Our Story
A Legacy of Community Development
John (Yahya) Cason co-founded AlRayyan Islamic Society as a spin off of the 15 year old Baltimore based organization Islamic Education & Community Development.
The Journey started in 2018 when John wanted to send his son elsewhere to study and avoid the pitfalls facing many Muslim youth in the west. The dilemma was for him to maintain his identity while obtaining Islamic knowledge. He couldn't keep his son in America and allow him to be contaminated by a society that negatively effects so many young boys like him.
Conducting a work site meeting
So together with his Tanzanian wife who holds a PhD in education they agreed to try out an experiment. They had two children who were in a U.S hafidh school for about 2 years and had memorized about 6 juz of the Quran, which in John's opinion was too slow. So they agreed to move them to Tanzania in his wife's home town. She would teach them academics and they hired an Arabic and Quran teacher. Alhamdullilah they were successful, after a year their daughter finished the Quran, and after a year and a half their son finished. So this was a proof to them that this was the right way to do it.
This is the point where Al-Rayyan was established. They decided to establish a school to facilitate for others to come. Then the concept broadened when John realized that the same situation he found his son in with regards to Islamic education was the same situation facing all of his people.
Mwegazi Learning Institute - One of 4 school blocks ready for roof install.
Masjid construction almost complete.
John explains in his own words:
“We at this point have no order because we’ve been taught to chase “success” for our selves. Therefore the parents get left, the children get left. Nobody can establish anything because we’re constantly moving to the next step based on where our income will get us.”
The problem was that the African American Muslim communities in the west are so wrapped up in becoming a standard that is defined by others that we have no standards of our own. A problem magnified by the current socio-economic climate.
Al-Rayyan was established to develop and provide 5 things:
Islamic Education
First class academics
Social Order that respects who we are as people (i.e. men as men, women as women, children as children, the elders as elders, etc.)
Civics - Where we involve ourselves in the politics of what's going on around us.
Business
These 5 are what we strive to have and cultivate our children upon. Kisambi Farms is an arm of the organization established in Tanzania to support the school and local community of Buyuni.
Eid Ul Adha Sacrifice
In partnership with local herders our goats are pasture raised on over 500 acres. You can support truly needy families while fulfilling your obligation.
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Mwegazi Learning Institute
In the village of Buyuni, Tanzania we are now completing the first phase of Mwegazi Learning Institute. Giving our children an opportunity to maintain their identity while obtaining core Islamic knowledge with a focus on Arabic and Quran memorization.
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Ramadan Sadaqah Program
Alhamudullilah, over the past 3 years we have distributed food to over 3000 families during the month of Ramadan.
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Orphan Care
Sponsor an orphan in Tanzania. With your help a child that would other wise not have the opportunity can memorize the book of Allah and acquire a first class education.