What is MAS?

The Muslim American Society (MAS) is a religious, educational, social, charitable, grass roots organization. MAS embodies the principles and the thinking of the global Islamic movement. Our organization regards Islam as a comprehensive and balanced way of life. MAS delivers a rigorous educational curriculum to its current and potential members that focuses on the systematic development of the Muslim individual, the Muslim family and the Muslim community, in order to become elements for a social revival in the American society. We aspire to raise a generation of committed and disciplined Muslims who will become ambassadors that present the message of Islam and implement the Movement’s vision in all fields of Islamic work. With this outlook, MAS participates in services, programs and activities to enrich and reform the American Society.

When & how did it start?

Muslim American Society (MAS) traces its historical roots back to the call of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Its more recent roots, however, could be traced to the Islamic revival movement that started evolving at the turn of the twentieth century. This movement brought the call of Islam to Muslims worldwide to reestablish Islam as a complete and comprehensive way of life. The call and the spirit of the movement reached the shores of North America with arrival of the Muslim students and immigrants in the late 50’s and early 60’s. These early pioneers and members of the Islamic Movement established in 1963 the Muslim Student Association (MSA) of U.S. and Canada as the rallying point in their endeavor to serve Islam and Muslims in the North American scene. Other services and outreach organizations soon followed, such as the North America Islamic Trust (NAIT), Islamic Medical Association (IMA), Muslim Arab Youth Association (MAYA) and Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA), to name a few. Twenty years later, Islamic Movement followers and sympathizers in North America launched the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) as an outgrowth of the Muslim Students Association (MSA) to serve the needs of the ever-growing number of indigenous American Muslims and immigrants who had opted to reside permanently in North America. Since its inception, ISNA and other organizations affiliated with it have been working diligently under the leadership of many future MAS founding members towards the advancement of the cause of Islam and Muslims in North America. Mindful of the dynamic changes that are taking place within the Muslim community and its surroundings and keeping an eye on the future, a number of Islamic workers and members of the Islamic movement decided in 1992, after a painstakingly slow and tedious process of soul searching and consultation to launch the Muslim American Society (MAS) to complement the work that has been accomplished in the last three decades and to lay the ground for the Islamic work needed to face the challenges of the next century.

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MAS Mission:

To establish Islam in the American society in a legal fashion through the systematic development of the individual, the family, the community and the society at large.

MAS Objectives:

What is MAS DC?

MAS DC is the local MAS chapter in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Muslim American Society (MAS) is a grass roots organization that has members all over the United States. MAS chapters are made up of MAS members that help carry the objectives, vision, and projects of MAS in different cities and states. We focus on:

1. Enhancing our society's understanding and awareness of the values and principles of Islam;
2. Helping in the moral and spiritual development of Muslim individuals, families and communities;
3. Fostering a culture of positive citizenship where Muslims are empowered and contribute to society, seeking to always better our society.

MAS DC aspires to raise a generation of committed and disciplined American Muslims who will shoulder the responsibility of the mission above. The Washington, DC chapter strives to achieve these goals of the Muslim American Society through our various departments and programs.

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Some of MAS DC's Programs:

Below is a listing of just some of the programs that we're offering the communities in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

Education, The education department works with children, parents, teachers, and educational institutions to provide parents and teachers with resources to better support members of the Muslim community and present Islam accurately. The department develops and organizes professional Islamic programs for the whole family; provides community volunteers with the right means and tools to serve the community; educates the Muslim community though numerous workshops and seminars; and learns and benefits from working for our Muslim community.

Tarbiya, Tarbiya aims at rooting the faith, purifying the soul, expanding and refining knowledge & understanding, developing and refining all aspects of character, boosting the commitment, building skills, and instilling the discipline necessary to conduct a successful, fulfilling, meaningful, and balanced life of learning, virtue, commitment, and service of Islam and humanity.

Tarbiya aims at instilling the passion to worship…the desire to serve…the drive to learn, grow, and excel…the skills/character to lead…the discipline of teamwork…a burning sense of mission…an encompassing sense of responsibility. Tarbiya is a key ingredient in the foundation of all of MAS' objectives, aspirations, and processes.

Youth, Conforming to the Society's mission and ensuring a bright future for Islam in America, MAS considers Islamic work among all segments of Muslim youth a top priority. Youth work proved and continues to prove to be one of the most challenging yet effective areas of Islamic work. MAS believes that Tarbiya is a core process to build the Muslim society and this process must take place in the youth age, a very critical period of life. Our youth must be among the leadership of the Muslim community as they were in the past and MAS believes that it is its duty to prepare them for that critical and important role. All objectives and means of Tarbiya are used to develop and train young American Muslim.

Scouts, In Association with the Girl Scouts of America, MAS DC Girl Scouts Troop 3611 offers annual summer outings for girls ages 5 - 11! Activities include swimming, fishing, archery, nature appreciation and other fun filled games for the kids. Islamic values are creatively incorporated into the programs. Look for MAS DC and Boy Scouts of America's Cub Scouts Pack 860 in the near future.

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MAS DC's Institutions:

The Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center (DAH), Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center is an institution dedicated to serve the Muslim community. Dar Al Hijrah draws its strength and guidance from the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessing of Allah be bestowed upon him.

The Washington Islamic Academy (WIA), the Washington Islamic Academy is an elementary school that was instituted in 2000 with grades from pre-K through 5th with an aim to become a full grade school in the near future. The inception of WIA was inspired and driven by the need to raise the standards of education in the process of developing outstanding students who are well-rounded in both secular and religious sciences enabling them to become model American Muslim citizens.