Only weeks before the annual conference of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), critics of the group (and of Muslims in general) were hurling a new accusation toward it - the awkward appellation of "unindicted co-conspirator" as described in a federal lawsuit against a Texas charity where the organization's name surfaced. But with an organization that now crosses most of the American Muslim landscape, a connection between ISNA and any Muslim would be near impossible to avoid. Forty-four years since the umbrella group began its conferences in Chicago, the attendance list has swelled to over 40,000 people who collaborate and contribute from nearly every aspect of American Muslim life.

ISNA's Shura council helps to provide guidance on fiqh matters, economic advice regarding the lucrative American Muslim demographic is provided and sought by Muslims and non-Muslims alike, and political collaboration with high-level US government representatives - unheard of 15 years ago - is now seen as a priority. Socially, the group promotes projects covering domestic violence, interfaith activities, and education - though you could be forgiven for viewing the annual conference as little more than one big party (more half the attendees are under 25 years old). Good timing, as there appears to be much to celebrate this year.

Non-Muslim religious and political leaders were in abundance, thanks in part to the efforts of Dr. Ingrid Mattson, the group's groundbreaking female president. The president of the Union for Reform Judaism, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, addressed the crowd and received a standing ovation in response. "There exists in this country among all Americans," remarked Yoffie, who pledged to continue working with the group, "a huge and profound ignorance about Islam." The Rev. Jesse Jackson also made a surprise appearance (so unscheduled that he was placed as the fourth speaker in an environmentalism panel), where he called on the crowd to "fight for the civil rights of all, not just Muslims". Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean concurred, insisting that Muslims "stand up and be heard" by running for office. To underscore his point, the first Muslim in Congress, Representative Keith Ellison (a Democrat, not surprisingly) stood by his side.

However, it was the governmental outreach - demonstrated this year by the presence of booths staffed by the Department of Justice, US Agency for International Development, and the Department of Homeland Security - that was irksome to some (though not all) conservative commentators. At least two members of Congress wrote a letter of protest, calling government outreach to Muslims at the event "absolute insanity" and accusing ISNA of "strong links to extremism." Yet for the government officials present and scores of other attendees (the event was open to anyone paying the entrance fee), such links were non-existent. Conference topics included the importance of civic engagement in the larger American community, improving Sunni-Shia relations, women's rights, and the environment.

The conservative protests come at a time when ISNA's leadership is undergoing a dramatic transition in an attempt to become more dynamic and responsive. Along with the recruitment of more American-born and/or raised leaders, programs are being tailored to focus on domestic issues rather than the traditional foreign policy concerns. In an attempt to reach out to other metropolitan areas and broaden the organization's reach, the conference will be moving to Columbus, Ohio next year after being held nearly every year in Chicago. And as for the "unindicted co-conspirator" label, ISNA isn't taking it lightly, seeking an immediate retraction of the allegations. "ISNA is not now and has never been involved in any covert or illegal activity and has never supported any terrorist organizations,” explained ISNA Vice President Imam Mohamed Magid. "Rather, ISNA is an open and transparent membership organization that strives to be an exemplary and unifying Islamic organization." These efforts were not lost on some British attendees who found the gathering less dogmatic, sectarian, or political than ones back home.

Conference attendees took the negative attention in stride, preferring to be inspired (perennial favorites Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Imam Zaid Shakir from the Zaytuna Institute drew standing-room-only crowds) or commercially satiated by the convention's 300+ bazaar vendors. Entertainment ranged from the ISNA-sanctioned show MC'ed by video blogger Baba Ali and featuring artists such as Kareem Salama and Dawud Wharnsby, to off-site (and non-endorsed) events such as the IMAN Community Café in southside Chicago with its "turntable dhikr" (remembrance of God) and hip-hop Muslim poetry, and the Muslim punk "Taqwapalooza" concert, held in a sweaty downtown residence complete with mosh pit. Hardly the Islamo-fascism some would have you expect.

With a hand in US government policy-making, an embrace of commercialism, and a nod to a still-developing American Muslim culture (and even counter-culture), ISNA is stretching hard to broaden its influence - and largely succeeding. Unlike many Muslim gatherings around the world, the ISNA conference, as with the group itself, has grown to become a relatively non-judgemental affair. Only time will tell if the organization gets the same from its critics in return.

Janaab Hajibaba

"I am not sure if the above malady can be strictly relegated to people of the East. Kindly study the whole process of the United States going to War with Iraq, it fits the above label to the dot."

America has power. If muslims had the same power, I doubt we'd do anything differently, in-fact, I'm sure you'd agree imperial islam was a disaster. But conflating the consequences of this power to the substrate of the culture of the people is a mistake.

I too am concerned with the consequences of the corporate success of US muslims. But Islam is not utopian to consider becoming rich a sin. The challenge of orgs. like ISNA is to develop socio-cultural mechanisms which will urge the rich to resist certain ugly consequences. But first, lets open the doors and question everything short of the shahadah to allow some sincere debate. Looks like they're doing this, and personally, I'm confident in the sincerity and intelligence of Ingrid Mattson et al. (i.e. umar abdullah, jackson etc.). Incidentally, I think we should look at Blackamerican Islam very closely to achieve the above.

Just looking in from the other side of the Pond and I've realised that Hajibaba must be a student activist of second generation immigration background. It explains the stream of nonsensical comments that probably sounds good for his student activist buddies, but wouldn't cut ice with anyone with intelligence greater than a newt. And you think your president is stupid: just look at the other frogs in the swamp from where he came.

>>> So far there has been no "Vision" forthcoming from anybody here. <<<

Its a news site. What do you want from news?

As for the accusations that Muslims who are active in organisations like ISNA are no different to non-muslims shows that you gravely undermine the capacity of 5 daily salaah, paying zakaah, fasting in Ramadaan etc.

SO these people don't use their resources well enough (or to your liking I should say) ... guess what .. living in a democratic country means YOU can make the change. If you provide good pro-active solutions ... people will join you. Its my impression that many Muslims want to contribute and that they'll pull their heads out of their small, contained and marginalised environments if they knew how to. You know how to. So show everyone.

>> are no different to non-muslims shows that you gravely undermine the capacity of 5 daily salaah, paying zakaah, fasting in Ramadaan etc <<<

ho ho ho. bull. Non-Muslims also pay Zakah, its called social security and unemployment etc etc. Infact the non-Muslim system of tax collection and disbursement is far more sophisticated then the collect and ship to overseas terroritst organizations system that Muslims in North America have in place, haw haw haw.

As you should very well know, the average Muslim consumes more food per day during Ramadan then any other month, this is a well known phenomenon. So, a non-Muslim is better off not fasting. Spiritually that is.

I think you grossly overestimate the capacity of the five pillars the way Muslims practice them in North America.

And in so far as your tart self deception that you live in a "democractic country", ha haha. What idiocy. You live in a Military Industrial State my friend. Stop producing weapons tomorrow for economic purposes, and we shall see if anybody even bothers peeing on democracy while the economy shrinks by 75%. Ghulam is a very appropriate moniker for you, bud.

I've gone to the ISNA convention 3 years in a row.
The second convention i volunteered to babysit. I worked 15 hours a day for 4 days in a row and on my 2 hour break, the teachers gave me a couple of kids to feed lunch while they shopped.

I asked repeatedly to be allowed off for 1 hour to see a speaker I was interested in.
Unfortunately, I didnt have the 40 or 90 dollar 'fee' to access the arena.

The 3rd visit, I looked in vain for ONE charity group that actually does charity in America. The only group out of 40- was Islamic Relief Services, and their charity was giving bookbags to native american kids in Arizona.

Ive also tried to find ANY group that helps abused and battered muslim women.
The only group I found was apa ghar, in Chicago- but it is available ONLY to asian women.
Their 4 staff million dollar facility had no woemn in it being helped.
After 3 full weeks of calling almost every day, I finally received a callback from a staffmember who informed me that the pakistani woman i was trying to place had to call the police to be 'helped'.
I explained that she had been living in my home, and neede help, and was not currently being abused, but i was struggling to support my self.

Of course I was told I'd be called back, which never happened.
I worked as a judge at the voting polls in 2000.
I asked everyone WHY they were voting for Bush!
No one seemed to have much of a clue.

As a woman who has fed 100 homeless people a day for a year by my own intiative- I am extremely disappointed in my experiences of attempting to motivate muslims to volunteer.

I have a very hard time differentiating between muslim suburbanites and average american suburbanites at this point.
I found the convention to be a big marketplace- with overconsumption and mass shopping being its only distinctive qualities.

I have to say, after 9 years of volunteering myself, cleaning the mosques, cooking for ramadan and cleaning up afterwords- babysitting kids, giving energy- the only repsonse ive ever gotten from other muslims is to tell me how ALLAH will bless me as they walk by-

I already KNOW allah will bless me!
How about someone pick up a rag or help me scrub a toilet or sink for once!!!!!!!

oo- i wanted to clarify- i asked people at the mosques why they were voting for bush- not at the polling place.

of course you dont ask people who they vote for or why at the polls.

im hoping muslims get a little more savvy politically

thank you for the email message joshara- unfortunately, hamdard is the same organization.
but thanks for the effort- i see its expanded to bosnians-

my mosque actually sent a bosnian lady to live with me once (alos a nigerian lady and once a homeless cat who gave birth to 7 babies the next week- my friend called me ummhurairah (mother of cats) and sure enough the next week mehitabel the fertile showed up- i said to my friend, please never call me that again!)

peace