Register for Next Convention at http://www.icnaconvention.org/register
For all ICNA-MAS Convention (2018), please visit https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLChOvaDzY_AV637HNqfB585kqnrsAdpOo
The ICNA-MAS annual convention is one of the largest gatherings of American Muslims in the U.S. This is the forth consecutive year it has been held in Baltimore. It was attended by over 22,000 Muslims. It featured many top scholars and activists, in addition to many special events like 1000 Meals Distribution in Downtown Baltimore, 750 Mercy Bags distribution to senior homes and Street dawah at Inner Harbor.
For more information:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/icna
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/icna
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/icnatv
Website: http://www.icna.org
Phone: 718-658-1199
Donate at http://www.icna.org/donation/
Volunteer at http://www.icna.org/joinus/

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On Sunday, May 12, 2019 ICNA CSJ Dallas and 10 other grassroots local organizations organized a Rally to End Child Separation & Detention from 12-2 pm at Belo Garden Park in Downtown Dallas, we lifted our voices for impacted families.
We stand in solidarity with immigrant families.
Family separation is still happening at our southern border. Over 10,000 migrant children are still separated from their families This Mother’s Day we encourage you to start the conversation with friends and family-even those you may not agree with politically. Human rights must transcend politics.

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The school-to-prison pipeline is a disturbing national trend wherein children are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Many of these children have learning disabilities or histories of poverty, abuse, or neglect, and would benefit from additional educational and counseling services. Instead, they are isolated, punished, and pushed out.
“Zero-tolerance” policies criminalize minor infractions of school rules, while cops in schools lead to students being criminalized for behavior that should be handled inside the school. Students of color are especially vulnerable to push-out trends and the discriminatory application of discipline.
For more info on the topic, please visit: https://www.thoughtco.com/school-to-prison-pipeline-4136170
Donate: http://www.icnacsj.org/donate

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The best ten days in the whole entire world are upon us, the most blessed days of the year: the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah (meaning “Owner of the Hajj”). It is truly the holiday season for us Muslims, as to us the special days are those in which we really have a reason to rejoice: our good deeds are being multiplied in number.

Regardless of one’s situation, each has the ability to increase in the good deeds and sacrifice in one way or another to gain the blessings from these ten days, as good deeds do not necessarily require time. Fasting is something you can do with no extra time. Remembering of Allah (SWT) on your tongue through takbir, tahmeed, tahleel (reciting: Allahu Akbar, Alhamdulillah, La Ilaha Ila Allah ) is something so light on the tongue, and so heavy in the scales. A smile, a good word, a pleasant aura, a giving hand, all can be light in terms of effort, but they are truly heavy to the Most Gracious.

It is by the Grace and Mercy of Allah (swt) that even the busy man, the busy woman, the student far from home, and the parents’ hands full with their children at home, can gain from these ten days, as even the smallest of good deeds are multiplied.

We welcome the honored days of Dhul-Hijjah with a small reminder of the merits and practical steps we can take to increase the heaviness of our scales.

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said about these first ten days: “The best days in the world are the ten days.” Righteous deeds on these days are more beloved to Allah than on any other days. Allah (SWT) swears by them in the Qur’an, indicating their importance.

Some Important reminders: Making Thikr with your tongue Fasting the 9th day, the Day of Arafat Offering Sacrifice, For the Head of the Household Offering Takbir from Fajr on the day of Arafat until the last day of Eid Ul-Adha

Any other good deeds: Charity, fasting in the first 9 days, extra prayers, joining ties between your families, being extra good to your parents, etc.

We pray for the blessings to rain down on our community, for the increase in our good deeds, for Allah to accept our prayers, our praising of Allah, our sacrifices, and our good deeds, and gather us all with the Prophet Ibrahim (S) and His family in the Hereafter.

This memorial day weekend, May 23rd to 25th, join us in Baltimore for the 40th annual ICNA-MAS convention. This year’s theme is Islam: Purpose. Compassion. Service. Also featuring, youth conference, parallel sessions, sisters events, children’s programs, live entertainment, huge bazaar, kids jump & fun, matrimonial services, midnight basketball and much more! Register today and get 15% off at ICNA.org or call 718-658-1199.

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Check out ICNA Relief’s 2019 Documentary titled Charity Full Circle.
ICNA Relief is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity serving the USA via programs such as hunger prevention, refugee services, disaster relief, free health fairs & health clinics, back 2 school giveaways, family counseling, education and much more!
* Its 33+ food pantries & weekly food distributions serve 50K+ weekly * It serves over 3,000 #Refugees here in the US annually
* It has responded to over 40 disasters nationwide
* It operates 7 free health clinics * We operate 17+ women’s transitional housing facilities
* It gives out over 20K school bags each year to children in lower income communities
For more info visit: www.icnarelief.org facebook.com/ICNARelief
What people say: “ICNA Relief does a great job of domestically distributing the Zakat funds and charity on behalf of the Muslim community” – Sh. Abdul Nasir Jangda
“It is indeed interested in feeding the hungry, in helping the poor, in finding space for Widows and Orphans to live, in doing what our religion requires us to do” – Sh. Yasir Qadhi
For more information:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/icna
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/icna
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/icnatv
Website: http://www.icna.org
Phone: 718-658-1199
Donate at http://www.icna.org/donation/
Volunteer at http://www.icna.org/joinus/

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Every year hundreds of Kashmiri men, women, and children are killed at the hands of the oppressive Indian government. We hope to raise awareness of this situation so that the people of the valley have a right to peace and justice. Join us in our webinar to learn more about the Kashmiri genocide and what you can do to help.

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Over 60 scholars, imams, NGOs and Muslim community leaders have signed a statement in defense of our noble Prophet (pbuh) and in solidarity with French Muslims.

We, the undersigned, condemn the recurrent insults towards the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and the insistence of the French government to defend them. This crosses a red line that rightly draws the contempt of Muslims across the world.
We are alarmed by the French government’s violent crackdown on its Muslim citizens which has seen the closure of mosques, schools, businesses and attempts to dissolve mainstream civil society organizations, such as the anti-Islamophobia group CCIF and humanitarian relief charity, Baraka City. These are celebrated organizations that conduct their activities in a lawful manner. They should not be harassed by the state.
Recent statements by the President Emmanuel Macron and the Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin have been irrational and aggressive, deliberately targeting a minority community. Already there are reports that two Muslim women were stabbed close to the Eiffel Tower on 21 October 2020 in an Islamophobic attack. Such incidents do not take place in a vacuum..
The Interior Minister made the shocking public admission that dozens of individuals not linked to any criminal investigation, were raided in order to simply send a message to Muslims in France. This extraordinary claim highlights that the police and other arms of government have been politicized to intimidate otherwise innocent Muslim citizens.
Muslim communities and organizations stand in solidarity with France’s Muslims. We call on the French government to end its campaign of hostility towards those carrying out their duties lawfully. Muslims in France should be afforded the rights that others are guaranteed; to live fully, without facing state oppression.
Mohammed Kozbar, Finsbury Park Mosque
Imam Yousaf Baig, Wifaqul Ulama
Shaqur Rehman, Islamic Council of Europe
Zahir Mahmood, As-Suffa Institute
Shaykh Suliman Gani, Purley Masjid
Shaykh Dr. Haitham Al-Haddad, AlMarkaz Centre for Revival & Reform Studies
Shaykh Farid Haibatan, Muslim Research & Development Foundation
Shakeel Begg, Lewisham Islamic Centre
Dr. Omar Suleiman, Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research
Prof. Dr. Sami Al-Arian, Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA) – Istanbul, Turkey
Dr Yasir Qadhi, The Islamic Seminary of America
Yasemin Yürekli, EMISCO – European Muslim Initiative for Social Cohesion
Dr Shazad Amin, MEND
Imran Shah, Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK
Dr Asim Qureshi, CAGE
Wasim Kempson, The Wise Muslim
Ragad Altikriti, Muslim Association of Britain
Yahya Birt
Imam Yahya Ibrahim, Islamic Community Services
Fatih Atmaca, Imam of Balgreen Masjid and Chair of Edinburgh Turkish Community
Zahid Akhtar, Documenting Oppression Against Muslims
Rafiq ibn Jubair, IlmFeed
Fadel Soliman, Bridges Foundation
Roshan Muhammed Salih, 5Pillars News
Anas Altikriti, The Cordoba Foundation, UK
Salman Butt, Islam21c
Tasneem Najwa, Nakheel Women’s Group
Hasib Noor, Founder & Director of The Legacy Institute
Samira Sabir, Centrum de Middenweg
Oguzhan Yürekli, European Yozgat Federation
Dr Mohammed Rafiq Habib, Muslim Council of Scotland
Abdul Wahid, Hizb ut Tahrir  Britain
Shabbir Hassan, Faith Space UK
Bilal Ismail, Alkauthar Institute
Abdelmonim Elhakim, British Islamic Medical Association
Abdur Rashid,UK Islamic Mission
Shaykh Bilal Brown, Marifah Institute
Abid Khan, Cheadle Mosque
Abdullah Patel, Masjid e Umar (Gloucester)
Mohammed Farook Kazi, Al-Ansaar Welfare & Education
Muhammad Uddin, Newham Muslim Forum
Imam Sheikh Mohammad Ismail, United Mosque Council of South Yorkshire  and Jamiat Ulama UK
Muhammad Mulla, Masjid-e-Umer (London)
Bakhtiar Ahmad, Masjid Salaam
Dr Louay Al-Alousi, Masjid-us-Sunnah
Omar Hajaj, West London Islamic Cultural Centre
Usman Qureshi, Norbury Muslim Centre
Nayeem Haque, Muslim Youth Network
Nicolas Blancho, Islamic Central Council of Switzerland
Muhammad Jalal, The Thinking Muslim Podcast
Firdosa Akhter, Aligarh Muslim University
Amanj Aziz, Nyans Muslim (Sweden)
Muhammad Delair, Madinatul Uloom
Rahma Bavelaar, Meld Islamofobie/Report Islamophobia (Netherlands)
Mohammed Lockhat, The Peace Centre
Dr. Aysha Wazwa, Gems of Light
Yusuf Ríos, Islamic Learning Foundation (Chicago USA)
Fahmi Adzha, International Islamic Federation Of Student Organizations (Turkey)
Tahir Alam, Muslim Parents Association
Dr. Maria Saleemi, Lahore College for Women University (Pakistan)
Ismail Kamdar, Islamic Self Help
Bilal Ismail, Imam Development Program
Yacoob Hafejee, Madrasah Taleemul Islam
Syed N Hoque, As-Subah Academy
Muhammad Mustaqeem Shah, Al Istiqāmah
Abul Barakat Monawar Hasan, Centre for Islamic Guidance UK
Zainulabedin Amir, Woodfarm Education Centre
Hashim Gora, Al Hashim academy
Abdallah Mohamed Elsaeidy, Hamad Medical Corporation Doha (Qatar)
Article Courtesy: 5pillarsuk.com

As in previous years, through its numerous programs and services, ICNA Relief, has continued to provide for the greater American community and assist in the betterment and empowerment of people across the country.

This year, in particular, such relief was especially joyous both to give and to receive in light of the challenges of 2020, marked overwhelmingly by the COVID-19 pandemic. In spite of the extensive loss and great distancing, it also brought people together, ultimately strengthening bonds of humanity in such severe times.
Early during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a shortage of PPE everywhere. With unanswered questions about the airborne aspect of this virus, everyone needed masks and healthcare workers were reusing their PPEs. The shortage led CDC to announce mid-March, “In settings where facemasks are not available, Health Care Providers might use homemade masks (e.g., bandana, scarf) for care of patients with COVID-19 as a last resort.”

ICNA Relief operates 23 Transitional Homes across the country. Their Dallas facility has an empowerment center, equipped with computers and sewing machines, to encourage residents to develop their skills and have a safe space for growth. The residents of the Transitional Home who had sewing abilities and community members, such as Reem – a Syrian refugee and a fashion designer who creates stunning bridalwear for a Texas boutique – as well as other volunteers, went store to store to find fabric and elastic needed for masks. However, the pandemic had caused many shortages as well as many stores to be closed due to the lockdown. The group, however, kept faith and instead bought high quality bed sheets, and ribbon instead of elastic, and created the bended nose section with pipe cleaners from the children’s craft section. Reem taught the volunteers and residents how to cut and sew the pieces together.
The volunteers then announced their project on social media, thereby allowing news of their work to travel quickly. From there, they started to receive multiple calls from multiple medical offices and hospitals. A local community member also requested the masks for all the elderly neighborhood individuals who didn’t have them. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson heard of the initiative and asked for masks for her office and staff as well. She even sent a beautiful thank you letter to the ICNA Relief DFW office. Sheikh Omar Suleiman helped deliver the masks to Parkland Hospital. The team was making so many masks that volunteers set off to get boards to help cut faster and more efficiency. This project gained so much traction, with many people donating to the project and others donating to the Transitional Home as well.

The work of ICNA Relief during the pandemic also traveled through the arid drylands of Arizona to the various Native American tribes who live there. COVID-19 has caused an enormous amount of food shortages across food banks in Arizona. This is an even more dire problem across the “food desert” areas of the Arizona Native American population, especially the Navajo Nation. As the virus spread, the Navajo Nation became the epicenter of the disease as the number of cases increased.
ICNA Relief was able to create accessible food pantries and deliver food boxes to these tribes. They spent over $30,000 to gather essential food items such as rice, flour, oils, pasta, pasta sauce, baking powder, salt and more. The Facebook fundraiser for water raised about $2,800, allowing them to distribute about 15 pallets or 4,050 gallons of water to the underserved tribes.

With efforts like these, in-kind donations of resources are tremendously helpful. ICNA Relief thanks Mohammad Elengery and his wife Yomnna for lending their 54 ft., eighteen-wheeler for these large shipments. Without this resource, ICNA Relief would have spent a few grand on renting a vehicle that was large enough or taking multiple trips to deliver this much food.
Volunteers also held a distribution in White Mountain for over 173 families. These families received the essentials and perishables like bread, fresh vegetables and fruit. There were other distributions in Yuma City to Cocopah and the Quechan tribe. Some of these distributions also included dairy products. ICNA Relief also assisted the Hualapai tribe in Valentine, AZ and provided boxes for around 100 families. The Vice Mayor of Arizona, Lauren Kuby, has been an avid supporter of ICNA Relief’s initiatives in these communities, even making her own Facebook fundraisers to help with gas for transportation and hygiene items. The local leadership, like the Cocopah Tribal Council Member Rosa Long, Quechan Tribe Council Member Charles R. Escalanti and Anthony Allison from the Navajo Nation along with Kyle Jim (a member of the Diné clan) and his sister, Bree Lameman, COVID-19 Relief coordinators, made all of these travels and distributions possible.

ICNA Relief also worked extremely hard to combat the deluge of misinformation that coincided with the increased spreading of the coronavirus in order to best support and protect communities across the country. As a non-profit committed to serving diverse communities, ICNA Relief has produced informational pamphlets in multiple languages, containing health and safety guidelines from CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Early on, before the shelter-in-place order, these pamphlets were distributed in local mosques and community centers.
ICNA Relief quickly saw the need of being a voice of comfort and guidance and created the ICNA Relief National Helpline. The helpline offers help in multiple languages: Spanish, Urdu/Hindi, Arabic, and Bangla. This enables new immigrants, refugees, and elderly non-English speaking individuals to navigate this pandemic through inquiring about financial assistance, unemployment and insurance.

ICNA Relief Health Services also deployed a Telemedicine line so that individuals may speak with a nurse or doctor to see if their symptoms entail an ER visit or if they may be indicative of a seasonal cold. ICNA Relief was thus able to provide a means by which the burden on both emergency rooms and hospital personnel was alleviated. The telemedicine line was also able to assuage the fears of the general public seeking assistance and advice regarding their own symptoms or the lack thereof. There were fears of potentially catching the virus in emergency rooms and hospital centers, and by creating an intangible space in which people could receive help, the telemedicine line erased the need to go to these locations for further information.
This pandemic comes with a surge in the need for psychosocial help, thus, hand in hand with telemedicine, the health services team has developed lines for tele-therapy in specific states. ICNA Relief has free health clinics in seven cities across the states: Mount Pleasant, SC, Anaheim, CA, Athens, GA, Duluth, GA, Philadelphia, PA, Oklahoma City, OK, and Dallas, TX. Tele-therapy allows the clients who come to the clinic to continue their mental health treatment through counseling sessions over the phone.

Many of the ICNA Relief offices have also distributed hot meals to the ER doctors and nurses. In New York City, in particular, ICNA Relief collaborated with the Latino Muslims of NY to deliver hot meals to Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, and Mount Sinai Hospital in Queens. In Atlanta, GA, volunteers delivered more than 250 hot meals at Emory Johns Creek Hospital and in Sacramento, CA, the team did the same at the Methodist Hospital.
In total, ICNA Relief, Alhamdulillah, has been able to serve 885,828 individuals and 183,154 families nationwide through all its branches. Of these numbers, 357,841 children were served, and 51,026 elderly individuals were served as well. ICNA Relief was able to distribute 239,204 food boxes and 104,609 hot meals, and overall delivered a whopping 9.6 million pounds of food and groceries to those in need – a value of almost $12 million.
ICNA Relief’s telehealth services have also been widely utilized. The ICNA Relief Helpline was able to help 148 clients, and the ICNA Relief telehealth services provided a value of about $91,000 worth of services and about $200,000 worth of counseling and educational services during this past year. ICNA Relief was also able to distribute 11,636 hygiene kits nationwide at a value of about $93,000. During Ramadan, in particular, ICNA Relief distributed over 13,000 food boxes, about 47,000 iftars, and about 3,400 toys across the country. Overall, ICNA Relief was able to aid and care for 127,590 individuals in Ramadan alone.
ICNA Relief could not have been able to do this work without the help of our treasured volunteers – 7,779 volunteers joined ICNA Relief in our efforts to alleviate the troubles of the great American community and put in about 38,895 hours into doing so. 2020 was by no means a simple year for all of us worldwide. But, Alhamdulillah, in the spirit of care and generosity, a spirit which we emulate from the example of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), ICNA Relief is confident that together we are able to keep bonds of community and service strong despite such difficult times.