LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW - Brock University

WILCH: MUSLIMS IN CANADA 47
an organized struggle to change the existing society into an Islamic
Society based on the Qur’an and the Sunna [the life and teachings of
Muhammad] and make Islam … supreme and dominant, especially in the
socio-political spheres. 23
However, he recognises that this is the ultimate goal which can only be
realised with the support of the general populace who alone have the power
to change society into an Islamic Society. The immediate goal is to
“communicate the basic message of Islam to every non-Muslim to gain their
true understanding of Islam, leading to genuine sympathy for and then to
acceptance of the values and concepts which Islam teaches.” 24
The mosques have generally not been very effective in reaching out to
the non-Muslim society. They tend to be oriented more towards reaching the
Muslim and his needs. Dissatisfaction with this excessive inward orientation
has led some Muslims to establish various “paramosque agencies” whose
primary mission it is to do dawah.
One of the most activistic dawah organisations in America has been the
Muslim Student Association (MSA). As a Muslim student has put it:
The establishment of the Muslim Student Association in 1963 has been
an extremely important step towards not only stopping the disintegration
of Muslims in this country but also towards rejuvenating Islam in the
hearts and minds of Muslims and conveying the message of Islam to
nonmembers. 25
With Muslim international students studying at most North American
colleges and universities, the MSA has a tremendous network with hundreds
of chapters covering the continent. In 1983 the organisation boasted more
than 45 000 members. 26 While most of the MSA’s activities might be geared
towards Muslims, their prospectus makes it clear that dawah is their chief
task. 27 The MSA also runs a separate centre, the North American Islamic
Trust, which is responsible for the production and dissemination of Islamic
literature in North America, its catalogues listing hundreds of titles, and for
the training of “Islamic workers”—individuals who will be effective in
communicating the message of Islam to non-Muslims. In 1981, for example,
their Department of Correctional Facilities contacted 4000 inmates in 310
23 Khurram Murad in Abul A’la Mawdudi, The Islamic Movement: Dynamics of Values,
Power and Change, trans. Khurram Murad (Leicester: The Islamic Foundation, 1984) 36.
24 Khurram Murad, Islamic Movement in the West (Leicester: The Islamic Foundation,
1984) 36.
25 The Muslim World 63 (1973).
26 “MSA and Family Builds in the U.S.”, Arabia: The Islamic World Review (May 1983):
63.
27 “Know Your MSA”, brochure, n.d.