The Institute of Islamic Information and Education (III&E) is dedicated to the cause of Islam in North America by providing accurate information about Islamic beliefs, history and civilization from authentic sources. The III&E was established in Chicago, Illinois in 1985 with the comprehensive project of conveying the message of Islam to everyone in North America.

Objectives of III&E

One of the main objectives of the III&E is to elevate the image of Islam and Muslims in North America by providing accurate information about Islamic beliefs, history and civilization to Muslims and non-Muslims.

A complementary objective is to integrate new Muslims into the Muslim community and train them Islamically so that they become workers in their own communities.

How You Can Help

Please read through the relevant text books used in your school district from KG to high school, college books and reference material and see what the author has to say about Islam and Muslims. If you come across anything erroneous or even doubtful make a photocopy of the page, write down the names of books, author, publisher, year of publication or edition, and school district where the book is used and send the information to III&E. We will take it from there and will try to keep you informed of the action taken.

Please ask your friends in your locality and outside of it to cooperate with III&E in a similar manner as outlined above.

III&E is in the process of acquiring and publishing the relevant literature (brochures and booklets) to answer questions frequently asked by non-Muslims in North America. So far the III&E has published over 80 brochures, tracts, articles and flyers – there is something that will be helpful for you. The Institute is providing literature for a donation for distribution among your non-Muslim colleagues, friends and neighbors. Please send your inquiries to the Institute for the literature.

Send your suggestions to the Institute to improve its work and methodology. We all learn from experience.

Give us the names and addresses of individuals and organizations that could be helpful to III&E.

The III&E is a non-profit, religious and tax exempt corporation registered in the State of Illinois, U.S.A. and it runs on contributions and donations from those who share the concerns of Muslims in North America. Please send your generous donation in the name of “III&E Chicago”.

Regarding tableegh and da’wat

It is our (Muslims) responsibility to disseminate the message of Islam to other human beings who may have never known the Truth of Islam. The III&E is producing written materials (tracts, brochures, handouts, etc.) as well as audio and video material to help you fulfill your duty of the dissemination of the message of Islam (tableegh) and invitation towards Allah (da’wat). In the language of Qur’an, such an effort is called Shahadat ‘alan-Naas for which we, the Muslims, will be accountable on the Day of Judgment (Al-Qur’an 2:143, 4:41, 22: 78).

Please contact III&E to find how we can work together to fulfill our duties in your locality and in North America in general.

We, the Muslims, have the promise of help of Allah (S) in our work if only we become sincere and willing to sacrifice our time and money for the cause we believe in. Allah says:

“It is He (Allah) Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance (Al-Qur’an) and the Deen (way of life) of truth, that He may proclaim it over all deens (religions and all other -isms) and enough is Allah for a witness.” (Al-Qur’an 48:28)

Message of Al-Qur’an…

And thus We have raised you to be a model nation so that you may be a witness against mankind, and that the messenger may be a witness against you. (Al-Qur’an 2:143)

Who is more in the wrong than someone who invents a lie about Allah while he is being invited to Islam? Allah does not guide such wrong doing folk.

They want to blow Allah’s light out with their mouths and Allah is Perfecting His light no matter how disbelievers may hate it.

He is the One Who has sent His messenger with guidance and the True Religion, so He may have it prevail over every other religion no matter how those who associate (others with Allah) may hate it.

You who believe, shall I lead you to a business that will save you from painful torment? You should believe in Allah and His messenger, and strive in Allah’s way with your wealth and your persons: that will be better for you if you only knew.

He will forgive you your sins and enter you into gardens underneath which rivers flow, and wholesome dwellings in the gardens of Eden. That will be the supreme Achievement!

And (He will give you) another blessing which you love: help from Allah and present victory. Give good tidings to the believers.

You who believe, become Allah’s supporters just as Jesus, the son of Mary, asked his disciples: “Who will be my helper for the work of Allah?” The disciples said: “We are Allah’s helpers.” A faction from the Children of Israel believed, while another faction disbelieved. We strengthened the hands of those who believed against their enemy, till they became dominant. (Al-Qur’an 61:7-14)

The III&E was established in Chicago, Illinois in 1985. The III&E is registered in the State of Illinois and recognized by the Internal Revenue Service and the United State Postal Service (USPS) as a not-for-profit, religious organization.

Our current situation in North America

Misinformation about Islam is widespread in Western countries. This misinformation also finds its way into the text books and media published in Asian and African countries including Muslim countries themselves with all its impact on growing young generations all over the world.

Such a state of affairs is having an adverse effect on Muslims in North America and Muslim countries in a multitude of ways. Misinformation is prevalent in text books, fiction and non-fiction material, reference books, encyclopedias, magazines, journals, newspapers, television and radio shows. Let us look at a few examples:

– A medical encyclopedia published in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., mentions Prophet Muhammad’s name (may Allah’s blessings be upon him) among those famous people who were EPILEPTIC.

– A church publication in 1981 mentions the rise of Islam in its early period in the following words:

“…THE MORAL LOOSENESS OF THE NEW FAITH, THE MIGHT OF THE SWORD, THE FANATICISM OF THE NEW RELIGION, THE SHREWDNESS OF MUHAMMAD, THE HOPE OF PLUNDER, THE LOVE OF WEALTH, THE IDEA OF A SENSUAL PARADISE HAVE BEEN AMONG THE CAUSES FOR THE SPREAD OF ISLAM WHICH TODAY EMBRACES ONE SIXTH OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION.

– A fourth grade history text book published in U.S.A. has an article about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) with the title, “A CAMEL DRIVER”. The same article tells children 9 to 10 years of age about the status of women in Islam in the following words:

“…. THEY BELIEVE THAT WOMEN SHOULD BE SLAVES TO MEN AND THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT A MAN MIGHT HAVE AS MANY WIVES AS HE WISHED, ALL AT ONE TIME”.

The author tells children about the spread of Islam,

“…VERY SOON THEY BEGAN TO FORCE OTHERS TO BECOME MOSLEMS WHETHER THEY WANTED OR NOT. LIKE THE HIGHWAY ROBBER WHO SAYS, ‘MONEY OR YOUR LIFE’. THEY GAVE EVERYONE A CHOICE, ‘MONEY OR YOUR LIFE, OF BE A MOSLEM”.

Obviously adults and children who read this kind of material would not want to know anything more about Islam. Our responsibility is to open the minds of people so that they read and learn the truth about Islam before they even think about accepting it. The responsibility of Muslims is to make efforts to remove such fabricated material from circulation so that the minds of people are not poisoned about Islam but rather opened to Islam and the atmosphere becomes more amenable to Muslims. This is a Fard Kifaayah, if no one does it the entire Muslim Ummah, particularly those living in the West, will be accountable to Allah for their collusion with anti-Islamic forces through their inaction (i.e. losing by default) .

Allah (S) tells us,

“let there arise out of you a group inviting all that is good (Islam and monotheism), enjoining what is right (all that Islam orders one to do) and forbidding what is wrong (all that Islam forbids). Such are they who are successful.” (Al-Qur’an 3:104)

Goals of III&E

• To remove the mis-information, mis-understanding, mis-perception, and mis-apprehension about Islam and Muslims in American textbooks, reference books, media and minds of the North American people.
• To take the message of Islam to the entire North American population within the next 10 years.
• To educate and train new Muslims and help them to integrate into the Muslim community at large.
• To recruit and train manpower to carry out the above task.
• To raise money and necessary material resources to complete the above tasks.

Achievements of III&E

• Development of simple and concise literature. Over 60 titles of tracts, flyers, brochures and booklets published in English and Spanish. Over 7 million copies distributed in North America. Current annual average distribution is over 400,000 copies. We would like to increase this to 10 million.
• It is estimated that the readership of the III&E brochures is 25 million people in the United States. Approximately 80% of the readers have shed their prejudice, hate, and fear of Islam and Muslims. Over 40,000 people have been influenced to enter Islam by this literature.
• Recruitment of approximately 1000 workers who coordinate with the III&E for distribution of literature.
• Free sets of 20 to 30 books distributed to hundreds of libraries. Annually, we send out approximately 30-40 sets.
• Active correspondence with seekers of the truth. Thousands of letters responded to with majority accepting Islam. Annually, we correspond with over 4000 persons (Muslims and non-Muslims).
• Conferences and seminars held at least once a year on relevant themes of da’wah since 1987.
• Nationally and internationally prominent personalities have been hosted in Chicago to speak.
• Islamic Reading Room opened in 1988. Many Muslims and non-Muslims have benefited from books, magazines, newsletters and videotapes, available in English, Arabic, and Urdu.
• Lectures delivered to numerous Muslim and non-Muslim groups at the III&E Reading Room, churches, schools and Islamic centers all over the U.S. Our average is approximately 50 lectures per year.
• Classes for teaching recitation of the Qur’an and Arabic language, elementary teachings of Islam, and advanced learning of ‘Aqeedah, Tafseer of the Qur’an, and Hadith.
• “Welcome to Islam” TV program aired on UHF Channel 62 in the Chicago area for three months in 1993.
• Video tape rental service.
• In-house printing press with pre-press facilities was established in 1995, saving 50% on printing costs.
• In-house audio and video recording and duplicating systems (small non-commercial) have been established.
• Da’wah Training Program was introduced in 1997. Twenty training sessions were conducted in six cities across the United States, from California to New Jersey. More are planned.
• 200 e-mails on average are received daily, 10-20% of which require responses.
• “Muslim International”, an Internet newsletter, was started in December 2001. 10-12 issues are delivered monthly.

Future plans of III&E

• Publish new titles of literature and booklets and expansion of their distribution.
• Take the message of Islam to TV and radio.
• Establish a 24-hour radio station.
• Contact the North American leadership (political, media, business, education, religion, professionals and others) through direct mail.
• Hold seminars on Islam regularly to inform and educate the public and leadership.
• Establish da’wah training centers for training large numbers of Islamic workers.
• Production of training and educational booklets and audio/video tapes for training new Muslims and da’wah workers.
• Establish headquarters of III&E, a student center and masjid near a university campus in Chicago, or wherever the opportunity becomes available.

What are the material needs of III&E?

• Real estate for the establishment of a national headquarters for da’wah with physical facilities for the following: offices, lecture rooms, meeting rooms, library, auditorium, audio listening booths, video viewing rooms, storage space, automated mail room, printing press, studio for audio/video production, a radio station, masjid, video rental, and parking. An Islamic museum is also desirable.
• Acquisition of a significant amount of Islamic literature in Spanish is strongly needed.
• Semi-professional audio/video equipment, i.e. cameras, editing equipment and their accessories.
• Automated mail processing equipment, i.e., machines for folding, inserting, sealing, stapling, stamping, tabbing, sorting, bar coding, etc.
• Advanced computers for handling medium to large database and mail processing.
• Audio and video tape duplicating equipment and labeling.
• Packaging equipment and facilities.