History of MYNA - Part 7 the 80's - 1987

MYNA Structure Goes More local, Coasting through the 80s and into Status Quo

1987 or 88 - ISNA President Ahmad Zaki Hammad writes an article on the state of ISNA in an 87 (or maybe 88) issue of Islamic Horizons and mentions MYNA and youth in a section: “I need not remind that in our youth bursts our future. Youth training and educational programs on Islam and community service must start early and intensively. ISNA offers the Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA) for those of leadership caliber to sharpen their knowledge, their Islamic commitment, and to prepare them for the roles awaiting them. Islamic Scouting is another of our important concerns. But parents are responsible to commit their children, their help, and their resources to these ventures. Also, I urge the youth themselves to remember that our generation did not emerge from the wombs of our mothers middle-aged. We know that your hope and aspirations may be bigger than you and bigger than us. The Qur’an teaches use the du’a, O Allah, forgive us and forgive those among our brothers and sisters who preceded us in faith.”

1987 - At the start of the year Hasan AlTalib is MYNA president, Mukhlis Balbale of Wheaton IL is VP, Maseer Bade is treasurer, Indianapolis, Hibba Abugideiri is secretary, Reston VA. There are two representatives for Canada regions 1 (Windsor and Kingston, Ontario) and 2 (Gloucester and Ottawa, Ontario), and two representatives for US East Zone region 1 (Buffalo, Amherst NY), 2 (Newark New Jersey, Pelham Manor, New York), 3 (one rep, Herndon, Virginia), and 4 (Okeechobee and Panama City, FL). Central Zone region 1 (Plainfield and Cincinnati OH), region 2 (Chicago and Savoy, IL), region 4 (Houston Texas, Port Arthur Tex), and western zone region 1 (one rep, Corvallis, Oregon) and region 2 (one rep, Milpitas, California). They are spread throughout the country. Ahmad Zaki Hammad is the president of ISNA. Ahmed ElHattab is the President of MAYA.

The MYNA standards are used: “A minimum level of knowledge and service is required for youth to attend the Winter Continental Leadership Training Conference in December. Youth must earn a specific number of points during the year to qualify. The amount has been established to reflect a minimum standard. MYNA national and zonal leadership will be elected by and from those attending the conference. The standards cover four areas: Islamic knowledge, Islamic commitment, leadership potential and service.” Kids asked if they pray, how much, asked how much Quran and hadith they know and how many Islamic things they go to or schools they attend, visit the sick, wear Islamic dress, etc.

Local youth units must have at least 5 members, between ages of 12-18 and in jr. high and senior high school. Membership is mentioned a minimum of $7,00 for the first family member and two more for each additional. Al local members will consequently receive national membership cards, the new dawn and other communications and services. It says a local fee can also be added if desired. The local unit is required to hold regular activities. And it must have an advisor at least two counselors approved by the local community organization or group to serve as resource and guidance persons.

Nadifa Abdi (?) gave a proposed budget for the 1987 year with a total spent being $77,750 and total raised at $154,800.00. Can this be right? The figures seem real, but this must be the ISNA budget it’s referring to.

MYNA publishes two issues of New Dawn Magazine this year and holds an “over-populated” 1987

Jan./Feb. – 1987 – The Islamic Horizons for Jan/Feb. features a mention of MYNA on the cover with the blurb “MAYA, MISG, MYNA Meet.” Inside in the table of contents there is both a “Youth” [said to be on pg. 20-26] and a “MYNA” [said to be on page 26] section listed. Inside are a number of articles mentioning MYNA and a picture spread from the Dec. Conference.

-An article entitled “Haleem Conducts Workshop” mentions Amer Haleem’s newsletter workshop from the December Winter Conference.

-In the story “New ISNA Recreation Building,” it is announced that a new recreation facility will built to accommodate youth using ISNA HQ as a campground (meaning MYNA). “ISNA Secretary-General Iqbal Unus has announced the proposed construction of additional recreation facility at the ISNA Secretariat at an estimated cost of about $100,000./p/In a statement to the ISNA Secretariat & staff, Br. Unus said the Recreation Building was inspired by the youth who often use ISNA for camp activities, but felt somewhat restricted by the limited existing sports facilities in the winter./p/the Building’s construction is seen by ISNA as an improvement of its present facilities./p/The building will measure 70 feet by 100 feet and will be about 28 feet high. It will accommodate basketball, and can conveniently be used for special gatherings, banquets, or bazzar.” [This could possibly be the existing Gym behind the parking lot to the rear of ISNA HQ, but was that worth $100,000?]

-The viewpoint article “Leadership Should come from the Muslim Mosaic” by Zulf M. Khalfan [one of the editors of Horizons in the era] mentions the creation of MYNA as a bright spot while giving an overview of a recent ISNA Planning Committee Public Hearing where speakers gave their assessment of operations at ISNA. Khalfan gives his own assessment of both the hearings and ISNA and mentions low participation in the hearings, inadequate financial analysis and a “financial squeeze” which has resulted in the ISNA not being enough staff [15 full-time staff at the time, it says], a narrow “immigrant vs. non-immigrant” discourse emerging, with some calling for the ISNA leaders to pass the torch to American born leaders, all as problems of the time. The bright spot in the article is a mention of MYNA. “Right now, all one can say is that ISNA has taken the most rational approach in realizing that hope, through its support of the Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA) program. In MYNA, ISNA has ensured that its future leadership lies not only in the hands of the immigrants, if at all they can still be called so, or the indigenous Americans, but in the hands of both their sons and daughters, who are growing together, learning together, solving problems together, and seeing the future shaping up together./p/It is up to those who see the worth in that vision who will encourage their sons and daughters to participate in MYNA.

-The picture spread: “MYNA Winter Conference in Pictures,” features pictures from the MYNA conference and the caption: “Our photos capture some of the events and activities of the recently concluded MYNA Winter Conference held at the Islamic Center of North America, Plainfield, Indiana. An overwhelming 300 participants attended, compared to the 78 who came to the Summer Conference.”

-The Article “MYNA Affirms Commitment to Islam” gives a full report on the Dec. MYNA Winter Conference on page 26. The page has the dual section title: “YOUTH: MYNA Conference.”

Jan-March-1987 - The New Dawn, Vol. 2, Number 1 is published. Suhaib Al-Barzinji (301-552-9186 and Zeynab Ahmed, of Glenridge NJ, are the editors. Hayat Alvi is a contributing Editor. Suhaib does production and design and Zeynab handles subscriptions and ads. Subscriptions are $7.00 a year. The address given is a PO Box in Glenridge and the number is 201-748-8153 (Zeynab’s number). The cover has a shot of “MYNA” in graffiti on a wall. The issue includes a letter of encouragement and compliment from the director of IIFSO. It mentions that there has been an update of the MYNA Conference Directory that is available for $2.50 US and $3.25 Canadian, and asks for contributors to help in the production of a planned MYNA Manual and Fiqh Brochures concerning issues relevant to Muslim youth c/o Sameer Bade. They say they still have positions open on the New Dawn staff and to call the editors. It features coverage of the Dec. 86 conferences (the same story by Sameer which was printed in Islamic Horizons), a profile of the MYNA Pittsburgh Chapter (MPC), a thorough new New Dawn Youth Survey to be sent to the Glenridge PO Box, a listing of the MYNA executive officers and a membership card/form. Some Quranic ayats and hadiths, pictures and calligraphy and writing by Zubaida Arislanouk on Riba, Hayat Alvi on Muslims in Russian-controlled Central Asian countries with a map drawn by Huseyn Abiba, an opinion column by Suhaib J. al-Barzinji and a poem by [future editor] Hoda Badr.

Feb. 1987 - There is a letter from Dawood Zwink to parents of elected MYNA regional representatives asking their consent which says that the elected youth must attend 1,2 zonal meetings a year and any camps that require their presence. It says they’ll have support of advisors and coordinators. The election guidelines also in the MYNA cabinet at present [not know if they were in place in 1987, mostly likely from the same time] indicate that the elected chairman must be “15 years or older,” will have a one year term. There are also screening committee guidelines for elected people and what seems to be a stringent process, [which will give way by the end of MYNA in the late 90s.] the structure sheet lists the MYNA Executive Council, a Sector (meaning secretary), Zonal Reps, Regional reps, election criteria (that the youth be a practicing Muslim, trustworthy, have leadership skills/experience, and time for it, asks for all these things to be looked at inquired about.)

Feb. 13-15, 1987 - MYNA Executive Council Meeting held at ISNA Headquarters. 1987. Things discussed included a report and evaluation of last year’s work, explanation of duties to officials, discussion on constitution and ratification process, establishing functional committees, membership, new dawn, local chapters, relationship with other organizations, camps and conferences (regional camps, zonal conferences, the national summer and winter conferences and training camps), a report on the financial situation a 1987 budget and action plan and fundraising projects. Maser Bade’s write-up of the meeting says: “the New MYNA Executive Board met for the first time on Saturday and Sunday, February 14-15, 1987. Youth executive officers, zonal representatives, and their advisors, discussed the current status of MYNA and devised an Action Plan for 1987./p/Chaired by MYNA President Hassan Altalib, the meeting lasted for over 30 hours. The new youth officers and representatives were given a report on the accomplishments and shortcomings of MYNA work last year. The report presented by Br. Sameer A. Bade, 1986 National Chairman, was labeled “1986 as a year of Development” for MYNA. After the evaluation session, MYNA officials, representatives, and advisors were briefed on their roles and responsibilities./p/As 1987 was going to be a ‘Year of Activity’ for MYNA, the Board dealt with the subject of funds. Treasurer Maseer A. Bade presented a proposed budget for 1987. After a great deal of discussion and debate, a final budget totaling $84,300 was approved. Approximately 60 percent of the budget has been allocated for sponsoring 16 separate regional camps for brothers and sisters, six zonal conferences, two national conferences, and a leadership training conference. Another 10 percent of the budget was directed towards publishing the NEW DAWN youth magazine, a MYNA manual, and Fiqh brochures dealing with contemporary social issues facing youth./p/Equally important on the agenda was an Action Plan for 1987. In addition the overall goals of strengthening the Iman in Muslim youth and providing Islamic alternatives for them, the Board approved the following as specific goals for 1987./p/-Recruiting 500 new members. –Establishing 30 new local chapters, –Sponsoring camps and conferences in the US and Canada, –Publishing a MYNA manual and fiqh brochures, - Continuing bi-monthly publication of New Dawn and, -Publicizing MYNA./p/To help achieve, and insha’Allah surpass these goals, several functional committees were formed. Chaired by youth, each of the committees have been assigned a specialty advisor to give guidance and assistance. The functional committees, responsible to Vice-president Mukhlis Balbale have already begun working. The Board encourages any youth interested in serving on the Public Relations, Fundraising, Publications, Conferences, or NEW DAWN committee to contact MYNA headquarters immediately for more information./p/Discussion on the Draft Constitution prepared by the Constitutional Task Force took up the bulk of the meeting time. Br. Baha Ahmed and Sameer A. Bade, as members of the Task Force, presented the Draft Constitution to the Board for approval. Changes were made after a detailed analysis. The approved version has been submitted to the ISNA General Secretariat for examination and will be presented to the ISNA Executive Council and Majlis Ashura for their endorsement. Ratification by MYNA members is expected in early April./p/A condensed version of the Minutes, by Secretary Hibba Abugideiri, are available upon request.”

March 1987 - Islamic Horizons’ March issue features an article on MSA called “MSA Cements Co-ordiation with MAYA, MISG” in which MYNA is mentioned. It focuses on a recent meeting between MSA, MAYA and MISG leaders, such as MSA president Ghulam Nabi Fai, the MSA and the other groups, including ISNA, and how it wants stronger ties with them. It says “MSA has a network of representation involved over 7,00 students…there are historical ties between MSA and the latter organizations such as MAYA, MISG, and more recently MYNA. A number of the MSA members were inspirational in the founding of these groups…The last MSA Executive Committee meeting was the first occasion at which the presidents and delegates from MAYA, MISG, and MYNA have all met together. The holding of the joint meeting was suggested by MSA to explore the possibility of a closer cooperation and coordination between them.” It mentions that the MISG felt that though Islam has been strong in North America, the totality of Islam was not being felt at the level it deserved to among the students and the youth groups. It saw this as representing varying degrees of weakness wherever either MSA, MAYA, or MYNA was represented. They called for “complementarity” in doing dawa. More coordination on the local level….In conclusion, MSA maintained it wants MAYA, MISG, and MYNA to develop an affinity for all its activities to the extent of feeling they are their own activities.”

By March 18, 1987 - MYNA’s deficit grows by $3,233.12. making the total deficit $4,838.57. (More realistic numbers.)

March 21, 1987 - National Executives have a conference call - All the functional committees combined have a total of $2,000 to spend (making it $285.72 for each committee). Sameer sends out revised version of the Constitution by end of this week.

Riyad Shamma was the Central Zone representative. Eiman Khalifa was the Canadian Zone Representative and Imran Ullah was the Western Zone Representative. Sureyya Hussain was the Western Zone advisor.

March/April/May/orJune - The 2-day MYNA Counselor Training Program takes place the last weekend of Ramadan at ISNA Headquarters in Plainfield (regular date not given, must have been pre-July, but during or after March, because it’s not mentioned in the March Horizons). 40 participants attend. “For years our community bemoaned the lack of trained Muslim youth counselors to gauge the needs of young Muslims. The last weekend of Ramadan witnessed a program at ISNA’s Plainfield headquarters specifically designed for this purpose - training counselors for the budding Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA)./p/The 2-day gathering, a first step toward rounding up scarce human resources, attracted about 40 participants from Los Angeles to Montreal and many places between. The sessions were timely and thought provoking for both the counselors and the speakers. Ibn Omar Sharfuddin, Shaykh Omar Soubani and others shared their experiences with the youth and offered practical advice./p/Initially, counselors were skeptical about how much could be learned in just one weekend. But two days later, most were amazed at the volume of information given, which spanned the spectrum from basic self discipline to tam play to attitude building./p/’ “ The Art and Rewards of Counseling’ session, led by brother John Sullivan, did the fine brushwork on counselor youth dynamics, while brother Steve Johnson weeded out problems in the fertile fields of creative planning/p/’Psychology of Youth: Contemporary Reality and the Islamic Ideal, ‘ paneled by br. Siraj Wahaj and sister Zainab Ubaidullah, highlighted the psychological paradoxes of being a young Muslim in the West. Pointing out gaping holes in where youth are and where they must be, they hit the high points on nurturing a Muslim identity./p/Drawing involvement from the counselors, Dr. Rafik Beekun coached the session with the longest title ever: “Problem Solving, Trouble Shooting, and Conflict Resolution: Skill and practices.” He posed a project in need of a solution-the building of a masjid. Using managerial skills and techniques, the trees hammered and chiseled their way to cooperatives success. And Shaykh Ahmad Zaki Hammad ‘injected tawhid’ in the formula with his talk on attitudes that Qur’an builds and refreshing our commitment to Islam. Certainly, training programs like this give youth an injection of badly needed fresh-air thinking and experience. Now if we can just give them a little room.-Nadifa Abdi”

April 1987 – Islamic Horizons’ April issue features a Youth section with article by Sameer and Maseer Bade. Sameer re-covers the Dec. Conference, already written up in the last issue, but in more detail. And Maseer goes over the events at the Feb. 14 weekend MYNA executive board and Constitutional Task force meetings at ISNA headquarters.

April 17-19, 1987, Training Program at ISNA headquarters for potential advisors and present advisors-anyone 19 or over and or who can not be a member of MYNA (i.e., a 16 year old in college). Hisham Altalib and Dawood Zwink organize it.

April 25, 1987 - Another National Executive Committee teleconference.

July 1987 - Nadifa Abdi writes a report on the 2-day MYNA Counselor Training Event that takes place the last weekend of Ramadan at ISNA Headquarters in Plainfield (regular date not given, must have been pre-July, but during or after March, because it’s not mentioned in the March Horizons). 40 participants attend.

July 1987 - MYNA is listed as having a publication, New Dawn with 3 issues made at $400 each, a fiqh brochure and a myna manual. They have regional camps, zonal conferences, a summer and winter conference and leadership training camps. There are brochures, application cards, mass mailings, etc. a mailing list and drives. They have a functional P.R. committee. And cover telephone and travel and meeting costs.

July 3-5, 1987 - The First Annual MYNA Camp in the Toronto-area (for br.s and sr.s), themed “Islam, This Society and YOU!” - As the painfully stiff Islamic Horizons’ editors describe it in their Nov. 87 issue: “In an attempt to upstage popular entertainment like dating, parties, and concert-going, modest program were made to provide a different source of ‘fun,’ which include picnics, sports, outdoor activities, etc. One such attempt was a MYNA-sponsored camp back on the weekend of July 3-5, with the theme ‘Islam, This Society and YOU!’/p/ “ ‘After months of planning, paperwork, and prayers, the first annual MYNA camp materialized,’ says Zarqa Nawaz [note, Nawaz is now a well-known film maker], one of the camp organizers from Brampton, Ontario, along with learning how to avoid the ‘blood ritual’ of insects, as she put it. Campers tossed around issues that put them under pressure, like rebellion versus obedience, and Islamic etiquette in dealing with ‘members of the opposite sex.’/p/ “She adds that apart from the learning ‘both brothers and sisters had fun (separately). [Horizons’ editors Haleem and Abusharif’s editorial prudishness via the “fun” and “(separately)” are hilarious]. Through the various tests Allah put us through such as delayed speakers, lost brothers, and murderous mosquitos, it was definitely an experience of love, patience, and personhood.’ The camp appears to have been a hit, or at the very least a good attempt of not only bringing youth together, but talking about the subjects that parents shy away from and declare ‘too sensitive.’”

July 3-5, 1987 - West Zone Conference - “Developing a Muslim Identity” conference title. Cambell (near San Jose), CA.

July 11-14, 1987 - MYNA Central Zone Summer Conference held in Dallas, Texas.

Aug. 1987 - Second MYNA Summer Conference takes place in Illinois in conjunction with the ISNA Convention. Hibba Abugideiri is the Conference co-chairperson. Fatima Abugideiri (703-435-2718) and Mona Elkadi (904-769-8394) are the Summer Conference fundraising committee co-chairs. The Conference program has such session titles as “6:00-9:00 pm - Late, late, but Not so late Movie.” And a sisters-only fashion show, as well as an “Opening Party” and a “Farewell Party.”

Nov. 1987 - Maseer Bade turns in a budget. - At the end of it in back it says, handwritten: “Fundraising; 1. Concessions - local person. 2. Zonal Reps. Raise more. 3. Beg SAAR, WAMY. 4. Work crews” [afterward, SAAR and WAMY are thanked for their support in an open letter].

Nov. 1987 - Islamic Horizons Nov. issue features a Community Profile of Toronto’s Jami’ Masjid which mentions the Toronto MYNA group and their July 3-5 camp. They discuss the generation gap in the article, as well.“ ‘A number of girls want to leave home because they’re fed up with the contradiction they have to put with tin their family lives and their outside interactions,’ says Iman Khalifah, Muslim Youth of North America’s (MYNA) Canadian Zone rep. [Toronto’s MYNA has a penchant for describing itself as representing all of Canada from an early time, it seems. Today Toronto’s MYNA is described as all of Canada’s in Annual Reports to this day.] The article has a picture of the girls from the camp.

Winter, 1987 - She says: 1. There was plenty of enthusiasm/emotional and sincere commitment and hard work, but only a small amount of clarity and focus as to what specifically was expected to be achieved in the seven-day conference beyond the emotional ties. 2. The rules of the conference were legitimate and necessary for pedagogical implementation, but the audience wasn’t carefully thought of. It was not clear to even the Supervisory Committee who should abide by these rules besides the participants. It was not clear either how to enforce these rules or what consequences each violation would be met with. And these rules were not evidenced or explained beyond slogans and rules on paper. 4. The speakers were knowledgeable in their area of expertise, yet they were not really a part of the conference. No matter how relevant their topics were to the needs of the participants, they were speaking at the attendants instead of with them. Relating to this audience doesn’t mean oversimplifying the topic or giving in to personal interests of the audience. They should live and discuss the topic with the youth on a daily basis. “To give a lecture and run back to the motel or catch a flight does not provide a continuous model of interaction and leadership.”

Winter Continental Leadership conference at ISNA HQ, which helps them realize that continental activities can no longer accommodate the growing numbers of youth and leads to the further implementation of zonal and local level activities. One of the first steps in networking North-American Muslim youth.

[This is possibly when the expansion of zonal obligations occurs, and the format is changed to include an executive body composed of a continental chairperson, a sector, and representatives from each of the five MYNA zones, with Youth officials to be elected yearly at the Continental Leadership Training Program. Also here could be the addition, to oversee the entire youth operation, ISNA, in its supporting role, of the appointment of a board of advisors, which included an advisory director and zonal advisors.]

Dec. 1987 - Maseer Bade’s budget indicates that MYNA has total expenses of $32, 400 and a total income of $33,065 period between July and Dec. Their sources of income include donations from other Islamic groups such as WAMY. No regional camp has requested money so far. After August, most of the regional camps will be completed. Regional reps raise money for the regional camps and don’t’ give to the national level. Only one zone which requested money for a conference was the West Zone, which asked for $400. Canadian, Central are over and the East Zone Conference left the $400 approved for them. All leadership Training Camps are sponsored by SAAR and ISNA.