Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh!
I am so pleased to be able to reach out to you, the beloved Muslims of North America, in this blessed month of Ramadan. I pray and ask Allah (swt) to maximize our benefit from this beautiful month. May Allah (swt) protect our Ummah and give us the energy and wisdom to always do the right thing.
Ramadan brings upon us a month of reflection, contemplation, and worship in each and every one of our actions. It is a time when we, here at ISNA, focus even harder on providing quality services to assist the Muslim community in America continue its positive growth. Of the many things ISNA does for the community, I'd like to highlight for you a few simple examples:
The popularity of the Muslim Youth of North America's (MYNA) camps continues to rise exponentially. So far this year ISNA has hosted 2,500 youth who are sharing their positive experiences with their peers. Taking a step out of day to day life into an Islamic environment fosters a new level of iman for our youth that is motivating them to make positive life changing decisions about their commitment to living their faith. In this way, we ensure that we are building stronger, more confident youth, who return more prepared to take on their future.
ISNA's Education Forum continues to bring together over 700 Muslim professionals in the education field to provide them the skills and the tools necessary to teach in Islamic schools across the country. Attendance at our regional conferences continues to grow, with more and more communities opening their doors for us each day. In addition, participants of our Annual Convention came away this year with new skill sets and renewed energy to continue their good work. But our efforts did not stop there.
Answering the Call... In a response to anti-Islamic rhetoric, ISNA's D.C. office continued its efforts with the "Shoulder-to-Shoulder: Standing with American Muslims, Upholding American Values" campaign in which our interfaith partners, from twenty-six different denominations, come to speak out and work together towards positive changes for the Muslim community.
The culmination of the success of this initiative was seen when Sheriff Baca of Los Angeles County - who courageously stated the truth about Muslims during the biased Peter King hearings - announced on stage at the 48th Annual ISNA Convention, his support of the organization and its efforts.
In a thank you letter following the event, Sheriff Baca wrote, "your creative leadership to grow the talent of Muslim-Americans is a noble mission."
...right where we need to be. My dear brothers and sisters, according to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, Ramadan "is the month of goodwill, during which provisions are multiplied," so this is the best time to give to all worthy causes. I pray that you will consider making a gift to ISNA so we can continue our efforts to serve you. May Allah, the Most High, bestow many blessings upon you and your family this month and reward you for your ongoing support of ISNA.
Sincerely,
Imam Mohamed Magid
President, Islamic Society of North America
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