MUSLIM ALLIANCE ANNOUNCES ITS’ REVIVAL, LEADERSHIP SHIFT
For Immediate Release
July 12, 2018
The Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA) , founded in 2004, announces a revival and “organizational reboot”, in order to build on work begun 18 years ago. To that end, its’ Executive Committee (called a diwan in Arabic) announces the following:
1- Imam Siraj Wahhaj (of Masjid At-Taqwa, Brooklyn, NYC) , the founding amir (president) of the organization, will now serve as its Ambassador-at-Large, and continue as a member of the diwan
2- Imam Al-Hajj Talib ‘Abdur-Rashid (of the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood, Harlem, NYC) , who has served as MANA’s Deputy Amir since its’ beginning, will act as the interim amir of the organization, for its initial period of re-activation and renewal
3- The membership of the diwan, which also includes Dr. Ihsan Bagby, Imam Qasim Ahmed, Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, and Imam Nadim Sulaiman Ali, is being expanded. The new members will be Imam Dawud Walid, Sister Ieasha Prime, Imam Mujahid Fletcher, Sister Nsenga Knight, and Sister Makkah Ali
“ MANA has been operationally stagnant for several years” said Imam Talib ‘Abdur-Rashid. “After a promising start we ran into the challenges often experienced by fledgling, independent organizations, whose noble aspirations exceed their administrative capacity.
“During its founding period, MANA established three self-sustaining Services for Human Advancement and Resource Enhancement (SHARE) Centers in Lexington, KY; Atlanta, GA, and Indianapolis, IN. Those centers are still operating today, serving people of various faiths who are in need of social uplift. However over the years, even though the inspiration and leadership of MANA leaders produced the SHARE centers – while simultaneously continuing to provide advocacy primarily for Muslim Americans of African descent – our national projects designed to further masjid development, education, da’wah, and social justice activism faltered”.
The Diwan began contemplating what it has termed an “organizational reboot” three years ago, following the convening of a consultative session with both male and female new and emerging Muslim leaders from around the country. The national meeting was held at Howard University; the Historical Black College located in Washington, D.C.
MANA elders now seek to maintain the best practices of our people’s Muslim American legacy, while encouraging an increase in applied authentic Islamic knowledge , creative administrative innovation and professionalism, and a generational transfer of leadership. Our declared mission is to build a self-determined and sustainable national coalition, focused upon a domestic agenda framed primarily by the needs of Muslim Americans of African descent , within the context of their shared human experience .
The MANA Diwan has declared “We are calling upon Muslims to affirm or re-affirm their commitment to membership, participation and work, towards the realization of MANA’s ideals. We welcome the prayers and assistance of anyone who supports our agenda”.