ISM is a non-profit organization serving the Muslim community of Michiana area including South Bend, Elkhart, Goshen, Niles(MI), and Plymouth. The purpose of this Archive Collection is to provide freely available information about The ISM, its mission and goals, and a historical understanding of the establishment and growth of the ISM Community. Also, the main goal is to provide members of the community and others with information concerning the mission, purpose, and daily operation of the ISM in the Michiana area. ISM offers educational, social and cultural services to the Muslim community according to Islamic teachings and principles. ISM is also actively involved in promoting understanding towards Islam and Islamic teachings to the area non-Muslims via various avenues.

The ISM is affiliated with NAIT (North Atlantic Islamic Trust and along with many other Islamic organizations, the ISM properties have been placed in trust with NAIT in order to help support the mission of the ISM.

In the United States, corporate culture has permeated all spheres of life, and the religious world is not immune to its influence. Under the influence of this prevalent corporate culture, most mosques are governed by a Board of Trustees/Directors. Such a governing board may be tempted to act as if its reach of governance is unfettered to the extent that it can change the use of the property, ignore important Islamic principals such as the avoidance of Riba, use it (the Mosque)as collateral for a loan, prohibit some universally accepted mode of worship, permit an un-Islamic activity, etc. None of such actions would be feasible if the property is part of the NAIT Waqf Family of Islamic Centers.

Since 1973, Muslim communities have entrusted as Waqf, titles of properties in 42 States to NAIT. More are added every year. Market value of these is several hundred million dollars. Waqf properties and the value of these properties are Restricted Assets as Waqf on a perpetual basis, to serve the Islamic objectives prescribed at inception. Neither the donor, nor the beneficiary, not even NAIT, can encumber or unilaterally dispose of these Waqf communal properties. Perpetual status of the Waqf properties and the unalterable sanctity of the will of the donor are hallmark of NAIT’s Waqf program. A waqf property can be replaced with another one of the same use and equal benefit to the beneficiary community, to the fullest extent feasible. It is not permissible, for example, to apply sale proceeds of a deserted and unusable masjid to a cemetery, retirement/assisted living, or other facilities even though those are to serve Muslims of the same locality.

For more information concerning NAIT (the North American Islamic Trust) see: http://www.nait.net/

All items are in the Public Domain under the Creative Commons Non-Attribution License. They are free to use for educational and informational purposes and free to reproduce and distribute.