Honoring Legacy, Inspiring Service: ILM Foundation’s 25 and Masjid Al Shareef’s 50 Years of Impact
By Nusaybah Al-Mansur, Contributing Writer
On Saturday, January 18th 2025, Ilm Foundation, in partnership with Masjid Al Shareef and the African American Muslim Pioneer Foundation (AAMPF) hosted Living Legacies of Service and Empowerment, an event dedicated to honoring the pioneers of Ilm Foundation’s 25-year efforts to continue providing essential services to vulnerable populations across Los Angeles.
Acknowledged for spear-heading long-standing efforts to assist those struggling, these pioneers and African American Muslim community leaders included founder and esteemed elder Imam Saadiq Saafir, Co-founder and Board Member Naim Shah Jr., founder of Dawah 2000 and organizer of the first Ramadan Feeding project in 1999, Naim Shah Sr., and resilient community builder resident Imam of Masjid Al Shareef, Imam Abdul Hafiz. Also present was Khalid Shah, founder of Stop the Violence Increase the Peace Foundation, and founding board member of A.A.M.P.F.
At Masjid Al-Shareef, Long Beach, nearly 100 attendees gathered in support of this event, many having played a role in the success of Ilm Foundation’s Humanitarian Day, an annual event supported by local organizations to provide services and essentials to those in need- either as funders, community partners, or volunteers. The event was moderated by Ibrahim Dayfan, executive director of Masjid Al Shareef.
Imam Abdul Hafiz, Resident Imam Masjid Al Shareef opened the program by saying:
“We thank Allah (stw) so much for this historical moment when we look and see where we are. Something that began with a vision of Imam Saadiq Saafir of Masjid Ibaadillah and Naim “Papa Shah” of Dawah 2000 putting their minds together to come up with this idea 25 years ago to show what Islam meant not just to Muslims, but to our Connection to humanity.”
“We will be [Masjid Shareef] 50 years next month. The descendants of slaves who found the message of Islam to fully embrace it are here 50 years later still standing tall, standing strong doing this work of establishing Islam in this part of the world,” said Abdul Hafiz.
With the Humanitarian Day Pillar Awards Recognition, Ilm Foundation honored organizations and individuals for their dedication to service and assisting those in need.
The recipients of the Humanitarian Day Pillar Awards were Islamic Society Orange County, Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, Charmaine Holland, Masjid Al Shareef, Islah LA, and Taswiyah Mutazz.
The Living Legacies of Service and Empowerment event was not just a gathering, but a reminder of the path of faith-driven service that was paved by both community leaders and members.
Humanitarian Day Project Director and host Hanif Madyun emphasized the importance of community support and empathy for those in need.
“The main goal is to raise awareness about the condition of some of our neighbors,” he said. “Homelessness and poverty in Los Angeles are multi-layered issues that we have not solved, but we have provided aid to over one hundred thousand individuals who are suffering, and they are all our neighbors.”
While planning efforts for 2025, Ilm Foundation remains steadfast in its commitment to addressing homelessness and urban poverty in Los Angeles.
Ilm Foundation will host quarterly essential distributions at Gladys Park and Masjid Al Shareef, ensuring that individuals facing hardship receive the necessary resources throughout the year. To address the unique faith-based needs of homeless Muslims, the Homeless Muslim Gladys Park Care Team will also be launched.
Additionally, Ilm Foundation will continue its ongoing partnership with R.E.B.O.U.N.D, an initiative dedicated to assisting victims of Los Angeles fires, aiming to provide relief and support rebuilding efforts. Ilm Foundation is also set to develop the ILM e-Project Management Course. Furthermore, Ilm Foundations Coalition to Preserve Human Dignity West-Coast Brotherhood Conference and Leadership Townhall plans to foster collaboration and dialogue to drive meaningful change.
As the Ilm Foundation moves forward, the presence of the honorees serves as a symbol of the power of faith, service, and compassion. With ongoing and future initiatives, Ilm Foundation continues to embody devotion to aiding the less fortunate, increasing the impact of African American Muslims by continuing to deepen their commitment to those in need.