Get a glimpse of the first day of school here!
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًۭا كَلِمَةًۭ طَيِّبَةًۭ كَشَجَرَةٍۢ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌۭ وَفَرْعُهَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ تُؤْتِىٓ أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍۭ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا ۗ وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ
Do you not see how Allah compares a good word [ie puts forth an example] to a good tree? Its root is firm and its branches reach the sky, ˹always˺ yielding its fruit in every season by the Will of its Lord. This is how Allah sets forth parables for the people, so perhaps they will be mindful. [Surah Ibrahim:24-25]
In the Qur’an, Allah compares a good word to a good tree: one that is strong, stable and its branches reach to the sky yielding fruits. Many scholars say that the good word Allah is referring to is the phrase that all Muslims say: “La illaha illallah” — there is no God but Allah.
It was on this foundation of Islam which Al-Huda School first opened its doors 29 years ago to a handful of elementary students, with the hope and vision of instilling within them the love and appreciation of Allah. Over the years, that small number of students has grown and blossomed, with more and more students enrolling in Al-Huda School each Fall.
This Fall marks Al-Huda School’s 30th year of providing the hearts of our youth the outstanding Allah-centric education they deserve. As the school term commences, Al-Huda School will open its doors to over 600 K-12 students, Allahu Akbar!
What began as a small seed planted in an effort to bring people closer to Allah, has now sprouted and grown into the wonderful community we see at Dar-us-Salaam. Like a tree that blooms with many branches, Dar-us-Salaam has grown so many different projects since Al-Huda School’s inception in 1995, including Qur’an Institute, Al-Huda Hifzh School, Ansaar-ul-Birr, Aqabah Karate, and iMuslimah to name a few. Al-Huda School has even expanded beyond our College Park campus with its growing branch in Pennsylvania and the online branch at Al-Huda Global.
All of that has been made reality with the blessing and aid of Allah, and with the support and trust of you, our community members. Dar-us-Salaam continues to build on its mission of establishing a model Islamic community that strives to uphold the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah. As Al-Huda School enters its 30th year this Fall, we ask Allah to allow the tree and branches of Dar-us-Salaam to continue to grow and blossom alongside its family and community members, and to bless the fruits of our communal efforts put forward for His sake.
(A picture of the first class of 1995)
Here is a letter from Dr. Haroon Baqai in celebration of Al-Huda School’s 30th anniversary:
On Monday, August 19th, 2024, Al-Huda School opened its doors for the 30th year in a row, Allahu Akbar! As our bright-eyed students poured in with their backpacks, supplies, and parents in tow, it brought to mind the essence of the work we do here at Dar-us-Salaam: building a model Islamic community.
Amidst the hustle and bustle and the excitement of welcoming everyone to the first day of school, it was such an honor to witness people from all walks of life came together this morning for a unified cause: to ensure their children receive the care and nurture of the Allah-centric education that we provide at Al-Huda School. Our motto has always been that the heart of education is the education of the heart.
Educate it with the love of Allah, nurture it with the Fitrah of Iman, and encourage it to look at the world through the lens of a believer. Together, we are an embodiment of the mission of Dar-us-Salaam. From our staff, admin, and teachers, to our parents and students, we’ve all come here together by the blessings of Allah, for the sake of Allah.From our hearts to yours, thank you for being a part of our Muslim community
Jazakum Allahu Khairan,
Haroon Baqai
