Ambassador Masood Khan told the attendees that the “Islamic Circle of North America represents all nationalities who have Muslim identity. Your presence here sends a message of peace, love, and harmony across the United States and around the world”

 

ICNA-MAS Hosts Thousands at Annual Convention
By Elaine Pasquini

Washington: The Islamic Circle of North America-Muslim American Society (ICNA-MAS) drew some 28,000 Muslims from across the United States and around the globe to their 49th annual convention in Baltimore, Maryland, held May 25 through 27, 2024.

Addressing the main event of the annual convention, Masood Khan, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, told attendees “Islamic Circle of North America represents all nationalities who have Muslim identity. Your presence here sends a message of peace, love, and harmony across the United States and around the world.”

“ICNA is building synergies in the United States with communities and also across the belief systems,” the ambassador added. “We pay tribute to you for service to humanity.” He also lauded ICNA for investing in humanitarian relief, education, and technology.

The ambassador then paid a heartfelt tribute to the dynamic leadership of ICNA president Dr Mohsin Ansari for his invaluable services to promote the mission of the organization and for reaching out to people in distress in Pakistan and other parts of the world.

In his remarks, President Ansari related that ICNA had positively impacted 12 million people through its various activities. 

The ICNA’s Annual Report for 2023, he said, included the following important statistics of its services:

• 2,100 sheltered through women’s transitional housing.
• 63,125 served through the Back2School program.
• 691,861served through various food programs.
• 37,330 served through the Refugees Services program.
• 4,222 served through relief services in seven disaster areas.
• 19,053 people benefited from health services provided by ICNA.

The program continued with recognition of the contributions and achievements of various members of the Muslim community.

Former ICNA president Dr Mohammad Younis was honored for his invaluable services to the Muslim community over the past 50 years.

Suhaib William Webb, who was named a “Faith Leader to Watch” by the Center for American Progress in 2016, was also honored. Webb was selected by the Muslim community as one of CNN’s 25 Most Influential Leaders, as well as one of “Five Hundred of the Most Influential Muslims” by the Royal Islamic Studies Center in 2021.

Ismail Esau, charge d’affaires at the South African embassy in Washington, DC, accepted a special award for his country’s unwavering support of the Palestinian people in Gaza by bringing a genocide case against Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on December 29, 2023.

Presenting the award, Ansari noted that South Africa, the land of Nelson Mandela, “stood up, raised its voice for the Palestinians, went to the ICJ and showed the world what courage, justice and truth means.”

Speaking to the large crowd, Esau highlighted the miseries of Palestinians under occupation and the ongoing military action.

“For South Africa, there remains a special sense of responsibility towards Palestine as Nelson Mandela had insisted that the Palestine issue is a great moral cause of the time and South Africa’s freedom would remain incomplete as long as Palestine is not free,” he said.

Ambassador Khan also paid tribute to the government of South Africa for its contribution to upholding international humanitarian law. “You deserve the admiration of the entire international community,” he stated. “The comity of nations respects you as the standard-bearer for the rights of Palestinians and the right of self-determination of the people of Palestine.”

Pakistan’s top diplomat in the United States called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and for providing multiple humanitarian aid corridors and relief for the people of Gaza who are without food, clean water, fuel, medical assistance, and proper shelter. He vehemently urged Washington to demonstrate leadership to ensure that a two-state solution becomes a reality.

In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Khan recognized the importance of the younger generation, noting they are “our future.”

(Elaine Pasquini is a freelance journalist. Her reports appear in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and Nuze.Ink.)