By Maria Mozaffer, Director of Advocacy and Policy, IL Muslim Civic Coalition

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The IL Muslim Civic Coalition first and foremost is a Coalition of individuals and organizations dedicated to uplifting underrepresented voices and communities.

By Salma Mirza, MPower Change Senior Campaign Manager

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As we approach the end of this holy month, we at MPower Change ask you to donate zakat and sadaqa to Muhsen.

Muhsen is helping to lead Muslim communities build a future where people with disabilities are not only “accepted--but welcomed, valued, and empowered” through their educational, advocacy, and accessibility programs and directories.

By Abed Alsolaiman, Fellow at Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition

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American Muslim kids have this feeling at one time or another...being the odd one out, being the butt of a joke, feeling misunderstood or mistrusted. 21st Century America has not been kind to our community, especially on playgrounds, in classrooms, and in public spaces.

By Ulaa Kuziez

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As the last few nights of Ramadan come to an end, I find myself reflecting on the short yet poignant verses of Surah Al-Ma’un, the Surah of Small Kindnesses.

By YaQutullah Ibraheem Muhammad

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As we think about Islam and the tradition of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we learn much from each of his examples, ways that we can build our relationship with Allah directly. Our faith encourages us to eat well and teaches us that our bodies are a trust from Allah.

By Linda Sarsour:

As we enter the last 10 nights of Ramadan, we at the MPower Change team wanted to share with you some of the ways we are putting our belief in justice into practice during these precious few days.

By Imrul Mazid and Abbas Naqvi, Philly Muslim Freedom Fund (PMFF)

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I spent Ramadan 2018 inside a penitentiary. The Muslim chaplain at California State Prison, Solano had organized an Eid, and it remains one of the most significant experiences of my life.

By Amir Badat

People move. It is a natural part of life. Whether it is to find opportunity or escape crisis, people move to new neighborhoods, cities, and countries everyday.

By Lindsey Nicole, Certified Holistic Nutritionist

The years that followed my conversion to Islam in 2007 were the most peaceful years of my entire life. I spent years eagerly seeking knowledge and found a sense of belonging amongst my local Muslim community.

By Sinthia Shabnam, Legislative Fellow at Poligon

2020 was an unprecedented challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic took over 500,000 lives and left millions of Americans jobless. We cannot ignore that Black, Brown, Indigenous, and immigrant households often suffered the most.

By Mariam Sabri

When Donald Trump’s four-year long ‘Muslim ban’ was lifted this January, scholars of Muslim origin found relief in an academy fraught with obstacles for many minority groups. I initiated the naturalization process the day Trump instituted the ‘Muslim ban’ in January 2017—fearing impediments to my scholarship and separation from my American-born infant daughter.

Art by Saba Taj

By Nahid Soltanzadeh

That is my last memory of feeling so close to God. I don’t know where those other girls are in their spiritual journey. I don’t know if they still identify as girls. I know I don’t. I also know that the complicated friendship I had with one of them, the poetic image of me laying on the ground breathless by the sight of a shooting star and yet only hearing the sound of her heavy breathing, the feeling I didn’t have words for at the time, was simply love.

By RISE (Reviving the Sisterhood for Islamic Empowerment)

Reviving the Sisterhood for Islamic Empowerment believes that Muslim women are the greatest assets in our communities, so we built a platform to amplify the voice and power of Muslim women.

By Queer Crescent

As our communities respond and persevere amidst COVID-19, health crises, and financial implications of missing or losing work, we are also invited into sacred practices of Ramadan. This time reminds us of the importance of zakat, the Islamic mutual aid practice around redistribution of wealth.

By Poligon Education Fund

Poligon Education Fund is a national, non-profit organization that seeks to amplify American Muslim voices in Congress through increased engagement in the policymaking process.

By Ociele Hawkins

this was before Reek and Keem got killed. that night it was me, Chop, Keem, and Omar, who was driving. he was only about 3 or 4 yrs older but back then that was the difference between a bus pass and a license.

By Muhi Khwaja