Zawiyah is an Arabic term commonly used in North and West Africa to refer to a space dedicated to worship, education, service, and community.

The National Zawiyah Initiative is a product of the vision of the late renowned Senegalese Islamic scholar and humanitarian, Shaykh Hassan Cisse, and is currently supported by and under the guidance of his brother, Shaykh Mouhamadou Mahy Cisse.

Our goal is to establish centers for prayer, religious education, spiritual development, community building, and service to humanity in cities across the U.S. In keeping with Shaykh Hassan’s vision, we have begun with an effort to establish one such center, or Zawiyah, in the historic neighborhood of Harlem in New York City. Once this is achieved, we will work to establish similar centers in other cities with sizable Tijani communities. Each center will be designed to meet the unique needs of the local community it serves, and will be led by a team of individuals who reside in that city. Our long-term goal is to create a national network of zawiyahs that will contribute to the spiritual health, cultural vibrancy, and overall well-being of Muslims throughout the Americas. We are moving forward with great speed and enthusiasm to achieve our goal, and we invite you to become an active part of the movement.

You can help by making a one-time financial contribution, or by setting up a monthly payment via this website. We have included a tracker that displays our progress thus far, and will update this information regularly as we collect more funds. For more information, please contact Habib Rasul Miller at rasul@sas.upenn.edu or Ajib Abdus-Salaam at ajib@nasrulilmamerica.org.

Thank you, and may Allah reward you for your support of this effort!