Tours based in Virginia. Through special arrangements, mosque members, especially youths, are encouraged to visit places like Spain, Morocco, and Turkey to witness and experience Islamic influence throughout the world.
By developing institutions that serve the Muslim community, Muslims can practice their faith openly without shame or empty idealism. For example, it is not enough to read about the importance of avoiding riba (interest). Muslims must create Islamic community-centered institutions, like banks and centers of education that make a lasting impact.
Yerusalem Work is an author and educator. She writes poetry that meets at the intersection of faith and psychology.
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