Ummah: A Community of Believers
In Islam, the concept of community, known as “ummah,” holds great significance and plays a crucial role in the life of a Muslim. The emphasis on community stems from various aspects of Islamic teachings, fostering a sense of unity, compassion, and mutual support among believers. The Islamic Association of Raleigh (IAR) Da’wah Committee provides messaging groups for new Muslims in our area to get support and learn from one another and to help them truly become a part of this ummah. One group is for women and the other for men. Please read the information on this page, including the membership policy and then complete the form below to request joining the group.
Islam teaches us that integrating Islam into your life is a process and it is our responsibility is to follow the Prophetic example of integrating Muslims into the practices of Islam and into the Muslim community. Brothers and Sisters participating in these groups should follow this example and act with kindness and patience so as to draw each of us closer to Allah.
As of February 2024, we have moved these groups off WhatsApp to take advantage of the better features available in Telegram. Telegram is a messaging app that is available for iOS, Android and desktop. When you receive an invite to join one of our groups, you’ll be prompted to download the app for your mobile phone if you don’t already have it installed. See the Telegram site for FAQs about using this application.
Policy for membership in New Muslim groups
All discussion and information shared by any member of the group must be appropriate to Islam and Islamic etiquettes. Our intent is to have free sharing of information, learning and discussion in accordance with the Quran, Sunnah and Islamic etiquette to support the journey of those who are newer to the faith. We encourage participation in the group from everyone, and have defined this policy to ensure a safe and productive learning and sharing environment for all. The Islamic Association of Raleigh reserves the right to remove any individual from the groups for violation of this policy or other policies of the IAR. Please report any concerns to [email protected].
Etiquettes
- All posts by group members and information shared from outside resources must be free from abusive or inappropriate language and images.
- Questions of Fiqh or concerns about whether shared content is acceptable from the Islamic perspective will be determined by the Imams of the IAR. Group Admins are responsible for consulting the Imams in such circumstances.
- Groups are moderated by designated members of the IAR Da’wah Committee for adherence to this policy.
- Differing viewpoints are healthy and discussion is encouraged to learn from one another.
Group membership requirements
- Sister’s group is for sisters only.
- Brothers group is for brothers only, but does contain a few sisters who serve as group administrators from the IAR Da’wah Committee.
- All converts are welcome, as well as those who are seeking to learn more but haven’t taken shahadah yet.
- Lifelong Muslims and converts are also welcome to join as resources and mentors.
- While the majority of our community is in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area, we allow others who reside outside our area to join as many classes and events offered by the IAR also are available online.
- Sisters and Brothers who are acting in a mentor or advisory capacity recognize this is a weighty responsibility and work to ensure they are providing a positive and encouraging experience for all.
- We help our Sisters and Brothers wherever they are in their journey today.
- We encourage, guide and inform.
- We accept feedback on how to improve.
- Mentors may be asked to attend mentorship training periodically to ensure we are supporting our new Muslims in the best manner.
Channels
- The General channel may be used for any information, sharing or discussion.
- The Classes and Events channel may be used to share information about learning opportunities at the IAR, in the wider community and online.
- The Ramadan channel may be used for anything relating to Ramadan.
- The Resources channel may be used for any resources from IAR or other sources about Islamic topics.
