A US Islamic news site has reported on the 35th joint annual convention of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) in association with the Muslim American Society (MAS). According to the report:
A few weeks ago, on Memorial Day weekend, the Iheld their 35th annual combined convention at the Hartford Convention Center in Hartford, Connecticut. Along with the conference, there was a parallel youth conference which was funded and organized by the Young Muslims of North America and the Muslim Student Association. Over 14,000 Muslims from all over the United States and Canada were in attendance for this year’s conference. In the spirit of educating the masses about the importance of family, the organizers of the conference made this year’s theme “Save Family: Save Society.” A short list of speakers included Sh. Yasir Qadhi, Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan, Ustadh Wisam Sharieff, Sh. Abdul Nasir Jangda, Yahiya Emerick, Dr. Ingrid Mattson, Sh. Ali Sulieman, Imam Khalid Griggs, Sh. Jafer Sebkhaoui, Imam Omer Suleiman, Dr. Altaf Hussain, Dr. Talat Sultan, Sh. Yasir Fazaga, Sh. Mohammed Faqih and Imam Faraz Khan. Though the conference overall was truly a success, I personally felt that the Youth Conference which was put together by YM and MSA was the highlight of the whole convention. This youth conference’s theme this year was “Happily Ever Hereafter?” and addressed issues pertaining to life in the grave, heaven and hell, meeting with Allah, and the like. With the efforts of the organizers from YM and MSA, almost every session in the youth conference would fill up before the session would even begin! After all the chairs would be occupied, brothers and sisters were standing, sitting on the floor, kneeling, standing by the entrance of the hall, etc. There simply would not be enough room to accommodate everyone in the hall. Not to mention that the intensive class which the organizers had put together reeled in more than 100 youth at 8am Sunday morning!
In addition to the presence of Ingrid Mattson, the President of Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), also listed as speaking at the conference were the following individuals tied to the Global Muslim Brotherhood:
- Jamal Badawi (Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), one time (MAS) officer)
- Siraj Wahhaj (ISNA)
- Talat Sultan (former ICNA President, ISNA incorporator)
- Sulayman Nyang (Howard University, frequent speaker at ISNA and CAIR events)
- Lord Nazir (presumably Nazir Ahmed, UK House of Lords and with close relations to the UK Muslim Brotherhood)
The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) is a less well-known part of the Muslim Brotherhood network in the U.S., generally thought to be closely tied to the Jamaat-e-Islami organization of Southeast Asia, itself known to be allied with the Muslim Brotherhood. ICNA is particularly close to the Muslim American Society, a part of the US Muslim Brotherhood and tied to the Egyptian organization, and the two organizations have been holding joint annual conventions for many years. Previous posts have discussed ICNA ad campaigns intended to present Islam to the U.S. public. The New York campaign drew national media attention when it was reported that Siraj Wahajj, an American Islamic convert associated with the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood and an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, was behind the New York campaign.