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The Muslim Alliance of Indiana (MAI) is issuing a Call for Social Justice in Indiana.  The MAI Call for Social Justice is a year-long initiative that urges Muslim Hoosiers to get involved at the grassroots level in social justice activities.  Each month is dedicated to a specific project that is implemented at the grassroots level through local Islamic centers and organizations.  "Social justice is one of the foundations of our faith and we must demonstrate this by getting actively involved in social justice activities at the grassroots level.  Muslim Hoosiers should dedicate themseleves on how they can make the lives of the less fortunate better regardless of religion," stated Dr Ansari, President of MAI.

Each month will be dedicated to a different project.  The first project of this initiative will be a statewide blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on Friday, November 28, 2008 from 2 - 6pm.  The MAI Statewide Blood Drive will take place in Northwest Indiana, Fort Wayne, Fishers, Indianapolis, Plainfield, Bloomington and Evansville after Jumaah prayer on November 28, 2008.  Locations in each city are being finalized.  To sign up to give blood or for further information contact Dr Minhaj Khaja, MAI Call For Social Justice Committee Co-Chair, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  MAI is responding to the state's blood shortage being faced by blood banks.  MAI's blood drive at the MAI Convention in October 2008 saved over 70 lives.  With your help we can save many more Hoosier lives this month.  Islam teaches us that to save the life of one innocent life is the same as saving all of humanity.  We have the opportunity to do this many times over.

 December 2008 has been dedicated to alleviating hunger.  MAI is asking Muslim Hoosiers and Islamic centers to hold a month long food drive.  MAI is also establishing a program for Muslim Hoosiers to have their Eid al-Adha sacrifice to be conducted through MAI.  The meat from this project will be given to newly arrived refugees and other poor Hoosiers.  For more information about this program please contact Shariq Siddiqui at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

"We ask Muslim Hoosiers to make MAI's Call for Social Justice a success over the next 12 months," stated Rafia Zakaria, Associate Executive Director of MAI. "It is only if the grassroots get involved that this Call for Social Justice will be a success." 

"This initiative not only helps in making the lives of those less fortunate better as required by our Islamic faith it also helps communicate the true image of Islam and Muslims to the community at large." stated Shariq Siddiqui, Executive Director of MAI.

MAI is 501c3 nonprofit organization that publishes the Muslim Hoosier magazine that reaches out to over 10,000 homes, libraries and public officials of which over 8500 are Muslim Hoosier voters; holds an Annual Convention; organizes the Governor's Annual Iftar and works towards connecting Muslim Hoosiers to each other and their public leadership.

MAI's strategic goals include:

- Connecting 280,000 Muslim Hoosiers to each other and their public leadership

- Encouraging the involvement of youth in the Muslim community

- Establishing a sound financial base through encouragement of Muslim entrepreneurship

- Improving the public image of Islam and Muslims

- Interfaith and coalition building

- Hate Crimes and Civil Rights Advocacy