Imam, Arabic imām (“leader,” “model”), in a general sense, one who leads Muslim worshippers in prayer.
In a global sense, imam is used to refer to the head of the Muslim community (ummah). The title is found in the Qurʾān several times to refer to leaders and to Abraham.
Family. We live in an era in which the nature, function, and structure of the family have been thrown into question. Many, for example, would consider an unmarried couple, a single mother, and homosexual couples as equally legitimate expressions of the family unit.
Islam takes a more conservative stance, arguing that the family is a divinely inspired institution, with marriage at its core. Let’s explore what the family means for Muslims living in minority communities in the West.
Teen. The United States is home to Muslims from all walks of life and ethnicities. Some are immigrants and others are born and reared Americans; yet, that does not diminish the difficulties Muslim youth sometimes face on account of their religious identity.
Muslim teenagers—both American born and first generation immigrants—are torn between the norms and values taught at home and the youth culture of public high schools in the U.S.
College Student. It can be extremely difficult being a Muslim college student. In many cases, what a typical non-Muslim college student knows about Islam or Muslim individuals is what they have seen on the television or heard on the radio. More specifically, in today’s political climate, it’s entirely possible that what they have heard has a negative slant. This can lead to an unconscious bias at best, and at worst, outright discrimination against Muslim students who have done nothing offensive to anyone.