“I want them to understand that there has been a shift in American culture and global trends altogether,” Abuisnanieh says, “and that all of what’s happening in our world is affecting how Muslims perceive their Eman and perceive their Islam.”

After having discussions with her students, understanding their concerns and needs, she constructed a unit titled “Conviction and Doubt in the American Muslim Faith,” in which she adapted Yaqeen Institute publications on doubt as core reading material for students to reflect upon and discuss Muslim struggles and reasons for doubt.

The students were then prompted to conduct research in their own communities and brought them to class to compare. Giving the students space to engage with Islamic research made them feel like they could contribute to the discourse and propose solutions.

"To see my students have their faith restored again...was truly one the best gifts as a teacher."

Abuisnanieh encourages others parents, educators, and anyone invested in the wellness of our youth to support Yaqeen's efforts.

"[Yaqeen’s] work is so critical because Muslim youth are truly hurting. They don’t always show it, but have any conversation with them and you can see that they’re battling doubts, they’re battling questions that our generation and beyond never actually faced."

Yaqeen Institute is changing lives. Help bring Islamic scholarship to classrooms and restore our children’s faith.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in these papers and articles are strictly those of the authors. Furthermore, Yaqeen does not endorse any of the personal views of the authors on any platform. Our team is diverse on all fronts, allowing for constant, enriching dialogue that helps us produce high-quality research.

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