Dar-us-Salaam’s vision in the 1990s was bold: not just to open a masjid in College Park, but to build an entire ecosystem for Muslim life. At the center of that vision was education. Parents dreamed of a place where their children could study math, science, and history without ever feeling they had to leave their Islam at the classroom door.
That dream took form as Al-Huda School.
It began in 1995 with a small group of children gathered in makeshift classrooms inside the masjid. Desks and chalkboards were borrowed, textbooks pieced together, and teachers were a mix of certified educators and dedicated community members. The early classes were small, just a handful of grades at first—but the atmosphere was electric. Parents whispered to one another: “This is the school we wished we had.”
The curriculum was ambitious. Alongside core academic subjects, students memorized Qur’an, learned Arabic, and studied Islamic history. Days began with Bismillah and ended with du‘a. Salah was part of the daily routine, and teachers worked to weave Islamic values into every subject, whether it was honesty in math, stewardship in science, or justice in social studies.
Challenges were constant. There were never enough resources, classrooms were cramped, and fundraising was relentless. Yet, what Al-Huda lacked in polish, it made up for in passion. Parents volunteered to drive buses, serve lunches, and even clean classrooms. Teachers sometimes worked for little more than stipends, motivated by faith and a sense of mission.
Over time, the school grew rapidly. More grades were added, extracurricular activities developed, and Al-Huda became accredited, proving that Islamic schools could meet high academic standards while nurturing faith. Its graduates went on to universities across the country, many returning to serve the Muslim community as professionals, leaders, and educators.
What made Al-Huda unique was not just its academics but its atmosphere. Students grew up seeing Islam as normal, natural, and woven into every part of life. For them, the school was not simply a place of study but a home, where they could form lifelong friendships and a confident identity as Maryland Muslims.
The founding of Al-Huda School was a milestone for Maryland’s Muslims. It showed that Islamic education was not just a dream scribbled on proposals (Story #39) or a modest beginning in mosque basements (Story #29). It was a living reality, an institution capable of shaping generations, giving children not only knowledge for the world but also guidance for the hereafter.