LaunchGood.com/UstadhKenny About The Fundraiser The LADO Group is currently seeking to raise the necessary funds to provide Ustadh Kenny Solis with a scholarship in the amount of $7,000 to enable him to complete the last three courses required to earn his Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy. A Message from Ustadh Kenny Solis Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, I was born and raised in Santa Ana, CA, Orange County. I am a Mexican-American. I now live on the East Coast but teach the Muslim community in English and Spanish in the United States and abroad. How You Can Make a Difference With your help, I will
Read MoreI stay in touch with my brothers and sisters through WhatsApp, and we are all part of the NFB Blind Muslims group as well as the newly formed Global Advocacy of Blind and Low Vision Muslims group. Recently, a brother from our group needed specific items for a student, commonly referred to as guide canes. I believe this term hails from the old British terminology for canes designed for the blind. This brother is actively working to enhance accessibility in his community, and he has successfully brought together blind individuals to join our group—mashaAllah. He expressed the need for guide
Read MoreBy Heather Albright As-salamu alaykum wa Rahmatullah, Alhamdulillah and Mashallah! I recently managed to acquire tools for my blind friends abroad who require assistance. It surprised me to learn that some of them lacked access to basic aids like a white cane, which the National Federation of the Blind provides for free in the USA. I’ve always taken for granted the ease of replacing my cane if it breaks. Similarly, the NFB also offers free slates, styluses, and a program providing talking medical devices like scales and blood pressure machines, but unfortunately, these aren’t accessible overseas. However, I stumbled upon
Read MoreBy Heather Albright As-salamu alaykum wa Rahmatullah, Access to the Islamic community poses a double challenge, but Alhamdulillah, we persevere. Unfortunately, most masjid boards lack experience in working with brothers and sisters with disabilities. Consequently, individuals with disabilities often face an additional burden in gaining access to their local masjids. There are a lot of questions that a mosque board can ask itself. Have you assessed whether your masjid is truly Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible? Have you tested it? Have you considered the accessibility of the Wudu area? Does paratransit service both sides of the masjid? Is there
Read MoreIn an upcoming cinematic venture, The Blue Beetle, a character of Latino heritage, and Ms. Marvel, a character representing the Muslim community, are set to unite in matrimony. This groundbreaking film aims to showcase the formation of a pioneering onscreen family, one that embodies both Latino and Muslim identities. Anticipated to be a trailblazing production, this movie will mark a significant step forward in portraying diverse and inclusive narratives. The couple’s offspring is slated to bear the name “Marvel Beetle,” signifying the fusion of their remarkable legacies. #BlueBeetle #MsMarvel #LatinoMuslims #HispanicMuslims #LatinoDawah
Read MoreBy Shariffa A Carlo In the Name of Allah, most Compassionate, most Merciful The story of how I reverted to al Islam is a story of plans. I made plans, the group I was with made plans, and Allah made plans. And Allah is the Best of Planners. When I was a teenager, I came to the attention of a group of people with a very sinister agenda. They were and probably still are a loose association of individuals who work in government positions but have a special agenda – to destroy Islam. It is not a governmental group that
Read MoreBy Juan Galvan Written June 26, 2001 About two weeks ago after Jumaah prayer, Golam encouraged me to say shahada, the Islam declaration of faith. I told him that I wanted to wait until I knew the Muslim prayer. I had already been learning the prayer. I had already memorized a couple of chapters. I told him that Catholics usually have to study before receiving a sacrament. I had been attending Jumaah prayer for about a month already. He said to me, “If you feel it in your heart already, you should just take shahada. No pressure. Allah says no
Read MoreFrom the Book of Genesis to Surah Al-FatihahBy Kenny Yusuf Rodriguez There is no god but Allah, the One and Only God who was worshipped by Abraham, Jesus, Muhammad and all the prophets (peace be upon them). There is nothing in the earth nor in the skies, whether seen or unseen, large or small, that is deserving of worship other than Allah. As logical as I see that now, that wasn’t always so clear to me. Growing up in the middle of New York City in a predominately Latino neighborhood, and at the same time being a byproduct of the
Read MoreBy Juan Galvan As I fly home to Austin, Texas, I remember the days before my conversion to Islam. I am reminded of Armando, a Latino Muslim. He helped introduce me to Islam. While pointing to the East and then the West, Armando said, “Look what God has given us. He created everything. God is All-Powerful.” He had just finished praying magrib. The beauty of the sunset is still present in my mind. “Truly, in remembering Allah do hearts find rest,” Allah states in the Qur’an 13:28. Looking outside this window, I cannot help grinning as I look to my
Read MoreBy Juan Galvan In high school, I received a jolt to my long-held belief when a Christian friend told me that the Holy Trinity was not true and that Jesus was not God. “He was wrong” I told myself. Jesus had to be God. God and humanity were disconnected by the sin committed by Adam and Eve. God sent his only ‘begotten’ son to die because He loved us so much. Because only God forgives, Jesus had to be God. I even had the Bible quotes to prove it! Indeed, being a devout Roman Catholic Christian, I have read almost
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