Islamic Horizons November/Deecember 2025

1500th Year of Mercy to the Worlds

Another Reminder to Pursue Justice

Sept. 3, the 12th day of Rabi al-Awwal of the Hijri year 1447, marked the 1500th birthday of the Beloved of God, Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). He was born in 570 CE in Mecca as the first and only child of Abdullah bin Al-Muttalib (radi Allahu ‘anh) and Amina bint Wahb (radi Allahu ‘anh). His name derives from the Arabic verb hamada, meaning “to praise, to glorify.”

Throughout his life, the Prophet vehemently stressed justice. When a thief was brought before him, he said in his sermon on justice, “By God, if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would cut her hand off.”

The Quran is precise on the issue of justice, stating, “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, as witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or your parents or [your] near relatives” (4:135) and, “When you speak, be just, even if it is [against] a near relative” (6:152).

In his Sermon on the Mount (Mathew 24), Jesus (‘alayhi as salam) taught the disciples the way they should live. He said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

However, humankind faces inequity, and willingly or unwillingly accepts those least suited for leadership. One example is Texas Sen.Ted Cruz (R) who claims to be a Christian first, and an American second.

OpenSecrets revealed that from 1999 to 2024, pro-Israel groups paid Cruz a total $1,872,592. Speaking about the Gaza genocide with Ryan Grim on the TV show “Counter Points,” co-hosted by Emily Jashinsky, Cruz said, “I condemn nothing that the Israeli government is doing.”

Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet said, “None of you will have faith until he loves for his brother or his neighbor what he loves for himself” (Sahīh Muslim 45).

In this issue, Islamic Horizons Editorial Board Member and chaplain Rasheed Rabbi reminds readers, “Let every crescent of Rabi al-Awwal remind us to live his legacy of longing, not just in words, but in every moment, every movement, every choice. Let the love shine out, prevailing in every predicament and preceding every prayer.”

As we finalize this issue, the genocide in Gaza rages on, conveniently excused through verbal and diplomatic gymnastics by pundits and politicians around the world. The intended goal is ethnically cleansing Palestine of its rightful owners.

OpenSecrets’ chart on AIPAC contributions to U.S. senators shows that all 100 senators have accepted money from AIPAC which pays more to candidates than any other PAC. In the 2022 general election, AIPAC boasted that 98% of candidates it backed won their general election races. This was also a reminder that one cannot win or retain their seats without AIPAC support.

The Islamic Society of North America and several other Muslim organizations engage in interfaith activities. In fact, every ISNA C onvention includes an interfaith banquet that features both Muslim and non-Muslim speakers who are leaders in interfaith dialogue.

It may be opportune to utilize such meetings to remind the Christian guests that Jesus (‘alayhi as salam) said, “No one can serve two masters” (Mathew 6.24). Their congregations, especially as mid-term elections are on cards, should question those seeking their votes. ih

PUBLISHER

The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)

PRESIDENT

Syed Imtiaz Ahmad

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Basharat Saleem

EDITOR

Omer Bin Abdullah

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Bareerah Zafar

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Iqbal Unus, Chair: M. Ahmadullah Siddiqi, Saba Ali, Rasheed Rabbi, Wafa Unus

ISLAMIC HORIZONS

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COMMUNITY MATTERS

2025 ISNA Scholarships

Each year, based on designated donor funds, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) offers various scholarships to college/university bound students. Scholarship programs and funds are managed by the ISNA Fund Development and Finance Departments. The ISNA Scholarships Committee helps with the application reviews.

This year, 94 students applied online for the four ISNA scholarship programs. After a thorough review process, 26 have been awarded a total amount of $30,000. This year’s scholarships include the Amana Mutual Fund Scholarship (one award for $2,500), Dr. Abdulmunim A. Shakir Scholarship (20 awards, $1,000 each), Plainfield Muslim Women for Better Society Scholarship (three awards, $1,500 each), and the Hajja Razia Sharif Sheikh Scholarship (two awards, $1,500 each).

Oregon State University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Rutgers University, Stanford University, St. John’s University, Texas A&M University, University of California Berkeley, University of Cincinnati, University of Houston, and the University of Texas.

ISNA extended its thanks to donors who helped in establishing these scholarships. Recently, one more donor designated fund has been received, and one more scholarship program may be added in 2026. May God bestow the best rewards to all the donors.

University of Maryland Docked $100K for Unlawfully Suppressing Pro-Palestinian Speech

On Aug. 6, civil rights organization

ISNA would like to congratulate the 2025 scholarship recipients who demonstrated academic excellence as well as commitment to religion, community service, and leadership. They have been accepted into universities such as Boston College, Columbia University, George Mason University, Georgetown University, Indiana University, Kennesaw State University, Loyola University New Orleans, Michigan State University,

In August, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appointed Kowsar D. Mohamed, MURP, CSM, to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. Mohamed, a doctoral student in Natural Resources Science and Management, fills the seat reserved for a student.

Mohamed is balancing her doctoral research with leadership in economic planning and inclusion for the State of Minnesota and the City of St. Paul on top of her four years of service on the Regent Candidate Advisory Council.

In 2007, she co-founded Cedar Riverside’s first neighborhood youth council and launched Triple C Café, a youth-led social enterprise addressing workforce incongruencies. Her efforts worked to preserve Cedar Riverside’s largest green space and

The Plainfield Women for Better Society Scholarship applications were reviewed by Amira Mashhour, PhD (senior lecturer emerita, Indiana University Indianapolis) and Zainab VanHornAli (retired clinical laboratory technologist, Indiana University). All the other scholarship applications were reviewed by Mohd Asim Ansari, PhD (Chemistry Professor, Fullerton College), Samina Salim, PhD (Associate Professor, University of Houston), and M. Affan Badar, PhD (Professor, Indiana State University and Chair of the ISNA Scholarships Committee).

If any individual, group, or organization desires to sponsor a new scholarship, please contact the ISNA Fund Development Coordinator at ahmed.badawi@isna.net. ih

led to a new bike/ped path called Samatar Crossing in honor of late community trailblazer Hussein Samatar, a Somali-American former banker turned entrepreneur and politician.

Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D) congratulated Mohamed for her appointment. “I know she will tirelessly represent the best interests of the students. We are all so proud of her,” she said.

State Senator Zaynab Mohamed called Mohamed the perfect choice for the position.

“The Trump administration is actively attacking the University of Minnesota, student rights, civil rights, and free speech — especially scientists, women, people of color, and Muslims,” she said. “Kowsar is all of those things and much, much more. The [university’s] students could not have a better representative at the table than Kowsar, and I look forward to seeing her thrive in this role.”

Palestine Legal and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced a historic $100,000 settlement agreement for the University of Maryland Students for Justice in Palestine (UMD SJP) in their case against the University of Maryland. The agreement resolved the Oct. 2024 lawsuit filed by the civil rights groups on behalf of UMD SJP against the university for its unconstitutional ban of the students’ vigil for Gaza.

CAIR and Palestine Legal sued the university on Sept. 17, 2024 for revoking approval for UMD SJP’s interfaith vigil on Oct. 7th to mourn lives lost in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, and ultimately banned all student-organized events from taking place on campus that day.

The university claimed it was forced to cancel all events due to pro-Israel individuals’ racist threats, including threats to organize a KKK rally and come armed to campus if SJP’s vigil was allowed to proceed. At the hearing, University of Maryland Police Chief David Mitchell testified that pro-Israel individuals even threatened UMD President Darryl Pines’ family and used the N-word.

On Oct. 1, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland ruled in favor of UMD SJP, finding that the university cannot bow to threats from pro-Israel individuals by shutting down the vigil. Regarding the threats by pro-Israel individuals, the court decision noted, “This is a matter of law, not of wounded feelings.”

The Court also noted in its decision that should students use the slogan “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will be Free,” it would also be a First Amendment-protected expression.

This settlement likely marks the highest financial penalty ever imposed on a U.S. university for violating pro-Palestinian students’

On Aug. 10, during the 51st Annual Harlem Week celebration, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the S1204/A5339 legislation into law. The bill renames the 110 St-Central Park North subway station on the 2/3 lines as 110 St-Malcolm X Plaza, Barbara Russo-Lennon of amNY reported.

Civil Rights activist Malcolm X lived in Harlem for over a decade. He often preached in the borough and spoke at major universities, including Harvard, according to biographical accounts.

“One of the best ways to celebrate the rich history and community of Harlem is to recognize the contributions of Malcolm X and the Harlem Renaissance to New York and to the world,” Hochul said. “From the struggle for civil rights and equality to boundary-breaking cultural impacts of American icons like Zora Neale Hurston and Duke Ellington, Harlem has been at the center of progress in our nation for generations.”

New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrew Stewart-Cousins said this occasion was more than a simple name change; it was an opportunity to honor an American visionary who reshaped the nation’s conscience.

NYC Transit President Demetrius Chrichlow put a spotlight on Malcolm X’s legacy and aligned it with the mission of the transit system. “Malcolm X stood for freedom and equality, principles that directly align with our

free speech rights. It comes as the Trump administration exerts pressure on universities — through investigations, threats to cut billions in funding, and requesting private student records — to intensify the punishment of student protests and speech in support of Palestinian rights.

“This legal victory reaffirms our protected right to protest and speak out against Israel’s genocide of Palestinians — and we will keep exercising those rights,” said Daniela Colombi, a UMD SJP member. “UMD SJP will spend every dollar we receive from the $100,000 penalty for banning our vigil on organizing and supporting the movement for a free Palestine.”

Palestine Legal Senior Staff Attorney Tori Porell said this settlement demonstrates that violating pro-Palestinian students’ First Amendment rights has tangible consequences. “This win is not just for Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Maryland, but for all students speaking out for Palestinian freedom across the country,” she said.

University of Maryland administrators

mission at NYC Transit,” he said. “Now, when riders come to the renamed station, they’ll be reminded of its namesake’s unwavering commitment to civil rights and the importance of standing up for what you believe in.”

Many Harlem community leaders attended the outdoor event, including local community board chairs and members. Victor Edwards, Chair of Manhattan Community Board 9, described Malcolm X as a “visionary leader” and “true inspiration” for the iconic neighborhood.

“The renaming of the 110th train station to the Malcolm X Plaza is truly an appropriate way to carry his legacy forward,” Edwards said. “It is our hope that all those passing through the plaza will recognize the brilliance of this remarkable American leader.” ih

told the federal court that they had a positive relationship with SJP, and the settlement agreement stipulates that the university must publicly recognize UMD SJP as being in good standing as a student organization.

barred investments in companies that profit off the ongoing genocide in genocide, Sanjana Karanth reported for HuffPost

“We are in a new era where taxpayers are not just concerned with the services they receive as part of a city and town, but also how city and town resources are impacting global issues,” Council President Zac Bears, the ordinance’s sponsor, said. “We hope this proactive approach to ensure that municipal resources contribute to the public good and not to major forms of harm will become a trend.”

Since Israel’s offensive in Gaza began in 2023, many Americans have called on companies, governments, and academic institutions to divest their public funds from companies that send money and weapons to the Israeli military.

The ordinance was introduced in June, expanding on Boston’s landmark 2021 fossil fuel divestment to also bar public funds from being invested in weapons manufacturers, prisons, and other entities contributing to international human rights violations like displacement, war crimes, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and illegal occupation. While the ordinance does not outright name Israel, the international community and the International Criminal Court has accused the country of carrying out those actions against Palestinians.

The ordinance’s supporters say its language also applies to companies complicit in the mass deportation, incarceration, and inhumane treatment of immigrants by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“There is expanding clarity among the American public about how they want public money to be used and not used. That includes not just tax dollars but also investment dollars that stem from taxes,” Medford resident and attorney Micah-Shalom Kesselman said.

The Medford City Council in Massachusetts passed the Values-Aligned Local Investments Ordinance on Aug. 5, making Massachusetts the third state — after Michigan and Maine — where a municipality has

The approval for the HMCC came in a meeting that lasted less than six minutes on May 8.

The $6 million center will be approximately 58,000 square feet with 11 duplexes with 22 units. The center, which will be open to anyone, will house a men and women’s prayer halls, a gymnasium with basketball courts, multi-purpose rooms, activity rooms, 264 parking spaces, and other features.

The effort to open the center began about 15 years ago when the original plan was to establish an Islamic school. In 2011, township leaders rejected a rezoning request for the project, citing a failure to address concerns over impact on neighbors and traffic, according to The Ann Arbor News archives. The proposal also faced vocal opposition from some neighboring residents.

The rejection sparked a lawsuit from the Michigan Islamic Academy with help from the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

In 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice sued the township over the denial, alleging that the township violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Person Act.

Both cases were resolved in 2016, with the township agreeing to a $1.7 million settlement. A consent judgement, or court order, permitted the development, reported Jennifer Eberbach of mlive.com.

The Bronx Muslim Center in Van Nest will soon become New York state’s largest mosque, with plans to open by the end of 2026, reported News 12

The new building, located down the block from the existing one on Rhinelander Avenue, will be four floors and 32,000 sq. ft., which is 10 times larger than the original center. Staff members told News 12 this was long overdue, as the Muslim community is growing and they needed a space to accommodate that growth.

“Community members, Muslims and non-Muslims got used to sitting on the sidewalks, praying on sidewalks, praying in the street. They knew that we needed something larger,” said Yahaya Obeid, the outreach liaison at the Bronx Muslim Center.

The new Bronx Muslim Center will also feature community areas for various events, classrooms, and meeting rooms. There will also be outdoor seating on the roof and a cafeteria in the basement.

“This will be the first community center in the surrounding neighborhoods for

our youth. So we need to take the youth off the street and bring them into somewhere safe, somewhere where they’re in a learning environment, a positive environment,” said Obeid. He wants to emphasize the importance of supporting youth. He added that the weekend school will also welcome anyone who wants to learn Arabic.

The Muslims on Long Island Inc. (MOLI) has long sought permission to expand its Bethpage Mosque. Residents have always opposed the effort, costing the town of Oyster Bay $3.95 million, reported Arun Venugopal of The Gothamist

The yearslong land-use conflict had grown into a federal religious land-use discrimination case, with the Trump-appointed Department of Justice siding with MOLI as the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act prohibit zoning restrictions that substantially burden any religious assemblies.

Under the settlement, MOLI will remove two existing structures on the property and provide on-site parking and design features to address the town’s asserted traffic concerns.

“We are grateful to put this chapter behind us and to move forward in partnership with our neighbors,” Moeen Qureshi, a named plaintiff who has attended the mosque since 2015, said in a statement announcing the agreement. “Our new mosque will be a place where everyone — regardless of faith — will be welcome.”

In a statement, Oyster Bay officials “expressed satisfaction” that the matter had been resolved. Under the settlement, Oyster Bay will update its town code to resolve charges that certain land-use provisions concerning parking were vague, arbitrary, and discriminatory.

center could have on traffic along Claflin Road and Hylton Heights Road.

John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif. opened its first multi-faith prayer room in August. Located in Terminal C near Gate 22, this space offers travelers of all backgrounds a quiet refuge for reflection, prayer, and peace.

While a diverse, multi-faith team led this project, Salam Ali of the Islamic Education Center of Orange County (whose efforts brought a similar space to Los Angeles International Airport), Aslam Dada, Islamic Center of Yorba Linda, and Mehdi Reza Hirji of the Shia Muslim Council played key roles in representing the Muslim community. The project received overwhelming community support with 118 multifaith clerics across Orange County endorsing the initiative.

Harvard University has designated a room on the Smith Campus Center’s second floor to a permanent musallah, a prayer space for Muslims to gather for daily prayers and reflection, Samuel A. Church reported for The Harvard Crimson.

The university’s Muslim chaplain, Khalil Abdur-Rashid, announced the permanent musallah in an email to students. “We anticipate that the new prayer space will be a source of peace, spiritual upliftment and comfort for our campus Muslim community,” he said. “We are also optimistic that it will promote and contribute to a pluralistic environment on campus.”

The Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board in Kansas unanimously approved a request on July 2 to replat two lots, allowing the Islamic Center of Manhattan — the only masjid in the city — to expand.

The lots are currently occupied by a mosque, according to the proposal filing.

Before the community center can be built, a Traffic Impact Study will need to be submitted to determine the effect the

Sophomore Shakira Ali, co-director of internal relations for the Harvard Islamic Society (HIS), told The Crimson that the creation of a permanent prayer space publicly signaled the university’s renewed commitment to its Muslim students. “As a Muslim student, having a place where I can go to pray without scrambling for a space or worrying about where to lay my travel mat — I think it’s just such a relief,” she said.

The task force on Islamophobia set up in April urged Harvard to create “permanent prayer areas for Muslims,” though efforts to establish a permanent musallah predated the task force recommendations, going as far back as 1995.

HIS co-president, junior Adam Latif, said the decision was “a great first step” in ensuring Muslim students feel represented. “I think it really helps with Muslim visibility on campus,” he said. “I’m sure other people in the community still feel that more can be done, but it’s at least a good concrete first step.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) won a major federal court order in the District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas Pine Bluff Division on Aug. 8. The court order requires the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC) to provide Muslim inmates their own weekly prayer service during Jummah prayer.

While the ADC allowed Catholics, Protestants, and Jews to pray separately, they did not do the same for Muslims. The ADC had previously required Muslims to pray alongside people of other faiths, including Five Percenters and adherents of the Nation of Islam.

CAIR and Professor Douglas Laycock, the Robert E. Scott Distinguished Professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, filed the lawsuit in 2019 on behalf of three incarcerated Muslims: Gregory Holt, Wayde Stewart, and Rodney Martin. The lawsuit challenged the ADC’s policy under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, which requires jails and prisons to accommodate the sincerely-held religious beliefs of incarcerees.

“We’re thrilled that Muslims and others will have their beliefs respected and accommodated through the policy compelled by the court,” said CAIR National Deputy Litigation Director Gadeir Abbas.

On Aug. 7, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the nomination of three Court of Appeal justices and 18 Superior Court judges.

The appointees include Osman Abbasi, who will serve as a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. His list of accolades

include serving as a deputy attorney general at the California Attorney General’s Office in 2025 and from 2021-22; serving as an inspector at the Los Angeles County Office of the Inspector General from 2022-25; serving as a deputy district attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office from 2015-21; and his role as the assistant district attorney in the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office from 2010-14. Abbasi received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan in 2008.

Abbasi is president of South Asian Bar Association of Southern California; chair of Los Angeles County Bar Association’s criminal justice section; and serves on the executive board of the Muslim Bar Association of Southern California and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office’s Asian Advisory Board.

The North American Islamic Trust (NAIT) has acquired the Allerton Ridge Cemetery, now renamed Mercy Islamic Cemetery, located at 2700 South Highland Avenue, Lombard, Ill. It has been designated as a waqf (religious endowment) property and is available exclusively to Muslims to bury their loved ones.

The location is easily accessible to Chicagoland area residents. It has 20,000 available grave plots and a planned prayer center and funeral home on site.

NAIT does not have the capacity to provide funeral or burial services itself. Therefore, except for a few plots for individuals, most of the plots will be sold to mosques and Islamic centers to help ensure accessibility and availability for families in their local communities.

Families can directly contact their area mosque to check availability of plots and to make burial arrangements at Mercy Cemetery.

Spanning over 19 acres of serene and thoughtfully-designed grounds, the cemetery has paved roads and designated parking

areas for easy accessibility. The cemetery is fully enclosed with secure fencing for privacy and protection.

To purchase plots and to get more information, call 630-789-9191.

Nuzaira Azam, a journalist and community advocate who was appointed to the Virginia Council on Women by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on Aug. 26 at the Virginia State Capitol by the Secretary of the Commonwealth Kelly Gee.

The Virginia Council on Women, a key advisory body to the governor on policies affecting women, is charged with promoting educational, professional, cultural, and civic opportunities for women of all ages.

With decades of experience in journalism and civic leadership, Azam, a resident of Herndon, Va., also serves as the founder-president of the Global Beat Foundation (GBF), a nonprofit organization committed to fostering dialogue, leadership, and community engagement.

The GBF offers seminars, workshops, and youth forums that address contemporary issues, with a focus on empowering women and developing leadership. It also trains journalists, with a special focus on supporting women journalists.

Azam’s appointment reflects her enduring dedication to elevating underserved voices and advancing gender equality in public discourse. “It is an honor to serve on the Virginia Council on Women,” she said. “I look forward to contributing to efforts that uplift women and youth across our state.” ih

Faith, Flag, and the American Medina

The 62nd Annual ISNA Convention Centered on the Renewal of the American Democratic Spirit

WRITTEN BY RASHEED RABBI

REPORTED

BY

TAYYABA SYED, TASNOVA KHAN, MAARIYA QUADRI, YUSRA KAMAL, CARLA TAYLOR, KHADIJA MUJAHID, AND EMAN JAWAD

Rosemont, Ill. roared as the Islamic Society of North America’s (ISNA) 62nd Annual Convention ignited a spirit of urgency, unity, and unwavering resolve across Muslim American communities. From Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center became ground zero for over 100 speakers, 64 sessions, 20,000 attendees, and nearly 200 volunteers, staff, and board members. Together, they converged to reaffirm both the beauty and burden of Muslim belonging in the United States.

This collective balance has become indispensable to sustain the dignity of America’s claim as a superpower — a status that President Donald Trump trumpets in words yet dismantles in practice with domestic despotism and erratic foreign policy. Witnessing this descent is unbearable, but Muslims don’t despair (Quran 12:87). Instead, ISNA intervened with the theme “Renewing the American Spirit: Prophetic Ideals in Challenging Times,” and it pulsed through every corridor during the convention.

MAIN SESSIONS: STITCHING MEDINA’S ETHIC INTO THE AMERICAN FABRIC

ISNA President Imtiaz Ahmad’s triad focus — mental health, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and rabata (coming together) — set a clear strategic frame for personalizing Medinan ethics in the opening session, which was further reinforced

stood alone before they led their people. Muslim Americans must follow this example. Their identity cannot be preserved by building halal businesses or mosques alone. They need to make Islam visible, viable, and vital in the American public square.

This vision begins at home, and the third session drilled this concept into the bedrock: family. Zaynab Alwani (Founding Director of the Howard School of Divinity) presented the four “Ts” of prophetic framework —Ta’aruf (knowing through the Quran), Ta’aluf (building social harmony), Ta’awun (collaborating with each other), and Tawasī (facilitating mutual counsel). Akram Nadwi (Dean of the Cambridge Islamic College) traced the prophetic legacy through families steeped in Godconsciousness, such as Nizamuddin Awliya (d. 1325 CE), Imam Bukhari (d. 870 CE), Imam Malik (d. 795 CE), and Imam Shafi’i (d. 820 CE). To cultivate that consciousness systematically, Rania Awaad (Stanford Medicine) named the three foundational roots to nurture: mercy (Mwadda and Rahma), responsibility (as modeled by Adam, Nuh, Yaqub [‘alayhum as-salam]), and forgiveness — the acts that open our hearts to prophetic ethics.

With prophetic clarity, each event demonstrated a renewed commitment to restore the U.S. democratic spirit. Every gathering, prayer, policy panel, and youth circle collectively curated a civic model rooted in revelation yet responsive to the reality that is America in the 21st century. This disciplined effort to cultivate prophetic ethics — justice, mercy, pluralism, and sacred dignity — within the U.S. echoed the Prophet’s transformation of Yathrib into Medina after his community’s life-saving migration. What follows are reflections on those transformative moments of dwelling in Medina within America during the 2025 Labor Day weekend.

by his fellow leaders. In the second session, Imam Shamsi Ali (Founder and President of Nusantara Foundation) deepened this call by warning of imbalance; he said when worldly pursuit eclipses divine purpose, we forget our trust (amana), lose our way (62:11), and descend below the moral line (8:22, 25:44). Such collapses of conscience cost innocent lives and sacrifice children to systems that no longer serve, as we witness around the world.

Founder of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, Salam Al-Marayati, exposed the scale of current complacency and highlighted that 57 Muslim-majority nations failed to act against the unprecedented injustice in Gaza. Here, imbalance had long moved beyond the spiritual sphere and infected entire political systems. Yet hope endures, as he noted, for Ibrahim, Musa, and ‘Isa (‘alayhum as-salam)

The fruit of the proposed ethical family came to life in the fourth session commemorating the centennial birthday of Civil Rights Activist Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabaaz). Speakers highlighted his intellectual and activist legacy rooted in family. Zaytuna College co-founder Zaid Shakir drew parallels between his parental relationship and the bond between Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail during the momentous sacrifice. Yasir Qadhi (Chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America) charted Malcolm’s persecution within politics and academia for his pursuit of justice that mirrored the Prophet’s own struggles. Ustadha Iesha Prime (Director of Women’s Programs at Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center) underscored his enduring impact in only 39 years of life and just in 11 months of accepting Islam — a legacy still examined in contemporary doctoral research.

The drift away from justice breeds inequality, bias, and bigotry — none of which are political problems but spiritual diseases. This conviction was driven home in the fifth session through the example of Iblis’s dissent and response, “I am better than him” (7:12). It exposed his arrogance — the same pride that underlies Zionism, political oppression, and apartheid.

Arrogance is spiritual rot disguised as social division. It defeats the divine purpose of human beings. As the Quran states, “O mankind, indeed We created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Surely, Allah is all Knowing and Acquainted” (49:13).

Mohammad Ninowy (scholar, author, and medical doctor) stressed the maqasid of this verse: not casual socializing but building mutual support across communities and nations. Mohammed Faqih (Imam and Religious Director at Islamic Institute of Orange County) noted the example of such a unified Ummah usually found in the Hajj that was embraced by Malcolm X. To pursue that unity, Muslema Purmul (chaplain at the University of Southern California; co-founder of the Majlis) pressed for self-examination within communities to ward off internal bias before addressing external injustice.

Today, the highest form of global injustice unfolds in Gaza’s genocide, which is not distant. Rather, it indicts us. Our silence is not political neutrality; it’s spiritual failure. Repetition of these verses exposed our ghafla (heedlessness) and made palpable that God is the “Knowing and Acquainted.” It laid bare that the little righteousness we carry while chasing status is worthless in God’s sight.

Other speakers anchored on the story of Abu Dhar (radi Allahu ‘anh), who, in a moment of lapse, called Bilal (radi Allahu ‘anh) “son of a Black woman”— for which the Prophet sternly reprimanded him. Their vivid retelling transported us to Medina, forcing us to relive similar rebukes for our silence on Gaza, neglecting Sudan, and seeking comfort in the face of global suffering.

The weight of that rebuke opened space for reflection in the sixth session, which pressed deeper into the reality of trial and tribulation.

Jamila Karim (author, lecturer, and blogger) reminded attendees that oppression, while crushing, can fortify faith. Mohammad Qatanani (Imam, Islamic Center of Passaic County in New Jersey) referenced the companion of Burūj (85:3-8), the preservation of Musa as an infant (28:7–13), his flight to Madyan (28:14–21), and his return to confront Pharaoh (28:29–35) to show that oppression is both a test of iman (faith) and an opportunity to attain God’s nearness. Azhar Azeez (past ISNA president) shared personal lineage; his mother and grandfather served in Palestinian hospitals that inspired his own two decades of humanitarian work there. Nihad Awad (co-founder and executive director of the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations) exposed political deception in the U.S. and called for PACs and Super PACs to counter corruption.

While sessions seven and eight offered parallel discussions, session nine turned into a focus on practical strategies to overcome depravities. Mufti Hussain Kamani (instructor at Qalam Institute) emphasized activism as an obligation and suggested balancing it with servitude to Allah and service to the community. Khaled Beydoun (professor at Arizona State University) offered three imperatives: a) Muslims and Americans are not oxymoronic; b) knowledge is power, as Malcolm proved; and c) political empowerment is a game we must play. Waleed Basyouni (Al Magrib) explained that today’s crises are decades in the making, and change requires persistence both individually and collectively.

The 10th session reinforced this urgency by citing the sobering statistics on Christians leaving churches at an exponential rate. Linking it to the collapse of thousands of churches in America, Imam Siraj Wahhaj (Masjid Taqwa) asked whether Muslims are following suit. He noted the Prophet’s warning, “You will follow the ways of those before you” (Bukhari 7320).

Tamara Gray (founder of Rabata) introduced a rhymed slogan–“Haraqa-baraqa” to mobilize communities for blessings to protect 70% of converts and 30% of born Muslims who leave Islam — not for theology, but due to lack of community Abdulnasir Jangda (Founder and Director of Qalam Institute) offered three anchors: the Book of God, principled frameworks, and collaboration. Imam Magid (ADAMS Center) echoed Alwani’s call for Ta’aruf and Ta’aluf to foster more inclusive Muslim communities in the U.S.

This momentum culminated during the 11th session — the theme session — during which Imam Zaid Shakir reminded attendees that the convention coincided with Rabi al-Awwal, which should catalyze making the Prophet’s presence as imminent. He traced the resemblance of prophetic vision to Washington’s warning on foreign interference, Jefferson’s call for stability, and Lincoln’s caution about the Mexican War. Iesha Prime shared her own family practice of gratitude at the dinner table as a daily guard against hypocrisy — an ailment, per Yasir Qadhi, now exposed by even some core MAGA supporters like Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene, who contributed to Islamophobic rhetoric for years. Qadhi advised: actions without spirituality are hollow; spirituality without action is bankruptcy.

Mehdi Hasan (Founder and CEO of Zeto) urged taking actions even when numbers are few, reminding that the Prophet led not from a majority, but as a persecuted minority, to forge justice and solidarity. His mission of universal justice was echoed by Keith Ellison, who prosecuted George Floyd’s killer not for Muslims, but for Americans, and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota), who drafts policies not for Muslims alone but for all Americans. Salman Khan built Khan Academy not for any group or tribe, but for the world. Police

officer Didarul Islam died to protect not just Muslims, but all New Yorkers.

Each act of these Muslims extends the light of the Prophet, who was “a source of divine light and guidance” (33:46), a “witness, bringer of good tidings, and warner” (33:45). As this light adds up, Hasan concluded, it shapes the American Medina — a founding vision that ISNA revived this year.

Mosques are the pillars of this vision, and Session 12 delved deeper into their implication in America. Petra Alsoofy (The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding) stressed serving youth and local communities over endless national debates. Sammer Hossain (Department of Homeland Security) invoked Rumi’s call to “be a lamp, a lifeboat, or a ladder,” envisioning mosques as centers of education, repositories of resources, and community development planners. Ihsan Bagby (University of Kentucky) urged mosques to embrace youth, strengthen governance, and foster belonging as self-sustaining cells of the American Medina.

Youth engagement served as the focus for the 13th session with educator and youth activist Habeeb Quadri presenting a tenpoint framework for holistic development. Past ISNA President Safaa Zarzour emphasized the urgency of contextual relevance, mapping human innovation from the Ice Age to AI to underscore its stakes. Jimmy Jones (Islamic Seminary of America) named three critical threats facing Muslim youth — bullying, benzing, and doxing — and offered counterstrategies to reclaim ethical agency and communal resilience.

Finally, the four-day convention closed with a session dedicated to reflection and resolve. Board members shared insights. Former ISNA President Muhammad Nur Abdullah urged patience as a pillar of akhlaq and concluded with a heartfelt du‘a — a fitting end to a weekend that revived prophetic presence, civic clarity, and communal strength.

SIDE ATTRACTIONS AND PARALLEL SESSIONS: SHAPING THE NUANCE OF THE AMERICAN MEDINA

Beyond the main hall, the American Medina unfolded in layers — activating prophetic ethics across health, education, culture, and civic life. ISNA’s Health Services Committee extended the Prophet’s preventive ethos and delivered targeted education on fitness, mental health, and nutrition. Its free clinic and health fair met urgent needs with dignity. MUHSEN mirrored prophetic mercy to ensure children and families were not merely accommodated but centered. Through Noor Kids, crafts, and animal visits, care became a communal experience.

The Association of Muslim Scientists, Engineers, and Technology Professionals convened a youth science fair and held ethical discussions on AI to promote truth and address issues related to cancer and autism. The embrace of faith was tangible as both children and adults encountered knowledge as trust, not an abstract imperative.

Cultural programming reclaimed prophetic belonging. The Film Festival’s #LiveLikeHaris and From Slavery to Freedom traced ancestral legacies and affirmed the imperative to know one’s story and elevate the unseen. The Art Exhibit — featuring Erik Khan, Dania Eldam, Hanoon Kalathingal, Aqsa Hashmi, and Farha Yousuf — offered visual Shahādah: testimony through beauty, struggle, and presence.

The Qiraat Competition and performances by Maryam and Fatima Masud, Yahya Hawwa, Riyaaz Qawwali, Native Deen, and Preacher Moss fused rhythm with reverence. It nurtured the Prophet’s love for voice, poetry, and communal joy. Pride was palpable — artists and audiences alike shaped this new Medina.

Sport and social life thrived as well. The Muslim Youth of North America and Islamic Games launched the first Pickleball Tournament alongside a basketball

competition with over 30 teams and 100 players. Matrimonial events at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Chicago offered halal spaces for meaningful connection, moving beyond algorithms to real conversations. Attendees left with clarity, purpose, and renewed hope.

The Community Service Recognition Luncheon anchored civic belonging. Led by ISNA Fund Development Coordinator Ahmed Badawi, it honored the legacy and leadership of Imam Zaid Shakir, who received the Community Service Award and symbolized a khalifa of this imagined Medina. Dr. Sherman Jackson’s keynote on indigenizing Islam called for a rooted presence. Ghaus Malik guided with institutional memory while Azhar Azeez’s fundraising met its mark, securing ISNA’s mission. Environmental stewardship surfaced as a sacred trust. ISNA’s Green Initiative honored mosques practicing sustainability — Lansing (Mich.), Masjid Aisha (Md.), Madison (Wisc.) — echoing the Prophet’s ethic of moderation and care for creation. Civic engagement remained central. The ribbon-cutting, Mushairah , chaplaincy training, and Government Breakfast enacted mu‘amalah—ethical interaction — building coalitions, signing treaties, and welcoming diverse voices into Medina’s moral fabric.

With all the sessions and settings, the spirit of “coming together” overlapped and crystallized to make Rosemont truly an American Medina — a space where faith, community, and public life converged, where revelation informed policy, where prayer met protest, and where mosques were imagined as both sanctuaries and civic engines. It was not nostalgia, but a living experience: the prophetic spirit dwelling in America’s present, shaping its future. ih

Rasheed Rabbi is a community, prison, and hospital chaplain at NOVA, Doctor of Ministry from Boston University, and MA in Religious Studies from Hartford International University. He is the founder of e-Dawah and Secretary of the Association of Muslim Scientists, Engineers and Technology Professionals.

MUHAMMAD IN MORPHOLOGY:

Mapping the Grammar of Disciplined Love in Letters

BY RASHEED RABBI

The crescent of Rabi al-Awwal has once again carved a silver arc across the sky to radiate the “illuminating light” (33:46) of the Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Each cycle of the moon proclaims his celestial homage, and 1447 A.H. (2025) marks the 1500th lunar birth anniversary of the unbroken mercy.

This return of Rabi al-Awwal is not ritual repetition or a distant memory, but a living orbit of love that doesn’t age. It’s a litany of longing that pulses through generations and erupts in a single word: Muhammad. Parsian poet, Hakim Sanai (d. 1131) grasped it aptly:

To speak any word but your name Is error, is error;

To sing any artistic praise but for you Is shame, is shame.

Rooted in the Arabic h-m-d (د-م-ح), meaning “to praise,” Muhammad translates as “praiseworthy” or “the one who is constantly praised.” More than a name, it’s a force beneath the spoken word to stir reverence in breath, in action, and even in silence. Every letter dissolves indifference and lights the paths of passion. Hearts anchor themselves on each: م

م ( Mīm) - mahabba (love) and mahmūdiyya (praiseworthiness) to evoke a maternal warmth.

ح (Hā’) - hayāt (life) and haqq (truth/ reality) to infuse sacredness (Haram) in daily existence.

م ( Mīm) - repeated to magnify the infinite love and inexhaustible praiseworthiness.

د ( Dāl) - dīn (religion), dalīl (guide), and du‘ā’ (supplication) to enact love decisively. Together, د-م-ح-م map a morphology of love. Phonetics, theology, and lived practice converge in each letter to chart a path — to cultivate fierce compassion (م) by living the truth (ح) through systematic rehearsal of love (م), cultivated from prophetic tradition (د). Each alphabet awakens us to Islam’s unyielding core: compassion as practice, embodied by the Prophet.

LINGUISTIC MAP TO RECIPROCATE PROPHETIC LOVE

The beacon of mercy (7:158) and the bearer of glad tidings (33:45), the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ached with preemptive love for his unseen followers fifteen centuries ago: “I wish to see my brothers.” Companions asked, “Are we not your brothers?” He replied: “You are my Companions, but my brothers are those who will believe in me without having seen me” (Musnad Ahmad, 12169). Longing for the unborn ummah stole his sleep, as he spent nights in prayer for us.

This unbounded affection demands reciprocity, as Abdullah ibn Hisham reported in Omar’s confession: “We were with the Messenger of God, and he was holding the hand of Omar ibn al-Khattab, who said to him, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you are more beloved to me than everything but myself.’ The Prophet said, ‘No, by the One in whose hand is my soul, until I am more beloved to you than yourself.’ Omar said, ‘Indeed, I swear by Allah that you are more beloved to me now than myself.’ The Prophet said, ‘Now you are right, O Omar’” (Sahīh al-Bukhārī 6632). Such all-surpassing devotion consecrates love as creed — embodied by the first Mīm (م).

EMBRACING THE PROPHET ENLIVENS

SHAHĀDAH

This linguistic map of love also connects to Islam’s central declaration, the Shahādah: lā ilāha illa Llāh Muhammadun rasūl Allāh There is no divinity but Allah alone, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

The first part asserts Allah is the Absolute, Real, and Unmatched, beyond space, time, likeness, or comparison. Yet, the second part reveals the secret to overcoming this infinite transcendence: Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), who embodies divine receptivity — the capacity through which God becomes accessible. He voices

revelation, reflects mercy, and anchors guidance in human history. With him, God enters history, speaks to humanity, and draws near.

The Quran confirms his double correspondence: “Say, I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed” (18:110). He was mortal (18:110), yet his footsteps are immortal. He was an orphan (93:6), yet he embodied divine compassion for parents (4:36), and all humanity (21:107). He was “unlettered” (ummī), but not ignorant, and endowed with innate wisdom, unacquired (62:2 and 29:48). Hence, Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) must be embraced in love to human, a sacred reality (Haqiqa)

DISCIPLINED SUNNAH EVOKES LOVE AND ENACTS SHAHÃ DAH

To live the shahādah duality and bridge God’s transcendence and immanence requires following prophetic tradition, not superficially but systematically. Allah helps map this path through five verbs for relating to the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam): believe, obey, follow, honor, and emulate.

These are five phases, like five senses, to decisively yreconnect and rehearse his sunnah, denoted by د (Dāl). Each phase deepens love, spiraling inward until it consumes the self, a repetition encoded in the third م (Mīm)—a love that endlessly returns to relive the shahādah

Believe (āmanū) the Prophet’s Sunnah and Seerah are complete guidance, a lifeline, as he alone will intercede with certainty (49:15; 2:285). Belief must move from intellectual affirmation to internal conviction, where the heart clings to the path and hope blooms from his mercy.

Let every crescent of Rabi al-Awwal remind us to live his legacy of longing, not just in words, but in every moment, every movement, every choice. Let the love shine out, prevailing in every predicament and preceding every prayer.

Follow (ittabi‘ū) the Prophet’s sunnah wholeheartedly, as they are divine revelation: “Nor does he speak from [his own] desire. It is nothing but revelation revealed” (53:3-4). True faith demands accepting his judgment — not selectively, but in all disputes and life’s matters — authoritative and transformative: “They will not [truly] believe until they make you [O Muhammad] judge in all disputes between them” (4:65).

Honor (‘azzarūhu) and (waqqarūhu) the Prophet consciously and willfully (3:31; 48:9). Such reverence makes the recognition of his value and worth visible to us and deepens our personal connection with him, beyond mere prophetic recognition.

Emulate (qudwa) the Prophet to complete this progression, as “Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for whoever has hope in God and the Last Day and remembers God often” (33:21). Emulating his reflection sustains the reality of shahādah, guiding us to God and success in the hereafter.

This fivefold progression fills the mind with appreciation, saturates the heart with affection, and immerses the soul in shahādah. All culminates in an intense love that reorders all other loves.

GOD’S LOVE SHINES IN LOVING THE PROPHET

Allah Himself demands this primacy of love for the Prophet: “If your parents and children and siblings and spouses and extended family and the wealth you have acquired and the trade you fear will decline and the homes you cherish—‘if all these’ are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and struggling in His Way, then wait until Allah brings about His Will. Allah does not guide the rebellious people” (9:24).

an irresistible longing — originating from hubab, meaning bubbles. It evokes the image of divine desire surging forth, expanding, and bursting into being with the breath of ar-Rahmān, containing the command kun. From it, the cosmos, humanity, and the prophets emerge, each exists to mirror and reciprocate that love.

Thus, creation itself is an act of Allah’s desire to be known, to be loved. Our love for the Prophet binds us to that cosmic equation, and we embody the essence of existence. It bridges the infinite and the intimate, the transcendent and the tangible, and completes the shahādah.

This love is volitional, ethical, and therefore binding. The anatomy of the name Muhammad maps a theology of compassion, a methodology of devotion, and a cosmology of reciprocated divine yearning.

Let every crescent of Rabi al-Awwal remind us to live his legacy of longing — not just in words, but in every moment, every movement, every choice. Let the love shine out, prevailing in every predicament and preceding every prayer. For the absence of that love is a shame, and without it, Allama Iqbal notes, we even forfeit the right to send salawat:

I recite the blessing for the Prophet –From shame, my body became like water Love said: O you who are submitted to others,

As long as you have not received color and scent from Muhammad

Do not sully his name without blessing. ih

Obey (atī‘ū) and (yutī‘u) prophetic guidelines for the full realization of Shahādah. Obedience to the Prophet is the outward expression of inward shahādah (belief), and therefore Allah emphasizes it over 25 times: “Obey God and obey the Messenger.” This obedience extends beyond prayer and ritual (24:56; 58:13), encompassing property and life (49:15), worldly bounty (8:1), success and peace (48:18), mercy (3:132), and finally admission to Paradise (4:13). Obedience guarantees success (24:52); disobedience invites “clear error” (33:36) and disbelief (3:32).

The keyword ’ahabb ( ), an elative of ‘habīb ’, from the root h-b-b , appearing 95 times in the Quran, means “more beloved” or “most beloved.” This single word is used to describe love for God, for the Prophet, and for jihad. These are not isolated affections but expressions of a singular allegiance that defines the believer’s orientation.

The entire creation is rooted in this longing, as Allah says, “I was a hidden treasure, I loved (ahbabtu) to be known, so I created the creation” (Hadith Qudsi). Ahbabtu condenses intense yearning, a deep desire,

TO CELEBRATE OR NOT TO CELEBRATE

The Difference of Opinion About Celebrating the Prophet’s Birthday

BY WENDY DÍAZ

Every year, when the crescent of Rabi al-Awwal is sighted, a debate breaks out about whether Muslims should commemorate Prophet Muhammad’s (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) birth in a celebration called Maulud Maulud celebrations are common in many parts of the Muslim world and in the West.

For some, the occasion is marked simply by encouraging believers to learn more about the Prophet’s life or by increasing their salawat (act of invoking blessings upon the Prophet). Others participate in more elaborate festivities. Whatever the stance, the discussion often circles back to the significance, or lack of significance, of birthdays themselves. To celebrate or not to celebrate? That is the question. And it is a question that may trouble some Muslim children as they navigate majority non-Muslim societies where birthday celebrations are routine.

Interestingly, the precise date of the Prophet’s birthday is debated, though the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal is the widely accepted date. There are other candidates for the possible birthdate, such as the 2nd, 8th, and 10th, which all come from historical sources. The concrete evidence for the Prophet’s birthday comes in a hadith narrated by Ibn Qatadah. When the Messenger of Allah was asked about fasting on Mondays, he said, “That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I received the Revelation” (Riyad as-Salihin 1255).

The Prophet’s earliest biographer, Ibn Ishaq, author of Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, stated his birthday was Monday 12 Rabi al-Awwal in the Year of the Elephant (Quran, Chapter 105). Ibn Kathir, while acknowledging Ibn Ishaq’s claim, argued that Ibn Ishaq did not provide sources for it in his work. Ibn Kathir also mentions dates claimed by other scholars, including the 2nd, 8th, 10th, 12th, 17th, and 22nd of Rabi al-Awwal. It should also be noted that the Prophet’s biographies are compilations, but not as thoroughly vetted as the hadith.

However, the important thing to remember is the Prophet did not celebrate his birthday in the manner birthdays are celebrated today. Nor did any of the four RightlyGuided Caliphs (‘alayhim rahmat) observe it. Instead of setting aside a specific date, he would fast on Mondays as an expression of gratitude to his Lord.

Simply, the practice of marking the actual date of the Prophet’s birth and making it a day of commemoration is not a firmly-established Sunnah. It is a tradition that arose centuries after his passing, well after the first three generations of his followers. The Prophet cautioned people against overpraising him as earlier communities had done with their prophets. Setting aside special days in his honor may fall into that category. As the hadith states, “Do not exaggerate my status as the Christians have done with the son of Mary. Verily, I am only a servant, so refer to me as the servant of God and His Messenger” (Sahih Bukhari, 3445).

Christmas is often regarded as a celebration of the birth of Jesus (‘alayhi as salam) although the exact date of his birth remains debated. Muslims are forbidden from celebrating Christmas for many reasons, the most obvious being that it is a Christian tradition outside the bounds of the Islamic faith. By that same principle, if Muslim do

not celebrate Jesus’ birthday, they should not celebrate the birth of any other prophet. Afterall, the Quran states,“Say, O believers, ‘We believe in God and what has been revealed to us; and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and his descendants; and what was given to Moses, Jesus, and other prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them. And to God we all submit’” ( 2:136).

A BALANCED OPINION

Differing views and evidence can be complex. One balanced way to approach this is to share the opinion of Main Khalid Al-Qudah, Ph.D., an associate professor at Guidance College, and a member of the Resident Fatwa Committee of the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America (AMJA). He offers a stance that is both fair and compassionate, avoiding blame while recognizing different perspectives: “Celebrating the birthday of the Prophet is not a Sunnah, nor is it an innovation (bidah) as some people might think. It is simply a permissible act within [certain] criteria.”

First, according to Al-Qudah, celebrating the Prophet’s birthday is not to be regarded as an act of worship. Believing otherwise would render the celebration a bidah as rituals of worship in Islam are restricted only to what has been narrated.

Additionally, the celebration must not be annual. Instead, it should be held on an irregular basis. He explains that regularity and consistency in such celebrations would turn the event into a bidah

Further, no exaggeration is allowed. Some may fall into excessive and blameworthy praise and admiration of the Prophet’s status in their lectures or nasheeds. A few may even believe that he can bring benefit or harm, or that he is present where his praises are sung, that he knows the unseen or the future. They may also ascribe to him a divine nature, as Christians do with Jesus. In reality, the Prophet warned against this type of behavior.

Finally, the celebration must be free from prohibited acts. It must not be associated with sins, such as intermingling between men and women, using musical instruments in nasheed, or similar acts. The celebration should be private, not public. That is, an entire country or community should not take the Prophet’s birthday as a public holiday like Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha. Doing so would make three Islamic holidays, whereas there are only two.

Al-Qudah further explains that Ibn Taymiyyah (1263-1328), a Muslim scholar and jurist of the Sunni tradition, when asked about the status of congregating for rituals and other acts of devotion, gave a detailed ruling. He noted that gatherings to celebrate the Maulud, or the Prophet’s birthday are permissible if held on an irregular basis (Majmu al-Fatawa, vol. 23, pp. 132–133).

Considering this, Al-Qudah concluded, “Nevertheless, I recommend that you do not celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), as this is not the appropriate way of showing love for the Prophet. The true way to express love is by following his Sunnah, and celebrating his birthday is not part of it. Had it been an act of devotion, the eminent Companions (‘alayhim rahma) would have been the first to practice it.”

The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) says that it does not issue rulings on Eid Milad un-Nabi, as it is not an established Islamic festival, but rather is considered a bidah in some Islamic jurisprudence traditions, including many Hanafi schools.

The Prophet said, “whoever introduces anything that is not part of deen, into this deen of ours, it shall be rejected” (Sahīh al-Bukhārī 2697, Sahīh Muslim 1718). He also said, “Hold steadfast onto my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, after me. Hold steadfast onto it firmly, and beware of newly introduced practices, for every new practice is an innovation and every innovation leads one astray” (Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4607).

That being said, it should be noted that many who do celebrate Maulud do not do so as an act of worship but as their expression of of love for the Prophet. This unconditional love is an obligation on Muslims commanded by the Quran — “The Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves, and his wives are their mothers” (33:6); “He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed God” (4:80); and by the hadith of Caliph Omar ibn al-Khattab, who said to the Prophet, “‘O Messenger of God, you are more beloved to me than everything but myself.’ The Prophet said, ‘No, by the One in whose hand is my soul, until I am more beloved to you than yourself.’ Omar said, ‘Indeed, I swear by God that you are more beloved to me now than myself.’ The Prophet said, ‘Now you are right, O Umar’” (cited by Ibn Hisham, Sahīh al-Bukhārī 6632) — and must be exercised and encouraged with extra salawat and within other permissible expressions and approaches to sustain and transmit that love across generations.

Other scholars may differ about Maulud, and celebrations can also vary from one family or community to another. What is most significant is to acknowledge that differences of opinion exist. Whether about celebrating the Prophet’s birthday, certain cultural holidays, or even regular birthdays, we should respect other perspectives and avoid arguing or ridiculing others. Instead, we can honor the Prophet by modeling the same mercy, respect, and kindness that he exemplified. So, the real question is not, “To celebrate or not to celebrate?” but rather, “How can I be more like the Prophet?” (Fatwa #83854, Feb. 25, 2011, AMJA). ih

SALAWAT WITHOUT SOLIDARITY

Maulud Echoes Remembrance but Evades Reconnection and Renewal

BY RASHEED RABBI

As the sun set on Aug. 23, 2025, the Islamic (Hijra) calendar quietly rolled into Rabi al-Awwal of 1447. Rooted in the historic moment of the Prophet Muhammad’s (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) migration to Medina at age 53 in 622 CE, this lunar calendar now announces the 1500th birth anniversary of the final Messenger of God (Quran 33:40). It’s not just a month or a date. For nearly two billion souls — one-fourth of humanity — it is a rehearsal of love for the one sent as mercy to all creation (7:158), the bearer of an “illuminating light” (33:46), and a beacon of hope (33:45). It’s an occasion to revere that mercy, seek guidance from that light, and translate the timeless wisdom into action.

Across nations, this love erupts in Maulud, from the Arabic walada, meaning “to be born.” Some raise it with grandeur, rivaling Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha; others refrain, citing concerns of bid‘ah (innovation). Depending on region, culture, and theology, the name differs —Maulud, Milad, or Maulid — as do their expressions. But beyond the theological debate lies a deeper question: do our loudest salawat echo in empty chambers, or do they reverberate through a transformed Ummah?

Here, sincerity is put on trial.

that produces educational resources about Islam in the Spanish language.

To be more than a spectacle, Maulud must move us beyond remembrance into reconnection and renewal. Remembrance is merely the starting point that includes reading Seerah, learning Sunnah, sending salawat, and maybe reposting hadiths. In contrast, reconnection requires embodied practices of rituals, purposeful pilgrimage, mentorship, and community engagements that transmit the prophetic presence across generations. Finally,

renewal demands ethical transformation, measured by commitment to justice, racial equality, and mental health in daily life.

Too often, these implications of Maulud stall at the surface. It crosses borders and hashtags but lacks depth. Consider just a few mirrors of this disparity, not to blame any nation or region, but to mirror their sincerity gap where love falters, and ritual risks outpacing reform.

EAST AFRICA’S SACRED LOYALTY CLOAKED IN SECULAR SILENCE

Group salawat and qasida, comprising classical odes in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Urdu, reverberated throughout Dar es Salaam’s Kariakoo district in Tanzania. Taarab music, blending Arabic melodies with East African rhythms and Swahili lyrics, filled Mombasa’s air along with incense and homage. Muslims gathered in mosques and halls across Nairobi’s Eastleigh, among Somali, Oromo, and Kenyan communities, to celebrate Maulud with a unique, cosmopolitan pride.

Yet these sounds, banners, and overall sacrosanctity stumbled in sustaining the prophetic legacy. The Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), who stood with the oppressed, spoke truth to power, and modeled moral clarity, is not echoed in their silence amidst global crises like the Gaza genocide or the Sudan conflict. Salawat could not summon solidarity.

Kenya and Ethiopia’s support for Israel and its genocide is a stark betrayal of prophetic ethics. Devotion remains trapped within the religious boundaries of Ethiopia, with Muslims comprising over 30% of the population and bordering Sudan. They failed to offer moral clarity or mobilize a meaningful response to the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that displaced over 14 million people since April 2023 (United Nations Population Fund, 2025).

SOUTHERN AFRICA’S UBUNTU ECHOES THE PROPHETIC PULSE BUT EXCLUDES RESPONSIBILITY

Traveling south, the language of prophetic compassion takes on a civic tone. Southern Africa wraps reverence around the Ubuntu philosophy — “I am because we are” — popularized by Mandela and Tutu to emphasize mutual responsibility. During this year’s Maulud, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) named Zimbabwe — despite only 1% of its population being Muslim — as a center for interfaith dialogue and democratic renewal to mobilize religious memory and widen the boundary of Ubuntu. The country’s collective spirit matched in the filing of a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, yet fell short of shared responsibility.

The Ubuntu enthusiasm fizzled with Maulud candles and stagnated beyond Zimbabwe and South Africa. Namibia, Mozambique, and Zambia refused to recognize Palestinian suffering as their own or to offer any support for Palestinian statehood. The lack of a coordinated response to Sudan’s civil war defied the idea of humanity as indivisible. Maulud reverence became rhetorical, and its credibility crumbled under strategic neutrality.

PAKISTAN’S GUN SALUTES ARE ACCOMPANIED BY GEOPOLITICAL AMNESIA

Further north, Pakistan staged the loudest national tributes, combining Maulud and Defense Day (Sept. 6) to join religious, social, and national identities. A 31-gun salute in Islamabad and a 21-gun salute in provincial capitals paused the usual bureaucratic humdrum to honor the Prophet. The International Seerat-un-Nabi Conference in Islamabad on Sept. 17 brought together scholars, diplomats, and youth to affirm prophetic ethics in governance. Their commitment aptly aligns with their refusal to recognize Israel since 1947, along with their recent dispatch of two aid consignments to Gaza — a total of 190 tons of hygiene kits, food, and medical supplies.

Yet, all of these efforts proved ceremonial as coordinated engagement evaporated beyond the press releases. No traction in the OIC, no push at the United Nations, and no whisper in international tribunals. Unlike its megaphone diplomacy on Kashmir, Pakistan’s silence on Sudan and the Rohingya crisis, and even violent suppression of Palestine solidarity marches, has exposed its stance: salawat is easier than standing up; Maulud is safer than mobilizing.

Likewise, its nomination of President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize was an epic contradiction — honoring prophetic mercy while applauding the geopolitical muscle behind Israel’s financial, diplomatic, and military power.

INDIA’S COMPASSION IN COUPLETS BUT COMPLACENCY IN CABINETS

Across the border, India’s Maulud turned poetic. In Mumbai, the Naatiya Mushaira (Urdu poetry symposium) brought together Hindu and non-Muslim poets to extend prophetic compassion beyond creed. Their collective Naat recitation blurred faith lines, offering a glimpse of inclusion — until the mic was unplugged.

Poetic solidarity never crossed into policy. Muslim persecution persists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s embrace of Israel and dismissal of Palestinian suffering betrays Gandhian ideals that are aligned with the Prophet’s ethics. India’s increasing defense and tech relationship with Israel, including joint ventures in drones and surveillance, cements its geopolitical complacency. Its silence on Sudan, Ukraine, and the Rohingya crisis confirms that Indian compassion was outsourced. The Mushaira’s inclusive spirit filled the stage while prophetic ethics were left backstage, waiting for a cue that never came.

TURKEY’S MEVLID MEETS TEL AVIV’S DIPLOMACY

Always at the forefront of religious fervor, Turkey filled cultural centers and national broadcasts with ilahis (devotional songs) and Mevlid poetry, rooted in Jalaluddin Rumi’s ethos and the tradition of the Whirling Dervishes. To celebrate prophetic reverence, the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) emphasized studying the Seerah and framed the Prophet as a civic model and a spiritual icon to be emulated for ethical living. Their Maulud spirit matches Tayyip Erdoğan’s fiery denunciation of Israeli genocide in Gaza and his vocal support for Hamas Media.

Too often, these implications of Maulud stall at the surface. It crosses borders and hashtags but lacks depth. Consider just a few mirrors of this disparity, not to blame any nation or region, but to mirror their sincerity gap where love falters, and ritual risks outpacing reform.

But behind the chorus, trade with Israel climbed to $5.7 billion in 2023. The Melvid and Ilahis lacked the courage to take international initiative, call for a ceasefire, or coordinate aid for Gaza or Sudan. Even with diplomatic leverage to broker the Black Sea grain deal, Ankara still dodged moral clarity on Gaza, Sudan, and Russia alike.

INDONESIA’S PROPHETIC NUR FAILED TO SHINE BEYOND THE STREET

In Southeast Asia, Indonesia lit its streets with torchlight processions. Symbolizing nur, divine light (25:35), the torch served as a symbol of empathy for politicians, religious scholars, and academics. It illuminated the streets of Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Surabaya, but failed to influence foreign policy. The flame of their nur malfunctioned when it came to Gaza, Sudan, or the Rohingya.

The Grebeg Maulud procession, led by the royal court with its towering gunungan — mountains of food symbolizing divine generosity — offered a feast for the faithful, but not a crumb for

Gaza’s famine. Compassion was paraded, not practiced.

MALAYSIA’S BATIK UNITY MASKS BROKEN UNITY

Just across the strait, Malaysia paired the Prophet’s 1500th birthday with Malaysia Day for a double celebration of faith and flag. The theme Rahmah Menyatukan Ummah (Compassion Unites the Community) wrapped religious fervor in civic pride. Yet prophetic ethics was shelved within national borders; nothing stirred as Gaza burned, or Sudan bled before our eyes.

The city of Putrajaya’s processions featured salawat, calligraphy, and a parade of officials — proving that unity looks best in coordinated batik (traditional fabric art). But no such coordination extended to Palestine or Sudan’s famine. Exhibitions translated prophetic teachings into digestible visuals. Mosques and NGOs organized outreach programs focused on service, inclusion, and interfaith respect — just enough to keep the optics polished.

The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, or Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM), issued respectful observance guidelines, ensuring piety stayed on script. Maulidur Rasul 2025, therefore, became a national ethics campaign with hashtags — but failed to tag any urgency, reckoning, or solidarity beyond the digital platform.

MAULUD MUST MIRROR PROPHETIC ETHIC

In such celebrations, the spectacles of devotion remain detached from the Prophet’s example. As such, Maulud risks becoming ritual without reflection, innovation without devotion, celebration without transformation. And in most cases, it is remade as a political ploy to impress the public with the ruler’s level of devotion. The Ummah reduced Maulud to a date, forgetting to recognize the Prophet’s enduring legacy of justice that does not age, mercy that does not wane, and truth that does not retreat.

This must change. In a world strained by injustice, confusion, and spiritual fatigue, his legacy cannot remain a distant memory — it must be a present force. True sincerity demands civic conscience and renewed solidarity.

The Prophet is not only to be remembered, but to be lived. Maulud is not about memory but a metric — not how much we recall him, but how closely we resemble him. This anniversary is not simply a ritual — it must be a mirror reflecting our shared humanity, a reckoning to awaken and transform the prophetic pulse within all of us. ih

Prayer in Schools

Another Tool of Islamophobia in the MAGA Stronghold of Texas

BY LUKE PETERSON

As of September, Texas Senate Bill 11 has gone into full, legal effect. It mandates, in part, that all public schools across the state designate time during every school day for “a period of prayer or a reading of the Bible.” In the hyper-Christian, rabidly evangelical Lone Star State, the bill has over 50 official sponsors in the legislature.

Texas Attorney General and United States Senate candidate Ken Paxton (R.), was at the forefront of getting this bill passed. “In Texas classrooms, we want the Word of God opened, the Ten Commandments displayed, and prayers lifted up,” he said in a statement. (Christopher Mathias. “Texas Attorney General Wants Students to Pray in School — Unless They’re Muslim.” Sept. 7, 2025. The Guardian).

In that same rambling defense of his anti-Constitutional rebranding of classrooms, Paxton named the enemies of Christianity, and therefore in his messianic worldview, of America. “Twisted, radical liberals want to erase Truth, dismantle the solid foundation that America’s success and strength were built upon, and erode the moral fabric of our society,” he said.

Paxton seemingly envisions his calling as a legislator to be a divine mandate returning all the wayward students and teachers in Texas schools to the single “Biblical Truth” he and his supporters uncritically endorse despite the obvious violations of established civil liberties in the United States that this maneuver entails.

And despite language in Senate Bill 11 that allows for time for students to read “other religious text in public schools,” Paxton and dozens of supporters of the bill fully intend this elimination of the established separation of Church and State in the U.S. to be specifically Christian in nature. Jewish students will not be allowed to read the Torah nor will Hindu students be encouraged to read the Vedas during their time for religious study. And, as if it even bears asking, Muslims students, who today number between 5 and 6

In his insistence on the exclusively Christian identity of Texas and of the broader United States, Paxton and others like him leave no room for safety and security of other faithbased communities, least of all for practitioners of Islam.

million in Texas alone, will certainly not be allowed to pray together, read Quran, or study the Hadith during this prescribed time for religious instruction.

CONDEMNING ISLAM IN TEXAS SCHOOLS

In 2017, Paxton’s office published an open letter to the superintendent of Schools in Frisco, a suburb of Dallas. In it, he pushed

the superintendent to clarify access to and use of a prayer room opened by students at Liberty High School (LHS) in the Frisco Independent School District (FISD) for use by any student or group of students who wanted to reflect, pray, or collect their thoughts during the school day. Paxton’s letter accused the school of creating an exclusive zone within the school which barred entry to non-Muslim pupils. Specifically, he charged the Superintendent with turning over school facilities “dedicated to the religious needs of some students… namely, those who practice Islam.” He therefore accused the district of “excluding students of other faiths” (Mathias. “Texas Attorney General Wants Students to Pray in School.” Sept. 7, 2025. The Guardian).

Paxton referenced “recent news reports” concerning the prayer room at LHS as the basis for his accusation. However, no such reports had been published. The only media attention the new prayer room received appeared in the LHS student paper in which the student reporter praised the ethnic and religious diversity at LHS This lone article

on the matter of the Liberty High prayer room would indicate that Paxton’s office was trolling through school newspapers across Texas looking for any opportunity to slam Islam or Muslim students as separationist or discriminatory

LHS Principal Stacey Whaling assured that the available space had been organized by students on campus and was not off limits to any individual or group at any time during the school day. The school district also noted that Paxton’s office never reached out to them privately. Instead, he made a public call questioning discriminatory practices that did not exist. In his insistence on the exclusively Christian identity of Texas and of the broader United States, Paxton and others like him leave no room for safety and security of other faith-based communities, least of all for practitioners of Islam.

A TRACK RECORD OF ISLAMOPHOBIA: THE TALE OF EPIC CITY

In coordination with the Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Paxton launched an investigation into an expansion project of the existing East

Plano Islamic Center known as EPIC City. Plan designs call for the construction of a new mosque given the limited space of the existing mosque, as well as for a housing development consisting of 1,000 single-family homes along with a grocery store and K-12 school.

According to Abbott and Paxton though, the EPIC City project would be in violation of the Texas Fair Housing Act in addition to violations of other Texas consumer laws given that housing built within EPIC City would be allocated for Muslim Texans only. The only problem with that assertion is that that restriction is to be found nowhere in the planning for the EPIC City project.

“It’s an open community,” Yasir Qadhi, a scholar of Islamic Law and a Muslim resident of Plano, told NPR. “Anybody can come in. We’re welcoming people of all backgrounds and diversity and we’re offering them facilities that we think would be very, very useful.

The absence of evidence of any illegality in the proposed construction of EPIC City did not stop U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) from adding his ill-informed

opinion that the investigation into the project is a form of state monitoring in order to prevent religious discrimination. “Religious discrimination, whether explicit or implicit, is unconstitutional under the First and 14th Amendments,” Cornyn wrote an open letter to Paxton. “Religious freedom is a cornerstone of our nation’s values, and I am concerned this community potentially undermines this vital protection” ( Love. “Proposed Muslim development in Texas brings inquiries.” May 22, 2025. NPR).

Official investigations and the imposition of the breadth of state regulations on construction and urban development in Texas have slowed the progress of the EPIC City project. In the meantime, EPIC City attorney and spokesperson Dan Cogdell has revealed that the assault from state regulators has been entirely premature since no ground has yet been broken on this project. “We haven’t started construction,” he told NPR “We haven’t even filed for an application.”

FAITH INSTEAD OF FEAR

With Texas Senate Bill 11, it seems Abbott and Paxton are more interested in scoring political points by pandering to a xenophobic and Islamophobic base rather than actually confronting racism or religious discrimination in their state. If they were to take the time to do that, they might actually discover that Muslims in Texas are far more likely than Christians to be on the receiving end of discriminatory practices in their community or in the workplace. ih

Luke Peterson is a professor, author, editor, and researcher living and working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His latest book, The U.S. Military in the Print News Media: Service and Sacrifice in Contemporary Discourse, is available from Anthem Press or via most online booksellers.

The Association of Indian Muslims of America Marks 40 Years

The Indian Muslim Diaspora Cares

BY ZAFAR IQBAL

India is home to the world’s largest minority; 213 million Muslims live in India as of 2020, making up 15% of the country’s overall population. Many other Indian Muslims communities exist around the world including the United States.

The North American Indian Muslim diaspora of the mid-1980s was small and scattered. Families were determined to build new lives and careers, but many also felt a deep responsibility toward the communities they left behind.

This longing led to the founding of the Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM). Founded on Aug. 30, 1985 in Washington, D.C., this nonprofit, tax-exempt organization established a unifying platform for Indian Muslims in the United States to help them stay connected to their heritage while channeling resources toward education, social welfare, and humanitarian relief in India and beyond.

AIM gave North American Indian Muslims a collective voice and purpose. It brought together professionals, students, and families to support charitable initiatives, advocate for justice, and preserve cultural

and spiritual ties to India. By blending the energy of young professionals with the wisdom of elders, AIM quickly became one of the most enduring Indian Muslim organizations in the United States.

A FOUNDING VISION

AIM’s vision was shaped by young professionals who migrated to the U.S. with strong educational backgrounds and promising careers. Rather than pursuing personal advancement alone, they dedicated themselves to serving the underprivileged in India. Tufail Ahmad (19382022), AIM’s founder and first president, established the organization on the principle that wealth, knowledge, and privilege carry responsibility. Guided by faith and a sense of duty, the founders sought to uplift marginalized communities through education, health care, and opportunity, a philosophy that continues to guide AIM 40 years later.

and those facing challenges back home,” said AIM Executive Director Kaleem Kawaja. “We wanted AIM to uphold our values, create opportunities, and stand firmly against injustice wherever it arose.”

RELIEF IN TIMES OF CRISIS

Providing humanitarian relief is central to AIM’s mission. In 1991, the organization sent $25,000 to aid victims of sectarian violence in Delhi and Hyderabad. AIM contributed another $25,000 to rebuilding efforts after the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. The following year, after the Gujarat riots, AIM raised $200,000 to rebuild homes, schools, and medical facilities.

Relief work continued in the years that followed. AIM sent support for tsunami victims in Tamil Nadu and Kerala in 2004, aid for families affected by floods in Kerala and Hyderabad in 2019, assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, and help for families displaced by anti-Muslim violence in Northeast Delhi also in 2020. In 2024, AIM extended its reach beyond India by sending aid to victims of the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Each initiative provided not only material support but also a vital sense of connection between Indian Muslims in North America and vulnerable communities back in India and indeed, around the globe.

BUILDING EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITY

While relief work has been vital, AIM’s most lasting impact has been on education. Recognizing education as the great equalizer, AIM has donated over $1 million since 2000 to schools, training programs, and scholarships for underprivileged students in India. Some these initiatives included: Funding a $60,000 Technical Training Center in Ahmedabad to equip youth with career skills.

“Our vision was simple: to build a bridge between Indian Muslims in North America

Supporting computer training centers and science labs for girls’ schools in Azamgarh. L aunching a tailoring program in Hyderabad to enable women to gain economic independence.

AIM gave North American Indian Muslims a collective voice and purpose. It brought together professionals, students, and families to support charitable initiatives, advocate for justice, and preserve cultural and spiritual ties to India. By blending the energy of young professionals with the wisdom of elders, AIM quickly became one of the most enduring Indian Muslim organizations in the United States.

Partnering with the Asha Education Trust — a California-based secular organization — to provide scholarships in Uttar Pradesh and Kerala.

C ontributing over $300,000 to Anjuman Islam University in Mumbai to help economically disadvantaged students pursue engineering and professional studies.

AIM has also supported schools for children with disabilities in Kerala, the Umeed Global School for impoverished children in Aligarh, and grassroots scholarship programs across India. Many beneficiaries of these funds have gone on to become teachers, engineers, and community leaders.

ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY BUILDING

Alongside relief and education, AIM has consistently raised its voice for justice and dignity. While maintaining a non-partisan stance, AIM has partnered with organizations in India and abroad to highlight the struggles of Muslim minorities and other marginalized groups. Through seminars, statements in the press, and public advocacy, AIM highlights issues central to the Indian Muslim story.

In the U.S., AIM has strengthened community ties through its annual Eid Milad Dinner traditionally held in Washington, D.C. More than a social gathering, it serves as a platform for networking, cultural exchange, and nurturing identity. For many, these events feel like family reunions, reminding Indian Muslim Americans they are part of a larger community that values both their heritage and their future. Such gatherings also inspire younger generations to remain rooted in their culture while also contributing mightily to contemporary American society.

A LEGACY OF SERVICE

As AIM marks its 40th anniversary, its legacy is one of persistence, sacrifice, and faithdriven service. Its story is not only about the funds raised or programs implemented, but also about the solidarity it has fostered among Indian Muslims in America.

Volunteers, donors, and supporters — often working behind the scenes — have sustained AIM’s mission with their time and expertise. “You can see where every dollar goes, whether rebuilding homes in Gujarat or giving underprivileged children the chance to get an education,” said one long-time supporter who prefers to remain anonymous.

Through immigration shifts, political changes, and generational transitions, AIM has endured as a unifying initiative. Today, it remains both a reflection of the aspirations of Indian Muslims in America and a bridge of compassion to communities in India and beyond. It continues to affirm that diaspora communities, no matter how far from their homeland, can make a meaningful difference through collective effort, vision, and faith. ih

Zafar Iqbal, Ph.D., served over 25 years as a faculty member at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. He later joined the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C. He is deeply engaged in educational, cultural, and community organizations.

Minnesota Organization Uplifts Muslim Women through Community Action

Championing Representation and Elevating Muslim Women

BY TAYYABA SYED

Over a decade ago, Malika Dahir, 47, and her family moved from Memphis, Tenn., to Minneapolis, Minn. to be around more Muslims. When she heard about the first Muslim women’s leadership conference hosted by local nonprofit Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment (RISE), she knew she had to be there.

“I was excited to hear about this conference and wanted to attend it with my eldest daughter, who was only 9 years old at the time,” Dahir recalled.

Founded in 2015, RISE has become a movement that is reclaiming the dominant narrative around Muslim women by providing leadership and entrepreneurship

development and encouraging civil engagement and advocacy.

“We were just blown away by how professionally and tactfully everything was done,” Dahir said. “My daughter was so impressed and moved by RISE’s mission and work that she donated her entire year’s allowance to the organization, $600 worth! I knew that I had to get more involved and become a regular donor too.”

Dahir, a mother of three, has since become an integral part of RISE’s team, starting as an active volunteer and working her way to becoming its current executive director. She stepped into the full-time role in 2022 and takes the work very seriously as an amanah (trust) put in her care.

“I try to marry my coalition work with

the work RISE does like interconnected identities,” Dahir said. “Its mission and vision aligns with my values and mirrors my passion for advocacy. I grew up around strong Muslim women like my mother and grandmother, but stories like theirs go unknown. Through RISE, we started Black Herstory Month in February, highlighting African American women in our community doing incredible work and sharing their historical attachment to the Twin Cities.”

STORYTELLING AND SUPPORT IN RISE

Storytelling is a key program at RISE. In 2018, Storytelling Director Sarah Gruidl, 31, was hired to write stories for Sheroes, one of the organization’s projects that showcases female trailblazers who are creating change

in their local communities in Minnesota. RISE defines a “shero” as a woman who takes risks, challenges misconceptions, addresses injustices, and in general, builds a better world.

“We are working on our first book based on Muslim Sheroes of Minnesota, celebrating and preserving their contributions,” Gruidl said. “It is allocated to be released in Spring 2026.”

community conversation, but this time they would each bring a friend. 20 women came to discuss philanthropy, generosity, and gift-giving, all of which Hussain described as “still kind of foreign for people.” They then held a civic engagement panel at Daybreak Bookshop with three Muslim women who were running for office at that time.

“We talked about all the different ways to get involved in the civic scene,” Hussain

We were just blown away by how professionally and tactfully everything was done. My daughter was so impressed and moved by RISE’s mission and work that she donated her entire year’s allowance to the organization, $600 worth! I knew that I had to get more involved and become a regular donor too.”

them aware of issues pertaining to Muslim women in Minnesota. In 2023, RISE led their first ever Muslim Women’s Day at the state capitol. For election season, they provide candidate report cards to help the community see where candidates stand with issues relevant to them.

“We recently hosted a community conversation with Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Attorney General Keith Ellison in collaboration with Jewish Community Action and Gender Justice,” Dahir said. “And our Economic Empowerment Series completed its second year in helping launch new businesses. We even award seed money as a prize to the three most promising entrepreneurs from the program’s graduates. We are going further and beyond, and I pray [God] accepts this from us.”

RISE has become more than an organization; it’s a movement for change.

“Our stories have always been powerful,” Dahir said. “We’re just making sure the world hears them.”

Though RISE’s team tripled in size since Gruidl joined, founder Nausheena Hussain, 49, still remembers the very first interest gathering she held in Sept. 2015 at Daybreak Bookshop, now known as the Rabata Cultural Center.

“I invited 40 women to discuss leadership, civic engagement, and philanthropy, but only six to eight people showed up,” Hussain said. “No one really understood what I was trying to do. However, two things still came out of that meeting: recognition of a void in representation and a need for networking.”

LEADERSHIP AND VISIBILITY: FOR WOMEN, BY WOMEN

When Hussain worked for the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, she noticed many of the cases coming in involved Muslim women being violated. She also noticed that every time they did a press conference, only male imams would show up.

“Why aren’t we seeing Muslim women in leadership roles?” Hussain wondered. “We are doing the work, but we’re behind the scenes. Men are just center stage. I don’t even know where to go to meet other Muslim female leaders.”

From that initial session, the small interest group decided to build a network for women, by women. They went on to do another

said. “Caucusing, social justice activism, how to become delegates, what are public policies, you name it. Then Trump wins the election in 2016, and we’re all worrying, so we hosted another session to mobilize and bring in faith and to trust in [God’s] plan.”

This is around the time RISE became more and more a reality and a need in the community. According to Hussain, they still took things slow and were testing things out in terms of projects. For the first two years, they were sponsored by the nonprofit Propel and then filed to establish their own 501c3 in 2018.

At its inception, the small team simply worked as volunteers. Once they started receiving grants and funding, they developed a staff model. Dedicated to growing the organization and establishing infrastructure and fundraising, Hussain became RISE’s first executive director and an official board was seated and staff members were hired.

EXPANSION AND RECOGNITION

As more grants and sponsorships came in, RISE began expanding its programming and outreach. Sheroes received exposure and recognition in different media outlets, and RISE’s current projects include a small business incubation program to support Muslim women entrepreneurs as well as facilitating conversations with elected officials to make

To learn more about RISE, volunteer, donate, or attend their upcoming events, visit https://www.revivingsisterhood.org/. ih Tayyaba Syed is an award-winning author, journalist, and Islamic studies teacher. She conducts literary and faith-based presentations for all ages, sits on the board of directors for a women’s non-profit called Rabata, and served four years as an elected member of her district’s board of education. She lives in Illinois with her husband and three children. Learn more at www.tayyabasyed.com.

CAIR Exposes “Hostile” College Campuses

U.S. Universities Silence Dissent, Discriminating Against Muslim Students

BY ISMAIL ALLISON

Since the start of Israel’s genocide in Gaza in 2023, the United States government, media, and various institutions have taken extreme measures to protect Israel from any form of public criticism. University campuses, especially, have been leading the crackdowns against free speech and activism. Across the nation during Israel’s unrelenting genocide in Gaza, students set up encampments, held marches, joined and created organizations, and used social media to spread awareness. For their part, university administrations worked to shut them down, sometimes with brute force. The Gaza genocide has also led to a new wave of anti-Muslim bigotry with university campuses being some of the biggest hotspots for Islamophobic incidents.

In response to increased reports of suppression or discrimination, The Council on AmericanIslamic Relations (CAIR), created the Hostile Campus Rating Framework, a rubric that evaluates college campuses by assessing institutional policies, campus climate, civil rights violations, and restrictions on free speech and political expression. The framework considers whether universities suppress lawful dissent through arrests, sanctions, surveillance, or collaboration with federal agencies. It also examines the extent to which universities have anti-Islamophobia policies, include Muslim students in broader anti-discrimination frameworks, and/or engage affected communities in policymaking. The framework investigates documented incidents of Islamophobia, hostile campus climates, and legal actions, such as Title VI complaints or lawsuits.

Scoring is based on a rubric with deductions for discriminatory policies, incidents, or

v iolations, and campuses are rated as “unhostile,” “under watch,” or “hostile” based on their performance. Data sources include surveys, public records, media reports, and statements from campus groups.

Using this framework, CAIR has designated 28 U.S. universities as “hostile.” Cornell University falls under this category. On that campus in March 2024, 22 students were arrested during a non-violent protest demanding divestment from weapons manufacturers tied to Israel. In April, four students involved in a peaceful encampment were suspended and banned from campus. Nearly 20 students were disciplined using surveillance

footage after protesting defense contractors at a career fair. Among that group, the students were arrested and suspended, and four students were banned from campus for three years. Further, an international Ph.D. candidate’s visa was revoked due to his activism on behalf of Palestine. He ended up withdrawing from his degree and filing a civil rights lawsuit against the university.

Columbia University also falls under the “hostile” category. In early 2024, protesters at a Palestine solidarity event were sprayed with a chemical agent resulting in at least 10 students requiring medical care. In April 2024, after resumption of a protest encampment, hundreds of New York Police Department officers — invited by Columbia’s Acting President Claire Shipman — stormed the campus in riot gear to clear protestors. Students were beaten and kicked by these violent police officers. Some were thrown down flights of stairs and injured while medical attention was delayed for some students. Dozens of student protesters have faced disciplinary action: suspensions, bans from campus, academic holds, and deferred disciplinary measures. Renowned Middle Eastern Studies Professor Dr. Rashid Khalidi resigned from his university chair at Columbia in protest.

Scoring is based on a rubric with deductions for discriminatory policies, incidents, or violations, and campuses are rated as “Unhostile,” “Under Watch,” or “Hostile” based on their performance. Data sources include surveys, public records, media reports, and statements from campus groups.

Also designated as hostile is the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign (UIUC), where a mostly peaceful pro-Palestinian encampment was dismantled by campus police with several arrests in early 2024. UIUC students have alleged the university uses license plate readers and video and social media surveillance to monitor supporters of activism. The administration also imposed harsh protest restrictions that disproportionately target Muslim and pro-Palestinian students.

Similarly, UCLA cooperated with law enforcement to violently shut down the Gaza Solidarity

Encampment in May 2024. Around 200 students were arrested during the clearing of the encampment, during which police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and other forms of force. Prior to this violent response, the university neglected to act when violent far-right mobs to assault peaceful pro-Palestinian protestors using poles, clubs, and wooden boards.

George Washington University was also designated as a “hostile” campus. It suspended its Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter in Nov. 2023 and targeted its student leaders. In May 2024, an anti-genocide sit-in was dismantled and law enforcement working with the university administration was authorized to destroy materials like Islamic prayer mats and copies of the Quran. Muslim and Palestinian students reported harassment on campus such as having hijabs ripped off and being spat on. Others said university leadership failed to acknowledge the suffering of Palestinian civilians.

Other universities that fall under the “hostile” category of CAIR’s Hostile Campus Rating Framework include Harvard University, Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, Irvine, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Tulane University, Emory University, the University of Pittsburgh, New York University, the University of Chicago, the University of Texas at Austin, Northwestern University, Swarthmore College, Pomona College, and Northern Arizona University.

A university being designated as “hostile” indicates a sustained pattern of policies, behaviors, or abuses that make life difficult or risky for Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, and allied students, faculty, or staff, especially those who protest or speak out on the Gaza genocide. It is not a symbolic gesture; it is a public indictment of an institution’s failure to uphold civil rights, protect vulnerable communities, and foster true academic freedom. The students’ bravery, however, is most often unshaken by these hostile conditions. To match their bravery, the public must support them as they continue speaking out for justice and demanding better from their universities. We must not ease the pressure on universities who continue to suppress the free speech of Muslim and pro-Palestinian students whose only aim is to stop the genocidal Israeli actions in Palestine. ih

Ismail Allison is the National Communications Manager for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Proposed California Bill To Reduce Antisemitism Through Censorship

AB 715 Shows the Danger of Legislating Classroom Speech

BY FAISAL KUTTY

Imagine if teachers in the United States were barred from teaching about Saudi Arabia’s alleged repression of non-Muslims or Iran’s discrimination against women because such lessons might be deemed Islamophobic and offensive to Muslim students. We would immediately recognize this as censorship and as a dangerous conflation of criticizing governments with bigotry against a faith community.

Yet that is precisely the logic behind California’s Assembly Bill 715, now sitting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.

AB 715, introduced by Assembly members Rick Chavez Zbur (D) and Dawn Addis (D), is billed as a landmark measure to combat antisemitism in K-12 schools. It sailed through the Assembly on a 68-0 vote and has the backing of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus and dozens of Jewish organizations.

Supporters point to alarming statistics; antisemitic incidents in California schools

have surged more than sixfold in the past decade. They argue the bill is urgently needed to keep Jewish students safe. But beneath those good intentions lies a troubling attempt to legislate how teachers talk about Israel and Palestine — with national implications.

The bill strengthens anti-discrimination protections based on religion and nationality and creates a State Antisemitism Coordinator. It expands the state’s complaint procedures and creates a new “Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator.”

Most controversially, opponents note the bill would bar materials deemed “antisemitic,” citing examples like labeling Israel a “settler-colonial state.”

This vague and expansive language has educators on edge. The California Teachers Association, California Faculty Association (CFA), and more than 100 other organizations oppose the bill.

The Council of UC Faculty Associations has called it “pedagogically dangerous,” warning it could punish teachers for

presenting perspectives widely accepted in scholarship and public debate.

As Theresa Montaño, CFA Teacher Education Caucus tri-chair and CSU Northridge professor, put it, discourse on Palestine or the genocide in Gaza will be “policed, misrepresented, and reported to the antisemitism coordinator.”

Higher education has been pulled into the same vortex. In July, the University of California banned student governments from boycotting Israel, citing federal pressure

Free Speech for Me, National Hypocrisy After Charlie

BY FAISAL KUTTY

The likely result is a chilling effect, where educators self-censor and avoid controversial subjects altogether out of fear of complaints, lawsuits, or professional retaliation.

The Justice Department has scrutinized UCLA’s handling of anti-Israel protests. These developments mirror a national trend: from Florida’s restrictions on teaching race and gender to congressional hearings on campus antisemitism, politicians are increasingly legislating the boundaries of classroom speech.

Shielding Israel from critique in classrooms is not the same as protecting Jewish students from harassment. We would never accept laws that prohibit criticism of Saudi Arabia’s monarchy or Iran’s theocracy. To equate criticism of those governments with hatred of Muslims would itself be Islamophobic. Why, then, should Israel be treated differently?

The problem with AB 715 isn’t just what it prohibits. It’s the unequal way it addresses discrimination. While the bill references Islamophobia, its remedies overwhelmingly target antisemitism. Critics, including the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, argue this bill creates a hierarchy of protections: one community receives a coordinator, new procedures, and dedicated oversight, while others are left with vague promises.

This is not equity. It is exceptionalism — singling out one form of hate for special treatment while leaving others behind.

Worse, the bill risks conflating Jewish identity with the policies of the Israeli state. Shielding Israel from critique in classrooms is not the same as protecting Jewish students from harassment. We would never accept laws that prohibit criticism of Saudi Arabia’s monarchy or Iran’s theocracy. To equate criticism of those governments with hatred of Muslims would itself be Islamophobic. Why, then, should Israel be treated differently?

What happens in California does not stay in California. The state has the nation’s largest public school system, and its curriculum battles often set the tone for the rest of the country. Already, ethnic studies courses have become lightning rods, with lawsuits and political interventions shaping how — or if — Palestine can be discussed.

California, often a progressive trailblazer, is now poised to enact its own form of speech policing — this time under the banner of combating antisemitism. If Newsom signs AB 715, other states are likely to follow.

There is no question that antisemitism is real and dangerous. Jewish students, like all students, must be safe from harassment and discrimination. But we must not conflate that vital goal with protecting governments from criticism.

Criticism of Saudi Arabia’s repression is not anti-Muslim. Criticism of Iran’s abuses is not Islamophobic. And criticism of Israel’s occupation and human rights record is not antisemitic. Shielding Israel from scrutiny while allowing criticism of other governments is hypocrisy, and it undermines the credibility of efforts to fight real antisemitism.

California should reject AB 715. Protecting students from hate is essential. But legislating censorship in the name of safety is not. At stake is more than one bill in one state. It is whether America’s classrooms remain places of open inquiry — or become battlegrounds where politicians decide which histories, and which truths, our children are allowed to learn. ih

Faisal Kutty,

J.D., LL.M. is a lawyer, law professor, and regular contributor to The Toronto Star and Newsweek. He is affiliate faculty at the Rutgers University Center for Security, Race, and Rights and Associate Professor of Law Emeritus at Valparaiso University. You can follow him on X @faisalkutty.

When Muslim communities protested derogatory caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam ), Western leaders responded with lofty lectures about the sanctity of free speech. To be part of our civilization, we were told, “is to accept the right to be offended.” The cartoons, the Quran burnings, the insults hurled at our most sacred figures — all of this, we were assured, was the price of liberty. Years later, the rallying cry after the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris in Jan. 2015 was “Je Suis Charlie” (I am Charlie). Newspapers across Europe republished the cartoons Muslims found most offensive (including many from Charlie Hebdo itself), insisting that blasphemy was not only protected but celebrated.

Fast forward to Sept. 2025. Archconservative activist Charlie Kirk, an American political firebrand, was gunned down during a university event. His murder was a tragedy, another sign of America’s level of comfort with escalating political violence. But what followed revealed something more corrosive than violence: the collapse of principle. Those who once preached the gospel of the sanctity of offensive speech suddenly turned against it. Professors, teachers, comedians, and even ordinary citizens who mocked or criticized

Me, Not for Thee

Charlie Kirk’s

Death

Kirk after his death faced suspensions, firings, government investigations, and calls for prosecution. The “right to be offended” that was non-negotiable when Muslims were the target has vanished now that conservatives feel the sting of the offense in question.

And the response was swift. Within days, more than three dozen teachers, professors, and staff members across the United States had been disciplined for their social media posts about Kirk. At Clemson University in South Carolina, two faculty members were suspended from teaching and one employee terminated after Clemson College Republicans circulated screenshots of their remarks. South C arolina attorney general Alan Wilson, along with other Republican leaders and even President Trump, demanded punitive action (Tyler Kingkade, “Teachers’ punishment for social media posts on Charlie Kirk’s death prompts free speech debate,” Sept. 18, 2025, NBC News).

The chill of censorship extended beyond college campuses. Private companies and

civic organizations severed ties with individuals accused of mocking Kirk. Even late-night television was drawn in; comedian and television host Jimmy Kimmel’s show was suspended after he ridiculed the political reaction to the assassination. Some commentators warned, however, that public condemnation from regulators blurred the line between private discipline and government pressure (and as a result of public demand, Kimmel was reinstated within a few days of his initial dismissal).

“When you see someone celebrating Charlie’s murder, call them out. And hell, call their employer,” Vice President JD Vance said while guest-hosting The Charlie Kirk Show. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi declared, “There’s free speech and then there’s hate speech. We will absolutely target you, go after you, if you are targeting anyone with hate speech.” She later clarified that her focus was threats of violence, but the message of antagonism towards critics of Kirk or the MAGA movement remained crystal clear. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott announced investigations into hundreds of educators accused of posting “disrespectful” comments about Kirk, prompting the state’s largest teachers’ union to denounce the move as a political witch-hunt. In Oklahoma, the state superintendent vowed to revoke licenses of teachers who “glorified” the killing.

The national message is unmistakable: in today’s America, you may burn a copy of the Quran or mock Islam with impunity, and it will be defended as free speech. But you may not mock Charlie Kirk. Even when NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick (formerly of the San Francisco 49ers) merely knelt during the national anthem to protest police violence against Black Americans, his career effectively ended. The lesson is clear: every society has its sacred cows, and in the U.S. those cows may be political or secular — and sometimes they are religious.

The hypocrisy within national political discourse is glaring.

Conservatives who once styled themselves as victims of “cancel culture” are now leading a purge. In fact, Kirk himself often argued “hate speech does not exist legally in America… There’s ugly speech, gross speech, evil speech. And all of it is protected.” Yet in the wake of his death, his admirers demand punishment for “hate speech” in his memory. Trump adminis-

military killed in fighting overseas. The through-line is clear: the state cannot punish speech simply because it offends, causes pain, or outrages. For the same reason, “hate speech” remains protected under U.S. law, except where it crosses into direct threats or incitement.

Yet in practice, the current crackdown is doing just that.

In the U.S., blasphemy against Islam is tolerated, even as public and private sanctions increasingly follow cruel remarks about revered political figures. What differs is not whether speech is restricted, but which constituencies are shielded from offense.

tration officials who spent years accusing universities of silencing conservatives are now driving investigations of teachers and professors for nothing more than their practice of free speech.

Nor is the left blameless. Institutions that once insisted that offensive expression was the essence of academic freedom are now eager to punish employees and students for crude or tasteless remarks about Kirk.

And this collective collapse of principle has even extended beyond America. In the United Kingdom, former Prime Minister Liz Truss — who cast herself as a free-speech absolutist — called for Oxford University to expel a student who joked about Kirk’s killing.

But it is worth recalling what the First Amendment actually protects. The Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld the right to offensive speech. In Hustler Magazine v. Falwell (1988), it protected a vile and sexually explicit parody of a popular televangelist. In Snyder v. Phelps (2011), the court defended Westboro Baptist Church’s hateful picketing of funerals of members of the U.S.

Employers are punishing offensive opinions, politicians are using the machinery of government to intimidate schools and businesses, and senior officials are suggesting that “hate speech” is punishable by sacking and/or censure despite knowing that the law says otherwise.

As civil libertarian Nadine Strossen — who served as the president of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 to 2008 — warned, too many people believe in “freedom of speech for me, but not for thee.” Once speech is protected only when it serves the powerful, it ceases to be a right and becomes a privilege.

The irony is bitter. Kirk thrived on provocation; he sparred with students and even laughed off being caricatured on South Park To turn his death into a justification for censorship betrays both his own professed principles as well as those of America itself.

Kirk’s murder was a tragedy. Those who celebrated it were indecent, but indecency is not illegal. If free speech means anything, it must mean defending public expression even when it

wounds us. Yet the very politicians who once told Muslims to accept mockery of their Prophet and the destruction of their holy book are now demanding that Americans venerate a hate-filled conservative influencer. That is not principle; it is hypocrisy.

But let us also be honest: the West never truly practiced free speech. In France, you can mock the Prophet Muhammad, but Holocaust denial is a crime under the Gayssot Act of 1990. In the U.S., blasphemy against Islam is tolerated, even as public and private sanctions increasingly follow cruel remarks about revered political figures. What differs is not whether speech is restricted, but which constituencies are shielded from offense.

The hypocrisy lies in pretending otherwise. When leaders demand that Muslims endure insults in the name of liberty while punishing their own citizens for insulting powerful political figures, they reveal that “free speech absolutism” is more myth than reality. Recognizing that truth does not mean condoning Quran burnings or blasphemy; it means acknowledging that no society has transcended the human impulse to police the sacred.

What is needed is not the false promise of absolute free speech, but rather honesty and consistency in public policy. If every society has its sacred cows, then the task is to minimize them and ensure they are not weaponized to silence dissent or entrench power. Anything less is not liberty — it is selective freedom dressed up as principle. ih

Faisal Kutty, J.D., LL.M. is a lawyer, law professor, and regular contributor to The Toronto Star and Newsweek. He is affiliate faculty at the Rutgers University Center for Security, Race, and Rights and Associate Professor of Law Emeritus at Valparaiso University. You can follow him on X @faisalkutty.

World War III is Coming And it

Will Begin in the Middle East

BY LUKE PETERSON

On Sept. 17, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a mutual defense pact. This compelling regional accord is trumpeted as a response to Israel’s violation of Qatar’s sovereignty in early September with their bombing of diplomatic offices in Doha connected to the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (known as Hamas). This agreement is stated as the first major diplomatic maneuver involving an Arabian Gulf state since Israel’s attack on Qatar which took place a mere week before its signing (Munir Ahmed and Jon Gambrell, “Saudi Arabia signs a mutual defense pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan after Israel’s attack on Qatar.” Sept. 18, 2025. The Associated Press).

Beyond a response to the threat that Israel poses to Muslimmajority states though, this diplomatic deal may be part of a larger consideration as alliances and rivalries are further entrenched ahead of a massive global political conflict. Specifically, analysts have raised the alarm about two major blocks of global power being arrayed against one another,

namely the United States, Israel, and their Sunni-majority clients (Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Egypt) against the so-called Shia Crescent of Iran, Palestine (even though Palestinians are mostly Sunni Muslims), and their ostensible international backers in Russia and China. Experts suggest the world has less than 10 years before these political rivals clash, unleashing nuclear war (Mary Kate Aylwar, et. al., “Welcome to 2035: What the World Could Look Like in Ten Years, According to More than 350 Experts.” Feb. 12, 2025. The Atlantic Council).

NUCLEAR IRAN

One element in these predictions concerns the Iranian nuclear program. Alarms have been sounding about Iran’s intention to produce a nuclear weapon for decades now, but these grave warnings have never been legitimate, especially coming from Israeli officials like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite Tel Aviv’s deliberate obfuscation about Iran’s potential nuclear program, Washington analysts quietly wonder about the Iranian nuclear capacity in the wake of the joint

June 2025 U.S. and Israeli bombing campaign against that state. According to these analysts, Iran is no longer motivated to restrain itself in its pursuit of nuclear weapons given the Trump administration’s severance of diplomatic relations and their forced isolation from the U.S. and its allies.

“The attacks will trigger a decision by the Iranians to produce nuclear weapons as the only way to ensure their security and their regime’s survival,” said Brookings analyst Robert Einhorn. “Nonnuclear states worldwide that feel threatened by nuclear-armed adversaries will pursue their own nuclear deterrents” (Pavel Baev, et. al. “The global implications of the US strikes on Iran: Brookings experts weigh in,” July 1, 2025. The Brookings Institute). If so, this most recent occurrence of collusion in the practice of ultra-violence between Washington and Tel Aviv will have drastically backfired from its stated objective of using military intervention to make the Middle East safer.

Some critics of U.S. policy say it already has. Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff to Gen. Colin Powell, the

Secretary of State under President George W. Bush, believes this to be the case. Speaking candidly in an early September interview on the podcast American Exception hosted by historian Aaron Good, Wilkerson condemned the Trump administration for its continued collaboration with Israel, a state he rightly called “genocidal.” Further, he argued the June bombing campaign was as ineffective as it was “stupid,” resulting only in Iran’s nuclear clock being sped up precipitously in the weeks and months since. According to Wilkerson, Iran has now clearly learned that nuclear deterrence is the only guarantee against further aggression from Israel and the U.S. As such, the warnings about Iran’s nuclear capabilities might finally have an air of truth about them as Wilkerson believes Iran will be able to deploy a nuclear device “by the end of this year” (Aaron Good, “The U.S. or Zionism? Who’s in Charge?” Sept. 2, 2025, American Exception). Will these unsettling political developments really lead to the outbreak of World War III? If they do, these are the major players and the political and cultural fault lines that will burst forward in that global cataclysm, one that humanity itself might not survive:

IRAN

During President Donald Trump’s first term, he unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from its diplomatic obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, a carefully crafted political arrangement that balanced European, American, and Iranian interests and served as the centerpiece of Former President Barack Obama’s diplomatic initiatives in the Middle East. Many predicted this move, likely motivated by Trump’s personal disdain for Obama, would prove disastrous in the long run as it removed all international checks on the Iranian nuclear program. Today, those predictions may be very close to coming to fruition. If and when that happens, the scenarios described here are pushed into overdrive with another joint

U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran becoming highly likely. Another bombing raid of Iranian facilities could be the trigger that initiates World War III.

RUSSIA

Russia and Iran are often described as allies, but Russian interests have held closer to home since the collapse of their proxy in Syria, the Assad regime.

China has stepped into the voids left by the absence of USAID.

Today, China is responsible for more than $8 billion in international aid funding in development efforts particularly targeting Southeast and Central Asia as well as Sub-Saharan Africa (Huileng Tan. “Experts warned USAID’s gutting would give China room to replace the US. Now, it’s happening.” Mar. 27, 2025, Business

Together, these three represent an ideological and political bulwark posturing against the global political order dictated by the U.S.

PAKISTAN

Pakistan, India’s immediate neighbor and historic rival, demonstrated itself to be a useful pawn on America’s chessboard. Representatives of their hybridized military regime have been

Will these unsettling political developments really lead to the outbreak of World War III? If they do, these are the major players and the political and cultural fault lines that will burst forward in that global cataclysm, one that humanity itself might not survive.

Since 2022, the country has been engaged in a brutal land war in Ukraine with western states led by the U.S. sustaining Ukraine’s move toward NATO and a further isolation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin retaliated by punishing Ukraine thoroughly and by cultivating allies in India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jing Ping. Those three states’ military and industrial resources in a world war scenario would prove to be formidable. If this new coalition sided with Iran against U.S. and Israeli interests in the Middle East, the coming, terrifying war could last many years (Spriha Srivastava. “Behind the Smiles with Putin, Modi and Xi at China Summit.” Sept. 1, 2025, CNBC Business News).

CHINA

Since the Trump administration callously canceled all programs connected to the global aid initiatives within the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the world suffered tens of thousands of preventable deaths (and will suffer millions more) as more than $30 billion in American civil aid has simply vanished on the global stage.

Insider). This policy priority would seem to be a deliberate maneuver by Beijing to endear the Chinese state to the developing world while replacing the U.S. as a global leader in civil affairs. If it works, the array of states and societies positively influenced by China would make for formidable adversaries pitted against the U.S.-Israeli military front in the war to come.

INDIA

Over the last decade, Modi has built a substantial support base for his ultra-right wing Bharatiya Janata Party. This support is substantially based on Hindu ethnonationalism and Islamophobic rhetoric.

For a time, fellow ethnonationalist Trump found common cause with Modi and his autocratic methods. After various slights to the Indian expat community in the U.S. from Trump though, including an ideological assault on higher education in the U.S. (within which Indians are the largest minority nationality), their relationship has soured (Jeanne Batalova. “International Students in the United States.” July 24, 2025. The Migration Policy Institute). Consequently, Modi is now much more comfortable in Putin and Xi’s company.

warmly welcomed and legitimated in Trump’s gaudy Oval Office. And now, with the signing of a defense pact with Saudi Arabia, which positions the autocratic Saudis under Pakistan’s nuclear umbrella, a close regional ally of the U.S. is under the direct protection of a nearby nuclear neighbor.

This maneuver would seem to officially render Pakistan as a client state of the U.S. while simultaneously ending U.S.-Indian diplomatic cooperation (Ag App, “Pakistan extends nuclear umbrella to Saudi Arabia, KSA source tells AFP,” Sept. 22, 2025. The News International). The U.S. will now have carte blanche to use Pakistan’s 565-mile border with Iran to expand its military presence in the region using some of the more than two dozen military bases currently flanking Iran in the region. An expanded U.S. military presence in Pakistan will serve as an implicit threat to nuclear Iran.

To further aim at Iran, Trump has loudly demanded that Afghanistan restore U.S. control of the strategically-located (for the U.S.) Bagram military base.

ISRAEL

Senior Israeli officials have publicly endorsed the creation of

“Greater Israel,” a bloated and mythologized creation of the Israeli political right which would see Israeli sovereignty extend from the Nile River in Egypt to the Euphrates in Iraq. To achieve this objective, Israel will need to complete the ethnic cleansing of Palestine that started with the Nakba of 1948. A quick review of the condition of the Palestinians of Gaza today suggests that they are well on their way to this aim.

Stalwarts of human rights like Spain and Ireland pushed back considerably on Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, but these efforts have so far proven inadequate so long as major backers of Israel like the U.S. and the United Kingdom. continue to send arms and money. In the event of an outbreak of the next world war, look for Israel to be used on the frontlines in a ground invasion of Iran after a possible exchange of tactical nuclear missiles.

PALESTINE

The State of Palestine has been recognized by around 150 of the 193 member states of the United Nations General Assembly. Most recently, the U.K., under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, also offered its (albeit highly conditional) recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state.

However diplomatic recognition of Palestine is nowhere near enough to change the facts of the ground in Gaza or the West Bank. Millions of Gazans remain displaced and targeted by the Israeli military campaign that seeks to obliterate as many Palestinian lives as possible while comments from Israeli ministers like finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and minister for national security Itamar Ben Gvir consistently endorse population transfer of the Palestinian people, a policy also known as ethnic cleansing.

For Palestinians in 2025, to exist is to resist. Every Palestinian life reminds the Israeli occupiers and their unrepentant international

backers that Palestine is not simply a problem to be rectified. If peace is ever going to come to the Middle East, Palestinians must have legitimate sovereignty, safety, and security in a fully recognized country of their own.

THE UNITED STATES

The U.S. is rapidly descending into fascism. Trump has shown his willingness to sow chaos and division throughout the country to solidify his power base and to prop up his neo-fascist ideology. Criticism of military action has always been taboo in the American system, but now it is becoming criminal with protesters, activists, and concerned citizens increasingly being targeted by Trump’s hyper-militarized police state.

And as the recent government-sponsored cancellation of television talk shows hosted by administration critics demonstrates, the media will not help to create an informed populace with the capacity for critical thought that can resist American fascism. As such, a declaration of war by the U.S. against Iran or a similarly demonized international enemy will almost certainly be smoothed over by state propaganda to support the troops, and more targeted attacks against immigrants, protesters, leftists, and any group or individual bold enough to resist Trump. In short, if Trump decides to start World War III in Iran, we will have little hope of stopping him.

Those of us seeking to avert this global catastrophe pray for wise policymakers to step to the fore in each of these places so that cooler heads and calmer conditions can shepherd humanity beyond the 21st century. We do this while preparing for the worst-case scenario to envelop the world and everyone in it sooner rather than later. ih

Passing the Torch

Amana Mutual Funds Trust’s Generational Leadership Transition

Nick Kaiser, co-founder of the Amana Funds, passed away on July 25, 2025. Nick inspired all with his unwavering commitment, integrity, and passion for innovation. His leadership and values left an indelible mark on everyone who had the privilege to work alongside him.

Kaiser founded the Amana Funds — the first U.S. mutual funds to invest in accordance with Islamic tenets — alongside Dr. M. Yaqub Mirza in the 1980s. Since its inception, the Amana Funds have been a trailblazer in the field of faith-based investing, bridging Islamic ethical principles with modern financial markets to offer investment solutions aligned with Sharia law. The Amana Funds current assets under management is $8 billion (as of Aug. 31, 2025).

In June 2025, Kaiser and co-founder Dr. Mirza stepped down from the Amana Mutual Funds Trust Board,

closing a historic chapter and paving the way for a generational leadership transition. Their daughters, Asma Mirza and Jane Carten, who bring with them deep expertise and a shared respect for ethical investing, have now joined the board of directors.

This transition represents a significant milestone in the financial world, as these two women carry forward the enduring values and vision of their fathers. The transition ensures that Amana’s mission of providing investments that are both financially prudent and ethically aligned remains unchanged.

Dr. Mirza, a recognized figure in Islamic finance, and Kaiser, an experienced portfolio manager, launched the first Amana fund in 1986. Together, they built a family of funds that eschewed conventional banking practices, alcohol, gambling, and other sectors

inconsistent with Islamic values, providing an ethical investment option for both Muslim and non-Muslim clients.

Under their stewardship, Amana Mutual Funds grew from concept to a leader in the industry, eventually managing billions in assets and earning a reputation for responsibility and integrity in financial stewardship.

The impact of Mirza and Kaiser was profound, not just in shaping the funds themselves but also in setting the groundwork for the broader acceptance of ethical and responsible investing well before these themes became prominent in global finance. They were instrumental in defining the Amana Funds’ thoughtful investment criteria and commitment to avoiding interest-based transactions and excessive risk, all while delivering competitive returns and ensuring compliance with religious values.

Over the decades, their approach was widely recognized, with Dr. Mirza also serving as an educator and advocate for faith-based wealth management, and both leaders receiving numerous awards for their contributions.

Through this era of change, Amana Mutual Funds continues to be a leader in responsible, faith-driven investing, further building upon Nick Kaiser and Dr. M. Yaqub Mirza’s original vision and honoring their legacy.

Please consider an investment’s objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. For this and other important information about the Amana Funds, please obtain and carefully read a free prospectus or summary prospectus from www.amanafunds.com or by calling toll-free 1-800-728-8762.

The Amana Funds limit the securities they purchase to those consistent with Islamic and sustainable principles. This limits opportunities and may affect performance.

Distributor: Saturna Brokerage Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Saturna Capital Corporation, investment adviser to the Amana Funds.

Five Countries Beyond the Middle East with Deep Islamic History

Mixing Faith and Local Traditions to Shape Cultures around the World

BY ZAHRA N. AHMED

When some think of countries with rich Islamic influences, images of the adhan echoing from towering minarets, pilgrims circling the Kaaba, or golden Sahara dunes often come to mind. But Islam’s global footprint extends far beyond those iconic scenes and is far more layered than many realize. Over the centuries, Muslims have journeyed across continents, weaving their faith into local traditions in ways that continue to mold communities today. From the mountains of China to the shores of Puerto Rico, here are five countries where Islam has left a lasting mark.

When Prophet Muhammad’s (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) earliest followers fled persecution in seventh century Mecca, they crossed the Red Sea to seek refuge in Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea). The region was, at the time, ruled by a Christian king, the Negus, known for his fairness and justice. His gift of asylum marked a turning point in Islamic history.

“Today, that moment has symbolic value and is celebrated among Ethiopia’s Muslims who believe they had the first contact with Islam in the world,” Terje Østebø, a professor in the Department of Religion and the Center for African Studies at the University of Florida, told Islamic Horizons

Through trade routes, Islam spread inland to the walled city of Harar, one of the oldest Islamic cities in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site. With more than 80 mosques and 100 shrines, Harar’s skyline of flat rooftops is punctuated by tapered minarets and earthen domes. The city’s buildings blend of Quranic inscriptions with classical Ethiopian design is a testament to centuries of cultural exchange. Hallmarks of Islamic architecture like slender minarets and intricate geometric

patterns grace the Jami Mosque, a powerful symbol of the city’s rich Islamic history.

Though home to more than 40 million Muslims, Ethiopia’s Muslims remain a minority in a Christian-majority country of nearly 129 million people. And even as the third-largest Muslim population in Africa, Muslims in Ethiopia have struggled for visibility. Yet according to Østebø, these challenges have been fading over the last 30 years as more Ethiopian Muslims begin to assert their identity.

“They are growing more confident as a minority and sending a clear message: we are here and we want to be recognized,” Østebø said.

CHINA

Id Kah Mosque, the biggest mosque in China. Islam took root in China more than 1,300 years ago, arriving with Silk Road traders and growing during the Mongol era. Over time, Islam mingled with extant Chinese culture to create a unique identity shaped by religion, language, and heritage.

According to Jonathan Lipman, Professor Emeritus of History and Asian Studies, being Muslim in China means different things to different people. Chinese Muslims are not

a monolith; their experiences and practices vary widely across ethnic and regional lines. As a result, over centuries, they have adapted Islamic traditions to reflect local culture and everyday life.

“Muslims in China include knowledgeable religious leaders, atheists, farmers, factory workers, wealthy businesspeople, kebab makers, soldiers, and more,” said Lipman.

Two of the largest Muslim communities, the Hui and the Uyghurs, represent a spectrum of spiritual customs. The Hui, ethnically and linguistically close to Han Chinese, preserve distinct Islamic traditions like Huihui, a written language using Arabic script, and Sini calligraphy which blends Arabic script with Chinese brushwork. In contrast, Uyghurs are a Turkic people native to Xinjiang with their own language and customs. Their identity features distinct cuisines, clothing, and practices: spiced lamb kawaps (kebabs), doppas (embroidered skullcaps), Sufi rituals like group dhikr (remembrance of God), and traditional devotional music.

Today, the Chinese government targets Uyghurs by banning their religious customs and unique dialect. Millions of Uyghurs have been sent to re-education camps, where they are held without trial or formal charges. Mosques have been destroyed, Qurans seized, and families separated in a deliberate campaign of cultural erasure.

Still, across China, Islam has developed practices found nowhere else in the Muslim world. Women’s mosques, led by female imams, have existed since the 1800s. Built in 742, the Great Mosque of Xi’an’s exterior resembles a traditional Chinese temple with tiers of curved, upturned roofs, yet Quranic recitation during salah can be heard inside. Occasionally, Islamic rituals blend with ancestral veneration, a uniquely Chinese display of faith.

Despite today’s political pressure and increasing surveillance by the Chinese state, many Chinese Muslim communities continue to preserve their faith.

THE PHILIPPINES

The Cotabato Grand Mosque in Maguindanao, Philippines.

Long before Spanish ships arrived, Islam was already established in the Philippines, dating back to the 14th century. Arab and Malay missionaries and traders introduced the religion and built the powerful sultanates of Sulu and Maguindanao — religious, political, and economic centers that helped form the country’s identity. Centuries of ocean trade also brought customs from Muslimmajority Indonesia and Malaysia.

The Moro people are indigenous to Mindanao, the second-largest island in the Philippines. Today, the Grand Mosque of Cotabato stands as one of Southeast Asia’s largest centers of Islamic worship. Clothing like the malong, a modest tube-like garment worn during Islamic ceremonies; dishes like rendang, adopted from Indonesian Muslim communities; and musical traditions like the kulintang, played during holidays and special events show the way Filipino Muslims have blended faith with pre-Islamic Moro traditions.

LITHUANIA

Mosque in Raiziai, Lithuania.

The Lipka Tatars of Lithuania are unique in Europe’s rich Muslim history. In the 14th century, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania welcomed the Lipka Tatars, Turkic Muslims who served as soldiers and administrators. Their descendants now make up one of Europe’s oldest Muslim communities. In southeastern Lithuania, their mosques, modest and wooden, stand as reminders of that history.

Rare manuscripts called Kitabs maintain Islamic texts written in Arabic script and spelled phonetically in Lithuanian. Their cuisine also tells the story of a layered culture, with dishes like katlama, a flaky layered pastry, alongside stews that blend Central Asian and Baltic flavors. The Lipka Tatars carry forward a distinct way of life where religious history and tradition come together daily.

their beliefs often faded under the brutal weight of forced labor and cultural erasure, traces survived in oral traditions and burial customs.

The 20th century brought new waves of Muslim migrants from Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria fleeing the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Though small, the Palestinian community is visible and connected to Puerto

Over the centuries, Muslims have journeyed across continents, weaving their faith into local traditions in ways that continue to

mold communities today.

PUERTO RICO

I An Islamic Center in Puerto Rico. slam’s presence in Puerto Rico is a story of cultural fusion that goes back centuries, often overlooked but deeply woven into the island’s diverse heritage. Long before modern migration, Islam arrived with Spanish ships, carrying Muslims fleeing the fall of Granada in 1492. As Islamic rule ended in Spain, thousands of Muslims, known as moriscos or “Cristo-Muslims,” were forced to convert, face exile, or flee. Many boarded voyages to Spain’s new colonies, including Puerto Rico, where they were barred from openly practicing their faith but held onto Islam in secret, passing down prayers and rituals.

“Through those passages, we had fresh Islamic influence in the Caribbean,” said Wendy Díaz, Spanish Content Coordinator for WhyIslam and co-founder of Hablamos Islam, an Islamic educational initiative for Spanish-speaking communities. “But the first contact Spain had with the New World began in Puerto Rico — and the Islamic world wasn’t far behind.”

Islam’s roots also reach back to the transatlantic slave trade. Historians estimate that up to 30% of enslaved Africans brought to Puerto Rico practiced Islam. Though

Rico’s identity. As Díaz notes, “Puerto Ricans see echoes of colonization and resilience in Palestine’s plight,” a shared experience that deepens cultural ties and political awareness. Arab communities established mosques and cultural centers across the island, helping shape Puerto Rico’s Muslim identity today. There are eight major mosques, and Islam is steadily growing among Afro-Caribbean and Latino Puerto Ricans.

Spanish itself carries about 8% Arabic loanwords like arroz (rice), azúcar (sugar), and almohada (pillow) — another layer of Islamic influence.

“There’s Islamic influence all around us,” said Díaz. “In our food, our architecture, even in our language — we just didn’t always know it.”

During Ramadan, Puerto Rico comes alive with a mix of Spanish, Arabic, and Caribbean music. Families break their fast with dates, a tradition tied to the practice of Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), alongside arroz con gandules, a beloved dish of rice and pigeon peas that reflects the island’s rich cultural tapestry.

A MOSAIC OF FAITH

Across continents and climates, Islam has developed diverse customs culturally, politically, and theologically. In every region touched by Islam, communities made the faith local, integrating it into daily life through language, food and customs. So next time someone claims Islam belongs only in the Middle East, remind them Islam has deep roots in communities around the world. ih

Zahra N. Ahmed, based in Houston, Texas, is a storyteller with more than a decade of journalism experience. Her work focuses on the Muslim experience, using human-centered reporting to explore identity, faith, and belonging.

No Way, Hosay?

A Caribbean and South American Celebration Rooted in Islamic Tradition

BY WENDY DÍAZ

As millions of Muslim Americans ushered in the new Hijri (Islamic) year with the start of Muharram (June 26), many prepared to fast on the Day of Ashura, the tenth of Muharram, reflecting on two significant events: the deliverance of Prophet Moses (‘alayhi as salam) and the Israelites from Pharaoh, and the martyrdom of Hussain ibn Ali (radi Allahu ‘anh), beloved grandson of Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), in the tragic Battle of Karbala.

For Muslims, Ashura is a day marked by both solemn remembrance and spiritual reflection. While joy is expressed in recalling God’s miracle, deep sorrow also echoes in hearts remembering the sacrifices made by the Ahl al-Bayt, the Prophet’s family. Though Muslims of Sunni and Shia schools may differ in various theological and historical perspectives, Ashura remains a day of profound relevance for both communities, symbolizing steadfast faith, resistance to oppression, and divine justice.

A FORGOTTEN HISTORY

South of the U.S. border, in countries such as Trinidad, Guyana, Jamaica, and Suriname, an eye-catching public celebration unfolds during this sacred time, one with roots in

Islamic history. Known as Hosay, a localized rendering of “Hussain,” this 10-day commemoration culminates in vibrant street processions featuring colorful floats called tadjahs (local pronunciation of taziya, replicas of Imam Hussein’s tomb carried in processions in Shia tradition), theatrical reenactments, rhythmic drumming, and striking costumes. While some may dismiss Hosay as a mere cultural display, its origins lie in a spiritual mourning tradition brought by Indian Muslim migrants. Within the dazzling tapestry of Caribbean and Latin American culture, Hosay represents a powerful yet overlooked legacy of Islamic devotion and resilience in the heart of Latin America.

The tradition of Hosay dates to the mid19th century, when the abolition of slavery

in British colonies in 1834 led to the establishment of a new labor system based on indentured servitude. Between 1845 and 1917, hundreds of thousands of laborers from British India were brought to work in colonies in the Caribbean and South America. This migration marked a third wave of Muslims entering the Americas, the first two being Spanish Moriscos (during the 16th and 17th centuries) and enslaved West Africans (from 1501 to 1867). These migrations helped shape the diverse and dynamic Muslim identity that continues to thrive in the Americas today. According to some accounts, about one-fifth of British Indian indentured workers were Muslim (Maria Del Mar Logroño Narbona, et. al. Crescent Over Another Horizon: Islam in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Latino USA, University of Texas Press, 2015). Indian Muslims brought traditions like Ashura processions with them to Latin America, which, over time and under colonial pressures, transformed into the uniquely syncretic festival now known as Hosay.

Across the Caribbean and parts of Latin America, Indian communities not only brought manpower but also a thriving cultural legacy that transformed colonial societies. Indian Muslims and Hindus lived side by side, finding more unity in their shared ethnic identity than division through religious difference. They also lived among formerly enslaved Africans, Indigenous peoples, and European colonizers, creating a layered social fabric shaped by cooperation, resistance, and negotiation under colonial rule. As historian Alexander Rocklin notes, “Hindustani” became the common designation for people of Indian descent regardless of their religious affiliation to differentiate them from other groups (The Regulation of Religion and the Making of Hinduism in Colonial Trinidad, University of North Carolina Press, 2019). While moments of religious tension did occur among Muslims and Hindus from the Indian subcontinent, ethnic solidarity, a common language, and collective experience under indentureship easily bridged those divides.

These Hindustani communities, found in places like Trinidad, Guyana, Jamaica, and Suriname, have preserved their distinct traditions while reimagining them in their new lands, creating hybrid religious and cultural expressions shaped by diverse experience. Nowhere is this more visible than in the celebration of Hosay which

The presence of Hosay in Latin America is not a coincidence; it is a living testimony to the presence of Islam across the globe, brought by enslaved and indentured Muslims who never stopped expressing their faith, often under oppressive colonial rule.

originated from the Islamic observance of Ashura and the mourning of Hussain ibn Ali and his family, but eventually absorbed elements from Hindu rituals and African diasporic spiritual practices. The rhythmic drumming and processions bear resemblance to Yoruba-influenced ceremonial music, while the ornate tadjah, which are no more than towering, vibrant replicas of mausoleums, draw inspiration from Islamic architecture and local artistic traditions. Over time, colonial authorities began to flatten these layered expressions under the simplistic label of “Indian culture,” ignoring their deeper spiritual meanings and cross-religious influences.

What makes Hosay especially captivating is its capacity to transcend sectarian and ethnic boundaries. Though it began as a commemoration observed by both Sunni and Shia Muslims, it quickly evolved into a broader symbol of resistance, unity, and cultural pride. In Trinidad, when British colonial authorities attempted to ban the 1884 Hosay procession in San Fernando, the community responded with peaceful protest. However, it ended in tragedy with the Hosay Massacre when troops opened fire

on the crowd on Oct. 30th of that year, killing at least 22 people. From that moment forward, Hosay came to represent more than the martyrdom of Hussain and the Ahl al-Bayt It also became a tribute to the sacrifices of those who stood against oppression and cultural erasure. Across the Caribbean, Hosay continues to thrive as a vibrant, inclusive celebration that unites people of various faiths and backgrounds in remembrance, resilience, and shared heritage.

HOSAY AS ISLAMIC HERITAGE

Today, Hosay celebrations take place each year in various parts of Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname, and even in Jamaica. The festival has become an integral part of the national pride in many of these countries, embraced not only by Indian-descended Muslims and Hindus but also by AfroCaribbean and Christian communities. The elaborate tadjah are built anew each year and carried through the streets to the beat of tassa drums (a drum ensemble with ancient Persian origins), culminating in a symbolic immersion in the sea. Thousands watch the spectacle, regardless of their religious background.

As with many long-standing traditions that have survived displacement and colonialism, Hosay has absorbed elements over the years that may not align strictly with Islamic law, including rituals borrowed from other religions like Hinduism and participation by non-Muslim faith groups. However, these additions do not erase the fact that Hosay’s origins lie firmly in Islamic memory, honoring the Prophet’s family and the values of sacrifice, resistance to tyranny, and fidelity to faith. The transformation of this tradition is not unique; it mirrors what has happened with other diasporic religious practices that adapt to survive. It also serves as a stark reminder that holding firmly to one’s religious principles is vital to preserving faith and identity across generations.

The presence of Hosay in Latin America is a living testimony to the presence of Islam across the globe, brought by enslaved and indentured Muslims who never stopped expressing their faith, even under oppressive colonial rule. It is crucial, especially for Muslims living in the West, to understand and honor this layered history. These cultural relics stand as a testament to the fact that Islam in the Americas is not new, nor is it limited to one ethnic group. Presently, there are Muslims of all backgrounds in Latin America, including Indigenous peoples as well as descendants of enslaved Africans and various immigrant communities who have embraced Islam across generations. Recognizing traditions like Hosay allows us to deepen our appreciation of Islam’s global diversity and reinforces the fact that our history is rich, complex, and worthy of preservation. ih

Ask Pakistan

Will the Country’s Natural Resources Be Used as an Excuse to Further Erode Human Rights?

BY ABU ALI BAFAQUIH

On July 30, President Donald Trump claimed the United States and Pakistan have reached an agreement featuring bilateral cooperation in the development of Pakistan’s oil reserves.

“We have just concluded a Deal with the Country of Pakistan, whereby Pakistan and the United States will work together on developing their massive Oil Reserves,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “We are in the process of choosing the Oil Company that will lead this Partnership.”

On Sept. 8, the U.S. and Pakistan signed an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) worth an estimated $500 million to further this energy partnership (“Pakistan, US sign $500mn MoU to boost cooperation in critical minerals,” Sept. 8, 2025. Business Recorder News).

U.S.-PAKISTAN RELATIONS UNDER TRUMP

chief isn’t just protocol-breaking, it’s protocol-redefining. It signals, quite visibly, that Pakistan is not just on Washington’s radar, it’s in the inner circle, at least for now,”

Raza Ahmad Rumi, a lecturer at the City University of New York, told Al Jazeera

Javed Bajwa had guided all political parties regarding the no-confidence vote (“Gen Faiz, Gen Bajwa orchestrated no-confidence move against Imran, claims Fazl.” Dawn. Feb. 15 2024).

PAKISTAN, IRAN, THE U.S., AND REGIONAL POLITICS

The Trump-Munir meeting came amid heightened tensions when Israel was conducting strikes inside Iran, a country that shares a 559-mile border with Pakistan.

The latest Pakistani delegate to visit Washington, D.C. was Ishaq Dar, the foreign minister and deputy prime minister and the father-in-law of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter. Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League along with the Pakistan Peoples Party make up the bulk of the so-called Pakistan Democratic Movement.

Dar, who met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on July 25, assured the U.S. of Pakistan’s continued willingness to play a constructive role in mediating conversations with Iran and its commitment to preserving regional stability.

Before Dar’s meeting, though, Pakistani strongman and chief of army staff Field Marshal Asim Munir visited the U.S. on June 19 and had an hour-long lunch with Trump at the White House. This was the first time that an American president had hosted a Pakistani military chief who isn’t also the country’s head of state.

“[Trump’s lunch with] Pakistan’s army

According to Rumi, this meeting was not a random act of hospitality. On March 4, during his first address to a joint session of Congress, Trump specifically thanked Munir, crediting Pakistan with the arrest of the alleged perpetrator of the deadly Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport in Aug. 2021 which occurred as thousands of Afghans tried to flee following the Taliban takeover.

Just seven years earlier, Trump had accused Pakistan of giving the U.S. “nothing but lies and deceit” and providing safe havens to terrorists. His predecessor Joe Biden called it “one of the most dangerous nations” in the world.

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was de-seated through a vote of no-confidence on April 10, 2022 (and is still in jail under spurious charges), consistently accused Biden of engineering a regime change. The head of the then opposition party’s alliance Maulana Fazlur Rehman claimed that then Army Chief Gen. Qamar

Trump told the press that Pakistanis “know Iran very well, better than most,” but added that they [Pakistan] are “not happy.” Though, according to Trump, the main reason for meeting Munir was to thank him for his role in defusing the May conflict between Pakistan and India, a confrontation that brought the region to the brink of nuclear war. Arif Ansar, chief strategist at Washing t on-based think tank PoliTact, told Al Jazeera that Pakistan’s military performance during the confrontation prompted Trump’s engagement. “It demonstrated that despite its political and economic challenges, the country can outmaneuver a much bigger adversary,” he said. “This has led President Trump to engage with Pakistan’s traditional power centers based on core strategic interests.” Munir’s visit with Trump was quickly followed by a meeting with U.S. Central Command Chief General Michael Kurilla. Later, the ruling regime conferred upon Kurilla Pakistan’s prestigious Nishan-eImtiaz (military) honor signaling Islamabad’s continued commitment to defense ties with Washington even amid deepening alignments with Beijing.

Since its establishment in 1947, Pakistan’s relationship with the U.S. has been largely transactional, particularly in the security sphere. U.S. aid and investment has often followed Pakistan’s alignment with U.S. strategic goals, helping build its infrastructure and military.

But the relationship has also been marked by distrust, with U.S. administrations accusing Pakistan of double-dealing. Meanwhile, Pakistan claims that the U.S. has failed to respect the political costs of regularly siding with it. For example, Pakistan was closely aligned with Washington during the Cold War. After the Soviet invasion of

Afghanistan, Pakistan supported U.S. objectives there, and the two collaborated closely to support the mujahideen that forced a full Russian retreat in 1989. Pakistan also backed the post-9/11 U.S. “War on Terror.”

But according to The Intercept, a classified Pakistani government document from March 2022 showed the State Department had encouraged Pakistan to remove Imran Khan as prime minister over his neutrality on the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Ryan Grim, Murtaza Hussain. “Secret Pakistan Cable Documents U.S. Pressure to Remove Imran Khan.” Aug. 9, 2023). Sources indicate that the Biden administration was not getting the desired level of counterterrorism assistance, which Trump has gotten since returning to office.

“[Pakistan is] in an active counterterrorism fight right now, and [it has] been a phenomenal partner in the counterterrorism world,” Kurilla told the House Armed Services Committee. From Pakistan, Kurilla flew to Lebanon to meet with President Joseph Aoun to discuss disarming Hezbollah. What did Aoun require of Pakistan?

Whatever the agreement, for its part, it seems Pakistan has thrown in more goodies. Rare earth minerals, critical for industries like defense, robotics and electronics, are among Pakistan’s assets now being offered to American investors. Pakistan has also offered 2,000 megawatts of electricity to bitcoin mining and AI data centers all while Pakistan’s energy sector is grappling with major challenges including high electricity tariffs and surplus generation capacity. Power outages in Pakistan are the norm.

THE MILITARY ANGLE

The military remains Pakistan’s most powerful institution, exerting enormous influence over politics and society. It has ruled the country directly for more than three decades, and the current hybrid government, elected in a controversial vote last year, is widely seen as secondary to Munir’s military leadership. The military regime continues to speedily chip away at Imran Khan’s party’s elected representatives.

Pakistan’s first military ruler, Field Marshal Ayub Khan, had close ties with the U.S. in the 1960s. Subsequent military rulers, including Gen. Yahya Khan in the 70s, Gen. Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s and Gen. Pervez Musharraf in the 2000s, also maintained strong U.S. relations. Ayub, Zia, and Musharraf were hosted by U.S. presidents

at the White House only after they became heads of state. The current de facto ruler, Munir, is an exception to this trend.

But Pakistan-U.S. military trade has been problematic. In 1998-99, Pakistan paid $685 million for 28 F-16 jets. The jets were built, their “parking fee” was levied, but the jets never came. Instead, Pakistan was supplied with soyabean and soybean oil. Most recently, Turkey was barred from selling helicopters to Pakistan because of restrictions on their U.S. made engines. This has led Pakistan to buy Chinese equipment, though Pakistan recently denied that it bought 40 Chinese J-35A fifth-generation stealth fighters (Christian Orr, “China’s J-35 Stealth Fighter Won’t Fly for Pakistan,” July 6, 2025, National Security Journal).

Countries is no longer the sole arbiter of global energy dynamics. The energy world has undergone a true metamorphosis.

This ensures that Army-PDM junta rule is now secure under U.S. protection.

But for the past decade, China has poured money into Balochistan — Pakistan’s largest and least populated province — as part of a multibillion-dollar project that connects its western Xinjiang province with the Arabian Sea — the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Pakistan had purchased Gwadar from Oman in Dec. 1958 for the equivalent of $8.4 million today. It still isn’t connected to the national energy grid — electricity comes from neighboring Iran, or solar panels — and there isn’t enough clean water.

On the geopolitical chess board, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is no longer the sole arbiter of global energy dynamics. The energy world has undergone a true metamorphosis.

THE CHINA CONUNDRUM

A cornerstone of Western imperialism is keeping China’s influence in check. Ironically, the British fought two Opium Wars (1832-42 and 1857-60) to force China to open its country to opium smuggling. The pernicious influence of opium in Chinese society and the increasing outflow of silver alarmed the Qing dynasty, which halted the trade at Canton and confiscated British opium stores.

Today, different casus belli exist: oil, trade, and influence.

Under the U.S.-Pakistan oil deal, both countries will jointly select an oil company to lead exploration in high-potential regions including the Indus Basin (Sindh), the Karak-Tal Block (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), the Offshore Makran, and Indus Delta (Balochistan and Sindh coast).

But this Pakistan oil talk is decades old. In 2014, the U.S. The Energy Information Administration estimated that Pakistan holds massive shale gas reserves estimated at 51 trillion cubic feet (tcf), close to the conventional gas reserves of 58 tcf.

On the geopolitical chess board, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting

Both the U.S. and India are actively pursuing China containment policies. The Quad — U.S., India, Australia, and Japan — pose themselves as a bulwark against China. One specific aim is “ensuring a free and open region and promoting the prosperity of our citizens and all people in the Indo-Pacific region. We aim to strengthen energy security across the Indo-Pacific and promote resilient supply chains and quality infrastructure projects that are transparent and secure” (“U.S. Department of State Fact Sheet: 2025 Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting,” July 1, 2025).

The situation seems to be changing as India, irked by Trump’s tariffs, is gravitating away from the U.S., and making peace with China. The leaders of China and India say there is now deepening trust between them after years of tension that includes a long-running border dispute.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation. It was Modi’s first time in China in seven years (Laura Bicker & Stephen McDonell, and Danai Nesta Kupemba, “China and India pledge to be

THE MUSLIM WORLD

‘partners not rivals’,” Sept. 1, BBC News). Trump wrote on Truth Social message on Sept. 5: “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!”

THE UNIQUE HISTORY OF BALOCHISTAN

There are around 46 Baloch tribes and about 70 Sardars in Balochistan, says GlobalSecurity.org. The classified cable sent by the U.S. Charge d’affaires Peter W. Bodde in Islamabad says there are 60 sardars (which is among the documents posted on WikiLeaks).

The current nature of the sardari system is a legacy of the British Raj. Before British rule, it was more of a political entity, based on merit and competence, in contrast to the British-imposed inherited system. Sir Robert Groves Sandeman, Balochistan’s Governor General (1877-92), transformed it into an economic system by granting Sardars additional income, lands, and a levies force to secure their loyalty, thereby lessening their dependence on tribal social support. Under the Frontier Crimes Regulation Act of 1901, the British further empowered Sardars to control the local population by offering stipends, privileges, pensions, and grants. To consolidate their control over the masses, Sardars often kept their subjects illiterate and impoverished (see T.A. Heathcote, Balochistan, the British and the Great Game: The Struggle for the Bolan Pass, Gateway to India, 1911, Hurst and Company: London).

The Baloch Sardars view the development brought about by CPEC as a threat not only

to Pakistan’s external adversaries but also to their entrenched power. Any development has the potential to diminish their influence and empower local populations, something they have resisted for centuries.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which has claimed responsibility for attacks on Chinese interests, views China’s involvement as a form of neo-colonialism. Most leaders of the Baloch insurrection live in Europe.

As a result, The Department of State designated BLA and its alias, the Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization as of Aug. 11, adding the Majeed Brigade as an alias to the BLA’s previous Specially Designated Global Terrorist designation in 2019.

WAR, INSURGENCY, AND OIL POLITICS

Since the first Baloch insurgency in 2004, thousands have gone missing in the province, and anyone who speaks up against exploitation or oppression can be detained on suspicion of connections with armed groups, locals say.

For its part, the U.S. needs secure oil supplies to block Iran’s oil. And like the autocrats in oil countries in the Gulf are U.S. supported, Pakistani autocracy — read the military and compromised corrupt politicians — too will be U.S. supported. This would mean an end to democracy and human rights, which are quickly disappearing since Imran Khan’s ouster.

In 2021, while Imran Khan’s government was still at the helm in Islamabad, a renewed effort was initiated to pinpoint the presence

of oil in the country’s territorial waters. In March 2019, he announced a possible find in the offshore territory of Pakistan, tipped by some as “Asia’s largest oil and gas reserve.” However, the announcement did not turn into reality, and he had to eat his words when the government announced that the drill did not yield the desired results.

Nor can Iran be missing from this equation. If Pakistan does play some role in the Iran crisis, it could have more substantial meaning to its ties. However, Pakistan has another challenge. Mostly Sunni Pakistan has a 10-15% Shia population of its around 250 million people. Their affinity for Iran cannot be overlooked.

Will the U.S. accommodate these considerations?

The big question will be: will oil riches reach citizens, or will they be reserved for the elite?

Pakistan’s ranking on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has dropped by two spots from 133 in 2023 to 135 in 2024 out of 180 countries, according to a report released by Transparency International. Pakistan also fell six points from 152 to 158th position in the World Press Freedom Index under this “hybrid” regime.

“It may be dangerous to be America’s enemy, but to be America’s friend is fatal,” said the infamous international war criminal Henry Kissinger during a phone call with conservative American commentator William F. Buckley Jr., in Nov. 1968.

Will this statement be proven to be true? Ask Pakistan. ih

New Ceasefire Deal Amidst Continued Killings

Trump’s ‘Peace Plan’ Meets Skepticism

BY ISLAMIC HORIZONS EDITORS

On Oct. 8, President Donald Trump announced Israel and Hamas have signed off on the first phase of a new “Peace Plan.”

“This means that ALL of the Hostages (sic) will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line,” he wrote in a post on his Truth Social.

As Israeli troops withdrew from Gaza, Palestinians returned to their devastated homes, Palestinian journalist Bizan Owda reported on an Instagram Reel. “These are the holy scenes that they tried to delete when they forced us — when they tortured us — to flee our homes in the North,” she said. “But they failed. This is the second return.”

Owda documented caravans of Gazan families, most traveling on foot, trekking along the sea back to their homes from which they were displaced during Israel’s genocide on Gaza. “No one ever must live this,” Owda said. “No one ever must return after being tortured to flee. . . Return to the rubble of [their] homes, return to the bodies of [their loved ones], return under the sun, [barefoot], tired. [After] two years of a genocide, finally, we are returning.”

not a tool for justice or accountability,” his Instagram post said.

The ceasefire agreement followed a meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt between mediators from the United States, Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar. The negotiations came two years and two days after Israel launched an unrelenting military campaign in Gaza to crush the Palestinian people after a Hamas-led coalition attempted the liberation of Palestine by force of arms on Oct. 7, 2023. On that day, Israeli

Netanyahu’s statement called the agreement’s first phase of the deal “a great day for Israel.” Hamas, in its statement, urged Trump and the involved countries to compel Israel to fully follow the deal.

Qatar’s foreign ministry’s statement said that the first phase of the ceasefire agreement will lead to the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and entry of aid.

Washington, D.C.-based American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) cautiously welcomed Trump’s announcement. “We remain deeply concerned about Israel’s tactics and the deceptive maneuvers of [Israeli] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government repeatedly signals that its sole priority is the return of Israeli prisoners — followed by a resumption of genocidal warfare in Gaza,” the organization stated in a press release.

AMP noted the many past instances when Israel defied ceasefire orders, including pulling out of the January deal brokered under former President Joe Biden. That agreement outlined three phases leading to a permanent ceasefire. However, Netanyahu withdrew from the Biden deal at the end of the first phase in early March and resumed the Israeli genocide in Gaza which included the deliberate starvation of Palestinians. In combative speech on Oct. 10, Netanyahu said that Gaza will be demilitarized “the easy way or the hard way.” So, peace remains iffy.

While some embrace the so-called Peace Plan as a moment of relief, others are skeptical about whether it will keep Israel from continuing its oppression of Palestinians in Gaza. In fact, hours after the ceasefire was agreed, Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians and injured dozens in Gaza during targeted attacks on shelters, homes, and gatherings, according to witnesses and medical officials (“Israel kills at least 9 Palestinians, wounds others in Gaza despite ceasefire deal,” TRTWorld, Oct. 9, 2025).

American Palestinian activist Tariq Raouf also reported losing three family members after the announcement of the ceasefire. “There is no kindness in the actions of our governments and these ‘ceasefires’ are

officials claimed that Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others as hostages (though some unknown number of Israelis were killed by Israeli military forces following the so-called Hannibal Directive on the day of the Hamas-led attack). Since then, the Zionist entity, armed and funded by the U.S., U.K., and NATO countries, has killed at least 67,000 people in Gaza including over 20,100 children (conservatively, at least 70% of total casualties in Gaza were non-combatants). An unknown number of dead still lie beneath the rubble.

A senior Palestinian official told BBC that the “yellow line” on Trump’s plan map was adjusted to reflect Israel’s security requirements and Hamas’ need to secure the release of Israeli hostages. He added that Israel rejected the inclusion of senior Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti in the exchange deal despite Hamas’ insistence on his release. This casts a deep shadow on the occupation regime’s intent.

UN Secretary General António Guterres urged all parties to obey the terms of the deal including releasing Israeli hostages, abiding by a permanent ceasefire, and immediately allowing humanitarian supplies into Gaza. “I urge all stakeholders to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward towards ending the occupation, recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, leading to a two-state solution to enable Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security,” he said in a statement.

However, many stumbling blocks in the current diplomatic arrangement persist . Trump’s plan calls for an international body led by two war profiteers — himself and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair — to play a role in Gaza’s post-war administration. Arab countries, backing the plan, say it must lead to eventual independence for a Palestinian state, which indicted war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said will never happen. ih

Caring for the Planet is a Universal Task

Comparing the Prophet’s Footprint to Our Carbon Footprint

BY RAUDAH YUNUS

Acarbon footprint is a critical measure of responsibility to the planet. While environmental degradation affects everyone, the sources of the damage — and the ability to mitigate it — are far from evenly distributed. For Muslims living in North America, particularly in the United States and Canada, an urgent question arises: how do we reconcile our carbon-intensive lifestyles with Islam’s ethical demands? What does it mean to be God’s khalīfa (vicegerent) on Earth when our consumer choices contribute to global warming? What can Muslim North Americans do to prevent species extinction and the suffering of vulnerable populations across the globe?

UNEQUAL EMISSIONS, UNEQUAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Everyone across the globe must recognize there is deep inequality when it comes to carbon emissions and resource consumption between the Global North and the Global South. The average carbon footprint per capita in the U.S. is around 16 metric tons per year, one of the highest in the world. In contrast, per capita emissions in countries like Bangladesh, Sudan, or Yemen are typically under 1 metric ton per year. Canada is not far behind the U.S., with an average of 14 to 18 metric tons per person, depending on the province. These numbers reflect more than just industrial activity — they reveal the ecological costs of everyday life in high-income societies: large homes with high energy use, heavy reliance on cars, frequent air travel, diets rich in meats and processed food, and mountains of plastic and food waste.

In contrast, many Muslim-majority nations — such as Somalia, Afghanistan, and Yemen — have among the lowest per capita carbon emissions. Despite low emissions, they are among the most vulnerable to climate-induced disasters. This disparity raises a sobering question: are we, by our daily habits, complicit in environmental injustice? To ignore this question is to overlook a profound contradiction between Islamic ethics and contemporary Muslim practices.

ISLAM’S ECOLOGICAL ETHOS

At its core, Islam is eco-conscious. The Quran and Sunnah offer a comprehensive moral framework for caring for the environment, using resources responsibly, and preserving life in all its forms. The concept of khalīfa (Quran 2:30) is central: human beings are vicegerents of God on earth, entrusted with maintaining balance (mīzān, 55:7–9) and avoiding corruption and excess.

God warns in the Quran, “Do not corrupt the earth after it has been set right” (7:56) and continues, “Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and the devil is most ungrateful to his Lord” (17:27).

These verses not only condemn environmental destruction but also classify wastefulness as a spiritual disease. They suggest that overconsumption is not a neutral act, but rather a moral failing and a sign of ingratitude. Yet today, Muslim communities in North America are tempted by consumerism. Whether it is extravagant wedding banquets, fast fashion purchases for Eid and other

celebrations, regular overseas vacations, or energy-intensive homes, many have adopted lifestyles that mirror — and at times exceed — the mainstream capitalist culture’s excesses.

A CULTURE OF EXCESS

The U.S. discards roughly 40% of its food supply each year which is about 60 million tons (“Fighting Food Waste,” Oct. 24, 2022, National Conference of State Legislatures). For its part, Canada throws out nearly $50 billion worth of food annually, about 60% of what it produces (“Circular Food Economy: Canada’s $50 Billion Opportunity,” June 27, 2024, Ivey Business School, London, Ont.). While there is no data on the contributions of Muslim households to food waste, it can be assumed that some contribute to these disturbing trends. Consider the vast quantities of food wasted during Ramadan or at

weddings, celebrations, and religious gatherings. Further, within Islam, waste is not limited to food; it applies to anything we are blessed with such as finance, talent, time, and energy. Some affluent Muslim families own multiple cars, accumulate unnecessary fashion items , make regular long-distance trips, and/or purchase luxury goods. These practices have not only become normalized but celebrated as a sign of social status. This leads to some young Muslims falling into a crisis of wastage of their time, potential, and energy.

This culture of excess and waste contradicts the Prophet Muhammad’s (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) lifestyle. We know that he lived simply, wore patched garments, slept on a mat of rushes,

Minimalism in Islam is not about deprivation or romanticizing poverty; it is about intentional living. Every item we own and every action we take aligns with a higher purpose. The Quran does not praise those who live extravagantly but rather those who spend “neither extravagantly nor stingily, but [hold] a medium way between those [extremes]” (25:67).

This ethos must be revived in this age of rampant consumerism, often disguised as a sign of empowerment and freedom. Muslims must resist the temptation to define success by wealth and possessions, and instead return to Islamic values that emphasize simplicity, generosity, and restraint. Buying less, sharing more, repairing instead of replacing are not merely eco-friendly habits; when done with intention, they are acts of worship.

At its core, Islam is eco-conscious. The Quran and Sunnah offer a comprehensive moral framework for caring for the environment, using resources responsibly, and preserving life in all its forms.

repaired his belongings, and ate with moderation. He instructed believers to conserve water even when performing ablution from a flowing river — a powerful metaphor for moderation in abundance. We are living in the 21st century and moderation in the Prophet’s time might not be equivalent to how contemporary society conceptualizes the notion. It is, however, not difficult to understand whether collectively we are emulating the Prophet’s prudent lifestyle or whether we are following the crowd by competing to spend, indulge, and impress.

NAVIGATING PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY

Muslims living in affluent countries — particularly in North America — are uniquely positioned and morally obliged to lead the way in environmental reform. They enjoy access to education, resources, and platforms that can amplify change. They should try to refrain from replicating the host culture’s patterns of consumption and wastefulness lest they become complicit in committing environmental injustice. A carbon-intensive lifestyle is not only detrimental to the earth and future generations, but it is also an act of betrayal against our fellow beings whose lives and livelihoods are being destroyed by climate-induced disasters.

This moral dissonance invites not just individual reflection but communal action. Mosques, community centers, and Islamic schools in the West must go beyond symbolic gestures like recycling bins and tree-planting drives. They should lead campaigns to divest from fossil fuels, educate congregants about ethical consumerism, and call for reforms and practices to uphold sustainability. But they must, first and foremost, walk the talk.

EMBRACING MINIMALISM: AN ISLAMIC IMPERATIVE

The antidote to environmental destruction is not merely technological innovation, it is spiritual and ethical renewal. The Prophet exemplified a modest and balanced lifestyle long before the term “minimalist” became fashionable. His teachings offer a blueprint for sustainable living rooted in contentment (qanā‘a), gratitude (shukr), and moderation (wasatiyya).

The Ummah is global, and so is the climate crisis. Think of the farmer in Sudan facing drought, the fisherman in Bangladesh watching the tides rise, and the Muslim American professional navigating ethical dilemmas in a consumer-driven society. While the climate crisis affects everyone, not all bear the same responsibility.

Islam calls for solidarity and justice, not only among humans but between humanity and the rest of creation. In the Quran, all creatures are “communities like you” (6:38). Trees, animals, rivers, and skies are not mere backdrops to human life, but they are signs of God deserving of respect and protection. To ignore the ecological dimension of our faith is to neglect a fundamental part of what it means to be a Muslim. Climate change is not just an environmental issue; it is a test of our ethics, our compassion, and our capacity for self-restraint.

Muslims must return to the Prophetic model of simplicity and prudence. They should teach their children that living well does not mean owning more but caring more — about people, animals, and the environment. Moreover, living well comes with sacrifice; people must bear with inconvenience in exchange for long-term, greater benefits. Indeed, it’s no fun to be constantly mindful of everything we purchase and dispose of, and it’s a hassle to commit to reducing, reusing, and recycling. But by embracing these occasionally inconvenient habits, we discipline our soul and perform acts of worship through setting the right intention. ih

Is Every Innovation Safe?

The Environmental Impact of AI and Bitcoin Mining

BY ISNA GREEN INITIATIVE TEAM

The adoption of AI technologies has accelerated rapidly across virtually every sector of society. Artificial intelligence (AI) brings with it both anticipation and apprehension even though its influence on the future is undeniable. Proponents claim that AI offers solutions to pressing global challenges including climate change and drought mitigation. Yet alongside this promise lies the growing reality of increasingly large and energy-intensive neural networks. The resource demands of these complex systems raise profound concerns regarding AI’s environmental sustainability.

AI AND ENERGY

AI is an umbrella term encompassing a set of technologies designed to process information and, at least superficially, mimic human cognition. Early forms of AI date back to the 1950s, but recent advancements in computational power and the exponential growth of training data have fueled its development. Marketed as a transformative tool capable of providing guidance on everything from personal decision-making to professional tasks, AI is often imagined as an omnipresent advisor in everyday life.

But the infrastructure needed to sustain this expansion is vast. According to Business Insider, 1,240 data centers had already been built or approved for construction by the end of 2024. Major technology corporations — Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Meta — are engaged in a race to dominate the AI landscape, announcing unprecedented increases in infrastructure spending. Amazon alone plans over $100 billion in capital expenditures, while Microsoft forecasts a record $30 billion, Google anticipates an additional $10 billion, and Meta projects further increases in its existing spending plans (Karen Sheehan, “Tallying the True Costs of AI,” June 17, 2025, Business Insider).

These facilities, however, are highly energy and water intensive. For instance, an AI data center currently under construction in Cheyenne, Wyoming is projected to consume more electricity than all the residential

households in the state combined. Largescale data centers may use up to 5 million gallons of water daily, the equivalent consumption of a town of 10,000 to 50,000 residents. “The rapid expansion of data centers processing the vast amounts of information used for AI and crypto mining is forcing grid operators to plan for new contingencies and complicating the already difficult task of balancing the country’s supply and demand of electricity,” stated a report by Reuters (“U.S. data center build hits record as AI demand surges, Bank of America Institute says,” Sept. 10, 2025). These pressures not only strain electric grids but also elevate the risk of power outages, particularly as on-site backup generators prioritize the protection of facilities over the broader public good.

The scale of investment underscores the concentration of resources: billions of dollars in infrastructure are being directed toward serving a handful of corporate mega-customers. This expansion requires additional transmission lines, generators, and associated infrastructure, driving massive expenditures for utilities and energy suppliers. Beyond environmental consequences, such costs raise serious concerns for ordinary consumers. Utilities, state governments, and municipalities have often courted data centers for economic gains, but the financial burden of meeting their enormous energy requirements is disproportionately shifted onto households and smaller industries.

A Newsweek report indicated that rising data center demand contributed to a 6.5% increase in energy prices between May 2024 and May 2025. Similarly, research by Monitoring Analytics, an independent market watchdog in the Mid-Atlantic, found that 70% ($9.3 billion) of the 2024 increase in electricity costs was attributable to data center demand (Jesus Mesa, “Eye-Popping Electric Bills Come Due as Price of AI Revolution,” Aug. 7, 2025, Newsweek).

Forecasts indicate this trajectory will only intensify. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s United States Data Center Energy Usage Report (2024), prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy, projects

that between 2023 and 2028, the electricity consumption of data centers will rise substantially, accounting for an estimated 6.7% to 12% of total U.S. electricity use by 2028.

CRYPTOCURRENCY

Crypto mining is the process through which computers validate cryptocurrency transactions and add them to a blockchain, a digital public record. Solving complex encryption puzzles of crypto mining requires specialized and powerful computers. Bitcoin, the original and most popular cryptocurrency, and other currencies use a system known as proof-of -work, a decentralized mining process for verifying and adding new transactions to blockchain. It is fundamental to ensure a secure, unchangeable, and censorship-resistant record.

These operations require the use of enormous amounts of electricity and water. The decentralized nature of crypto mining also means that multiple miners compete to solve these problems, leading to even higher energy and water consumption. An oversight group estimated that Bitcoin has a global annualized energy consumption that matches Poland’s annual power consumption. One Bitcoin transaction uses as much energy as hundreds of thousands of credit card transactions.

Energy-intensive crypto mining strains local electric grids, raises electricity rates for residents, and increases local air and water pollution. A 2024 report by the U.S. Energy Administration (EIA) says electricity demand associated with U.S. cryptocurrency

mining operations in the United States has increased rapidly over the last several years. Its preliminary estimates suggest that annual electricity use from cryptocurrency mining probably represents from 0.6% to 2.3% of U.S. electricity consumption.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

AI data centers and crypto mining facilities significantly influence the environment as they devour vast amounts of electricity and water among other materials.

Increased demand: Electricity mostly is generated by fossil fuel-operated plants, many of which are old. The recent relaxation of regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency will encourage the use of highly polluting electricity generation, placing further strain on power grids that often rely on fossil fuels.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The burning of fossil fuels to power data centers releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases which contributes to rising global temperatures.

Air Pollution: Data centers and their associated power plants release harmful pollutants like fine particulate matter which negatively affect human health and contribute to conditions such as asthma and heart disease.

RESOURCE DEPLETION

Water Usage

AI Data and crypto mining hardware require large volumes of water, straining local resources, particularly in regions

Energy-intensive crypto mining strains local electric grids, raises electricity rates for residents, and increases local air and water pollution.

PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACTS

Air Quality

Air pollutants from the power plants and backup generators that serve data centers can have severe public health consequences including increased rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

Vulnerable communities

Along with potentially developing health concerns, residents near crypto mining centers must deal with continuous mechanical and construction noise pollution.

To offset the harm caused by data centers, the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) has recommended five main actions for countries to follow:

Establish standardized procedures for measuring the environmental impact of AI. As of right now, there’s a dearth of reliable information on the subject.

With support from UNEP, governments can develop regulations requiring companies to disclose the direct environmental consequences of AI-based products and services.

Tech companies must make AI algorithms more efficient while recycling water and reusing components where feasible.

Governments should encourage companies to construct green data centers by using renewable energy and offsetting their carbon emissions.

Governments must consider the AI industry and related business interests with their articulated environmental regulations.

already facing scarcity, and threatening local water supplies.

Mineral Extraction

The manufacturing of AI chips and hardware relies on critical minerals and rare elements. Mining these minerals depletes natural resources and causes excessive environmental degradation.

ELECTRONIC WASTE

Short lifespans and hazards

The hardware used by data centers, such as graphics processing units (GPU), have a short lifespan, leading to a significant and growing problem of electronic waste. This waste contains hazardous substances that contaminate soil and water if not disposed of properly.

Due to the race for dominance in AI among global political powers, a comprehensive agreement may not be possible. However, if the builders of increasingly energy-needy data centers are serious about the environmental impact of these projects, they can reduce their effect on the climate by powering them with renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. Regardless, residents in these areas might still see their electricity bills increase as utilities have to compensate for massive data projects on the grid. This is almost always achieved by passing additional costs onto residential consumers.

As always, the ISNA Green Initiative Team requests all to be advocates of environmental sustainability as a responsibility ordained by God to us as guardians of this earth. ih

Barriers & Breakthroughs

The Next Chapter in Islamic Home Financing

BY MOHAMED ABDALLAH

In communities across the United States, a growing number of Muslims are seeking to own a home without compromising their religious values. For many Muslims, choosing Islamic home financing is about more than money — it’s about honoring their faith while working toward long-term stability. Islamic home financing options are built to avoid interest (riba), reduce uncertainty (gharar), and steer clear of contract terms that may not align with Islamic principles.

Yet even as interest in faith-conscious financing grows, these pathways remain largely invisible in national housing data and are rarely part of the broader conversation about financial inclusion in the United States. Studies show that Islamic mortgage approvals outpace conventional ones when compared on similar financial terms. Still, this represents just the beginning of a deeper story.

The pressing question now is: what barriers keep Islamic mortgages from gaining broader visibility and accessibility? And what opportunities exist to ensure faith-conscious financing supports Muslims and the broader movement toward ethical, inclusive lending in America?

BARRIER 1: LIMITED FINANCIAL LITERACY

For many Muslims, the most significant barrier is not knowing their options. They often assume that mortgages are either conventional — with unavoidable interest — or too complex if labeled as Islamic. Common questions surface: What is an ijara? How does murabaha work? Is this really halal, or just rebranded interest?

This uncertainty often leads families to put off buying a home or to go with a conventional mortgage even if it leaves them feeling uneasy. Some may also be distrusting of Islamic lenders. They worry that providers aren’t fully transparent or that the fine print might include terms that go against Islamic values. Without broader education and accessible financial literacy efforts, these doubts and misconceptions linger leading buyers to continue to feel unsure about taking the next step toward homeownership.

BARRIER 2: STRUCTURAL AND REGULATORY BLIND SPOTS

Another challenge lies not with Muslims, but with systems. Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data recently showed that out of more than 17 million mortgage applications nationwide, fewer than 300 could be identified as Islamic finance. That represents less than two-hundredths of 1%. Such invisibility is not due to lack of demand — it reflects structural blind spots in how federal datasets categorize loans. If contracts are miscoded or not reported distinctly, Islamic mortgages essentially “disappear” from the official record. Visibility matters. Policymakers, regulators, and housing advocates rely on data to make decisions about financial access. When Islamic financing is hidden in the margins, the community loses opportunities for recognition, support, and policy inclusion. It becomes harder to prove the value of faith-conscious products, even when evidence shows they perform well.

BARRIER 3: AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESS

When Muslims are aware of Islamic mortgage options, cost can be a deterrent. Because of how Shariah-compliant contracts are structured — often involving two transactions or higher compliance costs — monthly payments can appear slightly higher than conventional mortgages. This creates a perception that ethical financing is less affordable.

Yet data tells a more hopeful story. Freddie Mac loan-level data showed that borrowers whose loans aligned with Islamic principles (no interest-only features, conservative loan-to-value ratios, no prepayment penalties) were less likely to default during the Covid-19 economic shock. In fact, these households showed greater financial resilience than their conventional peers. This suggests that while upfront costs may appear higher, the long-term stability and reduced risk of Shariah-aligned lending could ultimately benefit both homeowners and lenders.

Still, negative perceptions remain. Until affordability concerns are addressed — through better product design, clearer communication, or supportive policies — many will remain hesitant to pursue these options.

BUILDING A STRONGER FUTURE FOR FAITH-BASED HOMEOWNERSHIP

Despite these very real barriers, the future of Islamic home financing in the U.S. holds promise. As interest continues to grow and more Muslims seek financial solutions aligned with their values, there is an opportunity — and a responsibility — to strengthen the systems that support them. True progress will require more than individual efforts — it will take a shared commitment across sectors. When providers, policymakers, researchers, and community leaders work together, they can transform what are now scattered initiatives into a cohesive, inclusive ecosystem that supports faith-conscious homeownership at every level. Here are a few key areas where that kind of collaboration can take shape to turn good intentions into lasting impact:

❶ Partnerships with Providers

Organizations like the UIF Corporation and Guidance Residential have led the way in making Islamic mortgages available to Muslim Americans. Their efforts represent years of innovation, legal navigation, and community engagement, and their success stories deserve broader recognition. But the future will require more than pioneering models; it will require stronger collaboration between providers, researchers, community organizations, and faith leaders. These partnerships can drive innovation in product design, improve data reporting practices, and expand access beyond major cities to reach rural and underserved communities. When we connect research with on-the-ground experience, everyone benefits.

❷ Policy Engagement and Regulatory Inclusion

Government agencies and regulators play a critical role in shaping what’s visible and what remains overlooked in national housing policy. At present, tools like the HMDA don’t have clear categories to identify Islamic mortgages. This lack of visibility means entire communities are excluded from policy conversations, funding decisions, and market research. Policymakers can help change that by working with providers and researchers to refine how loan types are classified, making space for faith-based models to be acknowledged, supported, and studied. When Islamic mortgages are counted properly, we can tell a more accurate story, one that reflects the real diversity of financial needs in America.

❸ Education and Community Awareness

they highlight the need for greater visibility, clearer data, and a deeper understanding of how values-based lending works in practice. But no single study can drive a national conversation on its own. There is a need for more voices at the table — researchers, students, economists, lenders, and community advocates — each bringing their insights and perspectives to build a fuller picture. It is time to treat data as a bridge not just between numbers and narratives, but between institutions and the communities they hope to serve.

❺ The Ecosystem Approach

Improving Islamic mortgage access is not only about lenders. Product designers, marketers, nonprofit housing advocates, and financial educators all have roles to play. A broad ecosystem approach can connect data, design, outreach, and education into a unified effort that benefits homeowners and their communities.

For many Muslims, the most significant barrier is not knowing their options. They often assume that mortgages are either conventional — with unavoidable interest — or too complex if labeled as Islamic. Common questions surface: What is an ijara? How does murabaha work? Is this really halal, or just rebranded interest?

One of the clearest opportunities lies in education — not just formal instruction, but honest, practical guidance that meets potential homeowners where they are. Many households hesitate to explore Islamic mortgage options, not due to lack of interest, but because they feel uncertain. The terms can be confusing, and without someone to explain them simply, it’s easy to assume the process is either too complicated or just not halal. That uncertainty often leads to hesitation or to decisions that don’t feel right. Some simply don’t know which providers they can trust, or how to tell the difference between genuine Shariah-compliant options and ones that only appear to be.

This is where community-based education can truly make a difference. Mosques, nonprofits, Islamic centers, and local organizations are in a powerful position to close this gap. By offering workshops, Q&A sessions, or digital content, they can help simplify key financing models like ijara, murabaha, and diminishing musharakah in ways that are easy to understand. These efforts go beyond raising awareness — they give potential homeowners the clarity and confidence to ask better questions and make better decisions. In a space where trust is essential, accessible education isn’t just helpful — it’s vital.

❹ Research Visibility and Data-Driven Advocacy

Academic research has a powerful role to play in legitimizing Islamic home financing and opening new pathways for public and policy engagement. When data can demonstrate that Shariahcompliant lending models perform well — especially during economic downturns — it shifts the conversation from niche to necessary. When analyzing borrower performance, default patterns, and risk indicators across both conventional and Islamic lending frameworks, one can find that the early findings are encouraging;

TOWARD FAITHFUL AND FAIR HOUSING ACCESS

The challenges facing Islamic home financing — from limited awareness and regulatory gaps to concerns about affordability — are real. For many Muslims, they show up in everyday ways: delayed decisions, missed opportunities, or discomfort with financial choices that don’t align with their values. But these barriers aren’t fixed. With shared effort across sectors, today’s roadblocks can become building blocks for meaningful change.

This isn’t just about filling a market gap; it’s about rethinking housing finance to reflect the values and diversity of those it serves.

A system that’s inclusive, transparent, and respectful of faith and culture benefits not just Muslim families, but the entire community.

Islamic home financing is about more than just meeting compliance standards. It offers homeowners peace of mind, a sense of dignity, and the comfort of knowing their values are reflected in their financial choices. For the wider financial system, it represents a principled way of lending, one that values stability, shared responsibility, and long-term resilience. In uncertain times, this isn’t just another option — it’s a model that others can learn from.

Moving forward will take genuine partnership: lenders rethinking how these offerings are structured, policymakers making them more visible and understood, researchers anchoring the conversation in real data, and communities continuing to educate, advocate, and build trust. Together, they can bring Islamic home financing into the mainstream — not as a niche or exception, but as a meaningful part of the larger movement toward ethical, inclusive homeownership. ih

A Blistering Retort to Blistering

Abdul Razzaque Ahmed: The Scientist who Revolutionized the Cure of Blistering Diseases

BY ASLAM ABDULLAH

Every time Abdul Razzaque Ahmed, MD, DSc, MPA, FRCP (Edin.), travels abroad, his itinerary includes a visit to Mecca to express his gratitude to God Almighty. Throughout the course of his life, he has performed more than 100 Umrahs (a lesser pilgrimage conducted outside of the time of Hajj).

Abandoning financial goals and pursuits, this humble, soft-spoken, and cultured man, enriched by family traditions and a strong upbringing, has taken a long and challenging road from the small, coal mining town of Wani, India, to the ivory towers of Harvard University and beyond.

Silently but persistently, his clinical expertise and creative talents have brought lifelong relief to some of the sickest patients in the world. His humanitarian spirit and concern for the underprivileged have transformed countless lives.

EARLY SCHOOLING AND MEDICAL TRAINING

Ahmed, the Ibn Sina Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, spent his early childhood in a house that his great-grandfather built around 1875. He studied in a convent run by French nuns until the age of 7. He went to a Jesuit Catholic Boarding School in Nagpur — a large central Indian city in the state of Maharashtra.

Upon completing high school in India at 15 (equivalent to the 10th grade in the United States), he received an American Field Service International Scholarship that brought him to the United States. He spent one year in Le Mars, Iowa where he lived with a host family. He attended the local high school part-time and nearby Westmar College for the remainder of the time. This one year in a small, rural Midwest town permanently changed Ahmed’s worldview and his vision of the future, becoming the foundation for what he would soon become.

Upon returning to India, he studied pre-medical courses at Nagpur University and was subsequently admitted to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences. Here, he achieved top grades in most of his courses and received a gold medal for being the top graduate in his class. Immediately after receiving his MBBS degree, he came to the U.S. to begin his specialty training. He trained in internal medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, in dermatology at the University of Buffalo, and in clinical immunology at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) where he later joined the Faculty of Medicine.

His love and passion for science led him to the Harvard University Medical School from which he received a Doctor of Science degree. While conducting research in molecular immunology, he generated data that resulted in two National Institute of Health (NIH) grants. This led to the establishment of the Ahmed Lab which was funded by the NIH for over 20 years.

THE CENTER FOR BLISTERING DISEASES

Ahmed created the first Center for Blistering Diseases in the U.S. in 1998 where he treated rare, potentially fatal diseases. It was a onestop center for all patients staffed by a team of experts in various disciplines of medicine.

This combination of an extensive clinical practice with a wellfunded research lab provided the strength and stimulation for creative thinking and the development of new ideas both in clinical practice and in basic bench research.

Ahmed’s training background and experience in medical dermatology helped him acquire new knowledge and skills in oral medicine as well. Physicians and dentists came to his center to learn how to manage complex, difficult ailments. Doctoral students conducted research on clinical material from their patients and critical discoveries emerged as a result.

Ahmed’s basic research focused on fundamental questions: why do some people develop these diseases? What causes these diseases? Are there better treatments than those currently available that do not produce catastrophic side effects? Could some treatments enable patients to experience long-term, sustained periods of disease freedom and drug-free status? The challenges presented by these insightful questions were neither easy nor straightforward to solve.

Ahmed’s research team collaborated with some of the world’s leading immunogeneticists and identified MHC class II genes that contribute to enhanced susceptibility to these diseases. Several papers co-authored by Ahmed in the early 1990s demonstrate a genetic link for autoantibodies in families with pemphigus vulgaris. The work was

foundational in establishing the genetic basis for autoimmune diseases and revealed that shared genes could lead to the production of the same autoantibodies among family members, even in healthy relatives.

In his efforts to understand what initiates the disease, his laboratory identified molecules in the skin, mouth, conjunctiva, and other tissues that undergo molecular changes and become key factors in initiating the processes that ultimately lead to disease. Since these are autoimmune diseases, the root problem in these patients is that the immune system has lost its balance and regulation.

A GLOBAL EXPERT AND AN IMMUNOLOGICAL MYSTERY

While most serious investigators follow a narrow road and thus become world authorities on their limited area of interest, some enthusiasts are willing to take some tangential turns. One such opportunity arose in Ahmed’s life as a researcher. The Iranian health authorities were puzzled by a large number of pemphigus patients in the northwestern Iranian province of Gilan. Dermatologists there felt that this could be the beginning of a serious epidemic, and many people would die. Their consensus was that Ahmed was the only person to guide them.

Despite the perceived difficulties, Ahmed traveled to Gilan and determined it was an epidemic. He returned with his research team, collected blood, extracted DNA, and brought it to his laboratory in Boston to conduct immunogenetic studies. His discoveries troubled him. The genes of Muslim Iranian patients were 100% identical to those of Jewish patients in Boston, Europe, and Occupied Palestine. He consulted with Jewish historians, but none had clear explanations. Finally, in a library in Berlin, Germany, he found a book with a map published in the 13th century that described the Khazars, a Jewish people who lived in modern-day northern Iran. Due to three decades of famine and drought, they migrated to what is Europe today.

These understandings of the immune system formed the foundation of his discovery of revolutionary therapies — treatments that have prevented many cases of blindness and saved lives worldwide.

Ahmed saw the long- and short-term damage that steroids did to his patients. The cure was nearly as bad as the disease. While at UCLA, he conducted experiments in which he took cells from the blood of patients and observed that they could reproduce autoantibodies in an incubator. When he conducted this experiment again, he added a biologic agent used in the treatment of other autoimmune and immunodeficiency diseases called intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). As a result, the patient’s cells no longer produced autoantibodies in the incubator.

From then on, Ahmed treated his patients with IVIg. Patients recovered from their diseases and stopped using steroids and other drugs. Their recovery lasted years.

MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS AND PASTORAL CARE

On the back of this breakthrough, many researchers would have jumped to file a patent, Ahmed did the opposite. He spoke at national and international seminars and conferences, spreading his message to help as many patients as possible. Since IVIg is very expensive, Ahmed took data on 160 patients to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid and convinced them to authorize IVIg use in blistering diseases. A special panel heard his presentation and voted to allow Medicare coverage for IVIg for blistering diseases. Private insurance companies followed Medicare’s policies.

Ahmed was aware of a drug trial using a biologic agent to treat cancer that was working well in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. With the help, guidance, and collaboration of two Harvard oncologists, he developed a novel protocol using a combination of Rituximab and IVIg based on the pathobiology of B cells in autoimmune diseases.

This groundbreaking protocol was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The patients in the study were carefully monitored for 15 years and demonstrated that they did not require any additional maintenance treatment and remained disease-free.

In 2001, Ahmed published a study on 21 patients with pemphigus treated with only IVIg. He followed them for over two decades after completing the protocol. He found they had reversed the damage to their immune system and regained their normal physiological state. Their landmark paper was published in 2024 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAC) in the United States.

Another aspect of Ahmed’s clinical practice and research that distinguishes him from many of his colleagues is his work on a rare eye disease called ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) which causes blindness in 25% of patients despite the most aggressive systemic therapy.

He first studied the mechanism that causes scarring in the eye. In collaboration with his ophthalmology colleagues, he then treated patients initially with IVIg and later with Rituximab and IVIg. This is an advanced combination therapy used to treat OCP, a severe autoimmune eye disease.

But Ahmed didn’t stop there. Concerned about his patients’ consumption of monthly intravenous drug infusions, initiated a support group for Bostonians with blistering diseases. Once a year,

patients come together, have lunch, and discuss their illnesses and response to treatment. This annual tradition took place for 25 years until the Covid-19 epidemic forced its temporary suspension. The meet-ups will continue again this year. With his discovery and design of effective protocols that required intravenous therapy on multiple occasions, Ahmed established an in-office, ambulatory, non-hospital-based infusion suite. Patients were referred there from all over the world.

Ahmed’s model is now being replicated in practices in many cities in the U.S. and overseas. Since many dermatologists are not familiar with administering intravenous drugs, they refer their patients to rheumatologists or hematologists. Ahmed set up a logistical model to prevent that from continuing.

Ahmed has been and continues to remain a mentor and role model to medical and dental students and residents. Many of his former students are professors and some are heads of departments in the U.S. and in their native lands.

He has lectured at conferences in the U.S. for over 35 years and has been a visiting professor at numerous universities. During his career, he has lectured in 37 countries. Few dermatologists in the U.S. have such a global presence and impact. With his extensive knowledge, Ahmed brings a wealth of clinical experience, making his lectures relevant and valuable to the audience.

ACCOLADES AND IMPACT

In the U.S., Ahmed has received awards such as the William Gies Award by the International Association for Dental Research, American Society for Dermatology, and the 2016 Walter F. Lever Award by Tufts University, which is given once every 25 years. He has received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the International Congress on Autoimmunity, the American Academy of Dermatology, the Portuguese Society for Dermatology, the Arab League of Dermatology, and Dermatology Societies in Italy, Tunisia, Turkey, and India. He was also awarded the Charaka Award by India named after the originator of Ayuvera.

Additionally, in 1999, Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci and the Massachusetts House of Representatives separately gave him the Citizen of the Year Award for his contribution to the citizens of the state.

Ahmed also established the Noor Jahan Begum Charitable Trust 23 years ago in honor of his mother. The Trust’s primary focus is the education of impoverished young men and women using funds raised single-handedly by Ahmed leveraging his global professional connections. The Trust operates as an undergraduate college that awards bachelor’s degrees and as well as a law school. Students accepted into the Trust are awarded full scholarships as well as computers, books, and all necessary learning materials in order to learn public speaking, life skills, financial management, and global leadership skills. Thus far, nearly 9,800 students have completed their education through the Trust.

Ahmed’s primary professional goal was to end generational poverty. Through his tireless and selfless efforts, he has made significant strides towards that end goal. ih

Aslam Abdullah, Ph.D., is resident scholar at Islamcity.com.

Muslim Doctor Invents Surgical That Reduces Damage from The

Ahmed Glaucoma Valve Is Used in 120 Countries

BY ASLAM ABDULLAH

In 1995, the Ahmed family performed Hajj. Before embarking on the journey, Abdul Mateen Ahmed, Ph.D., prayed for the ability to serve the people of Mecca.

The Hajj itself was challenging. A fire had broken out in Mina, one of the stops on the journey. While everyone was in a state of panic, Ahmed helped pilgrims escape the inferno and brought water and food to those who were stranded. His prayer had been answered.

AHMED’S EARLY LIFE

Ahmed was born in Wani, India, as the eldest son of a distinguished family of administrators and farmers. As their family grew, so did their accolades. Ahmed’s younger brother, Abdul Razzaque Ahmed, Ph.D., is a renowned dermatologist affiliated with Harvard University. His sisters, Shabeeha, Akhtar, Nayyar Jahan, Anwar, and Rana, have all achieved the highest degrees in their respective fields of study. His wife, Rafat, is an attorney. His son, Omar, is a software engineer, and his daughter, Omrana, is an architect. 22 of his cousins are physicians and many of his grandchildren are engineers or medical professionals.

Ahmed and his siblings credit their mother, Noor Jahan Begum, for their upbringing and education. In the 1950s, Wani had few schools and the literacy rate was less than 15%. Ahmed’s mother prioritized her children’s education. She explored every opportunity to find the best schools in the region. She also worked to uplift the area laborers, farmers, and their families. She inspired

her children to shape their own educational destiny through their independent efforts and ensured that all her children received the best education possible. She was a remarkable woman who, in addition to raising a large family, also managed the farms that her husband left behind after his passing.

Ahmed’s family now operates several educational institutions in Wani and neighboring villages serving low-income individuals and others in need of support in their pursuit of a robust education.

MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Ahmed has a medical degree from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi and a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (also in New Delhi). He has 14 years of experience as a professor on three continents (Asia, Africa, and North America), and has published over 100 academic papers. Ahmed has also created more than 20 U.S. patents and inventions.

His professional work introduced him to patients suffering from onchocerciasis, a parasitic disease caused by the bite of black flies. In 1993, he invented the Ahmed Glaucoma Valve (AGV), a surgical implant that helps patients suffering from refractory glaucoma. This device is now used in 120 countries offering hope to millions of patients who currently have glaucoma, a condition that causes excessive fluid buildup in the anterior chamber behind the eye’s cornea and can lead to irreversible blindness.

After leaving his professorship at California State Polytechnic

Surgical Device from Glaucoma Countries

University, Pomona, Ahmed and two partners founded New World Medical, Inc. which now employs 200 people from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. 10 years ago, he handed his company’s reins to his son-in-law, Bilal Khan, an MBA from the Wharton School, who had joined in 2008 after working as an actuary.

A HUMBLE MAN

Despite his accolades, one would rarely find Dr. Ahmed talking about his larger-than-life

stature. Ahmed’s neighbors in his small, Southern California town of Rancho Cucamonga do not know much about him. Researchers have read papers on AGV at international ophthalmology conferences in his presence, yet he rarely introduces himself to the audience. Even when he is in the exhibition hall, welcoming visitors to his New World Medical booth, he seldom mentions that he is the inventor of this device.

Ahmed’s philosophy on his life and work revolves around a simple but profound concept: do things that help humanity. His life is its living testimony.

During a rain-soaked day on a busy California freeway, most drivers did not stop to help a stranded car on the shoulder of the road. But Ahmed stopped and stayed until help arrived and the disabled car was towed to the mechanic. When he learned that the family was struggling financially, he paid for the repairs. Similarly, while most people may ignore a needy person in a mosque asking for help, or a person whose family lives on the street, Ahmed shares his resources and tries to do everything he can to help.

Ahmed’s philosophy motivates him to care for the sick, the poor, and the destitute without expecting anything in return. His family shares his philosophy and follows in his footsteps.

Ahmed believes, and the Quran teaches, that the quality of a successful individual is not in their ability to generate money, but in using whatever they have to improve the lives of those around them. This is the essence of life. The Quran states, “The Apostle,

however, and all who share his faith strive hard [in God’s cause] with their possessions and their lives: and it is they whom the most excellent things await [in the life to come], and it is they, they who shall attain to a happy state!” (9:88).

It goes on to say, “Hence, give his due to the near of kin, as well as to the needy and the wayfarer; this is best for all who seek God’s countenance: for it is they that shall attain a happy state!” (30:38).”

CREDIT TO THE CREATOR

Ahmed acknowledges this divine writ and credits the Creator as the source of his ideas and accomplishments. He identifies himself as merely an instrument in God’s grand scheme. The thousands of people who have benefitted from his deep wisdom and/or his profound generosity can testify to that fact. And still, he does not advertise his achievements or adumbrate his numerous contributions to hospitals worldwide, educational institutions, or to the many orphans and widows he has helped. Instead, he always expresses his gratitude to the Creator for all of the blessings he has received, and for the motivation to share them with others. This faith has endowed him with the rare ability to consistently assist humanity in all that he does.

Through his hard work, innovation, humility, and generosity, Ahmed offers a lifestyle that leads to the best in this life and the hereafter, as Muslims around the world believe. ih

12 Muslim-Owned Cafés Across the U.S. to Visit This Winter

A Cup of Tradition to Keep You Warm

BY NAWAL ALI

As winter’s icy grip takes hold, seeking solace in a café becomes a ritual. Muslim-owned cafés in the United States have masterfully crafted spaces that blend exceptional beverages with a welcoming atmosphere for the whole community. These establishments offer taste and tradition through their genuine coffees, teas, and pastries. Here are 12 Muslim-owned cafés across the nation that promise warmth and comfort during the colder months.

WEST COAST

Barakah Café — Garden Grove, Calif.

Barakah Café sits quietly inside the Islamic Society of Orange County, but its small space leaves a lasting impression. This tiny coffee shop contributes to the upkeep of one of the most important mosques in the area as 100% of its proceeds go towards mosque maintenance. Their signature Pina Colada Matcha Latte blends pineapple and coconut with matcha. Its tropical brightness cuts through the cold while sumptuous pastries filled with dates or drizzled with honey offer a sweet companion. This café is the kind of place that becomes part of your weekly rhythm rather than just an occasional treat. During Ramadan, it invites late night coffee seekers a place to satisfy their cravings and spend time with their community.

Kasbah Moroccan Café — Portland, Ore.

visitors take in Chef Naji’s warm hospitality as though Morocco and Portland are fused into one, if even for a brief moment.

Café Sabah — Renton, Wash.

Café Sabah brings Turkish tradition into

through? At the All-Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center, the answer came in the form of Qahwa Café, a coffee shop imagined, built, and sustained by local youth who wanted a gathering space of their own. From crunching numbers and drafting floor plans to experimenting with branding and design, they took on all the work required of opening a coffee shop with a dedicated entrepreneurial spirit. The space was originally only 900 square feet, yet with late nights and many hours of volunteer labor, they transformed it into something grand.

Today, Qahwa Coffee is both a café and a symbol. It is a place to order a specialty Hazelnut Latte or a pour-over brewed with beans from Maryland-based roaster Ceremony Coffee. It is also a place where conversations spark, friendships form, and community grows. Under the guidance of manager Naeem Muhammad, the café hosts regular events that reflect the same youthful energy that brought it into being. These programs connect, educate, and uplift all who encounter them.

Housed in Portland’s Old Town Chinatown, Kasbah Moroccan Café is an establishment deeply rooted in Islamic heritage. Owner Chef Naji Bouhmid’s journey from the royal kitchens of King Hassan II in Fez, Morocco, to Portland’s streets reads like an adventure novel; he traveled the world as a chef for members of parliament and professional athletes before landing in Minnesota to work alongside renowned chefs. Finally, he settled in Portland.

Today, his Moroccan Spiced Coffee combines rich espresso with cardamom and warming spices, creating a blend that transports you straight to the souks of Fez. For something refreshing, opt for the traditional Mint Tea which pairs cool mint with the aromatic blend of fresh green tea. Seated in the cozy interior with a pastry in hand,

a town already filled with coffee options, but owner Hasan Ari’s story adds a deeper meaning to every cup served. The café is in fact named after Ari’s wife, Sabah, who inspired him to share Turkish hospitality with the people of Renton

The Turkish Coffee arrives in a small cup, strong and aromatic and meant to be savored slowly, prepared with the traditional method that Hasan brought from his homeland. Pastries like pistachio kadaif add texture and sweetness to any visit, each recipe carrying generations of Turkish culinary tradition. The cold wind might blow outside, but inside, time passes blissfully as one delicious cup naturally becomes two.

EAST COAST

Qahwa Café — Sterling, Va.

What happens when a group of young people decide their community deserves more than just a place to pray or pass

Shibam Coffee — Pittsburgh, Penn. Shibam centers its identity around Yemeni coffee, prepared with care and presented with a modern touch. This café is part of a franchise originating in Dearborn, Mich. and gets its name from the ancient city of Shibam in eastern Lebanon, known as the place of mud skyscrapers.

The café’s Shibam Latte layers lightly roasted Yemeni coffee with qishr (a traditional Yemeni beverage made from the dry husk of coffee cherries), cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon. The result is spiced, aromatic, and perfectly suited for early winter mornings. “The coffee shop gets packed past sunset,” barista Madalyn Pfug told Table Magazine. (Emma Riva, “Shibam Coffee: A Night Owl’s Refuge,” Table Magazine, 2024.) She noted that this is especially true during Ramadan as the local Muslim population designated the café as their go-to spot for iftar . Honey cakes and milk cakes also line the counter, and before long, the stop for coffee feels like a lifetime membership in a most welcoming club.

Café Rumi — New York, N.Y.

Café Rumi, located in New York’s financial district, offers more than just a place to enjoy a warm beverage. It invites patrons into

the rich tapestry of Persian culture. Inspired by the timeless poetry and mysticism of Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī, the 13th-century Persian poet and philosopher, the café serves as a sanctuary for reflection and connection. Among the cafe’s specialties, their Rose Chai stands out. It blends black tea with cardamom and cinnamon and is finished with delicate rose petals. While sipping your tea you might encounter a bit of poetry on the bookshelves or performed on the café’s small stage. In a city known for rushing, Rumi slows the pace, making room for thoughtful reflection between tantalizing sips.

MIDWEST

Tary — Chicago, Ill.

Based on the original café in Kazakhstan, Tary introduces flavors from Central Asia into Chicago’s café scene. “We use only organically sourced products, with 25-30% imported from Kazakhstan, including various types of tea, tary (millet), nabat (traditional candy sugar), kurt (dry fermented milk product), and others,” owner Symbat Zharkynkyzy told The Astana Times . (Aiman Nakispekova, “Tary Cafe Brings Kazakh Culture in Heart of Chicago,” The Astana Times, 2023). The Latte Irimshik combines espresso with a soft Kazakh cheese, creating a creamy drink with a slight tang that surprises those tasting it for the first time. Alongside it, house-made boorsok, or fried beignets, and kattama provide a sweet taste of the country. Minimalist in style the cafe is enveloped in gorgeous decor that puts visitors in mind of the broad Central Asian steppes while inside this cozy coffee shop.

Yafa Golden Coffee — Noblesville, Ind.

In the heart of Indiana’s Muslim district, Yafa Golden Coffee is dedicated to Yemeni coffee and Yemeni culture. The café was founded by Abdullah Ali and his family who hail from the small city of Yafa, Yemen. They cultivate coffee on their family farms in Yemen, bringing the beans to America to roast in-house. This process creates an unmistakable aroma that sets Yafa’s coffee apart in Noblesville. Their Yafa Special mixes espresso with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, producing a cup that feels layered and warm. Pistachio macaroons and Dubai chocolate bars give a sweet balance, turning a single drink into a fulfilling culinary experience. On snowy evenings, Yafa feels less like a stop along the way and more like the destination itself.

Kitab Café — Detroit, Mich.

This café, founded in Jan. 2023 by couple Asma Almulaiki and Ahmed Alwhysee, was created to provide a welcoming, inclusive environment for the local community. The name “Kitab,” meaning “book” in Arabic, reflects the founders’ original vision of combining a bookstore with a café.

The 5 Spice Latte is a favorite, blending espresso with a mix of spices while the pastrami sandwiches and chocolate cupcakes give guests a chance to enjoy their lunch with friends. With a bookstore on the premises, Kitab Café is as much a meeting place for friends and acquaintances as it is a place to discover new food and drinks in Detroit’s culinary scene.

in Arabic. The café was founded by a Palestinian–Egyptian family who wanted to bring the tastes and traditions of the Middle East to the Atlanta suburbs.

Baladi Coffee serves drinks that feel as restorative as they are flavorful. The Ginger Turmeric Latte is both savory and spiced, a combination that warms the body during those winter months. A modern menu of desserts such as chocolate strawberries laced with pistachio cream offer a delectable addition to the whole ensemble. Baladi does not just offer relief from winter. It restores a sense of balance with a classy, Middle Eastern touch.

Muslims of the World — Plano, Texas Muslims of the World (MOTW) Coffee & Pastries was founded on the belief that

Today, Qahwa Coffee is both a café and a symbol. It is a place to order a specialty Hazelnut Latte or a pour-over brewed with beans from Maryland-based roaster Ceremony Coffee. It is also a place where conversations spark, friendships form, and community grows.

SOUTH

Haraz Coffee House — Orlando, Fla.

Haraz Coffee House brings Yemeni coffee culture to Orlando with bold flavors and commercial confidence. The Pistachio Latte is a rich, creamy, and nutty beverage and pairs naturally with the selection of pastries such as saffron cakes or cheesecake. The café’s gulf-inspired interior is filled with vibrant conversation and the constant hum of espresso machines on the go.

If you can’t make it to the Orlando location, this franchise has many other locations to visit. Founded in 2018 by Hamzah Nasser, Haraz Coffee House has expanded rapidly, with over 30 locations across the U.S. and more in development. The brand emphasizes sourcing the finest beans and honoring traditional craftsmanship to bring the bold, authentic flavors of Yemen to every cup. As the company states on its website, “Haraz Coffee is on a mission to share the rich heritage of Yemeni coffee with the world.”

Baladi Coffee — Kennesaw, Ga.

In Kennesaw, Baladi has become a gathering place rooted in the meaning of its name: baladi translates to “my homeland”

coffee can create connection. It grew out of the social media project called Muslims of the World by Sajjad Shah to counter stereotypes and share authentic stories about Islam across Plano and beyond. The project evolved into a café rooted in community. “Coffee was the bridge we could use to bring people together,” Shah told The Table Underground. (“Muslims of the World: MOTW Café,” The Table Underground, 2024.)

Today, each MOTW café carries that same spirit, combining hospitality with a mission to create spaces where culture and conversation flow as easily as the coffee itself. The Date Cardamom Latte is their signature drink, combining the richness of espresso with the sweetness of dates and the warmth of cardamom. MOTW is part of a growing franchise that brings halal-friendly coffee and pastries to communities across the country. And if you miss one location, there’s plenty of others around the city to enjoy. ih

Nawal Ali is a public health graduate from Chicago with a background in development. She is currently researching Islamic culture in Central Asia.

Disclaimer: Mentions of the cafés above are not a formal endorsement by Islamic Horizons

The United States Bans Synthetic Food Dyes

Mixed Responses to Changing Chemical Cuisine

BY MOHAMMAD ABDULLAH

The splash of colors you see in your foods is not always safe. As part of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, on April 22, 2025, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a plan to phase out petroleum-based synthetic food dyes. Instead of an outright ban, the plan relies on food companies to voluntarily replace synthetic dyes with natural alternatives by the end of 2026.

“For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., said in a press release. “These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real dangers to our children’s health and development. That era is coming to an end.”

ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE FDA

According to the plan, the FDA is establishing a national standard for the food industry to transition from synthetic to natural alternatives. This will begin with the revocation of two synthetic food colorings — Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B — within the coming months. Food producers will then be asked to remove Red No. 3 sooner than the 202728 deadline previously required. The food industry will then eliminate six remaining synthetic dyes — Green No.3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2 — from the food supply by the end of next year. From there, authorization of four new natural color additives will take place in the coming weeks along with the acceleration of the review and approval of others and partnership with the National Institute of Health to conduct research on how food additives impact children’s health and development

The food industry’s response to the FDA, so far, has been mixed. While some companies are reformulating products with natural colors, others are pushing back against the proposed timelines and expressing concern over scientific evidence against synthetic food dyes and the complexity of the transition to natural coloring, according to the Environmental Working Group and the Center for Science in the Public Interest

WHAT ARE PETROLEUM-BASED SYNTHETIC FOOD DYES?

Synthetic dyes are generally made from petroleum-based raw materials in laboratories. There are about nine approved synthetic dyes in use in foods in the United States. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, foods that contain petroleum-based dyes are usually ultra-processed, designed to make food and beverage products look brightly colored and more appealing to consumers, especially children. They are common in candies, cereals, snack foods, sports drinks, flavored yogurts, ice-creams, vitamins, gelatin deserts, pastries, sausages, and even some pet foods (“Synthetic food dyes: A rainbow of risks.” April 15, 2025. The Center for Science in the Public Interest).

HEALTH RISKS

A new study, reported by The Los Angeles Times, showed that nearly one in five food items and beverages sold in the U.S. contains synthetic dyes, and many of them are commonly marketed to children. A 2022 review found that 52% of studies found a significant association between synthetic dye consumption and adverse behavioral outcomes in children. These concerns are not limited to behavioral problems. Red 3, for example, has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory rats, and Yellow 5 has been associated with allergic reactions in some individuals (Niameh Ordner, “One in five U.S. food and beverages products is made with synthetic dyes,” June 25, 2025. The Los Angeles Times).

NATURAL ALTERNATIVES

Natural food dyes derived from plants, algae, insects, and minerals can be used to color food and drinks. Common examples include beets and raspberries for red and pink; turmeric and carrots for yellow and orange; spirulina and spinach for blue-green and green; blueberries and purple cabbage for blue and purple shades; and activated charcoal for brown and black coloring. (Kristen Rogers, “What eliminating artificial food dyes would mean for the food system,” April 30, 2025. CNN).

The FDA recently approved three natural dyes for use in food and beverages: Galdieria extract blue (from algae), butterfly pea flower extract (from flowers), and calcium phosphate. According to TIME Magazine, the rise of organic and more natural options led to the transition from artificial food dyes to natural alternatives well before the MAHA report. In 2016, for example, food manufacturer Kraft removed artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives from its mac & cheese. But industry experts say that switching to natural colorings comes with a unique set of challenges and may not always be safer for human health. Natural sources may be treated with pesticides and herbicides and are prone to contamination with bacteria and other pathogens. To strip natural products of these contaminants, manufacturers process them with various solvents, some of which could remain in the food in its final coloring (Alice Park, “Why Natural Food Dyes Aren’t Always Safer,” Sept. 15, 2025, TIME).

THE FOOD INDUSTRY’S REACTION

Some major companies such as Nestle, Kraft, Heinz, and General Mills plan to cut artificial colors from many of their products. The Hershey Company said it is planning to offer naturally colored options for four of its candies as early as next year. Roughly 40 ice cream and frozen dessert companies pledged to remove seven food dyes from their products in less than three years (Jonel Aleccia. “US ice cream makers say they’ll stop using artificial dyes by 2028 to combat potential health effects,” July 15, 2025. AP).

Some stores across the U.S. are also implementing policies that ban the sale of

For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., said in a press release. “These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real dangers to our children’s health and development. That era is coming to an end.”

foods with synthetic dyes, Vice President of Governmental Affairs at the Environmental Working Group Melanie Benesh said.

And some states have already implemented bans or restrictions. California banned Red No. 3 statewide in Oct. 2023, which was followed by the FDA’s nationwide ban in Jan. 2025. Many companies, including PepsiCo and WK Kellogg, say they are moving ahead with plans to remove synthetic dyes.

Some companies are complying, but with reservations. For example, the Consumer Brand Association, which represents major food and beverage companies, expressed a willingness to work with the Administration, but also stressed that synthetic dyes are safe and that a patchwork of state laws creates confusion (Alexander Tin. “FDA stops short of synthetic food dye ban, calls on industry to stop use” April 23, 2025, CBS NEWS).

“I am all for getting artificial food dyes out of the food supply, but the shift will be a challenge, and the changes can backfire,” said biologist and nutritionist Marion Nestle.

Some companies fear replacing food dyes will cause their products to lose their appeal. For example, in 2016, General Mills removed artificial colors from its Trix cereal but brought them back in 2017 because consumers missed the bright neon colors and flavor.

“As long as rival options look as brightly colored as ever, many food-makers aren’t willing to be the first to go dull,” NPR Business Correspondent Alina Selyukh wrote (“Food brands phase out artificial dyes but Americans love the color,” Sept. 8, 2025).

HAVE OTHER COUNTRIES TAKEN SIMILAR STEPS?

Melissa Wright, Director of the Food Producer Technical Assistant Network at Virginia Tech, said many countries, including those in the

European Union, Canada, and the United Kingdom, have taken steps to restrict or ban synthetic food dyes, often with warning labels or outright bans. Countries like Switzerland, Norway, and Australia banned or restricted certain artificial colors years ago. The U.S. has been the outlier. It approved synthetic dyes that are banned or restricted elsewhere due to different regulatory approaches and the use of the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) rule which allows companies to self-regulate (Margaret Ashburn. “Banning artificial food dyes: Why now and the challenges it presents to the food industry,” Virginia Tech News, April 24, 2025).

The FDA codified this self-affirmation process in 1997, allowing U.S. companies to avoid significant delays in bringing new ingredients to market, although this has been criticized as a “loophole.” Instead of getting FDA’s pre-market approval, a company can independently conclude that its ingredient meets the safety standards for GRAS. Under this loophole, companies are not required to notify the FDA of their GRAS determination or submit the supporting safety data to the agency.

POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF BANNING DYES ON THE MEAT INDUSTRY

According to the Virginia Tech News, the most significant impacts of these practices would be on processed meat products in which synthetic dyes are used to maintain a specific color. Consumers are accustomed to the appearance of synthetically dyed products, such as the bright red of some sausages and cured meats. The use of natural dyes might have duller, less consistent colors that might influence consumer purchasing habits (Melissa Wright, “Banning artificial food dyes: Why now and the challenges it presents to the food industry,” April 24, 2025).

The primary cause of the characteristic pink color in cured and processed meats such as bacon, ham, and SPAM® results from adding synthetic nitrites, the use of which is regulated, but not banned. The FDA ban on synthetic food dyes like Red No. 3 is unlikely to cause meat processors to voluntarily stop using synthetic nitrites because the industry views synthetic nitrites as critical safety agents, not dispensable aesthetic additions like Red 3. However, consumer demand for “clean label” products has led many manufacturers to use plantbased sources of nitrates and nitrites, such as celery powder.

WHAT IF THE VOLUNTARY APPROACH FAILS?

If the FDA’s voluntary approach to phasing out artificial dyes in food is unsuccessful, the agency’s next steps include pursuing formal regulations and enforceable bans. The FDA has already rolled out other regulatory tracks alongside the voluntary measures including formal rulemaking, the revocation of authorization for specific color additives, and the use of the Delaney Clause of 1958 which prohibits use of a color additive if it is found to cause cancer in animals or humans.

Moreover, several states, including California and West Virginia, have passed their own laws banning or restricting artificial dyes. These state-level regulations create market pressure that the FDA can leverage to encourage nationwide reforms. (“FDA stops short of synthetic food dye ban,” April 23, 2025. CBS NEWS).

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Consumers can make the transition to natural food dyes easier by:

Staying informed about industry changes and supporting brands that are making the shift.

Reading product labels carefully. Choosing certified organic foods as they are prohibited from containing any synthetic color or preservative.

Prioritizing whole foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds over the processed food products. Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) favored natural foods such as dates, pomegranate, figs, olive, honey, milk, barley, and lamb etc., and eating in moderation.

Cooking at home with natural spices such as turmeric and paprika that provide natural coloring as well. ih

Mohammad Abdullah, DVM, MS (Ag Technology), MPH, is the former Deputy District Manager at USDA-FSIS. He is also the author of A Closer Look at Halal Meat: From Farm to Fork

NEW RELEASES

The Hollow Half: A Memoir of Bodies and Borders

Sarah Aziza 2025. Pp. 400. HB $20.97. PB $17.95. Kindle $14.19

Catapult Books, Brooklyn, N.Y.

“ You were dead, Sarah, you were dead.” In Oct. 2019, Sarah Aziza, daughter and granddaughter of Gazan refugees, is narrowly saved after being hospitalized for an eating disorder. The doctors revive her body, but it is no simple thing to return to the land of the living. Aziza’s crisis is an existential rupture that brings both her ancestral and personal past into the vivid present. The hauntings begin in the hospital cafeteria, when a mysterious incident summons the familiar voice of her deceased Palestinian grandmother.

In the months following, as she responds to a series of ghostly dreams, Aziza unearths family secrets that reveal the ways her own trauma and anorexia echo generations of violent Palestinian displacement and erasure — and how her fight to recover builds on a century of defiant survival and love. As she moves towards this legacy, Aziza learns to resist the forces of colonization, denial, and patriarchy both within and outside of her.

Weaving timelines, languages, geographies, and genres, The Hollow Half probes the contradictions and contingencies that create “nation” and “history.” Blazing with honesty, urgency, and poetry, this stunning debut memoir is a fearless call to imagine both the self and the world anew.

Prosperity with Purpose: A Muslim Woman’s Guide to Abundance and Generosity

Nausheena Hussain 2025. Pp. 390. $24.99

Daybreak Press, Arden Hills, Minn.

Muslim women receive just 0.2% of capital funds invested in a given fiscal year. Entrepreneur Nausheena Hussain has found methods for overcoming that gap in her debut book, Prosperity with Purpose: A Muslim Woman’s Guide to Abundance and Generosity.

From investing in themselves to investing in their 401(k)s, Hussain’s book guides Muslim women to an abundance mindset. She provides spiritual strategies for living a lifestyle of productive self-care, getting the most out of credit cards, and turning our own abundance into ever-increasing charity.

Whether you want to learn how to handle your money in a halal manner, or learn to confidently discuss wealth and finance in your community, this book serves as a guide to a balanced financial present and a more rewarding hereafter.

Muhammad and the Christians: Commemorating the Covenants of the Prophet

John Andrew Morrow 2025. Pp. 284. HB $99.95 Academia Press, Washington, D.C.

Intriguing, innovative, and meticulously documented, John Andrew Morrow’s book, Muhammad and the Christians: Commemorating the Covenants of the Prophet, unveils the dogmatic darkness, theological accretions, political propaganda, and religious obfuscation in the search for the historical Prophet of Islam (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Morrow’s pathbreaking work evaluates the authenticity of the Prophet’s covenant with Christians from an objective, impartial, and academic perspective.

Seeking solely the facts, and relying only on the evidence, Morrow sets off on a quest to unveil the earliest understanding of the Quran, the Prophet’s original teachings, and the prophetic Islam that existed prior to the Umayyads, ‘Abbasids, and others.

This book answers two questions of paramount importance then and now: do the Covenants between the Prophet and the Christians represent the primordial teachings of Muhammad? If so, are they still obligatory and binding upon believers today?

W. D. Fard: The Man, Myth, and Mystery Behind the Nation of Islam

John Andrew Morrow & Bilal Muhammad 2025. Pp. 200. HB $99.95 Kindle $79.96 Academia Press, Washington, D.C.

teachings inspired Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Louis Farrakhan, and many figures involved in the separatist wing of the American Civil Rights Movement.

Fard disappeared without a trace in 1934, eluding adherents and scholars alike. Historians have debated both his whereabouts and intentions; was he a missionary, a conman, an agent, or none of those things? Why did this nonBlack teacher found a Black nationalist movement? Drawing on theology, psychology, sociology, and archival research, John Andrew Morrow and Bilal Muhammad uncover Fard’s scriptural sources, apocalyptic influences, and esoteric affiliations.

The book delves into Fard’s incarceration, love life, ties to Imperial Japan, and the conceptual origins of his teachings. The authors use cutting-edge tools such as AI, emotional recognition software, DNA testing, forensic linguistics, digitized newspapers, and anagram breakers to reveal the man behind the legend. This book succeeds in pushing the limits of what is known about this controversial and momentous figure.

Creative Chaos: Inside the CIA’s Covert War to Topple the Syrian Government

William Van Wagenen

2025. Pp. 425. PB. $19.99

The Libertarian Institute, Arlington, Va.

In Creative Chaos , journalist and author William Van Wagenen relates the real story behind the American/Israeli origins of Syria’s so-called “civil war” of 2011-16 which led to the takeover of the country by Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) in 2024.

The book examines the U.S.’ role in instigating an Al Qaeda-led insurgency against the Syrian government in collaboration with regional powers including Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. It is a must-read for students of the clandestine objectives of America’s most sinister intelligence agency.

Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning

Peter Beinart

2025. Pp. 192. HB. $22.89. Kindle $14.99

Knopf, New York, N.Y.

In Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning, Jewish American journalist Peter Beinart illustrates how the story that dominates Jewish communal life is one of persecution and victimhood. It is a story that erases much of the nuance of Jewish religious tradition and warps understanding of the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestine. Amidst the ongoing genocide in Gaza, through which Jewish texts, history, and language have been deployed to justify mass slaughter and starvation, Beinart argues that Jews must tell a new story. After this genocide, the horror of which will echo for generations, they must do nothing less than offer a new answer to the question: What does it mean to be a Jew?

Beinart considers an alternate narrative, one that draws on other nations’ efforts at moral reconstruction and a different reading of Jewish tradition. A story in which Israeli Jews have the right to equality, not supremacy, and in which Jewish and Palestinian safety are not mutually exclusive but intertwined. Above all, this new telling of the Jewish story recognizes the manifest danger of venerating states at the expense of human life.

This volume is a provocative argument that will expand and inform one of the defining conversations of our time.

Compilation of Fundamentals in Islam: Made Simple to Facilitate Easy Comprehension and Implementation

Sadath U. Khan

2025. Pp. 208. PB $22.50

CW . D. Fard: The Man, Myth, and Mystery Behind the Nation of Islam offers a well-constructed, multidisciplinary investigation into the Nation of Islam’s elusive founder, Wallace D. Fard, known to his followers as Master Fard Muhammad. He was a man of mystery whose

ompilation of Fundamentals in Islam is a clear and accessible guide to Islam’s essential teachings. It is suitable for young Muslims beginning their journey, new converts seeking spiritual clarity, or someone seeking to refresh their understanding of the many facets of the faith.

Author Sadath Khan leads readers through the religion’s foundational elements. Starting with the importance of cleanliness in daily life and worship, he explains key practices such as full and partial ablution and dry ablution. He then explores the five pillars of Islam, offering insight into each act of devotion and what it means for one’s spiritual life and community connection. Detailed chapters on prayer, Quranic understanding, and frequently recited Surahs help bring structure to religious practice. The book also covers

the significance of sending blessings upon Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), along with the six Kalmas that reaffirm the faith’s core beliefs.

In Compilation of Fundamentals in Islam, Khan shares what he gathered through years of practicing Islam, not as a scholar, but as someone deeply committed to helping others understand their faith in a practical way. His work is a reminder of what anchors a Muslim’s life and how faith, when practiced with knowledge and sincerity, becomes a source of peace and purpose.

Plug into Allah: Islamic Weekly Mindfulness & Dua Prayer Journal: For Christian Reverts and Non-Praying Muslims

Yasmeen Zouita

2025, Pp, 55. PB $16.00 Independently published

Plug into Allah is a journal designed for Christian reverts and non-practicing Muslims seeking spiritual guidance. This journal, created by Yasmeen Zouita, includes weekly mindfulness prompts as well duas for a unique spiritual experience.

This journal is suitable for Muslims ages 18-55 who are interested in mindfulness and spirituality and for non-Muslims interested in learning about the intersections of Islam and mindfulness.

The Book of Monasteries

Al-Shābushtī 2025. Pp. 386. PB $16.95

NYU Abu Dhabi

New York University Press, N.Y

The Book of Monasteries takes readers on a tour of the monasteries of the Middle East by presenting the rich variety of poetry and prose associated with each monastery, and by offering an entertaining panorama of religious, political, and literary life during the Abbasid era.

Starting with Baghdad, readers are taken up the Tigris into the mountains of Southeastern Anatolia before moving to Palestine and Syria along the Euphrates down to the old Christian center of Hīrah and onward to Egypt. For the Muslim literary anthologist al-Shābushtī, monasteries were important sites of interactions with Christian communities that made up about half the population of the Abbasid Empire at the time.

Each section in this anthology covers a specific monastery, beginning with a discussion of its location and the reason for its name. Al-Shābushtī presents poems, anecdotes, and historical reports related to each. He selects heroic and spectacular incidents, illustrations of caliphal extravagance, and events that gave rise to memorable verse. Important political personalities and events that were indirectly linked with monasteries also appear in the collection, as do scenes of festive court life. Al-Shābushtī uses these accounts not to teach history but to offer a meditation on the splendor of Abbasid culture as well as moral and philosophical lessons: the ephemerality of power; the virtues of generosity and tolerance; the effectiveness of eloquence in prose and poetry; and the fleeting nature of pleasure and beauty.

The Gaza Strip Genocide: Palestinian Civilian Life Lost to Israeli Aggression

Michael Watars 2025. Pp. 282. HB $19.99 Independently published, U.K. F or too long, the world has turned a blind eye to the Palestinians’ systematic oppression. The mainstream narrative, carefully crafted and disseminated by powerful pro-Israeli lobbies, obscures the truth of what is happening in Gaza and throughout the occupied territories. This book presents a balanced account; the imbalance is already built into the situation itself.

The Gaza Strip Genocide exposes the brutal reality behind the carefully curated image presented to the world. The truth is far more disturbing than any fiction. Here, the evidence — eyewitness accounts, photographic documentation, statistical data — overwhelmingly points to a deliberate and systematic campaign of violence, dispossession, and oppression. Readers will examine Israeli policies that mirror the tactics employed by some of history’s most brutal regimes. The comparisons, though uncomfortable, are unavoidable and necessary for a full understanding of the grave situation in Gaza. This book is a cry for justice, a call to action, and a stark warning that unless the international community wakes up to the reality of the situation,

we stand on the brink of an unfathomable tragedy. Watars’ book stands as a testament to the human spirit’s persistence in the face of adversity and a bold challenge to those who would rather ignore the Palestinians’ sufferings. The silence must be broken. The truth, however uncomfortable, must be confronted.

Heaven Looks Like Us: Palestinian Poetry

George Abraham & Noor Hindi (Eds.) 2025. Pp. 386. HB $50.00. PB $24.95 EBook $9.99

Haymarket Books, Chicago, Ill.

This collection of verse is a love letter to Palestinian ancestors, their descendants, their land, to all anti-colonial and anti-imperialist struggles, to a history that will never be forgotten, and to a future in which there thrives a free, free Palestine.

Heaven Looks Like Us is a battle cry against the annihilation of an entire people. As Palestinian history remains haunted by exile, violence, and grief, so, too, are the poems in this anthology. Editors George Abraham and Noor Hindi present these realities alongside other themes that are also true: queer and feminist perspectives, eco-poetry, meditations on love and time, and lineages of protest. This anthology dares to imagine a future beyond a nationstate for Palestinian people everywhere. Contributors include (the late) Refaat Alareer, Mahmoud Darwish, Mohammed El-Kurd, and many other poets, both established and ascending.

Shari´a, Citizenship, and Identity in Aceh

Arskal Salim, Moch. Nur Ichwan, Eka Srimulyani and Marzi

Afriko

2025. Pp. 254. HB $100.00 PB $35.00. EBook $27.00

Notre Dame University Press, Notre Dame, Ind.

Shari’a, Citizenship, and Identity in Aceh is both an ethnographic and a sociohistorical account of identity making among both the Muslim majority population and different minority groups in Aceh, Indonesia. Diverging from previous studies on majority-minority group relations in a predominantly Muslim country, the authors engage solely with one group’s experiences, arguing that the majority and minority groups in Aceh have interactively and mutually created conceptions of identity and recognition that have significant implications on the experience of citizenship in the region. The authors provide not only a narrative of majority-minority group encounters, but also a wide-ranging account of struggles from both the Muslim majority and non-Muslim minority groups for recognition of their own identity in the public space. To what extent do minority groups feel that they belong to Aceh’s communal identity, which is mostly Islamic? And what kind of citizenship is in place when minorities feel marginalized under Aceh’s Islamic rules? This book demolishes the concept of citizenship by way of deploying the concept of the politics of recognition against the politics of the dominant culture theory. It looks further at how equal citizenship in a democratic political system has been negotiated and compromised, and how the politics of dominant culture has caused a sense of shared ownership to be largely deficient and vague in Aceh.

Mahommah Gardo Baquaqua: An Enslaved Muslim of the Black Atlantic

Paul E. Lovejoy, Nielson Bezerra 2025. Pp. 302. HB $99.00. PB $29.95 Kindle $22.99

The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, N.C.

AMuslim born between 1820 and 1830 in present-day Benin, Mahommah Gardo Baquaqua was enslaved in West Africa and forcibly moved to Brazil in 1845. During a trip to New York City in 1847, he escaped from his master and fled to Haiti, where he was ensnared into Baptists and converted to Christianity. When he eventually returned to the United States, he enrolled in New York Central College. Baquaqua published his autobiography — the only known narrative by a former Brazilian slave — in 1854 and traveled to England with the intention of returning to Africa. He apparently achieved this goal by the early 1860s, when his historical trail disappeared.

Through this expertly-researched volume, Authors Paul E. Lovejoy and Nielson Bezerra, illuminate what Baquaqua’s home in Africa was like and examine African slavery in mid-19th century Brazil. They also offer an Atlantic perspective on resistance to slavery in the Americas in the era of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. ih

IN MEMORIAM

Jaafar Sheikh Idris

1931 – 2025

Faith, Reason, and Scholarship

Jaafar Sheikh Idris, one of the modern era’s most prominent Muslim thinkers, an intellectual giant who combined the authenticity of classical Islamic scholarship with the rigor of modern philosophy, passed away in Mecca on July 18 at the age of 94. He was buried in the holy city.

A master of both Arabic and English, he stood as a confident voice of Islam in the modern world rooted in revelation, aware of contemporary challenges, and unwilling to compromise the truth of Islam under the guise of “renewal.” His scholarship, lectures, and writings inspired generations of Muslim scholars, thinkers, and students across the globe.

BACKGROUND AND EDUCATION

Jaafar Sheikh Idris was born on June 15, 1931 in Port Sudan. His family came from a small town in the west bank of the Nile River in Nuri, one of Sudan’s largest Arab tribes.

As a child, Idris first studied in traditional Quranic schools, memorizing the Quran and learning basic Islamic sciences such as fiqh, hadith, and Arabic grammar. At around the age of 6, he suffered an accident that left him unable to walk for nearly three years. This delayed his enrollment in formal schooling, but he considered it a blessing: the trial instilled in him patience, resilience, and a burning drive for knowledge.

When he eventually entered the modern school system, he excelled. He combined systematic education with religious learning, sitting with local scholars and members of the Ansar al-Sunnah where he gained a love for the Quran and Sunnah and an early rejection of contemporary innovations. By the age of 11, he was already drawn to the works of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim, which would shape his lifelong intellectual methodology.

His brilliance earned him admission into Hantoub High School in al-Jazirah province, then one of Sudan’s three elite high schools.

At Hantoub, Idris encountered students of varying ideologies: communists, socialists, secularists, and Islamists. It was the peak of Marxist influence worldwide, and many young Sudanese were swayed by socialist and atheistic ideas. Rooted in his Islamic upbringing, Jaafar gravitated toward the

emerging Islamic Liberation Movement (Harakat al-Tahrir al-Islami) which was founded in March 1949. He became an active member of the group, delivering talks and lessons to counter the spread of communism among students. This movement later evolved into the Muslim Brotherhood in Sudan, though initially without formal ties to the parent group in Egypt.

Idris went on to study at the University of Khartoum, initially joining the Faculty of Arts before shifting to Philosophy of Science and Economics. There, he emerged as one of the leading student activists and eventually became president of the Khartoum University Students’ Union where he was known for his eloquence and courage. He graduated with honors in 1961 with a B.A. in Philosophy and a minor in Economics.

After a brief teaching stint at the University of Khartoum, Idris matriculated to the University of London where he completed his Ph.D. in Philosophy in 1970 under a joint program with Khartoum University. His doctoral thesis was titled The Concept of Causality in Islam

Back home in Sudan, political unrest and social instability spread under President Gaafar Nimeiry. In 1973, Idris fled Sudan, crossing the desert to Libya, then to London, finally landing for an extended period in Saudi Arabia. There, he joined King Saud University teaching Islamic Studies and later Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University, teaching ‘aqidah alongside contemporary ideologies. While at the

University, he supervised several graduate researchers and students seeking Master’s degrees and PhD’s.

AN AMERICAN CONNECTION

Idris began visiting the United States in the mid-1970s where he found a growing Muslim community. At that time, the Muslim presence in America was still in its early stages, led by great pioneers and visionaries. During a visit in 1976, he took his son, ‘Abdurahman, to a simple hut in a wooded area in Plainfield, Ind. He recalled his father telling him that this place would one day become an Islamic organization. Today, that very site serves as the headquarters for the Islamic Society of North America.

Throughout the 1980s, Idris continued visiting the U.S., offering Islamic courses, delivering lectures, and attending conferences. He was especially active with the Muslim Arab Youth of America conferences while also engaging with other Muslim organizations across the country. His balanced methodology, deep knowledge, and eloquence made him a highly sought-after speaker and mentor.

In 1991, Idris moved to the U.S. permanently, serving as the Director of the Research Center at the Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences in America, an institution affiliated with Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University. For over a decade, he guided students, scholars, and Muslim communities across North America with his wisdom and scholarship.

In 2003, he returned to his homeland of Sudan, though his global dawah efforts continued with frequent travels lecturing and attending conferences.

In 2011, while visiting Riyadh, Jaafar suffered a stroke, which significantly impacted his health and ended his public lectures and writings. His activities became limited thereafter, but he remained surrounded by his wife, sons, and daughter. In Feb. 2023, his wife passed away, and Idris himself returned to his Lord in July 2025, leaving behind a legacy of knowledge, mentorship, and steadfast service to Islam.

He left behind not only books and articles but also a generation of scholars and thinkers who continue his legacy of intellectual independence, deep faith, and unwavering defense of Islam.

He is survived by his progeny Abdurahman, Abdulmoniem, Yousuf, and Manal, and his grandchildren. ih

Nicholas Ferguson Kaiser

1946 – 2025

Visionary Investor

Nicholas Ferguson Kaiser, a pioneering investment strategist, community builder, and founder of Saturna Capital Corporation and Amana Mutual Funds Trust, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on July 25 at his home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. after a courageous battle with cancer. Kaiser was born in Bellingham, Wash. in 1946. He attended Yale College to study Economics (Class of 1966) and earned an MBA with dual majors in International Economics and Finance from the University of Chicago in 1968.

In 1976, Kaiser and his first wife, (late) Markell Foote Kaiser, acquired Unified Management Corporation (UMC) in Indianapolis. There, Kaiser applied his expertise in finance and computing to transform the company into a mid-sized investment management and brokerage firm. His success led to innovations in mutual fund operations and the creation of the world’s first Halal mutual funds when he was approached by M. Yaqub Mirza, then Acting General Manager of the North American Islamic Trust. This partnership resulted in the founding of The Amana Mutual Funds Trust, pioneering value-based investing long before it became mainstream.

After selling UMC in 1986, Kaiser returned to Bellingham, and in 1989, founded Saturna Capital Corporation. As founder and global strategist, he led the firm with a vision grounded in principled, long-term investing and ethical service. He remained an active mentor and presence in the company even after he stepped down from portfolio management in 2020.

Kaiser’s contributions extended beyond finance. He served as Governor of the Investment Company Institute, President of Certified Public Accountants and Financial Planning Association chapters, and National President of the No-Load Mutual Fund Association. He also received numerous accolades throughout his career including being named on Morningstar’s Ultimate Stockpicker’s list for a decade, Northwest Business Monthly’s Business Person of the Year in 2006, and the Whatcom Business Alliance’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.

Kaiser also generously dedicated his time and expertise to civic and educational causes. He served on the boards of the Mt. Baker Foundation and Franklin Academy and supported Western Washington University, endowing the Kaiser Professorship in International Business. He held leadership roles with organizations including the Mt. Baker Council of the Boy Scouts of America (Executive Vice President), St. Paul’s Episcopal School (President), B.C.’s Island Trust Fund (Advisor), Fourth Corner Economics Club (Founder) and Bellingham Rotary.

Kaiser was preceded in death by his first wife, Markell Kaiser, in 2006. He is survived by his second wife, Deborah Russell Kaiser, five children, two stepchildren and six grandchildren. ih

Yahia Abdul Rahman

1944 – 2025

The Father of Islamic Banking in North America

YRahman, a distinguished leader, visionary, and pioneer in Islamic finance and community development, passed away on Aug. 3, 2025.

Abdul Rahman was born in Cairo in 1944 and immigrated to the U.S. in 1968. His academic reach included chemical engineering degrees from Cairo University (BS), and M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an MA in international finance and monetary theory from the University of Texas, Dallas. He authored two books, numerous papers and many patents. His world-acclaimed book, The Art of Islamic Banking and Finance (John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010), was an Amazon bestseller in its category sold out during two printings. An expanded second edition, The Art of RF (Riba Free) Islamic Banking and Finance was released in Nov. 2014 and was translated into Turkish in 2016. The book presents pioneering research results about many topics revolving around riba (interest) free financing including the Prohibition of Riba/Ribit in all Abrahamic faiths, the early warning discipline of detecting price bubbles, and other seeds of knowledge he gained during his experience operating Bank of Whittier riba free since 2003.

Abdul Rahman was a founding member of the Industrial Bank of Kuwait (1974-75).

IN MEMORIAM

From 1984 to1986, he returned to help restructure it after the Kuwait “Manakh” Stock Market Crash. His group started banks in Houston (1982), Lariba (1987), the Lariba Bank of Kazakhstan (1994), the Bank of Whittier (1998), Lariba Egypt (2004), and the Lariba Bank of Whittier (2003).

Abdul Rahman was known as the Father of Islamic Banking in North America. He invested 18 years (1986–2003) in the investment banking industry with CitiGroup/Smith Barney where he started (1988) and co-managed the first ever Shariacompliant stock portfolio that achieved superior performance, a prelude to the Dow Jones Islamic Index. Abdul Rahman started the American Finance House Lariba in 1987. The bank’s shareholders also own the first full-service RF (Riba-Free) National Bank in history of America: Lariba Bank of Whittier, NA (1998). Lariba and Lariba Bank of Whittier are now operating in all 50 states in the country.

Lariba, under Abdul Rahman’s leadership, was the first company in the U.S. to operate riba free and to issue riba-free asset-based mortgage bonds with Fannie Mae in the U.S. along with the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.

Abdul Rahman served as a member of the original organizing group and in the jury of a prestigious world class Malaysian Global Royal Award in Islamic Finance to elect the best Islamic Banker in the world.

He was invited to present on riba-free banking and finance in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, South Africa, Switzerland, Germany, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Kazakhstan, India, Trinidad, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Lebanon, and Egypt.

Since his immigration to the U.S., Abdul Rahman was a distinguished leader in the community. He participated in the start-up and operation of many community centers and schools in the U.S. and Canada. He was an invited Jummah speaker in most U.S. cities and in Canada, India, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, and the U.K. He served as the Chairman of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California (2000-03) and played a pivotal role in organizing the groundbreaking 1999 conference, Worldwide Islamic Communications and Da’wah for the 21st Century which was held in Los Angeles.

Abdul Rahman spent 15 years in the oil industry in production, engineering, corporate strategic planning and finance in a major American oil company and refineries.

He led the Muslim community during the critical time after the 9/11 tragedy and organized a special prayer ceremony for the victims in collaboration with other interfaith and civic leaders in Pasadena.

He is survived by his wife, Dr. Magda Abdul Rahman, daughters, Marwa and Maie, and five grandchildren. ih

Zuhar Barhumi Sakr

1941 – 2025

An Unwavering Commitment to Islamic Education

Zuhar Barhumi Sakr, who was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and passed away on May 17, 2025, had immigrated to the United States, where with her husband Ahmed Sakr, she was part of the pioneer Muslim immigrant leaders who have helped establish our community and its earliest organizations.

She dedicated over five decades to nurturing faith and knowledge in the hearts of countless students. Her gentle wisdom, deep understanding of the Quran and Hadith, and unwavering commitment to Islamic education touched generations across Southern California’s Muslim community.

At the Islamic Center of Claremont’s school, Sakr inspired young minds through her teachings but through her embodiment of Islamic values. Every Sunday, families throughout the Islamic Center of San Gabriel Valley and the Islamic Education Center knew they could count on her patient guidance and loving instruction. Her students remember her not just as a teacher, but as a spiritual mother who helped them discover the beauty of their faith. As one of the pioneering members of the Muslim

Students Association (MSA) in the 1960s, Sakr helped establish foundations that would support Muslim student life across America. Her vision of unity, scholarship, and community engagement continues to benefit students nationwide.

Beyond the classroom, Sakr’s impact was felt in countless homes and hearts. She mentored immigrant families navigating their new lives in America, organized Ramadan and Eid celebrations that brought communities together, and offered her home as a sanctuary of warmth and hospitality. Her heartfelt prayers and genuine care transformed every space she entered into a place of peace and belonging.

Her husband and fellow MSA pioneer, Ahmad Hussein Sakr, preceded her death in 2015. Zuhar’s legacy lives on through her four children — Sara, Hussein, Jihad, and Basil — her 23 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren, all of whom carry forward her devotion to faith, family, and service to others. ih

(Source: Hussein Sakr)