By: Ustadh Ubaydullah Evans
ALIM Scholar-in-Residence

WHAT MAKES THE ALIM SUMMER PROGRAM SPECIAL?

There’s a widespread ignorance of the true practice of our religion, exacerbated by the lack of Ulama (Scholars) in the Muslim American community and our reliance on the internet for reliable Islamic knowledge. There's a turn away from spirituality, spiritual awareness, and purification of the soul— the heart of Islam as taught by Prophet Muhammad SAW. Instead, many Muslims see the surface aspects of Islam (e.g. halal and haram, Islamic clothing, traditions, mosques etc.) as fundamentals of Islam. No doubt that these are important, but they cannot be prioritized over spirituality.”
​
— Abdullah Mubarak, ALIM Summer Program, Class of 2023.

Two major challenges the American Muslim community is facing is the desire to assimilate into American/Western culture and the loneliness many Muslims feel. There's a wave of Muslims not having pride in their identity and just wanting to fit in. The other problem I see in the American Muslim community is a lack of a strong community and loneliness. I think this is especially critical with new Muslims/converts because many may already be isolated from their family and friends. Upon converting, one of the most crucial things to have is a strong support system, and not having that can be detrimental to your deen and outlook on religion. So many people are converting, but so many are leaving at the same time."

— Miriam Shaw, ALIM Summer Program, Class of 2023. 

I believe we're facing the problem of living in a society that normalizes things that are haram. We can find this normalization can be seen everywhere in the media. Muslims also deal with this normalization at school, work, and even in public. Muslims still don't have enough proper representation that we need in today's world."

— Omar Mohammed, ALIM Summer Program, Class of 2023. 

As Muslims in America, our faith is constantly being questioned and we're asked to reaffirm itself in relation to the norms of the society that we live in. This is an immense struggle to cope with, especially for youth who feel they don't even know themselves, let alone Islam, and how it should influence who they are. Something Shaykh Ubaydullah Evans said has stuck with me ever since— ‘For a tree to grow and bear fruits, you need to know the soil its growing in. If you dont understand the climate, the tribulations that the seeds will face, then you cant best cultivate the plant.’ We need leaders who will meet youth where they are at. Who will help them grow not only as individuals, but also as Muslims who have a deep understanding of Islam as a whole."

​— Zoha Enver, ALIM Summer Program, Class of 2023. 

For most of my life, I’ve gained my Islamic knowledge from the internet but I was missing a formal education in Islam and the presence and connection with a qualified teacher and scholar. I’ve been searching for an opportunity to be able to learn directly from scholars in an intimate setting. Alhamdulillah, I found out about the ALIM Summer Program and was instantly interested in attending."

​— Jabir Chowdhury, ALIM Summer Program, Class of 2023. ​

Identity and trying to fit in with Western norms is a huge challenge Muslim Americans face because it's hard to practice Islam when you're surrounded by things that are haram. Sometimes Muslim youth may try to act more Western to fit in and feel less Muslim and lose touch with their faith as a result. Being in an environment where Islam is seen negatively and where Islamophobia is prominent makes it hard to practice being Muslim in America."

​— Sarah Ahmad, ALIM Summer Program, Class of 2023. 

I was born Catholic, but had a fairly secular upbringing. I converted to Islam, Alhamdulillah, in 2019 and that was the best decision I ever made. My journey has been one of up and down, but I hope that shows some kind of perseverance. A challenge Muslims in America are facing today is the ability to stand true to the deen while still being able to exist in this society. The current social and political culture seeks to encompass everyone to think and act the same when it comes to certain questions. Our challenge is to face this with passion for the Islamic truth while still being merciful to others,”

​— Johnathon Macks, ALIM Summer Program, Class of 2023. 

I attended the ALIM Summer Program and truly enjoyed it. I really benefitted from the classes themselves, but being around different people for that amount of time really allowed me to see where I needed to grow in terms of being in community. I made a lot of great friends and it really helped me address preexisting struggles I had with faith."


​— Mikel Jones, ALIM Summer Program, Class of 2023.