The verse is known as the ‘Verse of Radiance’, since it describes in great detail the radiance of faith, and gives an implied understanding of the darkness of disbelief, aiming to replace this darkness with light. The ayah begins with ‘Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth,’ a statement very powerful, yet beyond the ability of the human mind to fully comprehend as is.

According to Ibn Abbas RA, ‘Allah is the light of the heavens and the Earth’ means, “the Guide of the inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth”. 

According to another view of Ibn Abbas and Mujahid, it means, “He is controlling their affairs and the stars and the sun and moon.” It is recorded that Ibn Abbas RA said, “When the Messenger of Allah SAW got up to pray at night, he would say: ‘O Allah, to You be praise. You are the sustainer of the heavens and the Earth and whoever is in them. To You be praise. You are the Light of the heavens and the Earth and whoever is in them.’” (AlGhazali, A Thematic Commentary of The Qur’an)

All these statements of the companions RA and the Messenger SAW point to the fact that the light mentioned in this verse is nothing like the light known to us. Instead,

​the light of Allah is incomparable to any other kind of light, just as is true for all other attributes of Allah SWT.

Allah SWT says, “The example of His light is like a niche.” A niche is the recess in a wall used to place things; in the case of this parable it is a lamp. The niche thus represents the chest of the believer and the illuminating lamp is the revelation from Allah SWT (Al-Mubarakpuri, Tafsir Ibn Kathir).

“The lamp is within a glass.” The glass represents the heart and Allah describes the glass as if it were a pearly white star, which implies that the glass combines the qualities of transparency as well as of solidity. The transparency indicates that the light has the ability to not only enter the heart, but to exit from it as well. Hence the light of emaan not only enters the heart of a believer, but radiates out from it as well, illuminating the hearts of those around it. The solidity represents being steadfast upon the truth. Unlike liquids, which take the shape and form of whatever container they are poured into, the believer’s heart is constant upon the truth. It does not change or overturn with the changing events and circumstances, as opposed to the heart of the hypocrite. (Elshinawy, M. An In-Depth commentary of The Diseases of The Heart and Their Cure)


The parable continues “…lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire.” Here the oil represents the pure fitrah; the natural light of guidance that has been inherently placed within each and every human being by Allah SWT. For this reason, Allah SWT says that this oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire – meaning that all humans have the natural tendency to be inclined towards good and to recognize the truth with the light of their pure fitrah.

​In conclusion, the niche is the chest of the believing slave, and the glass is the heart. The illuminating lamp is the revelation that descends from Allah SWT, and the pure olive oil is the sound fitrah. The oil is so pure that it glows on its own. However, when it is touched with the light of fire, it generates the most perfect light, and becomes light upon light. In a similar manner, the believing slave could almost recognize the truth on its own with the light of his fitrah, but when the light of revelation comes and coincides with it, it becomes light upon light. (Elshinawy, M. An In-Depth commentary of The Diseases of The Heart and Their Cure). Hence, light upon light represents the combination of the pure fitrah and the revelation of Allah SWT. 

​Al-‘Awfi narrated from Ibn Abbas that ‘light upon light’ means the faith and deeds of a person, (Al-Mubarakpuri, Tafsir Ibn Kathir) the basis of which lies within the heart. Whatever is nurtured in the heart, manifests itself through the limbs. While the fitrah has the natural tendency to incline towards the commands of Allah SWT, it is only when one actually submits to Him in obedience – making it a matter of both the heart and the limbs – that he exemplifies Light upon Light. For this reason, the companions and their students confined this parable to the heart of a believer alone; due to the fact that it is only the believer who draws benefit from the revelation, even though the pure fitrah has been granted to each and every human being. As for those who reject the revelation, they eventually end up corrupting their fitrah with their wrong doings.

By: Attiya Arif 
Excerpt From Noor Magazine - Volume 1,2021

NEW YORK, NY (September 11, 2021) – Today marks the 20th anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001. It serves as both a reminder of one of the most traumatizing occurrences to unfold on American soil and as a testimony to the resilience of every community living here in America.
Each sector of the nation’s population was physically, emotionally, and psychologically impacted by the three-pronged coordinated attack on the United States.
Muslim Americans bore the brunt of the collective outrage of our fellow citizens as the alleged perpetrators were identified as being Muslims.
Yet, Muslims were also among the dead from the attack on the twin towers after the unprecedented attack. Among the innocent victims. more than 60 Muslim families also lost loved ones that day.
Our beloved brother Tariq Amanullah, a dedicated worker of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), lost his life on the 88th floor in the south tower of the World Trade Center on that day. He left behind a wife and two young children.
Muslims are an integral part of the fabric of American society. They have contributed tremendously to the betterment of this nation. American Muslims have, and always will, reject any domestic or foreign acts of terrorism. We are committed to striving to make the United States and the world a better place for all human beings.

NEW YORK, NY (September 2nd, 2021) – The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) is deeply saddened by the passing of Syed Ali Shah Geelani. No doubt, his death is a great loss to this Ummah and particularly for the people of Kashmir. Muslims in Kashmir, under his leadership, have been resisting a brutal Indian occupation of their homeland.
This brave soul has returned to Allah SWT but his lifelong sacrifices will not be forgotten and the quest for freedom, justice, and basic human rights will continue. May his generations live to witness the freedom! Ameen. He was a symbol of determination and courage against illegal Indian rule in Kashmir and had been under house arrest for more than a decade by the fascist government. He died at his home in Srinagar at the age of 92.
What made Geelani the undisputed leader of Kashmiris all over the world was his unparalleled determination, vision, faith, courage, and consistency— his lifelong sacrifice for the just cause of Kashmir. He did not entertain fear, harassment, and brutality of the oppressive regime nor did prolonged imprisonments deter him. Age did not diminish his resilience and determination. Kashmiris around the world are mourning this devastating loss and his steadfast guidance against the odds.
Not so long ago we grieved the death of another freedom fighter of Kashmir, Br. Ashraf Sehrai who died in Indian custody during the month of Ramadan. May Allah SWT write them both amongst the martyrs and raise them on the Day of Judgment with The Prophets, The Truthful, The Martyrs, and the Righteous.
At this moment, ICNA’s thoughts and prayers are with the Kashmiri people. He SWT will give victory as He promises “And also (He will give you) another (blessing) which you love, help from Allah and a near victory. And give glad tidings to the believers. (61:13)
“ICNA wants our Kashmiri brothers and sisters to know that help from Allah SWT surely will come and that they are not alone in their struggle for self-determination. ICNA joins hands with the World Kashmir Awareness Forum in appealing all the Mosques and Islamic centers around the world to observe this Friday as a day of mourning and to hold funeral prayers for the great leader after the Friday prayers. May Allah SWT grant victory to the oppressed people of Kashmir” –

Mohsin Ansari, MD, President – ICNA.

​Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, describing the Hajj of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), “Then he started to say the words of Tawheed,
‘Labbayk Allahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk. Inna al-hamd wa’l-ni’mata laka wa’l-mulk, laa shareeka lak 
(Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner).’”
[Muslim] 

​Dear Sisters in Islam,
Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu!
Allah says in the fifth chapter of Quran in verse one, “Oh Believers honor your obligations….” This is part of the many verses of Quran relating the beautiful days of Dhul Hajj. Surely none honored their obligations more than the Khalil of Allah, the Prophet Ibraheem (as).  The high status that was given to this friend of Allah was because his obedience and sacrifice was absolute to the One God even before his official status of prophethood.
There is so much we can relate to with this Haneef (the one who walks on a straight line). We can all revisit our commitments to Allah and the work we do for His pleasure. We can realign our priorities and put our goals back into focus. Prophet Ibraheem’s sacrifices and the willingness of his entire family to sacrifice for the sake of Allah teach us what is required of us to seek Allah’s pleasure through implementing the Deen in our lives. Prophet Ibraheem’s legacy was to build the Kaaba so that people around the world could come in a collective way to do this great ibadah. Meaning, what was a local dawah to mankind before this event, became global after his work. The torch of Tawheed which was passed on from one prophet to another now was lit in that sacred land for the whole of humanity.
To the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) Allah says in the Quran,

​ “Today I have perfected your deen for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam as your way of life” (5:3).
The message or global dawah call which started with Prophet Ibraheem to humanity was perfected by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and given to us as his sunnah to follow.
Dear sisters, let us, along with our families, honor these sacrifices and remember the struggles of Prophet Ibrahim (as) by obeying Allah and calling others to Him. Let us sacrifice our time and use our abilities and spend our money for His pleasure and help humanity as it has been obligated on the believers. Let’s remember to include the weak ones, the oppressed ones, the lonely ones from your community in your Eid celebrations. On behalf of ICNA Sisters I wish you all a happy and joyful Eid-al-Adha, insha Allah ameen.
Eid Mubarak!
Wa Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu.

Advocacy day policy agenda includes supporting policing reform, protecting voting rights, countering Islamophobia, and advocating human rights abroad, including Palestinian freedom.
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/21/21) – The US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) is announcing the official launch of the 6th annual National Muslim Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill – this year scheduled to take place virtually from June 21 – 24.
More than 470 registered Muslim delegates and activists will discuss the pressing issues affecting American Muslims with congressional offices, including:

• Supporting the Senate advancement of the House adopted NO BAN Act, Dream and Promise Act, For the People Act, and George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
• Creating a State Department Islamophobia envoy position.
• Recapturing diversity visas lost due to the Muslim and African Ban.
• Supporting human rights overseas, including urging Congress to hold the Israeli government accountable for war crimes committed against the Palestinian people with U.S.-taxpayer support.

“It is vitally important that American Muslims maintain and even expand their political engagement at a time when critically-important issues are being debated and policy decisions are being made that impact all Americans,” said USCMO Secretary-General Oussama Jammal.
“We are excited to announce the resumption of National Muslim Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, in a virtual format that is accessible to nearly every American Muslim across the nation,” said USCMO National Muslim Advocacy Day Steering Committee Chair Robert S. McCaw. “American Muslims are a force for positive change in the halls of Congress and in local and state governments. Our goal is to ensure American Muslims continue to forge stronger relations with their elected representatives and have their voices heard.”[NOTE: The advocacy day had previously been scheduled to take place the prior week but is being pushed back one week to provide additional time for USCMO to support the human rights of Palestinians.]
Last year’s Muslim Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill was postponed due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and USCMO prioritizing the safety of the more than 500 delegates who annually travel from 25 states participate in the event.
Because USCMO’s greatest concern remains minimizing the spread of COVID-19, this year’s Muslim Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill will take place virtually, with delegates joining pre-scheduled meetings with members of Congress and their staff via video conferencing. A second in-person advocacy day may be scheduled later this fall if conditions permit.
You can also find more information on the history of the event and view videos from previous years at: https://uscmo.org/index.php/portfolio-items/uscmos-annual-national-muslim-advocacy-day-on-capitol-hill-2/
USCMO is the nation’s largest umbrella group for American Muslim organizations. For more information about USCMO, visit www.uscmo.org.
USCMO is a coalition of a number of leading national and local Muslim organizations that seeks to promote effective communication and coordination between all American Muslim organizations and sponsor Muslim civic engagement for the good of the nation.
Founding members of USCMO: American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), Muslim American Society (MAS), Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA), The Mosque Cares (Ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed).
Article Courtersy By: USCMO
USCMO is a coalition of several leading national and local Muslim organizations that seeks to promote effective communication and coordination between all American Muslim organizations and sponsor Muslim civic engagement for the good of the nation.
Founding members of USCMO: American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), Muslim American Society (MAS), Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA), The Mosque Cares (Ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed).

Adults have a major role in helping to prevent bullying.
Parents Parents play a key role in preventing and responding to bullying. If you know or suspect that your child is involved in bullying, there are several resources that may help.
 

• Recognize the warning signs that your child is involved in bullying. They could be being bullied, bullying others, or witnessing bullying.  Although these signs could signal other issues, you should talk to your child if they display any sort of behavioral or emotional changes.  Many times kids won’t ask for help, so it is important to know what to look for. If your child is at immediate risk of harming himself or others, get help right away.
• Learn what bullying is and what it is not. Understanding what bullying is is the first step in forming a plan to prevent or respond to bullying with your child. Many behaviors that look like bullying may be just as serious, but may require different response strategies.  You can also learn about:
  • The frequency of bullying;
  • Who is at risk for being bullied and bullying others; and
  • The effects of bullying
• Cyberbullying often requires different strategies than in-person bullying.  Learn how to work with your kids to prevent cyberbullying and how to respond when it occurs.
• Utilize tips and tools to talk to your child about bullying. Opening lines of communication before your child is involved in bullying makes it easier for them to tell you when something happens. It is also important to work with a school to help prevent bullying before it starts.
• If you know or suspect bullying has occurred, learn how to find out what has happened with your child. Understanding what has happened can also help in communicating with school or community officials about the situation.
• If you have determined bullying has occurred, learn how you and school or community officials can work together to support your child, whether they were bullied, bullied others, or witnessed bullying.  Learn also about considerations for specific groups.
• If bullying is occurring at school, learn about what your state requires schools to do in your state’s anti-bullying law. Learn also about federal laws that require schools to address harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex, and disabilities and ways to report situations that have not been adequately addressed to the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice.
• If you have worked with your child and your school and need additional assistance, find resources to help address the situation.

EducatorsSchools are a primary place where bullying can happen. Helping to establish a supportive and safe school climate where all students are accepted and knowing how to respond when bullying happens are key to making sure all students are able to learn and grow. There are many tools on StopBullying.gov specific for teachers, administrators, and other school staff.

• Learn what bullying is and what it is not. Many behaviors that look like bullying may be just as serious, but may require different response strategies. You can also learn about what to look for as warning signs that some of your students might be involved in bullying and who might be at more risk for being involved. Know about special considerations for specific groups.
• Establish a safe school climate. Often the first step to preventing bullying is making sure the students, teachers, and administrators alike are educated about bullying. Tools like the School Bus Drivers Training and Classroom Teacher Training can help. For kids, tools like these webisodes can help them learn about bullying.
• Learn how to engage parents and youth in the building a positive school climate. Learning how to talk about bullying with youth is a critical step.
• Know about your obligations under your state’s anti-bullying law. Learn also about federal laws that require schools to address harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex, and disabilities. Work to establish rules and policies to help let the entire school community know the expectations around bullying and procedures to report and investigate when something happens.
• Assess bullying in your school and understand how your school compares to national rates of bullying.
• Respond when bullying happens. Learn how to stop it on the spot, find out what happened, and support all students involved.
• Avoid misdirections in bullying prevention and response strategies.
• Utilize free Federal and Non-Federal Resources on bullying.

CommunityAs an adult in the community, you play an important role in ensuring all children are safe from bullying. Whether you work in law enforcement, mental health services, community or youth organizations, or any other role that works with children, there are resources to help you take action against bullying.

• First, understanding what bullying is and what it is not is critical in forming bullying prevention strategies. It is also good to know what your state’s laws are about bullying. Some laws, such as in Washington, D.C., cover community organizations as well as schools.
• Utilize the community action planning toolkit to host anti-bullying events in your community and develop a comprehensive strategy for bullying prevention.
• Explore other Federal and Non-Federal resources that might help you in planning your bullying prevention work.
• If you know or suspect bullying is taking place in the community, learn how to respond.
• Learn more about working in the community, including potential partners and additional strategies.

Source: https://www.stopbullying.gov/what-you-can-do/index.html

ICNA joins the rest of world in condemning a terror attack against a Muslim family which left four dead and one in critical condition. The family of five was out on a Sunday evening walk, as a normal family routine, when the driver of a pickup truck intentionally jumped a curb and crashed into them killing four of them.
The perpetrator of this crime is just 20 years old. One must wonder how much Islamophobia, hate and toxic rhetoric he had been exposed to that would encourage him to kill an entire family.
When such incidents happen, we cannot be satisfied with the simple explanation of mental illness or an insincere condemnation.
Condemnation for such crimes is not enough. Muslims cannot and should not be passive in the face of such violence. For too long we have been victims of hate crimes. All that is done in response are condolences and words. Serious steps must be taken to prevent these crimes in the future.
Islamophobia continues to exist in Canada, the USA, Europe, and elsewhere and as we can see, it has deadly consequences. We hold certain politicians, talk-show hosts, and extremists responsible for promoting hate against our communities. For this reason, ICNA calls on lawmakers to pass legislation to treat Islamophobia as a crime in order to stop hatred in its tracks. Hence, anyone found guilty of hate crimes or perpetuating hate in society must be dealt with by full force of the law. People should not be allowed to spread hate under the banner of free speech. Free speech cannot and must not be hate speech!
We pray to Allah  that the four members of our family who died will be written among the Shuhadaa (martyrs). We ask Allah  to grant the child who is in the ICU complete shifaa (recovery) and to ease his struggles. May Allah  grant him a recovery that will heal the pain of the loss of his entire family.
The Islamic Circle of North America is a leading American Muslim organization dedicated to the betterment of society through the application of Islamic values. Since 1968, ICNA has worked to build relations between communities by devoting itself to education, outreach, social services and relief efforts.

The US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), the largest coalition of major national, regional, and local Muslim organizations held a National March for Palestine in Washington, D.C. over the Memorial Day weekend to show support to the Palestinian diaspora in the United States and their families who have experienced colonial annexation of their land and racism.
Partners of the National March for Palestine included the ICNA Council for Social Justice (ICNA-CSJ), American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) – lead organizer, Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Muslim American Society (MAS), Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA), Majlis Ash-Shura: Islamic Leadership Council of New York, Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC) and Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM).
The USCMO have demanded the placement of an arms embargo on Israel, the cancellation of the US-Israel free trade agreement, a shut down of ‘charitable’ organizations supporting Israeli war crimes, and a ban on the import of products from Israel’s illegal colonies. The groups also sought to end weapons transfer to Israel, objecting to gross violations of human rights with US weapons and violations of the Foreign Assistance Act and Arms Export Control Act.
Learn more about AMP’s SanctionIsrael campaign initiative at this link: http://www.sanctionisrael.org
The National March for Palestine drew over 35,000 people demanding justice and peace for the Palestinians under the Israeli occupation. The March for Palestine was the culmination of weeks of organizing protests in solidarity with Palestine nationwide, building on the 73-year resistance campaign to the Nakba. While Israel’s bombing campaigns and military strikes are not new, the wave of Palestinian solidarity has ignited a tsunami wave of youth activism, fresh from the surge of Black Lives Matter and climate mobilizations. USCMO and its partners sensed the urgency of a nationwide grassroots mobilization stemming from campaigns in support of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah and Gaza.
Watch Imam Omar Suleiman’s speech at the National March for Palestine by clicking here.