LALMA is a not-for-profit organization that was established in 1999 in response to the need for Spanish-language resources on
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
. LALMA began with a group of five
Latino Muslims from
Los Angeles led by
Marta Felicitas Galedary began having regular meetings to learn about Islam in the Spanish language. According to its mission statement, LALMA "promotes a better understanding of Islam to the Spanish speaking community and establishes a forum of spiritual nurturing and social support to Latino Muslims, building bridges among the monotheistic community and advocating for
social justice in accordance with Islamic values." Initially LALMA stood for Los Angeles Latino Muslims Association, but after a restructuring to accommodate its growth, LALMA was renamed to La Asociacion Latino Musulmana de America.
Each Sunday morning, LALMA members gather to attend
Arabic lessons, receive instruction on the
Quran and the biography of
Muhammad (
sirah), and discuss issues of interest to Muslim converts.
[ They regularly have guest lectures on different aspects of Islam. They meet at various mosques in Southern California including Masjid Omar ibn Al-Khattab and the ]Islamic Center of Southern California
The Islamic Center of Southern California is a mosque and Islamic cultural center located in Los Angeles, California. It is located on Vermont Avenue adjacent to the Chinese Consulate General in the Wilshire Center neighborhood of Los Angeles. It ...
. LALMA also provides CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure consisting of chest compressions often combined with artificial ventilation in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore sponta ...
courses, first aid, and community safety courses as well as teen counseling and support to Latino dawah
Dawah ( ar, دعوة, lit=invitation, ) is the act of inviting or calling people to embrace Islam. The plural is ''da‘wāt'' (دَعْوات) or ''da‘awāt'' (دَعَوات).
Etymology
The English term ''Dawah'' derives from the Arabic ...
programs. They host and participate in interfaith events, such as with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. LALMA sponsors events such as conferences on the Islamic roots of Spain and yearly activities during Ramadan
, type = islam
, longtype = Religious
, image = Ramadan montage.jpg
, caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...
.[
]
See also
* Alianza Islámica
* Black Muslims
* Islam in the United States
* Latin American Muslims
* Hispanic and Latino American Muslims
Hispanic and Latino American Muslims are Hispanic and Latino Americans who are of the Islamic faith. Hispanic and Latino Americans are an ethnolinguistic group of citizens of the United States with origins in Spain and Latin America. Islam is a ...
* Latino American Dawah Organization
The Latino American Dawah Organization (LADO) is a grassroots organization founded in September 1997 by a handful of Latino converts to Islam in New York City. The idea began with Samantha Sanchez who then recruited the help of Juan Alvarado and S ...
References
{{reflist
External links
LALMA website
Islamic charities based in the United States
Hispanic and Latino American organizations
Hispanic and Latino American culture in Los Angeles
Non-profit organizations based in Los Angeles
Islamic organizations established in 1999
Spanish-language education
Islamic education
1999 establishments in California