Our Story
Let's face it, being a Muslim in the United States can be a challenging experience. Our founder Imam Abdurrahman Sykes is an American born revert who has faced those challenges himself and is working hard to educate both native and foreign born Muslims in a manner that explains both the essentials of the faith and how they coincide with the American experience. This need was accelerated after the events of the last decade as Islam itself was met with distrust and contempt. Imam Sykes envisions a society in which Muslims are seen as part of the larger American fabric by teaching an Islam that holds to the essentials of the faith without the cultural trappings that sometimes accompany it .
Our Faith
Our Faith is Islam. Like many English words, the word Islam in Arabic has several classical meanings. The Arabic word Islam means "submission" and derives from a word meaning "peace." Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to His commandments. The cornerstone of Islam is monotheism, the belief in the God that created and manages all the universe.
Our Mission
Providing education, social support, and empowerment to Muslims born, reared or converted in the United States, to ascertain and advocate for their needs and provide outreach to our neighbors (Muslims and non-Muslims), media and government with the true and peaceful message of Islam.
Our Founder
Hailing from North Carolina, Imam Sykes was a lay speaker preparing for a life of Christian ministry. He left the church for a time of reflection and spent 6 years in South Africa working to end Apartheid. A self-realization and personal actualization trainer, he entertained all race groups in the same class room. In 1987 Sykes embraced Islam.