About mas
Our Mission, Vision, and Achievements
“Islam is a movement for positive change.”
Assalamu Alaikum and Peace Be Unto You
With more than 30 chapters across the U.S. including NY and its three sub-chapters, the Muslim American Society (MAS) is one of the most dynamic and influential Muslim organizations in America. Our mission is to move people to strive for God-consciousness, liberty, and justice and to convey Islam with utmost clarity. Our vision is a virtuous and just American society.
We aim to establish a role model Muslim community that is well integrated and positively contributing to our American society. We believe that Islam is a movement for positive change: comprehensive, moderate, relevant, dynamic, and engaging - a way of life.
As MAS NY continues to grow, we would like to remind our members, friends, partners and supporters that our objectives go beyond the purchase and development of buildings. Real estate, like all our other material assets, are simply tools. Our key priorities include:
Investing in our youth
Encouraging a more cooperative environment between diverse communities and organizations
Establishing a stronger institutional presence for Muslims in America
Training American Muslim religious leaders
Providing sound information about Islam to the public
Making America a better place for all.
These are our higher objectives here at MAS NY. They revolve around empowering and building our human resources to effect positive change in our community. All the roadmaps we draw, whether purchasing a building, opening a school, or planning an event, lead to one destination: the development, refinement and growth of our human resources.
We invite you to check out our core departments: Youth, Tarbiya, and Outreach. These three departments represent the structure and methodology by which MAS NY seeks to develop our human resources. Please join us by contributing to this mission in any way you can. Your support of any MAS NY project, program, or initiative will ultimately benefit these three departments and their mission. Your time, commitment, and financial support keep us moving.
Sincerely,
Muslim American Society, New York Chapter
OUR MISSION
To move people and nurture lifelong, God-centered agents of change.
OUR VISION
A vibrant American Muslim community striving for a just and virtuous society.
milestones
» Recipient of a U.S. federal grant as part of the President’s Faith Based Initiative Program
» Along with other national organizations, MAS participated in meetings with Department of Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano to discuss joint efforts against domestic violent extremists and to work with the governemt to address community concerns about DHS policies such as racial, ethnic, and religious profiling of airports and borders.
» Trained over 1,500 federal, state and local law enforcement officers in an outreach effort to build healthy relations between law enforcement and the American Muslim community. Outreach Director awarded by the Justice Department for the quality of this training.
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» First American Muslim organization to hold a Citizen Civil Rights Hearing on Capitol Hill, co-chaired by the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Congressman John Conyers.
» Commended by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee for outstanding services through "MAS Boots on the Ground", a project that provided assistance to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
» Established MAS Service Corps, which holds an annual meat drive that provides food for shelters, food banks, soup kitchens, and other social service groups serving the poor.
» Received recognition in local and national media for civic and electoral achievements through MAS Freedom Center for Civic Empowerment and the Voting is Power (VIP) program.
» Cited by CNN and other media outlets for positive programs dealing with youth on the key issues of extremism, violence, hate, and intolerance.
» Presented at the Parliament of the World's Religiouns in Melbourne, Australia (December 2009)
» Plenary speaker at an international conference on nuclear abolition, peace, and sustainable development in New York City (April 2010)
» Developed and distrbuted the first American Muslim "Four Year Legislative Agenda" to congressional staff members and representatives.
» Trained over 7,000 civic and community activists.
» Hosted a Muslim Community Action Forum with teh Governor of Massachusetts with over 1,000 community members in attendance.
» MAS leaders serve on the boards of a number of major non-profit organizations and councils, including:
- US Council of Muslim Organizations, founding member
- Steering Committee of Religious Non-Governmental Organizations at the United Nations
- Harvard Univesity's Islam in the West Program's Muslims in Boston Survery
- The Interfaith Alliance
- Inter-religious Coucil for Public Life
- Center for Jewish Muslim Relations
- Religions for Peace
- Interfaith Workers Justice Washington D.C. Mayor's Office on Metropolitan Ministries
- The Temple of Understanding (hosted by the United Nations)