The Award
The M. Naziruddin Ali Award for Excellence provides national recognition and financial support for students who exhibit outstanding academic strength as well as exceptional service to Muslims and the American and Canadian community at large.
A pioneer of Islamic activism in the United States, M. Naziruddin Ali's exemplary dedication to the Muslim American community is illustrated by his lifelong association with MSA National, Islamic Society of North America, and North American Islamic Trust. Beginning as local MSA chapter president at the Illinois Institute of Technology and having chaired numerous MSA annual conferences, he subsequently served as president of MSA National for two terms. During his time as president, he was integral in facilitating the establishment of the Islamic Society of North America. Thereafter, he served as General Manager of NAIT for twenty years. His tireless service, sincerity, and unwavering commitment proved to be crucial in the birth and development of each of these organizations.
M. Naziruddin Ali lived by his conviction of striving for excellence through dedication and perseverance in all aspects of his life. He applied this conviction to his educational pursuits, being an accomplished student himself, and was supportive of other students in pursuing academic excellence and achievement as well. He believed that as Muslims, students had the obligation to not only excel in education, but also to carry the responsibility of being of service to the community. Hence, this distinguished award reflects M. Naziruddin Ali's legacy of commitment to academic excellence and service to the American Muslim community as well as the greater community at large.
In his honor, scholarships will be awarded to students who exhibit qualities of his exceptional legacy in the amounts of $2,500, $1,500, $1,000.
The Ilyas Ba-Yunus Foundation Memorial Scholarship provides recognition and financial assistance to students who exemplify academic excellence, a commitment to the development of their local community, who strive to improve unity within the American Muslim society at large, and demonstrate a long-term dedication to strengthening the American Muslim family, through their course of study and/or their community activism.
Among the founders of the modern Islamic movement in the United States, Ilyas Ba-Yunus, Ph.D., was one of the original students from 13 MSA chapters that formed the MSA of US & Canada in 1963. He served MSA in various capacities, including as Vice President and then President from 1969-1970. His academic study of Sociology, with a focus on Muslim society, framed him as the father of Islamic Sociology. Committed to the development and strengthening of the Muslim Community in the US and Canada, Dr. Ba-Yunus first proposed the concept of a community-based organization, which directly led to the formation of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), and he was elected as ISNA's first President.
Dr. Ba-Yunus's pioneering work in Islamic Sociology not only led to the formation of ISNA, but a number of ISNA projects, most prominantly the ISNA Matrimonial Referral Service, the first and only significant attempt to promote harmonius and successful marriages in the face of increasing divorce rates within the Muslim community in North America. He also championed the cause of North American Muslim demographics, completing the first-ever comprehensive estimation of Muslims in the United States, incorporating detailed information including religious practices. He served as the President of the Islamic Media Foundation, received the ISNA Community Service Award in 2005, and was a member of the ISNA Majlis as Shura until his passing in 2007. This scholarship honors Dr. Ba-Yunus's dedication to the unity of the North American Muslim community, his constant efforts to improve the Muslim family, and his commitment to strengthening the relative position of Muslims in North America.
