Islah LA

Muslim social restoration striving to renew faith, education, unity, family, civic engagement, and economic empowerment in South Los Angeles.

Islah LA emerged from the historic Masjid Ibaadillah community in South Los Angeles in 1986. Led by Imam Saadiq Saafir, a group of families purchased storefront property on West Jefferson Boulevard in Los Angeles to establish Masjid Ibaadillah and to serve its predominantly African-American community. The Islah LA community center currently led by Imam Jihad Saafir, is a secular nonprofit charity founded in June 2013.

In February 2014, it officially started center safe-place programming for children and families. By September 2014, Islah LA Academy opened with 20 students offering a Muslim-school curriculum specializing in social justice, high academic standards, Quranic studies, and 21st Century leadership.

Islah LA is one of the first of its kind in the United States – an inner-city community center founded by Muslim-Americans to serve South Los Angeles. Islah LA is poised to start a new wave of civic engagement within the Muslim-American community.

As its primary focus is service, it allows Muslims from diverse backgrounds to have a space where they can engage in their community. The goal of Islah LA is service to the greater community and to provide and inclusive community space for key social services to the surrounding areas. That is why we chose the Arabic word, “Islah”, because of its meaning to renew, revive, and restore.