Alim History

The American Learning Institute for Muslims (ALIM) was founded in 1997 in order to meet the need for Islamic Literacy and the empowerment of Muslims. It was the result of many detailed discussions between the core scholars (Dr.Muneer Fareed, Dr. Ali Suleyman Ali, and Dr. Abdul-Hakim Jackson) and several of their students. ALIM took the first step towards its goal of Muslim empowerment by designing and offering a month-long summer program and retreat for 40 students covering the basic Islamic Sciences in 1998.  In 2001, after 3 years of focusing on and developing the Islamic Studies Summer Program, an Islamic Arabic Texts program was added, the Al-Lisan program. This program focused on translation of Islamic Texts and discussion of their substance. Near the end of 2001, ALIM saw the need to add shorter intensive programs, for those who were unable to attend the Summer Program. From this framework, the First Annual Winter Program was established, with 180 students attending.

To date, ALIM's alumni include almost 400 people from all across the nation and world. ALIM students have come from Poland, Holland, Malaysia, Pakistan, Turkey, the U.K., Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Arizona, Illinois, Texas, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Florida, Michigan, California, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Louisiana, and Rhode Island. They range from high school seniors to Ph.D's and retired professionals. They are Caucasian, African-American, South Asian, Asian, and Arab. Some are from the inner-city others from rural suburbia. What is clear, is that ALIM serves a broad and diverse spectrum of the Muslim community.