At Dar-us-Salaam, we strive to implement the Qur’an and the Sunnah in our policies and the way we run the organization. The regular Shura Townhalls is how Dar-us-Salaam implements the Islamic concept of “shura” – or consultative leadership.
On Saturday, January 24, 2026, our community members braved the cold weather and gathered at Dar-us-Salaam to meet with the Shura regarding updates on all departments. Alhamdulillah, we had approximately 60 attendees, both in-person and online, and the meeting began with a reminder from Imam Safi Khan on preparing our hearts and minds for the upcoming month of Ramadan.
After providing the community with our most recent updates, the floor was opened for everyone to give their advice and ask questions.
Here’s a recap on our most recent updates:
Our Al-Huda School PA managed to secure a new waterfront building by the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, PA. No money from Dar-us-Salaam was used for the purchase, but many of our donors and community members both in Maryland and in Pennsylvania helped in raising the $1.2 Million needed to acquire the building, Alhamdulillah. This much larger facility will help Al-Huda School PA expand beyond just an elementary school, and the new location is much more accessible to Muslims in the local PA area.
Our Finance team has grown with the recent additions of Br. Aijaz Hasan as our full-time Budget Analyst and Br. Muhammad Arefin as our full-time Accountant. Increasing the capacity of the Finance team has been a major goal of the Shura because Dar-us-Salaam now manages over $11 Million in annual revenue.
Our recent Sacred Bond matrimonial event was a success, with 19 potential matches made and introduced. We look forward to repeating this event in the future in shaa Allah.
Travelight trips with Dar-us-Salaam have made a comeback! In 2025, Dar-us-Salaam hosted two Islamic history trips to Al-Andalus in Spain after Ramadan, and another trip to Morocco at the end of November. Both of these trips were aimed at enhancing our student’s and community’s connection with their rich Islamic heritage, and were excellent opportunities to complement the Islamic history they learned at school. This June, we have an upcoming cruise to Alaska — join us to appreciate the stunning beauty of Allah’s creation! Visit darussalaam.co/alaska to find out more.
FAITH Publications presented its high school Islamic Studies curriculum at the Global Association of Islamic Schools conference in Sri Lanka in October, 2025 to over 350 Islamic scholars and educators from all over the world. The curriculum was received with overwhelming excitement and support, with many opportunities for expanding into different schools. Our FAITH team has been in contact, and having meetings and presentations, with leaders and administrators of international schools post-conference. We’re excited to see where this leads, in shaa Allah!
Dar-us-Salaam is always working on getting grants to help with funding costs. A recent Maryland state grant received has allowed us to install a new fence around the building grounds, and a front gate will be installed in the near future in shaa Allah, enhancing our campus security and keeping our children, staff, and community safe.
Dar-us-Salaam allows and encourages other non-profit organizations to come onsite and fundraise for their causes throughout the year, especially during Ramadan at Taraweeh. An attendee asked if Dar-us-Salaam could publish a calendar with the dates of when these organizations will come, and the feedback has been well received by our Donor Care Office. Look out for email announcements soon, in shaa Allah!
Lunch was served by our onsite food truck Gather & Grill and desserts were made by our Al-Huda School alumna Sr. Jeneen Ashkar who has started her own small business,
Gigi Bakes [@gigi.thebaker on Instagram].
“Alhamdulillah, we’re really grateful to Sr. Jeneen for providing us with delicious desserts,” said Sr. Zeenat Kauser, Director of Internal Operations in the Donor Care Office. “We’re always excited to invest in the entrepreneurial enterprises of our alumni.”
Dar-us-Salaam encourages participation in Town Hall meetings for community members of all ages. These gatherings provide an opportunity to voice concerns, ask questions, and stay informed. For those unable to attend, we invite you to reach out to us directly to share your feedback or inquiries at shura@darussalaam.org.
