Madison Dawa Circle

The Madison Dawa Circle

The Madison Dawa Circle is community based initiative, whose primary aims are three-fold:

1. To invite the greater Madison community to learn about traditional Islam through talks, Questions and answers, and various opportunities for community interaction.
2. To establish an indigenous community of believers fashioned on the Madinan model, which is linked by trust, service, and above all remembrance of Allah and His prophet.
3. To create a safe haven for new Muslims and transmit the basic Islamic teachings to convey a sound life transaction.

Madison Dawa Circle Close Up:

Imam Malik and the ‘Amal Ahl al-Madinah

The Madison Dawa Circle follows the model of the ‘Amal Ahl al-Madinah, or Behavior of the People of Madinah, as transmitted by Imam Malik Ibn Anas. This has been chosen because it is the primal formulation of how the practices of Islam are performed, since the Madinah of the first three generations is the closest record to the source of Islamic worship, both in its people and its location.

Some of these practices are not familiar to many Muslims today. Yet the record of Imam Malik most closely describes the practice of the Messenger and his Companions, since Malik lived in, presided as Imam over, and never left Madinah, and was the undisputed heir of the collective knowledge of its illuminated people.

Therefore, the things people tend to notice about the Muslims at the Dawa Circle – such as most of the people praying with their hands by their sides rather than over the chest, and not saying “Amin” out loud after the Fatiha – all these were the practiced, by consensus, by the people of Madinah at the time of Imam Malik. Similarly, the Sunna is to be silent before the adhans of the jumuah prayer and to abstain from Raka’ats after the Imam comes out in front of the people.

The Dawa Circle therefore allows Muslims to partake in the source practices of Islam. However, the Dawa Circle accepts, supports and defends all of the legitimate Madhhabs of the Ahl as-Sunnah wal Jamma'ah; indeed, guest Imams may be from other Madhhabs. However the prayer will generally be lead according to the school of Imam Malik. We do not support modernist and shia imams.

Join us at the Warner Park Community Center starting Friday, June 1st at 1pm, and be a part of the flourishing of an indigenous North American Islam!