Al Salaam Academy's origin story began in 2016 when two educated Muslim women, who had spent their entire lives teaching, mentoring, and inspiring youth, were driven by a vision to create a space where youngsters could benefit from the rich Islamic tradition while also excelling in general education and Western academia. The goal was to counter the moral decay that high school youth were experiencing due to exposure to ideologies foreign to Islam in public and other non-Muslim schools. Initially, the focus was solely on boys, as there was already a program for girls elsewhere, and the general perception was that young men were coming out of high school undisciplined in the Islamic way and lagging behind even in general academics.
This idea led to the establishment of All Boys Academy, an Islamic high school that combined a general high school curriculum with an enriching Islamic one. Boys had the opportunity to excel in an environment designed with their needs in mind, taught by teachers who cared for their academic and Islamic development. However, the community expressed a desire for a girls' school as well. Responding to the feedback and after mashwara (consultation) with community elders, the importance of a co-educational Islamic high school became evident. Young Muslim men and women needed to learn how to interact with one another properly to succeed both academically and religiously. Thus, both ideas were combined, giving birth to Al Salaam Academy.
The name "Salaam" in Arabic means "peace" and "security." It is also the origin of the word 'Islam,' which means to 'submit oneself.' Additionally, it is one of the 99 blessed names of God, and one of the names of paradise is "Dar-Al Salaam" (The House of Peace). The choice of this name was intentional, conveying a message of peace, tolerance, and safety not only to the students but also to the neighbors and the wider community.
In 2020, Al Salaam Academy was established and needed a physical location to operate. After much searching, a center was found in Owings Mills, but it proved to be further away from the desired audience. This led to the decision to look for an alternative location. After consulting various community elders, scholars, social workers in Da’wah and Tabligh, and conducting our own extensive research, Ellicott City, Maryland, emerged as the ideal location, located just a 25-minute drive from Al Salaam Center in Owings Mills.
In 2022, the search for a suitable location in Ellicott City began, and after a year of constant effort and nearly two years of consultations, a suitable location was finally found by the grace of Allah. Alhamdulillah, the current facility sits in a central location within 15 minutes of the nearest Islamic Centers. We are grateful for the "mashwara" (consultation) given by senior members of Da’wah and Tabligh who urged us to find a location in Ellicott City that is home to thousands of Muslims and is in a central position to help serve all communities nearby.
We are also grateful to our closest neighbor, INK Foundation, for inviting us to move near them wholeheartedly and welcomingly. May Allah bless all those who helped establish Al-Salaam and continue to do so. We pray that Allah allows all Islamic Organizations to flourish and benefit Muslims and non-Muslims in America.
Al Salaam Academy encourages everyone to support the endeavor in any way possible, whether through spreading awareness, giving some time or money, or making Du’aa for the success of the school. We pray for blessings in this life and eternal rewards in the hereafter.
Ameen.