Founder’s Message

Do you remember what you learned in your history class about Islam? Still wondering? Scratching your head? Educational institutions around the world, particularly in the west, barely shed any positive light on Islam or the contributions made by Muslims throughout our rich history. How many of us were taught about Al-Khwarizmi, the founder of algebra which revolutionized mathematics; Ibn Khaldun who pioneered sociology, or Ibn Al-Haytham, the father of modern optics? These personalities are just a small fraction of the enormous and glorious history of Islam and its contribution to the world.

Recently, a friend of mine shared a story of a Palestinian sister, we will call her Halime to protect her identity, who lives in the southern part of America. She can be easily mistaken for being an Italian. She has curly hair and lighter eye color which she use to hide her Muslim identity. She was too scared to reveal her Muslim identity to anyone in school especially because everyone who lived there were very southern and hard core Trump supporters. The day Trump got elected, she was in her Civics classroom watching the inauguration and the teacher said, ‘It’s a good thing that Trump won the election; now he can send all the Muslims back to their countries’, not knowing Halime was a Muslim. That left Halime in tears, calling her dad to come pick her up from school because she was so scared that her family would be sent back.

Unfortunately, this is the story of many Muslim students in the United States of America (33%) and other parts of the world. How can society prosper when we are too scared to reveal our identity? How can society flourish when one is discriminated based on religion, name, religious attire, race or skin color?

I believe awareness and education is the key to dismantling hate and bring about change. And one of the ways to do that, I believe is for us to reflect back on our past. A past that’s filled with dreamers, believers, men and women of imagination and innovation. A history full of wonder, built upon the shoulders of giants whose courage did not waver at the thought of being a paradigmatic threat. It is by looking at this past that we can find ourselves, our identity, and our courage to call ourselves Muslims today.

Therefore, in light of all this, I would like to commemorate the month of May as International Muslim History Month (iMHM). A month where we educate ourselves and each other of authentic Islamic history—the events, the personalities, and the contributions that changed society. Among many things, my hope is that in this month we can bridge our relationship with our non-Muslim neighbors through education and understanding.

Let us all come together to acknowledge the month of May as International Muslim History Month (iMHM) in order to celebrate the contributions Muslims have made to the world which changed course of time.

With love,
Nazma Khan