North American Islamic Trust - NAIT

Even though Muslims have been immigrating to the United States since the founding of the nation, many people ultimately couldn't continue, or intentionally abandoned their Islamic heritage due to social and political reasons. In the absence of any protection available, many indigenous mosques and centers founded in the 19th and early 20th Century were lost or forgotten.

As immigrants from Asia and the Middle East began to arrive in the United States for higher studies and/or to settle down with their families, they realized that organizing their lives around a mosque would be central to the growth of a spiritually healthy life and well connected American Muslim community. However, at that time, there were very few indigenous mosques or Islamic centers remained in the united States, particularly in the rural and suburban areas.

For the growth and maintenance of the American Muslim community, it became essential to create a trust to safeguard these properties for the and prevent the potential future loss of houses of worship and learning for the Muslims.

Responding to the need, in 1973, the young Muslim Student’s Association of America and Canada came together to help launch the North American Islamic Trust, Inc. as a national trust (waqf in Arabic) organization. NAIT has maintained its foundational support and relationship with MSA and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).