My Organization's Goal

Growing up in a secular nation, it is often that Muslim youth lose their religious identities to the non-Islamic components of living in a nation where Muslims are a minority.  Oftentimes, they fail to acknowledge the basic entities that make them Muslim, such as practicing prayer, learning the language of the Qur'an, and not adhering to the basic morals of Islam. In addition to this, preceding 9/11, Muslim youth are faced with critical questions about their faith and oftentimes have difficulties combating these challenges. Furthermore, they may face religious discrimination and labeling due to the actions of several extremists.

In order to live peacefully while being able to practice one's religion, ICCI trains the Muslim youth attending the institution to first become confident, practicing, Muslims so they may display the true, most beautiful colors of Islam. One of the major lessons that the ICCI teaches its students is about the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who exemplified the highest of morals and character. To put their teachings into action, ICCI holds various events that implement these teachings into action. This includes promoting community service with neighboring communities and organizations, exemplifying practices that implement brotherhood, working together, respect, and modesty.  This results in students learning about other communities while exemplifying the practices of their faith. In addition to this, it allows the individuals they are serving to better learn about Islam as a religion and way of life.

The students who attend ICCI come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses and are just overall a very diverse group of individuals between the ages of 3 to 15 years old. Many of them are too young to acknowledge the importance of grounding themselves with a strong Islamic identity, while others have come to face the many challenges of being an American Muslim. The students I teach in particular range from the ages of 5-7 and are just discovering who they are as individuals. They have begun to acknowledge their preferences, their friends, and their attitudes towards certain things. They have also just started identifying themselves as Muslim youth and are beginning to recognize the importance of exemplifying Islamic behavior in society as it relates to their faith. Though this may seem a little too complicated for very young individuals to grasp, this behavior is illustrated every Sunday, as they proudly recite the morning supplications before we begin class, or when they consciously practice basic Islamic morals. As a teacher, it is my job to take advantage of their excitement and sincerity towards the religious practices they have begun to learn and help them develop as grounded, Islamic youth ready to explore a non-Islamic world with confidence and security.