A Trust Passed from Heart to Heart
“Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds — the Most Merciful will appoint for them affection.” Surah Maryam (19:96)
“And say, ‘Work, for Allah will see your deeds, and so will His Messenger and the believers.’” Surah At-Tawbah (9:105)
Nearly six decades have passed since a small group of Muslim families gathered in Baltimore with nothing more substantial than faith, hope, and the belief that Allah would make a way. They possessed no masjid, no Islamic school, no community center, no cemetery, no financial endowment, no master plan articulated in a strategic document, no organizational chart, no paid staff. What they possessed was īmān — faith that Allah is Al-Karīm, the Generous; that He does not abandon those who serve His cause with sincere hearts; that a community willing to sacrifice for something greater than itself would find its efforts blessed. It was enough. It was more than enough. It proved, in the fullest and most literal sense, to be everything.
They never built it for themselves. This is the truth at the center of ISB’s entire history, the truth that gives everything that follows from it its moral weight and its spiritual beauty. The men and women who mailed handwritten fundraising letters, who cleared brush from a seven-acre Maryland lot on winter weekends, who contributed five dollars from very thin wallets, who prayed in borrowed living rooms when they could easily have stopped praying at all — none of them expected to see the full fruit of their sacrifice. They knew they were planting for someone else’s harvest. They sacrificed for people they would never meet, for children not yet born, for generations whose existence they could only imagine. This is, in its purest form, the essence of ṣadaqah jāriyah — a charitable act whose benefit extends beyond the giver’s lifetime, continuing to bear fruit long after the hand that planted it has returned to the earth.
The builders this history must never forget are not only the presidents and imams whose names appear in formal records. They include the woman who prepared ifṭār meals for the entire community, year after year across a decade of Ramadans, without being asked and without being thanked — at least not publicly. They include the man who drove through snow every Saturday morning to unlock the masjid for weekend school, who never missed, whose faithfulness was so consistent that the community began to take it for granted, which is perhaps the highest tribute that can be paid to a volunteer. They include the anonymous donor — the one whose gift arrived in a plain envelope without a name attached, whose decision to give without recognition reflected a spiritual understanding of charity that most of us aspire to and few achieve. They include the teacher who stayed after class for one struggling student who needed more time, more patience, more love than the scheduled hour permitted, who gave that time freely without calculating its cost. These men and women are not in this book by name. But they are in this book by spirit, on every page, in every line — because without them, there would be no story to tell.
Masjid Al-Rahmah stands today as testimony — living, physical, permanent testimony — to a set of truths that the founding generation knew and that every generation since has been given the opportunity to rediscover. Faith overcomes uncertainty. Unity overcomes division. Patience overcomes hardship. Sincere service, sustained throughout the decades, leaves permanent footprints in the world. The masjid does not stand because its builders were wealthy, or powerful, or strategically brilliant. It stands because they were faithful. It stands because they trusted one another and trusted Allah. It stands because they refused to stop, even when stopping would have been understandable, even when the goal was far away and the resources were thin and the obstacles were real. It stands because of who they were.
The responsibility now belongs to us — to those of us alive today, in this moment, in this community. Not merely the responsibility of preservation — of keeping what exists in functioning order — but the responsibility of strengthening, expanding, and deepening. Of protecting the unity that the founders fought for and that remains, always, fragile and precious. Of cultivating future leaders who will carry this trust with the same integrity and humility that marked its founders. Of welcoming every soul who comes through the doors of Masjid Al-Rahmah as the founders welcomed the strangers of their era — with open hands and open hearts. Of remembering, always, that ISB does not belong to any group within the community. It belongs to every Muslim. It was built that way. It must remain that way.
The journey has moved through chapters that the founders could not have written in advance. From the living rooms of 1967, where seven believers gathered in borrowed space, to the formal incorporation of 1969, to the decade of communal formation in Shaffer Hall, to the acquisition of sacred land on June 29, 1981, to the construction of Masjid Al-Rahmah through volunteer labor and international generosity, to the first prayers offered inside a masjid finally and fully their own — to the classrooms filled with children learning Qur’an from volunteer teachers who gave their Saturday mornings without complaint, to the scholars who guided hearts and comforted souls and modeled what it means to be a Muslim of genuine character, to the presidents who passed the baton generation after generation, to the community that greeted a President of the United States and welcomed him into a building purchased with handwritten fundraising letters and five-dollar donations from students — to the founders’ reunions in Woodlawn where silver-haired elders embraced one another and remembered the living rooms, to the children and grandchildren who run through Masjid Al-Rahmah today without knowing they walk across the footprints of giants.
The journey has always been about one enduring truth: Faith, when joined with sacrifice, becomes legacy. And legacy, when entrusted to grateful hearts, becomes a light that never fades.
Closing Dedication
This book is lovingly dedicated to every known and unknown builder of the Islamic Society of Baltimore. To those who dreamed before there was a masjid. To those who gave before there was certainty. To those who served without recognition. To those who taught without seeking applause. To those who led with humility. To those who quietly whispered, “In-shā’ Allāh, one day…” That day came.
May Allah accept every sacrifice, forgive every shortcoming, and unite us all in gardens beneath which rivers flow. Āmeen!
## Appendix A: Historical Timeline (1967–2026) <a id="appendix-a-historical-timeline"></a>
1967 — Muslim families begin gathering for prayer in Baltimore homes. Dr. Mohamed Zein Awad leads early prayers at Reed Hall, Johns Hopkins University — approximately seven Muslims meeting each Friday. Dr. William B. “Buck” Greenough and his wife Quaneta arrive in Baltimore seeking fellow Muslims. Dr. Tariq Firozvi among early participants.
September 1969 — Islamic Society of Baltimore formally incorporated as a nonprofit religious organization in the State of Maryland by three African American Muslim incorporators: Yusuf M. El-Abdullah, Salativel Bey, and Aly T. Holley. Original Constitution and Bylaws adopted.
1969–1981 — Shaffer Hall at Johns Hopkins University serves as ISB’s principal gathering place for over a decade of community formation, educational development, and institutional growth.
Mid-1970s–1981 — National fundraising campaign conducted. Over 5,000 MSA members nationwide receive handwritten fundraising appeals. Students contribute over $20,000. Approximately $60,000 raised locally — sufficient to purchase a 7-acre property.
June 29, 1981 — Seven-acre property purchased for $36,000 (deed recorded at Baltimore County Circuit Court, Land Records). Sabir Rahman helped identify the land. Shaukat Yousuf Khan (Acting President) signed official documents. Councilman Ronald B. Hickernell facilitated zoning approval and personally delivered the permit to Dr. Syed Habib Ashruf.
1981–1984 — Construction of Masjid Al-Rahmah. Community volunteers — including Azim Khan, Salman Siddiqui, Dr. Nisar Chaudhry, and Dr. Tahoora Khawaja and her husband — prepare the grounds, pave the entrance, and install the chain-link fence. International construction funding received from Saudi Arabia ($80,000), Libya ($80,000), Indonesia ($10,000), and Senegal ($5,000).
1984 — First phase of Masjid Al-Rahmah completed and opened. The name Masjid Al-Rahmah (The Masjid of Mercy) formally adopted on the recommendation of Imam Mohamed Adam El-Sheikh, who had arrived in 1983 as ISB’s first resident imam.
1980s–1990s — Sunday School and educational programs expand substantially. Qirā’at (Qur’an recitation) competitions established. Youth programming grows. Community services expand beyond the congregation.
February 3, 2016 — President Barack Obama visits the Islamic Society of Baltimore — President Obama’s first visit to an American masjid during his presidency. Students from Al-Rahmah School greet the President. National media coverage affirms ISB’s prominence as an American Muslim institution.
2020 — Community adapts to COVID-19 pandemic through virtual worship programs, online educational continuation, and expanded community support for vulnerable families.
November 22, 2025 — First Founders’ Reunion held at Mehfil Restaurant (Lal Qila), Woodlawn, Maryland. Organized with support of Dr. Anwar Khokhar and Muhammad Jameel.
December 12, 2025 — Second Founders’ Reunion held at Man-o-Salwa Restaurant, Woodlawn, Maryland.
2026 — Completion of The Generation: An Institutional History of the Islamic Society of Baltimore, 1967–2026, compiled by Syed Abid Husain and Muhammad Jameel.
## Appendix B: Articles of Incorporation (1969) <a id="appendix-b-articles-of-incorporation"></a>
The Articles of Incorporation of the Islamic Society of Baltimore, filed with the State of Maryland in September 1969, constitute one of the most historically significant documents in the institution’s archival collection. They mark the precise legal moment at which an informal Muslim community — gathering in private homes and university halls since 1967 — transformed itself into a formally constituted nonprofit religious organization with legal standing, the capacity to own property, and the authority to act as a legal entity in the State of Maryland.
The document was executed by three African American Muslim incorporators: Yusuf M. El-Abdullah, Salativel Bey, and Aly T. Holley. Their names, inscribed on the founding document of ISB, represent one of the most important facts in the institution’s history: that the Islamic Society of Baltimore was legally founded by African American Muslims — citizens whose Islamic faith predated the large-scale immigration of Muslims from other countries that followed the Immigration Act of 1965. Their signatures establish, permanently and irrefutably, the genuinely inclusive and broadly American character of ISB from its very inception.
The Articles established ISB as a nonprofit religious organization governed by principles of Islamic practice and communal accountability. They provided the legal framework within which the founding Constitution and Bylaws would operate, and within which all subsequent governance, property acquisition, and institutional activity would occur.
– Archival Note — Researchers may access the original document through the ISB Historical Archive and through the Maryland State Archives.
## Appendix C: Original Constitution and Bylaws <a id="appendix-c-original-constitution-and-bylaws"></a>
Adopted at the time of ISB’s formal incorporation in 1969, the original Constitution and Bylaws of the Islamic Society of Baltimore represent the founding generation’s attempt to translate Islamic values and organizational wisdom into a governing document capable of sustaining the institution across generations, leadership transitions, and changing circumstances.
The Constitution established the foundational principles that have guided ISB through nearly six decades of growth, challenge, and renewal:
– Devotion to Allah as the supreme purpose of all organizational activities and decisions.
– Preservation of Islamic beliefs, knowledge, and practice through worship, education, and community formation.
– Islamic education for community members of all ages, from the youngest children to the oldest elders.
– Service to the broader human community, reflecting Islam’s emphasis on the inseparability of worship and service.
– Shūrā (consultation) as the governing principle for all significant organizational decisions.
– Accountability of leadership to the membership, ensuring transparency and responsible use of communal trust.
– Stewardship of all resources — financial, physical, and human — held in trust on behalf of the community and future generations.
The Constitution was not merely a procedural document. It was, in effect, a statement of the founders’ Islamic ethics applied to institutional life — a declaration that the organization itself must embody the values it proclaims. This founding document has been amended and updated over the years to reflect the growing complexity of ISB’s organizational life, but its core principles have endured unchanged.
– Archival Note — Researchers may access related documents through the ISB Historical Archive.
## Appendix D: Land Acquisition Documents (June 29, 1981) <a id="appendix-d-land-acquisition-documents"></a>
The land acquisition documents connected with the purchase of the seven-acre Johnnycake Road property that became the site of Masjid Al-Rahmah constitute a collection of primary historical sources of the first importance. Recorded at the Baltimore County Circuit Court, Land Records, on June 29, 1981, these documents mark the moment at which the Islamic Society of Baltimore transformed from a community renting borrowed spaces into an institution with permanent, owned land.
The collection includes:
– The Land Deed — the primary document recording the transfer of title of the seven-acre property to the Islamic Society of Baltimore. Dated June 29, 1981.
– The Settlement Statement — recording the financial terms of the transaction, including the purchase price of $36,000 and the disbursement of funds accumulated through ISB’s community fundraising campaign.
– The Property Survey — documenting the physical boundaries and dimensions of the seven-acre parcel.
– Zoning Documentation — including records of the zoning hearing at which Councilman Ronald B. Hickernell of Baltimore County provided essential support, and the zoning permit subsequently delivered personally by Councilman Hickernell to Dr. Syed Habib Ashruf.
– Related Correspondence — including communications connected with the property identification (noting Sabir Rahman’s role in identifying the land) and the negotiations leading to the closing.
The signatures appearing on the settlement documents and related legal records include those of Shaukat Yousuf Khan, who served as Acting President of ISB at the time and executed official documents on the organization’s behalf — making his signature one of the most historically significant autographs in ISB’s archival collection.
– Archival Note — Original records are on file at the Baltimore County Circuit Court, Land Records, and in the ISB Historical Archive.
## Appendix E: Presidents of the Islamic Society of Baltimore <a id="appendix-e-presidents-of-the-islamic-society-of-baltimore"></a>
1 — Dr. Mohamed Zein Awad — 1967, 1970
2 — Dr. Mushtaq A. Khan — 1972, 1981
3 — Dr. Javaid Shafi — 1979
4 — Azim ur Rahman Khan — 1980
5 — Dr. Mohammad Zulfiqar Awan — 1983, 1985
6 — Dr. Mahmood Thamer — 1984
7 — Dr. Shaukat Yousuf Khan — 1981 (Acting); 1985, 1986
8 — Dr. Maqbool H. Patel — 1987, 1993, 1999, 2009, 2011
9 — Dr. Yaseen Tomhe — 1989
10 — Mir Mahmood Ali Khan — 1991
11 — Usman (Osman) Khawaja — 1995
12 — Dr. Syed Habib Ashruf — 1997, 2003
13 — Umar Mustafa (James Thomas) — 2001
14 — Muhammad Tufail Chaudhry — 2005
15 — Dr. Bassam Sayad — 2007
16 — Dr. Mohammad Abdul Khadeer — 2013
17 — Muhammad Jameel — 2015
18 — Dr. Ahmed (Edmund) A. Tori — 2017, 2019
19 — Hasan Hammad — 2022, 2025
## Appendix F: ISB Imams, Resident Scholars, and Qur’an Educators <a id="appendix-f-isb-imams-resident-scholars-and-quran-educators"></a>
Chronological Service Record
Community Prayer Leaders — 1981–1983 — No formal resident imam; congregational prayers were led by qualified community members.
Imam Mohamed Adam El-Sheikh — 1983–1989; 1994–2003 — Resident Imam; Islamic jurisprudence, Tajweed, Qur’anic instruction, and community guidance.
Ustadh Kasim (Qasim) Burmi — 1984–2000 — Early Qur’an Education Lead Teacher.
Hafiz Hammad Hai — 1984–2000 — First Hifz graduate; Lead Taraweeh Imam and Qur’an educator.
Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat — 1989–1993 — Resident Imam and Outreach Director.
Dr. Ra’id Awadallah — 2000–Present — Resident Scholar; Tafsir, Arabic, Qur’anic studies, and Islamic education.
Qari Muhammad Zahid — 2000–Present — Qur’an Academy Director; Boys’ Program.
Ustadha Humera Zahid — 2000–Present — Women’s Qur’an Education.
Qari Muhammad Abid — 2000–Present — Qur’an Academy Associate Director; Boys’ Program.
Imam Syed Imran — 2003–2004 — Resident Imam.
Imam Mohammed Ibrahim Kamara — 2003–2004 — Resident Imam.
Imam Irfan Kabiruddin — 2005–2006 — Resident Imam; Tajweed and Qur’an education.
Hafiz Zia Abbasi — 2005–Present — Qur’an Academy Lead Teacher; Boys’ Program.
Hafiz Zubair Abbasi — 2005–Present — Qur’an Academy Lead Teacher; Boys’ Program.
Hafidha Sara Husain — 2010–Present — Girls’ Qur’an Education.
Shaykh Yaseen Shaikh — 2013–2017; 2021–2026 — Resident Scholar; community education and outreach programs.
Imam Ismet Akçin — 2018–Present — Principal Imam; religious leadership, Tajweed, and Qur’an education.
Shaykh Haris Qudsi — 2020–2021 — Resident Scholar; Islamic education and outreach programs.
Shaykh Saad Baig — 2021–Present — Resident Scholar (joined Al-Rahmah School faculty in 2018); later Head of School.
Shaykh Muhammad Ahmed — 2023–Present — Resident Scholar; Youth Director, 2023–2025.
Ustadha Ieasha Prime — 2023–Present — Women’s Islamic Education.
Aalimah Maryam Ismail — 2023–Present — Women’s Islamic Education.
Shaykh Zaki Ali — 2025–Present — Resident Scholar and Youth Director.
## Appendix G: Founding Families and Community Contributors <a id="appendix-g-founding-families-and-community-contributors"></a>
The Islamic Society of Baltimore was built not by its leadership alone but by the broad, sustained, and generous participation of hundreds of community members across nearly six decades. The names below represent individuals and families whose contributions — financial, professional, educational, and personal — have been recognized through community records, oral histories, and the published collection Shining Threads: Stories of Maryland’s Muslim Pioneers and Community Builders. This list is offered in deep gratitude, with the understanding that it cannot be exhaustive, and that every name not listed here is no less deserving of honor.
To every community member whose name does not appear in this list: your service is known to Allah, and that is the most enduring record of all. May He reward you in measure with the sincerity of your intention.
– Abbas Contractor & Family
– Abdul Wali Akbar Mohammad
– Abul Hasnat K. Hasnuddin & Family
– Afsar Khan and Amna Afsar
– Ahmed El-Haggan & Family
– Ajaz Hasan & Family
– Akbar Ansari & Family
– Anwar Khokhar & Family
– Anwar Mumtaz & Family
– Anwer Hasan
– Ashab Ahmed & Family
– Attaulla Khan & Family
– Ayman Nassar
– Azim ur Rahman Khan & Family
– Badr Oweis & Family
– Bashar (Bash) Pharoan
– Bashir Beg
– Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam & Family
– Chaudhry Shahid Jamil & Family
– Faisal Abdur-Rahman & Family
– Farooq Marfani & Family
– Fayyaz Ahmed & Family
– Fazle Hosain
– Furqan Siddiqi & Family
– Gul Rahman Khattak
– Hamid Latif Awan
– Hossam El-Boghdady
– Ibrahim Amin Abusway
– Ibrahim Bijli Syed
– Idris Ansari
– Ilyas Chohan
– Imam Hassan Amin
– Iqbal Marfani & Family
– Islaah Abd’al Rahim
– Ismail Gomaa & Family
– Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar
– Jameel Chaudhry & Family
– Javed Nasir & Family
– Jawad Aslam & Family
– Job W. Rushdan & Family
– John Cason & Family
– Junaid Aslam & Family
– Kasim (Qasim) Burmi & Family
– Laura Abdurrahman & Family
– Mahmood Sajjad & Family
– Malik Abdul Rehman (Awan)
– Manzoor Sheikh & Family
– Maqbool H. Patel & Family
– Masud ur Rahman Syed & Family
– Minhaj Hasan & Family
– Mir Mahmood Ali Khan & Family
– Mir Rashid Ali Khan & Family
– Mir Shahid Ali Khan & Family
– Mohammad Abukhdeir & Family
– Mohammad Anwar & Family
– Mohammad Aslam & Family
– Mohammad Riaz G
– Mohammad Saleem & Family
– Mohammad Shamim & Family
– Mohammad Younus
– Mohammed Ansar Ahmed Shami & Family
– Mohammed Ghazi & Family
– Mohammed Iftekhar Ahmed Shami & Family
– Mohammed Ijaz Mufti & Family
– Mohammed Murtaza Kamal Chaudry & Family
– Mohammed Naeem Khan & Family
– Mohammed Nawaz Khattak & Family
– Mohammed Riaz Gheba
– Mohsin Ansari & Family
– Moses (Musa) Hammett
– Muhammad Abid & Family
– Muhammad Idris Durrani
– Muhammad Omar Mir & Family
– Muhammad Zahid & Family
– Muhammad Zia Khan
– Muhammed Amjad-Ali Khan & Family
– Mustafa Sharif & Family
– Nadeem Butt & Family
– Naeem Aslam & Family
– Naeem Muhammad (Nemo)
– Nasir Iqbal & Family
– Nisar Ahmed Chaudhry
– Osama Said
– Owais Mustafa Qarni & Family
– Rabia Chaudry & Family
– Raees Khan & Family
– Rafia Siddiqui and Ahmed Siddiqui
– Rasul Aquil
– Raza Hasan & Family
– Riaz Ahmed & Family
– Riaz ul Hasan & Family
– Sabir Rahman & Family
– Salah Oweis & Family
– Saleem Ahmed
– Salman Siddiqui & Family
– Sardar (Shakir) Khan & Family
– Sarfaraz Ali
– Shabbir Contractor & Family
– Shabbir Sheikh & Family
– Shakir Hammad & Family
– Sharif Alvi & Family
– Shaukat Yousuf Khan & Family
– Shazia Shah and Imran Shah
– Sheikh Ahfaz Ahmed
– Sheikh Muhammad Saied
– Sheraz Ahmed & Family
– Sister Zahra El-Badloui & Family
– Sohail Mustafa Qarni & Family
– Sohaila Ali and Mohsin Ali Hasan
– Syed Anwarul Haq & Family
– Syed Habib Ashruf & Family
– Syed Moazzam Riaz & Family
– Syed Qutub & Family
– Syed Sajid Husain & Family
– Syed Shabbir Alavi and Masooda Alavi
– Syed Shamim & Family
– Syed Siddiq Hosain & Family
– Tahoora Khawaja & Family
– Tariq Bashir Khan & Family
– Tariq Firozvi & Family
– Thomas (Tom) Shaw
– Usman Khawaja & Family
– Uthman Hutchinson and Aziza Hutchinson
– William B. “Buck” and Quaneta Greenough
– William Shaheed & Deborah Cason
– Zafar Naqvi & Family
– Zoobia Chaudhry & Waseem Khaliq
– Zulfiqar Baig and Tabbasum Baig
## Appendix H: Founders’ Reunions (2025) <a id="appendix-h-founders-reunions"></a>
### First Founders’ Reunion — November 22, 2025 <a id="first-founders-reunion-november-22-2025"></a>
Venue: Mehfil Restaurant (Lal Qila), Woodlawn, Maryland
Organizers: Dr. Anwar Khokhar and Muhammad Jameel
The first reunion of ISB’s founding generation in decades brought together elders who had not seen one another in years, creating an occasion of profound communal memory and gratitude. The gathering was notable for the breadth of its attendance — founders who had contributed to different phases of ISB’s development, who had served in different capacities, and who had gone on to different professional and personal paths following the institution’s establishment all gathered together, united by the shared experience of having built something that had outlasted their active involvement and grown beyond their earliest imagining.
Among the reflections shared at this reunion, those of Dr. Syed Habib Ashruf carry historical significance. He observed that ISB’s diversity — its inclusion of Muslims from virtually every country, every school of Islamic thought, and every cultural background — is its greatest institutional strength. He cautioned that no single school of Islamic thought or interpretation should be permitted to dominate the institution’s character, noting that the founders’ vision was always of a genuinely inclusive community defined by shared faith rather than shared cultural or theological particularity. He further observed that Qur’anic engagement must go beyond memorization to include deep understanding — that reciting the words of Allah is only the beginning of the relationship with revelation that Islam requires. And he expressed the conviction that the baton of ISB leadership must now be intentionally and generously passed to the next generation — not merely allowed to pass, but actively facilitated, mentored, and supported.
### Second Founders’ Reunion — December 12, 2025 <a id="second-founders-reunion-december-12-2025"></a>
Venue: Man-o-Salwa Restaurant, Woodlawn, Maryland
Three weeks after the first reunion, founding members gathered again for a second evening of remembrance, gratitude, and reflection. The frequency of these gatherings in the autumn of 2025 reflected the urgency the founding generation felt about preserving their memories, transmitting their experiences, and confirming the historical record before the inevitable passage of time made recovery more difficult.
Dr. Nisar Chaudhry, whose physical participation in the construction of Masjid Al-Rahmah is documented in community photographs, reflected on the experience of those early construction years — the combination of physical effort, communal solidarity, and spiritual purpose that made those weekends of volunteer labor among the most meaningful experiences of his life. His reflections, and those of others who gathered at Man-o-Salwa, provide essential oral historical context for the construction narrative contained in Chapter 6 of this volume.
Both reunions were documented by community historians and constitute primary source material for the institutional history contained in these pages.
## Appendix I: Honoring African American Muslim Pioneers <a id="appendix-i-honoring-african-american-muslim-pioneers"></a>
No history of the Islamic Society of Baltimore can be complete or honest without explicit acknowledgment of the African American Muslim community that preceded, surrounded, and participated in ISB’s founding and development. This acknowledgment is not merely a courtesy — it is a historical and moral necessity.
Baltimore’s Muslim history extends back well before 1967, rooted in the deep tradition of African American Islam that shaped not only Maryland but the entire nation. Among the institutions that represent this heritage are Masjid Ul Haqq and Masjid Al-Saffat — two of Baltimore’s earliest masajid, established by Black Muslim communities whose practice of Islam was pioneering in the fullest sense of that word. These communities, and the individuals who built and sustained them, established Islamic institutional life in Baltimore at a time when doing so required courage, sacrifice, and a willingness to stand apart from prevailing social norms.
The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 — which opened the pathways through which many of ISB’s founding immigrant members came to the United States — was itself the product of a civil rights movement in which African Americans played a central and decisive role. The immigrants who arrived in America through the doors opened by that legislation owe a debt of gratitude to the Black Americans who struggled to open those doors.
ISB’s own founding incorporators — Yusuf M. El-Abdullah, Salativel Bey, and Aly T. Holley — were African American Muslims. Their signatures on ISB’s founding documents are the earliest written proof of the institution’s existence. They are not peripheral figures in ISB’s history. They are its legal founders.
The community’s own spiritual leadership has been explicit about the ongoing importance of this dimension of ISB’s identity. Shaykh Yaseen Shaikh addressed it with characteristic directness: “I was reading a survey that was very alarming… that a significant portion of African American Muslims feel that they are treated differently than Muslims from other cultures. It’s important to work towards closing those gaps… for us to reflect on our behavior within our communities, within our masajid, and see where we are going wrong.”
ISB remains committed to honoring the legacy of African American Muslim pioneers — not through words alone, but through the ongoing practice of genuine inclusion, equitable community membership, and the active cultivation of the unity that Islam demands and that ISB’s founding generation made their defining aspiration.
## Appendix J: A Legacy Beyond the Book: The ISB Historical Archive <a id="appendix-j-a-legacy-beyond-the-book-the-isb"></a>
### Mission <a id="mission"></a>
The publication of this institutional history is not the conclusion of ISB’s work of historical preservation — it is its beginning. The Islamic Society of Baltimore Historical Archive exists to establish, maintain, and perpetually expand a permanent archival collection that preserves, organizes, digitizes, and makes accessible the complete historical record of ISB from its earliest gatherings in 1967 to the present day and beyond. The archive’s mission is to ensure that no generation of ISB members is left without the historical knowledge they need to understand who they are, where they come from, and upon whose sacrifices they stand.
### Core Archival Collection <a id="core-archival-collection"></a>
The archive’s holdings include, or aspire to include the following categories of material:
– Photographic records: Original photographs and negatives from the earliest years of ISB, including construction-era photographs, Eid celebrations, community events, Qur’an competitions, presidential ceremonies, and the 2025 founders’ reunions
– Legal and constitutional documents: Articles of Incorporation (1969), Constitution and Bylaws (original and all subsequent versions), the land deed of June 29, 1981, settlement documents, property surveys, and all related legal records
– Community publications: Newsletters, event programs, flyers, brochures, annual reports, and all other periodical and occasional publications produced by ISB across its history
– Oral history recordings: Audio and video recordings of interviews with founding members, past presidents, imams, educators, volunteers, and community elders
– Correspondence and organizational records: Historical correspondence, board meeting minutes, committee records, and other organizational documentation
– Religious recordings: Khutbahs, lectures, and scholarly presentations by ISB’s imams and resident scholars, including recordings of Imam Mohamed Adam El-Sheikh
– Architectural and campus records: Original architectural drawings, campus maps, construction documentation, and records of expansions and renovations
– Media archives: Press coverage from local and national media outlets, including coverage of the February 3, 2016 presidential visit and other historically significant events
### Digital Preservation <a id="digital-preservation"></a>
The archive’s long-term preservation strategy prioritizes the digitization of all physical materials in deteriorating condition, the creation of multiple redundant digital backups stored in geographically separate locations, and the development of a searchable digital database that makes archival materials accessible to community members, researchers, and future historians.
### Community Participation <a id="community-participation"></a>
Community members who possess photographs, documents, recordings, personal correspondence, or other materials related to ISB’s history are urged to contact the archive and contribute their holdings. Every addition to the collection strengthens the historical record and honors the people whose stories it preserves. The archive belongs to the community — and its completeness depends upon the community’s participation.
### Long-Term Vision <a id="long-term-vision"></a>
The ultimate aspiration of the ISB Historical Archive is to serve as a permanent institutional memory — a resource that every generation of ISB members can consult to understand their inheritance, and that future historians, scholars, and community leaders can draw upon as they continue the work of building the Muslim community of Maryland. A community that knows its history is a community that knows itself.
## Appendix K: Glossary of Islamic Terms <a id="appendix-k-glossary-of-islamic-terms"></a>
Adhān
The Islamic call to prayer, proclaimed five times daily in the Arabic language to summon believers to congregational or individual worship. Traditionally chanted aloud from the minaret of a masjid, the adhan begins with Allahu Akbar (“God is the Greatest”) and includes the declaration of faith and the invitation to prayer and success.
Amānah (Amanah)
Trust; a sacred trust or responsibility. In Islamic ethics, an amanah is a responsibility entrusted to an individual or community by Allah or by other human beings, to be discharged with complete faithfulness, integrity, and accountability. Leadership, financial stewardship, and communal responsibility are all understood as forms of amanah.
Āmeen
The Islamic expression meaning “so be it” or “O God, accept our prayer,” equivalent in function to the Hebrew and Christian “Amen.” Commonly spoken at the conclusion of supplication (du’ā’) and at the end of the opening chapter of the Qur’an during prayer.
Du’ā’
Personal supplication; the act of calling upon Allah in prayer, seeking His help, guidance, mercy, or blessing. Distinct from the formal ritual prayer (salah), du’ā’ is an intimate, personal act of communication with Allah that may be performed at any time and in any language.
Eid
Festival; celebration. Islam has two major Eid celebrations: Eid al-Fitr, marking the conclusion of the Ramadan fasting month, and Eid al-Adha, marking the Feast of Sacrifice during the season of Hajj. Both are occasions of communal prayer, charitable giving, and shared celebration.
Fajr
The pre-dawn prayer; the first of Islam’s five obligatory daily prayers, offered in the period between the break of dawn and sunrise. Its performance requires Muslims to rise before the sun and begin the day in the remembrance of Allah.
Ḥalaqah
Study circle; a gathering, often seated in a circle, for learning and discussing the Qur’an, hadith, or other Islamic subjects.
Ḥifẓ
Memorization of the entire Qur’an. One who has completed it is a ḥāfiẓ (feminine ḥāfiẓah; plural ḥuffāẓ). Many ḥuffāẓ lead Taraweeh prayers during Ramadan.
Ifṭār
The breaking of the daily fast at sunset during the month of Ramadan. Traditionally begun with dates and water, following the practice of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the iftar meal is often a communal occasion shared among family, friends, and community members.
Imām
Leader; specifically, the person who leads the congregational prayer. In the broader institutional context, an imam serves as the religious leader of a masjid community, providing spiritual guidance, pastoral care, Islamic education, and scholarly leadership.
Īmān
Faith; belief in Allah, His angels, His revealed books, His messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree.
Janāzah
The Islamic funeral; specifically, the congregational prayer offered for a deceased Muslim before burial.
Jumu’ah
The Friday congregational prayer; the most important weekly act of communal worship in Islam. The Qur’an commands Muslims to gather for the Friday prayer and to set aside their other activities in its observance. The Jumu’ah includes a khutbah (sermon) delivered by the imam before the prayer.
Khutbah
Sermon; the formal religious address delivered by the imam as part of the Friday Jumu’ah prayer and on other significant occasions including the two Eid celebrations. The khutbah typically includes Qur’anic recitation, hadith citation, and practical guidance relevant to the lives of believers.
Masjid
Place of prostration; masjid. The Arabic word masjid comes from the root s-j-d, meaning “to prostrate.” It designates any place designated for Muslim worship, from the grandest architectural masjid to the humblest cleared space where believers bow before Allah. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ declared that the entire earth has been made a masjid for the Muslim believer.
Miḥrāb
The niche or alcove in the interior wall of a masjid that indicates the direction of the qiblah — the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca toward which Muslims face during prayer. The imam typically stands at the mihrab to lead the congregation in prayer.
Nikāḥ
The Islamic marriage contract, and the ceremony in which it is concluded before witnesses.
Qiblah
The direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, which Muslims face during prayer.
Qur’an
The holy scripture of Islam; the literal word of Allah as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through the angel Jibreel (Gabriel) over a period of approximately twenty-three years. The Qur’an is composed of 114 surahs (chapters) and is recited by Muslims in its original Arabic in daily prayers and other acts of worship. Its memorization, recitation, and study are among the most honored activities in Islamic religious life.
Ṣadaqah Jāriyah
Continuous charitable act; a deed whose benefit endures beyond the life of the person who performed it, continuing to accumulate spiritual reward for the giver even after death. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ identified three forms of sadaqah jariyah: an endowment that continues to benefit people; knowledge that continues to be acted upon; and a righteous child who prays for their parent.
Ṣalāh
The ritual prayer. Muslims are required to perform five daily prayers at prescribed times; Jumu’ah replaces the midday prayer on Fridays.
Shūrā
Consultation; the Islamic principle of collective decision-making through mutual deliberation. The Qur’an enjoins believers to conduct their affairs through shura (Surah Ash-Shura 42:38), and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ demonstrated its practice in his own leadership. At ISB, shura has been a governing principle from the founding Constitution through the present day.
Sunnah
The practice, example, and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, as recorded in the hadith literature. Along with the Qur’an, the Sunnah constitutes the primary source of Islamic law and guidance for Muslim personal, communal, and ethical life.
Tajwīd
The rules governing the correct pronunciation and recitation of the Qur’an.
Tarāwīḥ
The voluntary night prayers performed during the month of Ramadan, following the ‘Isha’ (night) prayer. The Taraweeh prayer involves the recitation of portions of the Qur’an each night, completing the full recitation of the Qur’an over the course of the month. Taraweeh prayers are among the most beloved communal acts of Ramadan worship.
Tawakkul
Reliance upon and trust in Allah, joined to one’s own effort.
Ummah
Community; the global community of Muslim believers, united across national, ethnic, and cultural boundaries by shared faith in Allah and adherence to the teachings of Islam. The concept of the ummah reflects Islam’s emphasis on the universality of the faith and the brotherhood and sisterhood of all believers.
Wuḍū’
The ritual washing of the face, hands and arms, head, and feet performed before prayer.
Zakāh
The obligatory annual alms-tax; one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Muslims whose wealth exceeds a minimum threshold (nisab) are required to give 2.5% of their accumulated wealth annually in zakah, distributed to specified categories of recipients including the poor, the indebted, and those in need. Zakah is both an act of worship and a mechanism of social justice and economic equity.
## Appendix L: ISB Programs and Services <a id="appendix-l-isb-programs-and-services"></a>
A reference compiled from ISB’s official website and affiliated program pages, current through September 2026.
This inventory consolidates the formal programs, services, affiliated educational institutions, recurring activities and seasonal initiatives identified on the Islamic Society of Baltimore website and its linked Al-Rahmah sites. The website demonstrates a broad service system, but it does not publish a founding date for every activity. Timeline statements below therefore use the earliest explicit date or the strongest institutional milestone available and label undated items accordingly.
### How to read the timeline <a id="how-to-read-the-timeline"></a>
– Established or founded means the official site states a date.
– Documented by means the program appears in a dated official page, post, calendar or newsletter; it may have begun earlier.
– Start date not stated means the current program is verified but its origin cannot be responsibly inferred from the webpage.
– Active, seasonal, recurring, affiliated and facility labels distinguish ongoing programs from events, partner operations and enabling spaces.
### Historical program development at a glance <a id="historical-program-development-at-a-glance"></a>
– 1967–1969: home and university-based prayer, Qur’an study, Arabic learning, family fellowship and institution-building; legal incorporation followed in September 1969.
– 1984–1997: the permanent campus enabled resident-imam services, structured Qur’an education, Al-Rahmah School in 1987, Sunday School and Qur’an Academy development, and the multipurpose hall in 1997.
– 2000–2017: Nursery and Childcare opened in September 2000; youth programming expanded, the Youth Group was established in 2005, and Green Team road stewardship began in September 2017.
– 2018–2022: scholar-led classes, livestream/digital access, youth, health and community services continued expanding, including adaptation during the COVID-19 era.
– 2023–2026: Qibla, Revive, Golden Age Village, convert support, athletics, outreach, community events and the redesigned After-School Academy illustrate a highly segmented, intergenerational program model.
The profiles below cover 44 distinct programs, services, institutions, recurring activities and enabling facilities, grouped by category. Closely related subprograms are listed separately when they have their own audience, schedule or operational identity.
### Program profiles by category <a id="program-profiles-by-category"></a>
#### Worship and spiritual life <a id="worship-and-spiritual-life"></a>
Five daily prayers and Jumu’ah — Congregational salah; Friday khutbah and prayer; prayer calendar and livestream support. Audience: All worshippers. Timeline: Weekly meetings and Friday prayers documented from 1967; continuing. Status: Active.
Ramadan programming — Taraweeh, Qur’an recitation, lectures, daily/community iftars, i’tikaf and Ramadan giving activities as announced seasonally. Audience: Community-wide. Timeline: Recurring; exact first year not stated online. Status: Seasonal.
Eid prayers and celebrations — Large congregational Eid prayers and family celebrations announced annually. Audience: Community-wide. Timeline: Recurring; exact first year not stated online. Status: Seasonal.
Qur’an Tafseer in English — Regular English-language Qur’anic commentary and reflection session. Audience: Adults and families. Timeline: Listed weekly in 2026; start date not published. Status: Active.
Art of Recitation with Tajweed — Low-cost, limited-seat weekly recitation and tajweed class led by Imam Ismet Akçin. Audience: Adults and older youth. Timeline: Documented on current weekly page; no start date. Status: Active.
#### Formal education <a id="formal-education"></a>
Al-Rahmah School — Full-time Islamic school combining academic education, Islamic studies and character formation. Audience: School-age students. Timeline: Founded 1987; continuing. Status: Active institution.
Al-Rahmah Nursery and Childcare — State-approved early-childhood program: Terrific Twos, Pre-K, Transitional Kindergarten, plus before- and after-care. Audience: Ages 2–5; before/after care KG–8. Timeline: Founded September 2000; continuing. Status: Active institution.
Al-Rahmah Qur’an Academy — Tahfizul Qur’an; Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh, Tajweed, certificate/ijazah studies and community learning courses. Audience: Children, youth and adults. Timeline: Tahfiz program founded about 1999–2000 and grew into the Academy; continuing. Status: Active institution.
Tahfizul Qur’an Program — Nationally recognized full-time/structured Qur’an memorization under AQA leadership. Audience: Memorization students. Timeline: Documented by 1999; continuing. Status: Active.
Community Learning Center — Foundational and continuing courses across Islamic disciplines under AQA/ISB educational programming. Audience: Adults and advanced learners. Timeline: Present by 2026; start date not stated. Status: Active.
Al-Rahmah Sunday School — Once-weekly, nine-month program in Islamic studies, Qur’an, Arabic, tajweed, duas, identity, citizenship and extracurricular learning. Audience: Ages 5–21, Kindergarten through Senior level. Timeline: Official history: operating by 1997; continuing. Status: Active.
After-School Academy — Four-day program: Siraat, Sabeel and Tariqah tracks; Qur’an reading, Islamic studies, contemporary issues and weekly athletics. Audience: Elementary, middle and high school. Timeline: Current structured version begins August 24, 2026; predecessor Sabeel Institute documented May 2014. Status: Active.
Qibla Adult Educational Programs — Semester-based Islamic studies courses designed as an organized continuing-learning pathway. Audience: Adults of varied backgrounds. Timeline: Documented in 2023–2026 reporting; exact launch date not published. Status: Active.
ISB Summer Camp — Seasonal summer programming combining Islamic learning, recreation and supervised activities; details vary by year. Audience: Children and youth. Timeline: Recurring current offering; start date not stated. Status: Seasonal.
Al-Rahmah Educational Trust — Independent nonprofit endowment initiative supporting the long-term financial needs of Al-Rahmah School and Nursery. Audience: ARS and Nursery beneficiaries. Timeline: Current program page; founding date not stated. Status: Partner/affiliated.
#### Youth and young adults <a id="youth-and-young-adults"></a>
ISB Youth Group — Biweekly second- and fourth-Friday hangouts with halaqas, peer fellowship, mentors, scholars and volunteer leadership opportunities. Audience: Primarily middle school youth. Timeline: Established 2005; continuing. Status: Active.
Revive Young Adults — Weekly Thursday religious learning, guest/resident-scholar halaqas, fellowship, vendors and social events such as bonfires. Audience: Young adults and young professionals. Timeline: Began about November 2023; second anniversary marked November 2025. Status: Active.
Girl Scouts Troop 223 — Leadership, service, friendship and confidence-building within Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, incorporating Islamic holidays and faith-related patches. Audience: Girls ages 5–18, K–12. Timeline: Current program; start date not stated. Status: Active/affiliated.
Speak Up Youth Speech Competition — Prepared and final-round public-speaking competition centered on Islamic themes and leadership development. Audience: Middle and high school students. Timeline: Annual competition held in late May; first year not established. Status: Event series.
#### Athletics and recreation <a id="athletics-and-recreation"></a>
Muslim Athletic Program — Camps, leagues and tournaments in basketball, cricket, football and soccer; regional and inter-masjid participation. Audience: Youth and adults; open regardless of race, gender or religion. Timeline: Active by 2025–2026; founding date not stated. Status: Active.
Al-Rahmah Park — Campus playground and family recreation space; used for community and youth activity. Audience: Children and families. Timeline: Current campus feature; renovated/upgraded in 2023–2025 period. Status: Active facility.
#### Seniors <a id="seniors"></a>
Golden Age Village — Weekday activity center; Tai Chi, sisters’ halaqa and brunch, rotating Thursday activities, reduced-cost breakfast, monthly dinner, talks, outings and social support. Audience: Adults 50+ and spouses. Timeline: Documented active in 2023–2026; launch date not published. Status: Active.
Dementia Memory Cafe — Monthly memory-support gathering held with Golden Age Village and Baltimore County aging partners. Audience: Seniors and caregivers. Timeline: Documented current monthly schedule; start date not published. Status: Active subprogram.
#### Outreach and civic life <a id="outreach-and-civic-life"></a>
Interfaith and Outreach — Campus tours, off-site presentations, dialogue, Islam education, anti-Islamophobia work and relationship-building across beliefs. Audience: Neighbors, schools, congregations and public institutions. Timeline: Long-running; current page gives no start date. Status: Active.
Masjid Tours and Interfaith Visits — Scheduled visits, observation, presentations and question-and-answer sessions on Islam and Muslim life. Audience: Schools, congregations, professionals and community groups. Timeline: Current service; start date not stated. Status: Active.
Green Team (ISBeGreen) — Campus and neighborhood cleanup, environmental stewardship and service-learning hours; maintains ISB’s adopted stretch of Johnnycake Road. Audience: Volunteers; middle/high school service learners. Timeline: Road adoption began September 2017; continuing. Status: Active.
#### New Muslims <a id="new-muslims"></a>
Clean Slates — Classes on Islam and Muslim practice, scholar access, peer support, Ramadan preparation, shared iftars and community connection. Audience: Prospective and new Muslims. Timeline: Documented recurring by 2014/current; exact launch date not stated. Status: Active.
Shahada and Welcome to Islam — Shahada scheduling, outreach contact, welcome resources, prayer/wudu guidance and a Glad Tidings gift box. Audience: People exploring or accepting Islam. Timeline: Current service; start date not stated. Status: Active.
#### Health and human services <a id="health-and-human-services"></a>
Community Health Clinic — Free appointment-based primary care; physical therapy at low cost; psychiatric appointments; health education and referrals. Audience: Uninsured adults 18+; PT available more broadly. Timeline: Active before/current through 2026; online founding date not stated. Status: Active.
Counseling — Counseling support listed as a standing ISB service; scope and provider schedule are maintained on its service page. Audience: Community members. Timeline: Current service; start date not stated. Status: Active.
Special Needs and Accessibility — Accessibility support and partnership with MUHSEN toward inclusive masjid participation and certification. Audience: Individuals and families with disabilities. Timeline: Current partnership; start date not stated. Status: Active/partner.
Zakat Services — Collection and disbursement of Zakat al-Maal and Zakat al-Fitr; case processing/social-service support with Human Appeal. Audience: Local Muslims in financial need. Timeline: Long-running; current partnership documented through 2026. Status: Active.
Food and hardship assistance — Food-box packing/distribution and assistance partnerships, including service extending to Baltimore City; official About page also identifies a soup kitchen. Audience: Families facing hardship. Timeline: Documented in 2023–2025 reports; full timeline unavailable. Status: Recurring/partner.
#### Family and life-cycle services <a id="family-and-life-cycle-services"></a>
Marriage and Nikkah Services — Religious marriage ceremony scheduling, Islamic requirements and Maryland legal-document prerequisites; referral links for matchmaking resources. Audience: Couples and families. Timeline: Long-running; start date not published. Status: Active.
Funeral and Janazah Services — Guidance and coordination intended to make washing, janazah, burial and related arrangements orderly and compassionate. Audience: Bereaved families. Timeline: Long-running; start date not published. Status: Active.
Family Nights and Community Gatherings — Recurring religious talks, meals, fellowship, vendors, children’s activities, bonfires and seasonal festivals. Audience: Families of all ages. Timeline: Documented recurring in 2023–2026; earlier history likely but not dated online. Status: Recurring.
#### Community facilities and hospitality <a id="community-facilities-and-hospitality"></a>
Barakah Bistro (formerly Cafe Al-Rahmah) — Jumu’ah lunch, Friday pizza nights and rotating community food service, including weekend breakfast offerings. Audience: Worshippers and visitors. Timeline: Current rebrand documented by 2026; original cafe start date not stated. Status: Active.
Multipurpose Hall and Gymnasium — Reservation-based recreational and private-event facility supporting sports, educational and community programs. Audience: Community groups and families. Timeline: Completed 1997; continuing. Status: Active facility.
Volunteer Corps — Central pathway for volunteering across ISB programs, events, service projects and institutional operations. Audience: Community volunteers. Timeline: Current; volunteer service dates to founding era. Status: Active.
#### Travel and pilgrimage <a id="travel-and-pilgrimage"></a>
Hajj, Umrah and Travel — Organized or promoted group pilgrimage/travel offerings; schedules and vendors vary by year. Audience: Pilgrims and community travelers. Timeline: Recurring; Fall Umrah trip documented for Nov. 18–29, 2026. Status: Seasonal.
#### Religious conferences and events <a id="religious-conferences-and-events"></a>
Annual Seerah Conference — Multi-speaker conference on the life and example of Prophet Muhammad, with age-specific programming. Audience: Community-wide, with youth and young-adult sessions. Timeline: Annual current event; first year not established by website review. Status: Annual.
Guest Scholar Seminars and Qur’anic Programs — Lectures, workshops and seminars with visiting scholars and partner institutes, including AlMaghrib events and Qur’anic reflection programs. Audience: Adults, youth and families. Timeline: Recurring across website/newsletter archive; dates vary. Status: Recurring.
#### Organizational support <a id="organizational-support"></a>
Membership and General Body Participation — Voting, Council elections, General Body participation, benefits and discounts on selected programs and services. Audience: Adult members. Timeline: Governance since incorporation; current membership structure ongoing. Status: Active.
Community Communications — ISB Flash emails, quarterly/community newsletters, app, social channels, calendar, livestream and feedback channels. Audience: Community-wide. Timeline: Digital formats developed over time; current system active. Status: Active.
This inventory reflects ISB’s published program offerings as of September 2026 and will be updated in future editions as new programs are established.
## References <a id="references"></a>
Primary Sources — Official ISB Records
Articles of Incorporation of the Islamic Society of Baltimore. September 1969. State of Maryland. Incorporators: Yusuf M. El-Abdullah, Salativel Bey, Aly T. Holley.
Islamic Society of Baltimore. Original Constitution and Bylaws. 1969. [All subsequent amendments on file at the ISB Historical Archive.]
Islamic Society of Baltimore. Board Meeting Minutes. Various years, 1969–2025. [ISB Historical Archive.]
Islamic Society of Baltimore. Annual Reports. Various years. [ISB Historical Archive.]
Islamic Society of Baltimore. Community Newsletters and Event Programs. Various dates, 1970s–2026. [ISB Historical Archive.]
Islamic Society of Baltimore. Financial Records. Various years. [ISB Historical Archive; restricted.]
Property and Legal Records
Land Deed. Islamic Society of Baltimore. June 29, 1981. Baltimore County Circuit Court, Land Records.
Settlement Statement. Property Acquisition. Islamic Society of Baltimore. June 1981. [ISB Historical Archive.]
Property Survey. Seven-acre parcel. June 1981. [ISB Historical Archive.]
Zoning Approval Documentation. Baltimore County. Including records of Councilman Ronald B. Hickernell’s involvement. [ISB Historical Archive.]
Oral History Interviews
Husain, Syed Abid. Oral history interviews with founding members, past presidents, imams, board members, and community volunteers. 2010–2025. [ISB Historical Archive; Muslim Citizens of Maryland (MCM) Archive.]
Founders’ Reunion Documented Reflections. November 22, 2025, Mehfil Restaurant (Lal Qila), Woodlawn, Maryland. Organized by Dr. Anwar Khokhar and Muhammad Jameel.
Founders’ Reunion Documented Reflections. December 12, 2025, Man-o-Salwa Restaurant, Woodlawn, Maryland.
Digital Archives
Maharoof, Hasan. “The Founding of ISB.” DMVDocs Historical Archive. [Digital collection of Maryland Muslim community historical materials, including interviews with Dr. Mohamed Shami, Dr. Ibrahim Syed, and Azim ur Rahman Khan.]
Islamic Society of Baltimore Archives. [Ongoing collection; ISB.]
Muslim Citizens of Maryland (MCM) Archives. [Baltimore, Maryland.]
Published Works
Syed Abid Husain. Muslim History in Maryland: 101 Stories of People Who Built a Community. Publisher: Muslim Citizens of Maryland (MCM). [September 2024]
Syed Abid Husain, Shining Threads: Stories of Maryland’s Muslim Pioneers and Community Builders. Publisher: Muslim Citizens of Maryland (MCM). [September 2026]
Audio and Video Sources
Recorded interviews with ISB founding members. Various dates. [ISB Historical Archive; Muslim Citizens of Maryland (MCM) Archive.]
Historical lectures and khutbahs. Recordings of Imam Mohamed Adam El-Sheikh and subsequent ISB imams. [ISB Historical Archive.]
Newspapers and Media
Local Maryland newspapers. Various dates. Coverage of ISB events, construction, and community milestones. [ISB clipping archive.]
National media coverage. February 3, 2016. Presidential visit of President Barack Obama to the Islamic Society of Baltimore.
Recommended Citation
Husain, Syed Abid. The Generation: An Institutional History of the Islamic Society of Baltimore (ISB), 1967–2026. First Edition. Baltimore, Maryland
## About the Author and Community Historian <a id="about-the-author-and-community-historian"></a>
Syed Abid Husain
Author & Community Historian
Syed Abid Husain is a writer, community historian, and lifelong student of history dedicated to preserving the stories, institutions, and people that have shaped the Muslim community of Maryland. Having immigrated to the United States in the early 1980s, he has spent more than four decades witnessing and actively participating in the remarkable growth of Muslim life in the Baltimore-Washington region.
A longtime member and devoted volunteer of the Islamic Society of Baltimore, he has served in many capacities over the years, including serving on the ISB Council — a role that gave him direct, firsthand experience of the institution’s governance and its community life during a formative period in its development. Coming from a literary family with a deep appreciation for the written word and the preservation of cultural memory, he developed an early and enduring commitment to storytelling as a form of historical stewardship.
The research for this volume required years of sustained effort: personal interviews with founding members, extensive archival research, review of official documents, examination of photographs and newsletters, study of legal records, and patient gathering of personal recollections from elders and community members who agreed to entrust their memories to the historical record. The result is not merely an institutional chronology but a portrait of a generation — the people who built ISB through faith, sacrifice, and extraordinary communal commitment.
Syed Abid Husain is also the author of Muslim History in Maryland: 101 Stories of People Who Built a Community and a contributor to Shining Threads: Stories of Maryland’s Muslim Pioneers and Community Builders. Professionally, he brings over three decades of experience in information technology, systems analysis, cybersecurity, and business process improvement.
His deepest personal gratitude goes to Muhammad Jameel, without whose encouragement, partnership, and shared commitment to historical preservation this project could not have been completed.
“History is more than a record of the past. It is a trust placed in every generation. If we preserve the stories of those who came before us, we help illuminate the path for those who will follow.”
Muhammad Jameel
Community Historian & Former President, Islamic Society of Baltimore
Muhammad Jameel served as President of the Islamic Society of Baltimore in 2015 and has been one of its most committed community historians for many years. His presidential leadership was distinguished by a particular emphasis that set it apart from the administrative preoccupations of many institutional leaders: the recognition that preserving the memory of the founding generation — their stories, their photographs, their experiences, their sacrifices — was itself an essential act of institutional service.
He understood, before many others did, that the memories of the founding generation were a perishable resource — that every year without systematic documentation brought the community closer to the point at which irreplaceable knowledge would be lost forever. His initiative in organizing the founders’ reunions of 2025, in supporting the oral history interviews that underpin this volume, and in serving as Community Historian for this institutional history represents the fulfillment of a commitment he made to the community he served. His role as Community Historian of The Generation is not merely a credit — it is the embodiment of a calling to preserve, honor, and transmit the story of ISB to every generation that follows.
## About Muslim Citizens of Maryland (MCM) <a id="about-muslim-citizens-of-maryland"></a>
Preserving History. Celebrating Contributions. Strengthening Community.
Muslim Citizens of Maryland (MCM) is a nonprofit educational and civic organization dedicated to preserving the history, celebrating the contributions, and strengthening the civic engagement of Maryland’s diverse Muslim communities. Grounded in the conviction that a community which knows its history is better equipped to shape its future, MCM pursues its mission through research, documentation, publication, and community programming.
MCM’s publishing initiatives have produced works of lasting historical and cultural significance for the Maryland Muslim community. Its principal published works include:
– Muslim History in Maryland: 101 Stories of People Who Built a Community
– Shining Threads: Stories of Maryland’s Muslim Pioneers and Community Builders
MCM’s work is guided by the following Mission, Vision, and Core Values:
Mission: To preserve the historical memory of Maryland’s Muslim communities, celebrate their contributions to Maryland and American life, and strengthen the civic engagement and institutional health of Muslim organizations throughout the state.
Vision: A Maryland in which the Muslim community’s history is fully preserved, its contributions are widely recognized, its institutions are strong and accountable, and its members participate fully and confidently in the civic life of their communities.
Core Values:
– Faith — all work conducted in the awareness of and gratitude to Allah
– Historical Preservation — the sacred obligation to recover and protect community memory
– Education — knowledge as the foundation of informed and effective community life
– Service — commitment to the welfare of the community above personal interest
– Integrity — honesty, transparency, and accountability in all organizational activities
– Unity — the recognition that the Muslim community’s diversity is its strength
– Civic Responsibility — full and faithful participation in the democratic life of Maryland and the United States
– Legacy — the commitment to leave the community stronger than it was received