“And hold firmly, all of you together, to the rope of Allah and do not be divided,” Qur’an (3:103)
In an age of pop culture and religious tensions, American Muslim communities such as Miraaj Academy in Memphis, Tennessee have been leading the charge with transforming the lives of young men around this country.
According to their current Launchgood campaign, “Miraaj Academy follows a holistic approach to education based on memorization of Qur’an, traditional Islamic sciences, challenging academics, and community services.
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“These students are young Muslim boys (ages 14-16) hailing from economically and culturally diverse backgrounds across the United States. The majority of the students require scholarships to attend the program.”
“Miraaj Academy is a four year on campus program, which allows students to study Fiqh, Aqidah, Arabic, Tajweed, American Muslim History, logic, Qur’anic sciences (Ulum al-Qur’an), and regular secular academics (math, language arts),” the founder Hamzah Abdul Malik shared in an exclusive quote to AboutIslam.net.
Many young Muslim converts attend this academy to engage in learning traditional sciences, complete community service projects multiple times a week, and spearhead community projects, such as development of the food pantry, community garden, street cleanup, and teaching kids Qur’an at the masjid.
One example of this is the Table Spread food pantry, where Miraaj students worked together with the local North Memphis community to open the first client choice food pantry in the area. Students also:
- Deliver meals to food deserts in MemphisTutor young children
- Tend the Ayisha Anwara Community Garden
- Some even volunteer as beekeepers for the local mosque’s apiary and partake in harvesting the honey
Improving the Lives of Muslim Converts
Premier Wright
One young Muslim brother, named Premier Wright, converted to Islam at the age of 14 and joined Miraaj Acadmey. He recently enrolled into two colleges (one of them Zaytuna). He will be moving on to pursue his undergraduate studies.
The Founder
Imam Hamzah
Hamzah is one of the few black Americans who had the opportunity to study over 70 books in religious sciences.
He is a Hafiz of Qur’an and an Al-Azhar graduate receiving a degree in Islamic Law and Ethics. He traveled the world to study with renowned Islamic scholars and has over 15 years of formal Islamic education.
In 2012, he returned home to the states to raise his family. He also invested his knowledge and training into community building and social outreach.
With the support of the community, he founded Midtown Mosque, Memphis TN. Now, he hopes to bring all of his experiences and skills together to serve the community.