Shaykh Abdul Nasir Jangda
Founder & President, Qalam Institute
Provides scholarly guidance and strategic insight, helping ensure Najm’s programming remains rooted in authentic knowledge and meaningful impact.
About Us
A non-profit raising the bar of Muslim community life across the Midwest.
Our Mission
We serve as a third space for Midwest Muslim communities to strengthen faith, build community, and seek knowledge — through monthly programs, national speakers, and regional collaborations.
Our Vision
Najm exists for one reason: to raise the bar of Muslim community life across the Midwest.
We believe that Islam isn’t just practiced in private — it’s lived in community. Through consistent programming, meaningful gatherings, and a growing network of masajid and MSAs across ten states, we’re building something that lasts.
Our vision is simple: a connected, spiritually rooted Muslim community that knows its purpose, grows together, and never stops returning to Allah.
Through halaqas, educational programs, regional collaborations, and social gatherings, Najm creates spaces where Muslims across the Midwest can:
- Strengthen their relationship with Allah
- Build authentic friendships rooted in faith
- Engage with scholars and mentors from across the country
- Grow as confident Muslims in today’s world
Founder
Imam Yusuf Abdullah Islam
Founder & Director, Najm Community
He was raised in Columbia, Missouri before moving to Dallas, Texas to pursue an in-depth Islamic education. He is a graduate of the Qalam Seminary class of 2023, and is currently in his final year of study in the ʿAlimiyyah program. He is actively involved in both local and national religious initiatives, having served as an Imam at the Islamic Center of Central Missouri (ICCM) and a khateeb and teacher at major masajid across the country, including Valley Ranch Islamic Center (VRIC), Brand Lane Islamic Center (BLIC), ISRA Foundation, Islamic Association of Allen (IAA), and Islamic Association of Carrollton (IAC). He is dedicated to building spiritually nourishing spaces and environments for college students, young adults, and families.
Advisory Board
Mufti Hussain Kamani
Senior Instructor & Scholar
Offers mentorship, guidance in curriculum and programming, and ensures the organization maintains strong scholarly foundations.
Qari Noman Hussain
Founder, Oasis Chicago
Brings deep experience in community building and Qur’anic education, helping guide Najm in creating impactful, spiritually enriching programming.
Ustadha Aatiya Munshi
Director, Legacy Islamic Academy
Ensures Najm is a safe space for Muslim sisters and guides its educational direction in nurturing the next generation.
Ustadha Sarah Salih
Founder, CONSCIOUS
Shapes spiritually grounded and psychologically informed programming supporting holistic community growth.
More Than a Local Halaqah
Najm began as a halaqah — a circle of people who gather to reflect, learn, and talk about what it actually means to live with faith.
It has grown into something regional: consistent programming, national speakers, and collaborations with masajid and MSAs that serve Muslims well beyond any one city.
We’re rooted in Missouri — but what we’re building reaches across the Midwest, and stays with you wherever you go.
For Anyone Who Believes But Wants More
Whether you grew up in the deen or found your way to it later — whether you’re a student pulling all-nighters or a professional navigating a world that wasn’t exactly designed with you in mind — Najm is for you.
You don’t need to have it figured out. You don’t need to bring anything except yourself.
We’re not here to test your knowledge. We’re here to walk with you.
Because Faith Was Never Meant to Be Lonely
The Quran describes stars as instruments of guidance — placed deliberately in the dark so that travelers could find their way. Not decoration. Not distance. Presence.
That’s what Najm wants to be. A place that doesn’t just exist somewhere across town, but one that comes toward you. That meets you in the season of life you’re actually in.
A space rooted in faith and built for real life.
What We Do
Halaqas
Where faith meets real conversation.
Weekly circles where community members gather to reflect on the Quran, Sunnah, and the questions that shape our daily lives. Open to college students and adults.
Scholarly Sessions
Depth without distance.
We bring scholars and mentors from across the country to the Midwest — for sessions that go deeper than a lecture, into the kind of learning that changes how you see the world.
Social Events
Friendships anchored in something real.
From trivia nights to outdoor adventures, these brothers-only and sisters-only gatherings build the kind of friendships that last — rooted in shared values and genuine connection.
Regional Collaborations
Building something bigger, together.
Large-scale events like the Najm x MSO Conference bring hundreds together for a cause — and have raised over $200K for relief. These collaborations amplify our impact and unite Muslim communities across the Midwest.
Where We’re Headed
We’re just getting started. Here are the states we’re building community across:
- Missouri
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Iowa
- Illinois
- Arkansas
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Tennessee
- Kentucky
