North Texas Islamic Council Celebrates Historic ISNA 61st Convention in Dallas Breaking Records With Over 20,000 Attendees

The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the North Texas Islamic Council (NTIC) joined forces to hold the 61st ISNA Convention in Dallas over Labor Day weekend at the Hilton Anatole Hotel, celebrating the theme of “The Muslim American: Forging Faith & Action.” 

“This year’s #ISNA61 held in Dallas, TX was a huge success with over 21,000 attendees,” said convention chair and former ISNA president, Azhar Azeez. “This was an unprecedented and historic convention.” 

NTIC president Mujeeb Kazi served as the ISNA convention vice chair and says the 2024 convention broke records with the number of attendees for the event which is normally held in Chicago.

“It is an extraordinary, happy moment, especially for those who live in North Texas,” said Kazi. “We see the ISNA organization as a true representative of Muslim sentiment across the entire spectrum - it's not just the religious services, it's not just establishing institutions, it's about shaping the narrative.” 

The four-day event provided numerous parallel sessions covering critical topics to foster dialogue and reflection on faith, health, environmental issues, politics and community building. 

Headlining speakers included media critic and journalist Medi Hasan, the first female Muslim military chaplain Saleha Jabeen, African American civil rights leader and academic, Dr. Cornel West among many others. 

“ISNA is a historic organization, and for 61 years it has been trying to keep alive the best of a great Islamic legacy in the United States,” said West, who is Christian. “So for me to be able to come here in the spirit of humility, to learn and listen as well as speak, and be able to just revel in the humanity of my Muslim brothers and sisters and engage in serious intellectual and religious wrestling is an honor.” 

Saleha Jabeen, who is with the air force, has attended the convention for many years and says she “would never want to skip any year for multiple reasons, you get to be around community… mentors and people of different generations, and it just reminds me of what I am supposed to be as an active member of the community.”

CEO of Emgage, a Muslim-led civic action organization, Wa’el Alzayat emphasized the benefit of the convention, “ISNA is such an important annual gathering for Muslim Americans and allies to reconnect, to celebrate our religion, to celebrate each other and to also dedicate ourselves to the betterment of our community, our country and the world.” 

One notable session featured esteemed imams who guided attendees on how to translate faith into action while delving into urgent issues, such as the genocide facing Palestinians in Gaza. The former Imam of the Islamic Association of North Texas, Shpendim Nadzaku who spoke on a panel discussing the imam's role in activating the community, said ISNA’s presence in DFW was significant. 

“I think it's important for us as Muslims, especially within a city as Dallas that has such a high profile role within the politics of the country as a whole,” said Nadzaku, who currently works for the City of Dallas’ Welcoming Communities and Immigrant Affairs department. 

The diversity and networking opportunities that the convention afforded were appreciated by Imam Muhammad Abdul-Jami of Masjid Al-Islam, located in downtown Dallas. One of the oldest mosques in the area, it serves a mainly African American congregation. 

“We believe that the work we're doing at Masjid Al-Islam is so important that everyone should know about it and support it on whatever level that they can,” said Abdul-Jami. “I think it's inspiring for everyone to see and collaborate with Muslims who are doing great things, learning from these sessions and having fun together.”

There were approximately 50 parallel sessions, including a youth-led convention which was managed, organized and led entirely by young leaders. There were also spaces for reverts and multilingual Muslim community members. 

The convention also had separate tracks for African American and Hispanic Muslims, with 300 complimentary badges, complimentary booths and sessions for Islam in Spanish and Masjid Al Islam. 35% of event speakers were from these communities. 

ISNA is one of the largest Muslim nonprofit umbrella organizations in North America, dedicated to fostering the development of the community, interfaith relations, civic engagement and a better understanding of Islam. ISNA provides platforms for community development, leadership training and promotes understanding through events like the annual convention. 

NTIC is committed to fostering unity, collaboration and advocacy among Muslims in North Texas. NTIC works towards addressing the spiritual, social and civic needs of its communities through educational programs, community engagement, interfaith relationships and collaborative initiatives.

NTIC President Kazi and Convention Chair, Azeez, both said the event’s success was a testament to the hard work of hundreds of volunteers and staff who had been planning it for almost a year and they thanked attendees, speakers and participating Masjids for making this convention an outstanding success.