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ILDC to work with NAIF on Leadership Certificate for Imams
ISNA and NAIF leaders at the conclusion of the two-day visitILDC in conjunction with ISNA General Secretariat recently hosted three leaders of the North American Islamic Federation (NAIF) for a series of meetings. The meetings took place on Friday, February 23 and Saturday, February 24, 2007, and included discussions with ISNA directors and staff. In the various meetings and discussions, NAIF was represented by the Chairman of the Board, Shaikh Mwafaq al Ghalaini and its President Dr. Omar Shahin. Also present in the discussions was Shaikh Waleed Almunaisi, member of the NAIF Board.
NAIF leaders met with ISNA staff on Friday afternoon and were given the opportunity to introduce their organization and work. They discussed the programs and services they provide to their members and the Muslim community at large. NAIF focuses on serving imams and providing support in the area of employment and work conditions. Dr. Omar Shahin shared with ISNA staff some of the challenges facing imams in North America. These included pay schemes and work environment. In response to these challenges, one of the projects NAIF is currently working on is providing affordable group insurance to imams as the majority of whom do not receive healthcare benefits.
In the evening, NAIF leaders met with the Indianapolis area Muslim leaders in during a dinner banquette. The banquette was followed by a discussion concerning improving relationships between ISNA headquarters and the greater Indianapolis Muslim community. The meeting was chaired by ILDC Executive Director Dr. Louay Safi, and Dr. Muneer Fareed, ISNA Secretary General, spoke at length on the importance of civil society organizations in the historical Muslim societies. He stressed the need to take advantage of being part of a society with vibrant civic culture and organization, and with considerable margin of freedom that allow Muslim community to organize themselves and to take initiatives to develop their resources and live their values. Dr. Fareed emphasized the need to have better communications among Muslim leaders and offered the support of ISNA to develop the appropriate structure for cooperation among Indianapolis Muslims.
Dr. Safi invited community leaders to share their concerns with the secretary general and the directors, and suggest ways and means to improve working relationship with ISNA. Several community leaders spoke and expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to strengthen the relationship and shared their hope for improved cooperation between ISNA Headquarters and Indianapolis Muslim community.
On Sunday, ISNA directors met in the morning with NAIF representatives and introduced the activities and programs organized by their departments. Directors identified areas for possible cooperation between NAIF and ISNA, including providing training to imams in the area of organizing youth camps and interaction with youth and involving selected imams in ISNA programs and Speakers Bureau. NAIF leaders were invited to send representatives to ISNA’s different events and to se ISNA platform to introduce NAIF activities and concerns. It was also agreed that NAIF will organize a panel during ISNA convention and ISNA leaders will participate in NAIF annual conference.
In the afternoon, NAIF was introduced to the programs and activities of ILDC. NAIF formally requested ILDC to organize weekend training programs for imams. It was agreed t