Archive for the ‘Community’ Category
Guibord Center 2012 Schedule
By: Noor-Malika Chishti
* The Community Event will be held on Saturday evening
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The Academy Goes Digital
By: Imran Syed
I am proud to say on this auspicious day, Friday Jan 27th, AIT went ahead and launched the pay-per-view link on the Academy of Islamic Thought website. Now students can view older videos of the classes for $2.99 per lecture for up to 48 hours. Please click on the Pay-Per-View link on our AIT site www.academyofislamicthought.
Click here to visit the on-demand site
- · Yr 1 – 2009 – Module I
o Session 1: Intellectual Development – Introduction to the Qu’ran
o Session 2: Intellectual Development – Themes of the Qu’ran
o Session 3: Intellectual Development – Interpreting the Qu’ran
o Session 4: Intellectual Development – Stories in the Qu’ran
o Session 5: Intellectual Development – Seera of the Prophet
o Session 6: Intellectual Development – Study of Hadiths
- · Yr 1 – 2010 – Module II
o Session 1: Personal Development – Vicegerency & relationship with God
o Session 2: Personal Development – Steadfastness
o Session 3: Personal Development – Covenant of God and Jihad of the self
o Session 4: Personal Development – Illness of the heart 1
o Session 5: Personal Development – Illness of the heart 2
o Session 6: Personal Development – Repentance, prayer, death and remembrance & love of God
- · Yr – 1 – 2010 – Module III
o Session 1: Social Development – Development theories I
o Session 2: Social Development – Development theories II
o Session 3: Social Development – Development theories III
o Session 4: Social Development – Islam and social sciences
o Session 5: Social Development – Life stages
- · Yr 2 – 2010 – Module I
o Session 1: Intellectual Development – Shariah (Islamic Law) a modern perspective
o Session 2: Intellectual Development – Shariah (Islamic Law) Shariah General Look
o Session 3 – Not recorded
o Session 4: Intellectual Development – Shariah (Islamic Law) Hadith
o Session 5: Intellectual Development – Shariah (Islamic Law) Q & A
- · Yr 2 – 2011 – Module II
o Session 1: Personal and Spiritual Development
o Session 2: Personal and Spiritual Development
o Session 3: Personal and Spiritual Development
o Session 4: Personal and Spiritual Development
o Session 5: Personal and Spiritual Development
o Session 6: Personal and Spiritual Development
- · Yr 2 – 2011 – Module III
o Session 1: Social Development – The American Muslim Community
o Session 2: Social Development – Finding Mr. & Mrs. Right
o Session 3: Social Development – Struggles to be Married
o Session 4: Social Development
o Session 5: Social Development
o Session 6: Social Development
We are still working with Islamic City with their classroads option as well concurrently. Stay tuned for more details about AIT on demand. Let’s hope Insha Allah this will be successful and takes AIT and the Islamic Center to the next level.
The Academy of Islamic Thought was founded in 2009 to “offer a cutting-edge educational program to develop a balanced American Muslim community that is empowered with authentic, solid, and relevant knowledge and a modern understanding of Islam.”
20th Anniversary American Muslim Achievement Awards a Huge Success!
On Saturday, January 21, the Islamic Center of Southern California held its 20th Anniversary American Muslim Achievement Awards. Indeed, it was a very successful event with tickets being sold out three days before the event, but sales continuing to the last minute. Approximately 350 people attended this awards ceremony meant to honor Muslim Americans whose contributions to their fields have benefitted society at large.
AIT launches Module III of 2011-2012 Year
By: Soha Yassine
On January 8th, the Academy of Islamic Thought will begin the third module of the 2011-2012 year titled “The American Muslim Family.” The class will co-taught by Necva Ozger and Noha Alshugairi. Both of these women have extensive knowledge with social and family issues. Ms. Ozger, one of the founding members of the AIT, serves on the Educational Council which governs the New Horizon Schools, while Ms. Alshugairi is an experienced marriage and family therapist. Together, they will focus on parenting and tackling the issues that modern American Muslims face.
The Academy of Islamic Thought was founded in 2009 to “offer a cutting-edge educational program to develop a balanced American Muslim community that is empowered with authentic, solid, and relevant knowledge and a modern understanding of Islam.” Above all, the goal of AIT is to bridge the gap between knowledge of Islam and the practical application of it in our daily lives.
The Academy functions under the guidance of the Educational Council with Dr. Maher Hathout, Dr. Gasser Hathout, Mr. Jihad Turk, Ms. Noha Alshugairi comprising the faculty. Past classes have been offered by guest lecturers such as Sh. Mohammed Faqih, Dr. Laila Al-Marayati, Dr. Hamid Mavani, Sh.Yasser Fazaga, Dr. Yahia Abdul-Rahman and others.
As in past years, this academic year has been met with a large, committed group of students. When asked, one student said “I have not been this intellectually challenged and stimulated since I was in college!”
ICSC Announces the 20th Annual American Muslim Achievement Award
By: Shirin Karoon
In 1991, the Islamic Center of Southern California initiated an awards dinner series whose purpose was to acknowledge and recognize exemplary American Muslims who have made outstanding contributions to their work and to the society at large. Through their successes, these individuals have shown us that American Muslims can excel in any field, and that they can significantly contribute to the betterment of mankind.
Click here to register
Previous recipients, among many others, include:
Dr. Ahmed Zewail – Nobel Laureate, professor of Physical Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology
Mr. Moustafa Akkad – Accomplished Film Producer and Director
Dr. Omar Alfi – The Genetics Institute in Pasadena, California
Mrs. Azmeralda Alfi – Al-Deen Foundation, New Horizon School
Dr. Afaf Marsot – Professor Emeritus of History, University of California, Los Angeles
Dr. Suraiya Rasheed – Professor of Virology, University of Southern California
Dr. Mohammad Fathi Osman – Professor Emeritus and Islamic Scholar, Islamic Center of Southern California
Mr. Sohaib Abbasi – Senior Vice President, Oracle Corp. Redwood Shores, CA
Dr. Hassan Hathout – Director of Dawa, Islamic Center of Southern California
Dr. Maher Hathout – Spokesperson, Islamic Center of Southern California
Professor Mohamed Abdou – Director, Institute of Plasma and Fusion Research, University of California, Los Angeles
Dr. Farouk El-Baz – Professor and Director, Center for Remote Sensing, Boston University
Mr. Shabbir Mansuri – Founding Director, Council on Islamic Education in Fountain Valley
Ms. Talat Hasan – CEO, Sensys Instruments, Santa Clara, CA
Professor Sulayman S. Nyang – Professor of African Studies, Howard University, Washington D.C.
Mr. Mohammed Zakariya – World Renowned Islamic Calligrapher, Washington D.C.
Professor Ahmed K. Noor – Eminent Scholar and Professor of Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University
Dr. Cherif Bassiouni- Professor of Law Emeritus and President Emeritus of the International Human Rights Law Institute, Depaul University College of Law.
Click here to register
Recipients of the American Muslim Achievement Award not only create role models for our youth, they demonstrate the contributions of American Muslims to the greater American mosaic and offsets Islamophobia. Above all, the importance of this event is that recognizes the values that the ICSC has always stood for:
1. Engagement with greater American society
2. Cultivation of the American Muslim identity
3. Reformation of Islamic thought
This year, the Islamic Center is pleased to announce Omar Hamoui (Founder of Admob) and Dr. Osman Shinaishin (National Science Foundation) as this year’s recipients of the award. We will honor them Saturday, January 21, 2012 and hope that the entire community can join us.
Click here to register
ICSC Co-authors Historic Interfaith Document
By: Editor
Last Sunday, a historic event took place at Saddleback Church in Orange County, California. Saddleback is known for its famous pastor, Rick Warren, who delivered the prayer at President Obama’s inauguration ceremony. The Church hosted a number of Muslim communities in based in Southern California for its second annual celebration of Jesus (pbuh). This event is significant because Saddleback is a large evangelical church with over 22 thousand members. Although only a select number of individuals were invited to this dinner, it demonstrates the new theological position of Saddleback. At the celebration, a document one year in the making was presented which encourages Christians and Muslims to appreciate the similarities of our faiths.
- A presentation outlining the document
The document encouraged that our communities work together towards the common good and to combat bigotry in a 1-2-3 plan. The first step in the plan identifies the belief in one God. The second step acknowledges God’s commandment to love God and your neighbor. Finally, step three is for our communities to commit to three things: making friends, building peace, and serving the world at large together.
This relationship with Saddleback Church was initiated over a year ago with a friendship between one of the pastors, Abraham Meulenberg, and the ICSC’s Jihad Turk. Pastor Meulenberg reached out having heard about the Center and our interfaith work. From this friendship developed an institutional link between their respective organizations.
Click here to view more photos of the event.
The Annual Weekend of Twinning is upon Us
By: Editor
Organized annually by The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU) in cooperation with the World Jewish Congress and the Islamic Society of North America, the Weekend of Twinning is an annual initiative based on synagogues, mosques and Muslim and Jewish student and young leadership groups forming partnerships and holding joint programs together with the goal of building ties of communication, reconciliation and cooperation between Muslims and Jews.
Check out these Twinning events happening this weekend :
Sunday Nov. 13:
On the 4th annual weekend of Twinning, a program incubated by MPAC and now on its own, NewGround: Muslim Jewish Partnership for Change will be hosting its second public event this year as its own organization: “Relationships: True Stories from Los Angeles’ Muslims & Jews.”
We are proud cosponsors and anticipate a riveting program filled with the personal experiences of Muslims and Jews in Los Angeles.
Come join the conversation on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011, at 7 pm at Busby’s East (5364 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036).
Tickets can be purchased online at relationshipsla.eventbrite.com for $10 or at the door for $12. Proceeds from the event will benefit Homeboy Industries.
Friday, Nov. 18 & Sunday, Nov. 19
On November 18, we join together with members of the Temple Beth Shir Shalom at their temple for an evening of celebration and re-dedication to the principles of peace. They will join the Islamic Center for an interfaith luncheon on November 20.
ICSC Borrowing Library
ICSC Hosts 3000+ for Eid al-Adha
By: Shirin Karoon
Chants of Eid takbeerat could be heard from the Grand Ballroom of the Pasadena Convention Center as Muslims hurried to attend the Eid Prayer. This was the first time the Islamic Center of Southern California hosted Eid ul-Adha prayers at that venue, but approximately 3,000 people were estimated to have attended. Dr. Maher Hathout led the community in prayer and afterwards delivered an uplifting khutba focusing on two messages for the community. Click here to view photos of the prayer.
First, he elaborated on the concept of sacrifice and bringing it back to our system of values. He reminded of the great sacrifices Prophet Ibrahim, peace be uponhim, made to prove his love to the Almighty God where all his sacrifices were void of any selfishness. He prayed for the community to have this spirit as well.
Secondly, Dr. Hathout stressed the importance of having a vision. This vision was relevant to people of all generations, young and old who have to struggle, work, and pray together to achieve their vision. He reminded of the cooperation between Ibrahim and Ismail. When Ibrahim saw the vision to sacrifice his son for God Almighty, he consulted with him, whereas the son responded: “O father, do as you are told, for you will find me amongst those who are patient.” In addition, when father and son were commanded by God Almighty to build the first house for the worship of God, they both worked and prayed in harmony and cooperation do fulfill this command. Dr. Hathout further reminded the youth to earn their parent’s trust by being trustworthy individuals.
Get off the couch and make a difference!
By: Editor
Here’s your chance to change your community, society, the world!
Check out 1st Annual ICSC Volunteer Day!
If you want to make a difference, this event is for you! On this day you will meet ICSC Committee Chairs/Project Leaders and sign up to become a future volunteer with:
- MECA (volunteer opportunities for young adults)
- Social Services
- Administration
- Interfaith
- Outreach/Awareness
- Education, Membership
- Technology/Communications
- Development and MORE!
Please note that babysitting will be provided. We ask that attendees plan to arrive at 3:15pm because we have a packed schedule. Questions? Contact ICSC Volunteer Coordinator Soha Yassine at syassine@icsconline.org.