You, Me and the Muslim Journal—A national discussion and task force coming: An unprecedented call to the group intellect…

“…and consult with them upon the conduct of affairs. And when thou art resolved, then put thy trust in Allah. Lo! Allah loves those who put their trust in Him.” Al-Quran, Al-Imran (The Family of Imran) [3:159]

“… Those who hearken to their Lord, and establish regular Prayer; who conduct their affairs by mutual consultation; who spend out of what We bestow on them for sustenance…” Al-Qur’an, Ash Shura (The Council) [42:36-38]

“Faithful believers are to each other as the bricks of a wall, supporting and reinforcing each other. So saying, the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) clasped his hands by interlocking his fingers.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

“Form alliances, firstly among yourselves…Leadership is in the resourceful people that represent the productive life of society.” Imam Dr. W. Deen Mohammed (RA)

NATIONAL – In a recent meeting between the Muslim Journal Editor and Board Chair and the Community Wide Shuraa Conference (CWSC) Board of Directors, the discussion led to a call for formation of a National Task Force to review Muslim Journal’s operating challenges. In the evolving industry of news gathering and dissemination, it was concluded in this discussion that in order for Muslim Journal to survive, it too must set upon a plan to recreate itself.

Included in this call for a comprehensive review must be insights into how the environment that launched the publication no longer applies and has evolved away from a racially segregated society, an organization no longer closed but part of the American and global Muslim Community and other faith-based experience.

While CWSC will provide the infrastructure through the Model Communities National Resource Directory (MCNRD), American Muslim 360 (AM360), National Learning Labs and Think Tank, to help bring to the table the group intellect and a review process—the resulting report, conclusions and recommendations will truly be a community-wide input project with the opportunity for all who are interested to weigh in through on-air and teleconferenced panel discussions and forums, as well as via email, telephone and even U.S. Mail for those who are not online.

The goal is for the Task Force aided by input from our national group intellect to produce a published community report to be presented to the Board of Directors for Muslim Journal for their consideration.

All Muslims in general, and Muslims born of our historic journey to Islam for African American Muslims in particular, have a stake in this process if you believe we have a duty and a mission to convey the proper image of Al-Islam to America and the world.

In fact our ability to correct false information and negative images of what it means to be Muslim is no less than a national security issue first for our communities and institutions, and then for the broader American society and the world. If we truly believe words make people, and if we believe we have a mission to remake the world, then we’re obligated to share our intellect and voices with a sense of urgency.

If you read, sell, subscribe, write for or have sold the current iteration of the Muslim Journal or any of its predecessors, or you’re a descendant of those who did so, then your voice is essential.

If you believe the American Muslim Community needs a vehicle in a national newspaper to speak in its own voice, then we’re asking you to step up to the plate and get engaged starting right now. We need you to register in the MCNRD today by clicking on the register tab by May 1, 2016, so we can promulgate a schedule for panel discussions, teleconferences and American Muslim 360 broadcasts, and begin forming the Task Force.

We will also need certain skill sets represented on this Task Force including specialists in:

Strategic planning, Project & Capital Management, Marketing & Promotion, Professional Sales, Communication (Journalism, Publishing, Writing, Blogging), Business Development & Management, Intra-faith and Interfaith Relations, Social Media, Advertising, Governance and other professional and technical experience.

With the formation of the Task Force, CWSC through its think tank operations and other intelligentsia components, will for the second time in less than six months tap into the national group intellect via the formation of an ad hoc body to produce a working document. The first publication was a Resolution on Global Drug Policy, Mass Incarceration and Criminal Justice Reform adopted in February and now before the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Global Drug Policy.

CWSC released a statement saying, “This Task Force and the process of asking for our community’s input will give the Muslim Journal’s staff a significant and urgent increase in intellectual capital that allows them the freedom and time to think strategically while meeting the demands of a weekly press deadline. We’re confident that Allah (SWT) will bless great benefits to result from using a Divine Gift He gave to us… Shuraa Baynahum.”

What can you do now? Make du’a for our Community’s success, share this email with your network online and offline and stay tuned to Muslim Journal, cwsc.us and AM360 for continuing information.

Together we can remake the world.

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