You Helped Make This Convert's Dream Come True | Support the IC Today!

1 year ago

A Personal Note from Brother Khalid

You helped make this convert's dream come true.

Support the IC today.

As-salaamu 'alaikum,

I hope this email finds you in good health and with strong iman.

Alhamdulillah, I've had the honor of serving this beautiful community since September of 2022, but my history with the IC actually goes back to March 28, 2003, when I embraced Islam, right here at the IC, at the hands of a 20-year-old NYU student named Khalid Latif!

Little did I know that 20 years later, I would not only be working at the IC, but I would also be blessed to go on Umrah with Imam Khalid and 200 other Muslims (including 10 of my fellow converts) on the 20th anniversary of my shahadah, in March of 2023!

Alhamdulillah, it was a dream come true, and your contributions to the IC made this dream possible. I want to thank you for your continued support of the IC, without which we could not continue serving you.

You've heard from Sheikh Faiyaz and Sister Amira about how vital your donations are to the life of our community, so I would like to reiterate what they said and give you my personal perspective as well.

Support the IC today (select "Islamic Center General Fund").

SUPPORT THE IC TODAY!

Conver(t)sations

There are many Muslims at the IC just like me, who took that huge leap of faith and embraced Islam and are now desperately seeking a community that will welcome them and accept them as they are. And though you may never have met them, your donations have helped us care for these new Muslims and create a space where they feel welcomed.

Alhamdulillah, the IC is blessed to see an average of 3 shahadas per week, which is 144 new Muslim per year! Allahu Akbar! Each one of these precious souls becomes our collective responsibility, so we strive to offer them a nurturing, safe environment where they can learn and grow at their own pace, free of negative influences that could lead them astray. This is why the IC established its Conver(t)sations program in January of 2011.

Convert(s)ations is a convert-lead initiative dedicated to serving Muslim converts and spiritual seekers who are curious about Islam, as well family members and partners of converts. Our leaders include Sister Angie, Sister Kiara, Brother Solo, and myself, and our members hail from a richly diverse array of social, ethnic, economic, and faith traditions. Through discussion groups, educational programming, and community events, Convert(s)ations creates unique opportunities for dialogue, education, and reflection, through which converts are empowered to embrace their unique identities and be a source of light and inspiration to all of humanity.

in 2023, in addition to our monthly brunches for converts and their families, we've had a convert & family trip to The Metropolitan Museum of Art with a guided tour of the Islamic Art exhibit, a visit to the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, and an 'Eid-Al Fitr bowling day! We also hosted a special Navigating Palestine as a Convert Muslim event so that converts can feel comfortable discussing Palestine with their family members during holiday gatherings.

As we continue to grow, we hope to to provide more convert-friendly programs, events, and resources, such as:

New Muslim care packages (Qur'ans, prayer clothing, prayer mats, prayer guides)
New Muslim retreats
New Muslim Umrah sponsorship

Support our new Muslim program (select "Islamic Center General Fund").

SUPPORT OUR NEW MUSLIM PROGRAM

Latino Muslims at ICNYU

According to a 2017 study by Pew Research, approximately 8% of American Muslims identify as Hispanic / Latino. This number has continued to increase steadily over the last few years, alhamdulillah, so in recognition of our dynamic Latino Muslim community's needs, the IC launched the Latino Muslims at ICNYU / Musulmanes Latinos en ICNYU in August of 2023.

Latino Muslims at ICNYU was founded with the goal of elevating the voices of our growing and diverse Latino Muslim community and educating others about our faith, its rich history, and its vibrant expression across so many cultures throughout the Spanish-speaking world. The group consists of converts and born Muslims and already boasts 47 members, masha' Allah!

Alhamdulillah, in the short amount of time that our group has existed, we've successfully hosted two bi-lingual events:

We hope to offer more bilingual programs and resources, including:

Spanish-language new Muslim care packages
Events with guest Latino Islamic scholars and historians
Latino Muslim film screenings
Visits to other Latino Muslim communities, local and abroad
A journey to the historic Islamic heritage sites of Al-Andalus (Portugal/Spain)

Support our Latino Muslim program (select "Islamic Center General Fund").

SUPPORT OUR LATINO MUSLIM PROGRAM

Donating is Easy (and Tax Deductible)

Alhamdulillah, ICNYU is blessed to have one of the most diverse Muslim communities in the world, and I know that you value this diversity as much as I do. But in order to continue offering programs that recognize and serve the needs of all of our community members, we need your support.

Donating to the IC is Easy (and It's Tax Deductible!)

Visit our donation page and select "Islamic Center General Fund." You can pay via PayPal or Venmo.
If you'd like to make a recurring gift or donate in other ways, you can find more information on that here.
The Islamic Center falls under NYU's non-profit status, so we are eligible to receive corporate gift matching. You can find out if your company has a matching gift program here.

As Imam Khalid often reminds us, our generous community isn't just one person who gives a $1000, but is also one thousand people who give $1 each. Every dollar matters. Your donation, however "small," has a huge impact on our ability to serve our members. And it will also weigh heavily on your scale of good deeds on the Day of Judgement, insha' Allah!

So please remember us in your du'as and continue to give generously. We're here to serve you, so if you ever need anything from us, please let us know (and feel free to come by my "office" in the prayer room and say "salaam!").

Peace,

Brother Khalid