The 11th Annual NACSI conference is officially underway today at Abubakar as-Saddique Islamic Center in Minneapolis. The conference was attended by representatives from all of the centers that are in the organization as well as the board of the council who is led by Sheikh Abdirahman Sheikh Omar. The conference was hosted by members of the umbrella organization that are located in the hosting state of Minnesota.

The presence of the scholars from around the nation was felt throughout the state of Minnesota as many of them delivered the Friday sermons at various locations. Members of the council were very honored to have the presence of Sheikh Mohamed Idris who is one of the founders of the organization.

The conference was opened by Sheikh Abdirahman Sheikh Omar, the head of the board of the council. The Sheikh spoke of the importance of the conference after thanking Allah for giving us the opportunity to unite in this organization which was founded in the year 2000—a time when the Somali people were entering the American continent in mass numbers. The opening of the conference was followed by reports from member centers whose locations varied from the New England area in the east; Georgia and Tennessee in the south and also from the United States heartland in the Midwest and as far as California and Washington State in the west.

Among the reports was a report by Ali Haji, the head of the Horn Africa Relief Organization. Ali Haji included in his report the need for religious awakening back home. He suggested that a number of individuals be trained and prepared to lead a religious awakening back in Somalia. After the reports, there was a break for the Friday sermon. This was followed by a report from Sheikh Abdullahi Nur (Abul Fadl), the vice chairman of the executive committee of NACSI. Sheikh Abul Fadl addressed the goals from the previous conference, those that were achieved and those that are still on the agenda. Sheikh Abdirahman Sheikh Omar again addressed the conference attendees detailing the history of the organization and the necessities that prompted the need for such an organization.

Also present at the meeting was honorable imams from local masaajid along with community leaders, elders, and business leaders within the community. Sheikh Hassan Jamici, Sheikh Sa’ad Muse, Sheikh Jibril Qadi, Sheikh Abdullahi Ibrahim, Sheikh Abdirisaq San’aani, and Sheikh Abdiqani Qardawi were among the honorable guests.