Alianza Islámica

This is a photo outside of the Alianza Islámica mosque.

The Alianza Islámica is a Latino-Muslim organization in the United States. It was founded in 1987 by a group of Puerto Rican Muslim converts and was the United States' first Latino Muslim organization.[1][2]

The founders felt that neither the African-American-majority nor the immigrant-majority communities sufficiently addressed Latina/os' particular culture, languages, social situations, and contributions to Islamic history.[3]

In El Barrio, Spanish Harlem, the Alianza has mediated between rival gangs, mentored jailed Latinos, provided education about HIV/AIDS, offered GED (General Education Development Test) courses, helped the sick get treatment, and given free meals during Ramadan.[4]

Alianza Islámica created the first masjid for the Spanish-speaking community. Through wedding celebrations, congregational prayers, English and Spanish sermons, sharing traditional Puerto Rican dishes without pork, music and poetry gatherings, etc., Alianza Islámica was able to present itself as an integral organization of the local community.[5]

One of the founders of Alianza Islamica, Ibrahim Gonzalez, died on June 4, 2013.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ranks of Latinos Turning to Islam Are Increasing". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 Jan 2016.
  2. ↑ "Latino Muslims are part of US religious landscape". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
  3. ↑ "U.S. Latina/o Muslims Since 1920: From "Moors" to "Latino Muslims"". Journal of Religious History. Retrieved 17 Jan 2016.
  4. ↑ "Olé to Allah: New York's Latino Muslims". Beliefnet.com. Retrieved 17 Jan 2016.
  5. ↑ "Alianza Islámica". Encyclopedia of Muslim-American History. Retrieved 14 Feb 2016.
  6. ↑ "Ibrahim Gonzalez, a Bronx artist, activist and musician known for his work in community television and radio, dead at age 57". Daily News (New York). Retrieved 28 May 2015.


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