Gratitude and Best Wishes to Sh. Mustafa Umar
Dear ICOI Community,
Assalamu Alaikum,
It is with both gratitude and heartfelt sentiment that we share the news of our esteemed Religious Director, Sheikh Mustafa Umar, stepping down from his current role to pursue his long-held passion for research, publishing, and teaching.
For the past two and a half years, Sheikh Mustafa has been an invaluable pillar of our community. His commitment to delivering well-researched Friday sermons and reminders throughout the week has been a source of inspiration and guidance for all of us. His rigorously researched classes and seminars have deepened our understanding of Islam, addressing contemporary issues with clarity and academic precision.
Sheikh Mustafa's impact extends beyond his scholarly contributions. He has played a crucial role in mentoring our youth, encouraging them to take active roles in leading prayers, calling adhaan, volunteering, and striving to serve Islam.
One of his notable achievements includes paving the way for ICOI to bring on the first Female Resident Scholar in North America, Dr. Haifaa Younis, and establishing a prayer area for women in the main hall.
While replacing Sheikh Mustafa will be a challenging task, we want to assure you that we are already consulting with him and Dr. Haifaa to find a new Religious Director for ICOI.
While his last day will be officially August 31st, he isnt leaving our community! We are blessed that Sheikh Mustafa will still be part of the ICOI community, albeit not in an official capacity. He will regularly be attending prayers at ICOI and offering khatiras (reminders) and khutbahs (sermons). You will still see him hanging out at Hala Cafe after Isha and still doing pushups and pullups with our youth. When you see him, please remember to thank him for his service, and we request that you give him his space and respect his new role as a community member rather than the Imam.
Let us come together to appreciate Sheikh Mustafa and support him in his new endeavors and continue to strengthen our community with the knowledge and inspiration he has imparted. We are confident that his focus on research and teaching will bring immense benefit to the broader Muslim community.
May Allah bless Sheikh Mustafa for his dedication and service, and may He guide us all towards continued growth and unity.
With gratitude and dua,
The ICOI Board