The Beginnings of MWC:

     MWC was created to provide a format for the Muslim women to join together to make their communities better. Although women were doing community service on an individual basis, credit was not given to Muslim women as a whole. The idea germinated in November 2001 as a result of the events of September 11, 2001. At that particular point, the media seemed to point out all the wrong and negative things done by the extremist Muslim groups. The founding members decided that moderate Muslims could no longer afford to be passive, and that they had to get involved to claim back the true Islam that had been so misrepresented. To this end, MWC was created in 2002 so that the collective actions by the members would represent the true spiritual Islam.

     The original objectives of MWC were to bond together with the Muslim women in the community and interact in community events. Another objective was to relate with other interfaith groups and build bridges of understanding between the Muslims and the non-Muslims. MWC wanted to utilize the individual skills of the members of their community to help the needy people within America and abroad. In addition, MWC also wanted to publicize the moderate views of Islam through taking advantage of the media by writing letters to the editors, articles and by suggesting a recommended reading list of books that espoused the ideas of Moderate Islam in libraries and local bookstores. These original objectives helped create a foundation for our mission statement.

     Local chapters were created to reach out and help others on a more personal level, incorporating Muslim women as a resource within their local communities. One purpose of the local chapters was to motivate women at the grass roots level and to encourage chapters of MWC to begin nation-wide. The DC chapter began in February of 2002 and the Texas chapter began in the end of that year. There are regional branches in California and Michigan that are in the process of getting themselves more organized.

     The NY/NJ chapter has been successful with international aid events in addition to domestic aid in America.  To further carry out the mission statement, the NY/NJ chapter has been successful with assembling and attending many interfaith activities, lectures and events. Community outreach and charity programs remain important projects such as the “Adopt a Grandparent” program, and holding educational seminars for Muslim Women. Educating the American public about the peaceful and moderate religion of Islam, the ILM projects serve as an effective means to market books that represent the moderate views of Islam. 

     Through successful networking and programs the NY/NJ chapter has expanded since its humble beginnings. Please take interest in taking a part of our chapters history and get involved now!