I got this as a part of an email from ISNA announcing the Western Region conference that is coming up and thought it would be a chance for people to express their thoughts on how Western Imams can help converts:

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What is the role of an American Imam?

Share your thoughts. Your feedback will be utilized in the development of new programs.

The ISNA Leadership Development Center (ILDC) is currently working on creating an educational curriculum for Imams in America to enable them to better understand the American culture and the application of Islam therein. As such, we need your response to the following question:

What are the three most important things that Imams in the West need to be educated on to better understand the role they play in the Muslim American context?

Please send your responses to [email protected]. Your valuable feedback is crucial in helping us establish programs that will benefit our American society at large. Thank you!

Sam77: So how do we educate our people on Islam? Are we talking about Muslim schools or some type of outreach program? I have seen some things that I disagree with from both reverts and "generational" Muslims, so the education should help everyone, myself included.

Using the local Imam is easier said than done. I know of one person who tried that and received either little to no help or help that she did not like. Maybe mosques could offer "professional" walis for reverts, orphans, or those physically separated from their families?

I never really focused on ethnicity when attending a mosque, but I grew up "mosque hopping" with my friends. We were simply comfortable enough to go to any mosque in a 10 block radius (about 10 in that neighborhood) and not care who was there. That in turn has created my current ambivalence to who is at the mosque and what their cultural background might be. I like your idea of forcing ourselves to attend other cultural group's services - they should all be in Arabic and/or a language we understand, so it shouldn't differ too much from what we might normally be used to at our own mosque.

Another good idea on the Muslim community services. I know we have a large community of Muslims in Northern Virginia, but I don't know what services they have other than halal food stores and some youth groups. Does that also mean that we need to congregate into the same geographical areas and create Muslim communities that are more than virtual?

The solutions to alot of these problems can be found within Islam. I think the biggest thing that is holding us back is education of ou own relgion, and there seems to be more ignorance of Islam amongst Muslims who have been born Muslim than there is amongst reverts. I feel bad for alot of the reverts because they deal with alot of hostility coming from those who have always been Muslim. Its really sad.


For a girl who is a revert, she should talk to the Imam of her local mosque because he can serve the role of her wali. In terms of ethnic segreagation...I think that will only change at the individual level where we make an effort to support our Muslim brothers and sisters of different ethnitcites by attending their events and different mosques (as opposed to the one which is only for people of a similar culture to our own)

I think we need counselling and more social services run by Muslims to help Muslims because non-Muslims don't understand our relgion and Muslim cultures so they can't provide Muslims who need help with adequate support and advice.....