ABOUT Young Muslims (YM)
YM is a pioneering national youth organization that has been on the youth scene since the early 90’s. We have established a well organized network of local youth groups that we call NeighborNets (which means network of neighbors) across the United States and Canada. Each NeighborNet is a dynamic youth group which attempts to build a solid understanding of the principles of Islam amongst its members by helping them put these principles into practice. By providing the youth with an Islamic atmosphere where they can form bonds of brotherhood with their peers, they become comfortable with Islam and its teachings. We encourage these youth to take the next step and become the torchbearers of Islamic work in America. We stress the importance of knowing, understanding, and fulfilling our individual and collective obligations as Muslims.
Our History
As Muslim youth groups in the early 90s were popping up across the country in northern New Jersey, New York City, and Chicago, a unifying effort was made in order to establish a national network. Out of these collections of youth groups, Young Muslims was born. Our first charter and national coordinator were established in 1995.
In our twenty years we have grown immensely, expanding to 7 official regions in 5 states. We have established several national efforts and collaborations, producing prolific Islamic workers and bringing thousands closer to Islam. YM continues to challenge itself to grow as an organization, both in numbers and in quality…
Mission Statement
The goal of Young Muslims shall be to seek the pleasure of Allah (SWT) by educating, training, and developing the Muslim youth to be Islamic workers for the establishment of Islam in the United States.
Each of our chapters is called a NeighborNet. Typically, NeighborNets meet on Friday or Saturday. The night includes a discussion on Islamic topic focused on youth issues, followed by fun and brotherhood-building activities. NeighborNet pastimes include basketball, soccer, football, board games, kabbaddi, and more!
The NeighborNets provide the youth a healthy social network within an Islamic atmosphere, instilling a sense of brotherhood. This brotherhood is what guides a young Muslim in establishing their identity in this society. There are over 50 NeighborNets that meet weekly, year-round, across the nation! For more details or questions, email contact@ymsite.com. Check the map below to see if there’s a NeighborNet near you!.
As a part of our mission to create individuals to spread the Deen in accordance with Quran and Sunnah, YM mandates that leadership at all levels build a strong foundation in Islamic Knowledge. We believe that Islamic Literacy is essential to carrying out this blessed work without deviation from the truth.
In order to ensure this, YM has established weekly study circles, in which leadership and other qualified members meet regularly with a qualified murabbi to read and discuss texts spanning across a broad range of topics, including seerah, aqeedah, history, Quran, hadith, fiqh.
Young Muslims retreat is more than just a weekend getaway. It is an environment where you will learn, leadership, confidence, and how to contribute to your community. At Young Muslims camps, we believe in empowering you with the motivation and skills to be a proud Muslim while having fun at campfires, education activities, and building bonds of brotherhood.
YM Retreat, Who is it for?
Young Muslims retreat is all about meaningful relationships. Due to the increase of social media, genuine brotherhood and interaction has deteriorated. We create a fun environment which encourages youth to relax and have a amazing time playing sports, high rope activities, and watersports. Our retreat targets youth between the ages of 15-25
Tarbiyyah Retreats
Young Muslims prides itself in grassroots Islamic work powered by spiritual growth and development. To ensure the spiritual and mental upkeep of our leadership, YM organizes small and regular local conferences called tarbiyyah retreats. We believe in our work and workers having a deep spiritual foundation.
Young Muslims Conference
Formerly “Youth Conference,” YM uses the opportunity of both national and regional ICNA conventions to organize and deliver a conference dedicated to prevalent youth issues. At these conferences, we are able to reach youth from across the nation, members or not, and give scholars the platform to address the Muslim youth of America. In recent years we’ve had conferences focused on restoring your roots, connecting to Allah, building a blueprint to a lasting legacy, avoiding negative influences, and more!
Young Muslims Leadership Conference
Formerly “National Neighbornet Coordinator Conference,” this conference is a coming together of all of YM’s leadership. We use this opportunity to allow our leaders to network with their peers nationally, and learn and grow as leaders both in and outside of the organization. We focus on teachable skills, education, and evolving mindsets and perspectives that they can use to be the best YM worker they can be, and moreover carry on through their lives and work outside of the organization. This year we are looking to partner with other Islamic organizations who want to invest in their future leadership.
Professional Development
As an organization we serve the youth in many ways. Along with spiritual and personal development we also place a big emphasis on professional development, we make sure our members achieve career and academic advancement. We believe that part of carrying the torch of Islam in America is to be integrated and successful in academia and the workplace. To achieve this goal, we are organizing and planning webinars, resume and application editing, career advice workshops, mentorship, connections to alumni, and more!
Activism
On top of being an organization that serves for the youth, we take pride in our collaborations with various organizations in relief and humanitarian efforts nationally and locally through our different NeighborNets. Some of these collaborations include Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD), ICNA Relief, Islamic Relief, WhyIslam, MSA, MIST, and more. We believe in providing our members different opportunities to give back to their communities through these efforts. On a grassroots level, several of our NeighborNets have partnerships with local charities and regularly participate in soup kitchens, food pantries, food distribution, park cleanups, and more! We periodically have national campaigns, such as #OurThreeWinners and #LikeAMirror to amplify and unify the work, as well as to address national issues.. We also have a partnership with Helping Hand and sponsor YM members to travel on international relief efforts, such as Youth For Jordan and Youth for Bangladesh.