Introduction to the:
Muslim American Youth Foundation.
The Muslim American Youth Foundation (MAYF) is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Seattle, Washington. MAYF founders have been leaders and community activists for over 20 years and are familiar with the challenges facing the Muslim-American youth today. From their concern was born the Muslim American Youth Foundation. A Foundation intended solely to helping the Muslim youth in the Greater Seattle/Washington State Area and beyond.
MAYF’s primary focus is the Muslim-American youth and communities. We want to educate and empower them to play a positive role in the greater Ummah and American/Western society.
With that we have commenced outreach programs with Muslim youth in Washington State. The results of which illuminated the dire need for such specialized programs that particularly target troubled and at risk Muslim youth. It has become alarmingly apparent to us, that our Muslim youth have lost close to all of their Islamic Identity, which has caused them to fall into trouble. Similar to youth of other cultures, Muslim youth are also facing modern day challenges and struggling to deal with a range of issues including; drugs, crime, academia, and so on to name a few. MAYF, thus, finds it imperative to teach them about Islam, help them personally develop, and cater to any other needs they may have. With those precedents in mind we have created programs that attempt to address those challenges; through Education, Counseling, Athletics, One-on-One Interactions, Community Events, Seminars, Field Trips and more.
About MAYF:
Mission and Vision.
Our mission at MAYF is to educate, enrich and enlighten the Muslim youth. Educate them through the correct understanding of Islam, as well as instill a drive for academic success. Enrich them through experience and expansion of what is really possible in this life and the hereafter. Enlighten them by means of taking the aforementioned experiences and incorporating them into their lives, households and spiritual-selves. We want to provide Muslim youth with multi-purpose institutions, facilities and programs which allow for growth and development spiritually, socially and academically.
About MAYF:
Our Purpose.
OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY:
Outreach and Advocacy are integral to the re-education and rejuvenation of the Muslim youth and Muslim Ummah at large. Without going to the places and areas where youth are, whether it be somewhere good or bad, one cannot know their situation. Taking the time to seek out those youth in need plays an important role in helping them to better understand how important they are and how correctly practicing Islam could truly benefit them. Advocacy on behalf of the youth and community is also important, as sometimes the issues plaguing them are external, and thus a unified voice is required to address it.
EDUCATION AND FORTIFICATION:
The Muslim-American Youth Foundations core and most central purpose is to educate and fortify Muslim youth through means and methods both appealing and appropriate. Without education in both Islamic and Secular Studies, an individual does not have the necessary tool-set to succeed in both this life and hereafter. Without the aforementioned, one cannot become fortified in their beliefs and identity. Fortification is critical for a Muslim youth to have, as they will be able to traverse any and all obstacles they may encounter. Having a genuine understanding of why one believes what they believe and knowing the importance of its tenants and requirements is a must. All of our programs and activities are intended to continually instill the necessary education and fortification for our youth today.
YOUTH AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT:
Youth and Community Empowerment begins with giving a voice to our youth and allowing them to take up leadership roles. The Muslim-American Youth Foundations goal, amongst many, is to nurture and develop future Muslim leaders. Individuals that understand and can empathize with all Nations and Peoples, allowing this beautiful religion of Islam to prosper and propagate.
RESOURCE DISSEMINATION:
MAYF intends to create resources for at-risk youth and in-need families as to better serve them. These resources would be both accrued from within the community directly and sought from any other means and avenues possible. MAYF intends to partner with any like-minded organizations, agencies, institutions, etc. to better serve the needs of our youth. Having such resources readily available enables individuals to take initiative once they have regained the passion, drive, spiritual awareness and need to be a Civil Citizen.
PUBLIC SERVICE:
Our youth are required to understand the needs, benefits and merits of being a Public Servant. That it is not about their own needs all of the time, that we must work collectively with everyone in order to accomplish greater tasks. Instilling such community-centric consciousness is paramount to our organization.
About MAYF:
Youth Issues.
LACK OF SUPPORT:
The issues facing the youth today are many and extensive. What makes it worse is the lack of agencies, organizations and institutions addressing their needs and problems. They have nowhere to turn and no one to speak with them about their problems. This lack of resources and facilities exasperates an already tumultuous problem.
DOMESTIC ISSUES:
Domestic violence incidents are also prevalent as parents do not know, have no understanding of, and do not have the linguistic ability to change their children’s behavior. This leads to confrontations between parents and their youth, resulting in familial disarray and rash actions.
VIOLENCE:
According to the most recent King County statistic on youth violence and firearms, the average gun violence incidents are 130 annually. Of those, 6 fatalities were children under the age of 17 years. What is not reported is demographic and religious belief. But we are aware that since 2015 - present, there has been 3+ deaths a year of Muslim youth in our community alone. Drugs, trafficking, theft and other illicit activity is incredibly rampant in our Muslim youth.
PEER PRESSURE AND DRUG USAGE:
Peer pressure and societal norms have made it easy for our Muslim youth to partake in harram and illicit behaviour. The amount of time they are away from home and places of worship is more than ample time for other, non well intentioned individuals, to lead them astray. Drug usage and the consequences of them are becoming more apparent in the lives of these vulnerable individuals. Young sisters also face an incredible level of peer-pressure to lose their Muslim Identity as they constantly feel uncomfortable and are prime targets for hateful attacks.
About MAYF:
Our Methods.
ADDRESSING OUR ISSUES:
MAYF is addressing these problems facing the Muslim youth in our region through the programs and activities we offer. We have over 400 students and adults that attend our weekly programs, including: weekend Islamic School, weekly Sunday Seminars and Breakfast, Halaqa, Q&A for Adults, Thursday and Sunday Game Nights, Sisters Programs, Basic Quran and Arabic for Mothers, and more.
APPEALING TO THEIR NEEDS:
We understand that in order to help anyone there has to be a need. The spiritual needs of the Muslim youth are not apparent to them today; thus, the only way to bring about any lasting change and connection with Allah is through both a passive and active method. We created Athletics Programs and Fun Activities to bring in and draw the attention of our Muslim youth.
SAFE HAVEN TO SEEK HELP:
We are addressing these problems through both spiritual and practical means. The first and foremost being through dialogue, conversation and discourse. Creating a place that is a safe haven for conversation allows us to understand intimately the needs of our Muslim youth, and to enable them to get the counseling they require. Guidance is important, but correct Guidance with regards to the Quran and Sunnah is even more imperative. Creating a connection between these young individuals and their Rabb is paramount. Allah is the only One that can guide, we have to play the role of being the means to that end.
OUR YOUTH ARE THE FUTURE:
Our youth are the future, if we do not create a future for them, no one will. We intend to develop them in the ideal mold of Islam, and to be the emissaries needed today to unite both Muslims and non-Muslims as well as advocate for those being oppressed and in need on their behalf.
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX:
In order to appeal to our Muslim youth, we have to think outside of the box. Meaning that there has to be a level of malleability with regards to how you approach giving them Dawah and trying to bring them, or keep them, at beneficial places. Which means learning the approaches and methods used at their schools and with their friends to help create an atmosphere of belonging and wanting. Enabling the youth to just have fun without any worry. To passively learn until they seek to become active learners.
ATHLETICS:
With the approach we developed, MAYF and its members have established MAYF Brotherhood Athletics, allowing our kids and youth a weekly reprieve to have fun and play sports. Our Athletics division has done an incredible job of drawing young members and at-risk youth into the program. We use break periods and otherwise allotted times to remind them of the deen of Islam and get across the principles, values and the mindset required to become successful Muslims and Citizens.
Our Athletics program is robust and is one of the most attended and consistent programs in Washington State. It is divided into 4 seasons, with 22 teams; 8 teams for College Students, 8 teams for High School and 6 teams for Middle School. Our attendance on average is over 700 participants, that range between 14-25 years.
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING:
Through all these efforts, programs and activities. What we ultimately want is to create a sense of relationship and trust between us and our youth. Establishing that trust enables our work to have an immeasurable impact. We need for our youth to know we are here for them no matter the situation, and that they can seek refuge in Allah. Developing future leaders to help our Greater Ummah and to take it out of the current predicament it is in is the ultimate aspiration of MAYF.
“The Muslim American Youth Foundation exists solely for the betterment of our youth.”
— Dr. Yahya Suufi, Executive Director and Resident Scholar of the Muslim American Youth Foundation.