An esteemed crowd of over 250 Imams, Directors, and members of the general Muslim public came together to celebrate the launch of the Northern California Islamic Council this past week. The full house of attendees at the inaugural celebration held at the SABA Center in San Jose were from various schools of thoughts, ethnicities, and sects; all of whom came together in support of an organization which aims to create solidarity for the betterment of Muslim relations. The composition of the turnout alone proved evident the establishment of the NCIC is an essential need of the community.
The NCIC was formed with the fundamental philosophy of “shura” or collective wisdom. By offering a common platform for religious and sharia consultation they nurture confidence, trust, and unity between participating Muslim organizations. Furthermore, they seek to serve as the unifying voice for Northern California Muslims by interfacing with the public at large regarding issues of common interest. The work of NCIC will benefit Muslim non profits in many ways, particularly by providing a network of advice and services for Muslim organizations and also by serving as a cohesive voice to the public in areas such as interfaith, government, and media relations.
Representatives of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi and Shakeel Syed, commended the formation of the NCIC and shared their relative experiences working not only with other Muslim groups in Southern California but the larger interfaith community. Imam Nabi Raza Abidi of SABA was pleased to see members of the Sunni community gather at SABA Center, a predominantly Shia mosque. M. Imam Faheem Shuaibe of Masjid Waritheen and Dr. Munir Fareed, Secretary General of ISNA also reinforced the goals of the council and stressed the need for involvement. So far more than 30 mosques and organizations have come on board as members of the NCIC. The counsel’s advisors are comprised of respected scholars such as Dr. Hatem Bazian, Imam Zaid Shakir, Imam Tahir Anwar, and Imam Faheem Shuaib. The Northern California Islamic Council has established the platform for collaboration and advancement and through the involvement of Muslim non-profit organizations can they strengthen their mission moving forward. The NCIC will elect new board members in early January 2008, to learn more please visit their site at www.norcalcouncil.com
