Islamic Speakers Bureau, DFW (ISB-DFW) is a 501(c)3 non-profit, educational organization based in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area. ISB-DFW is an independent affiliate of the Islamic Networks Group (ING.ORG), a non-profit organization with affiliates and partners around the country that are pursuing peace and countering all forms of bigotry through education and interfaith engagement while working within the framework of the First Amendment’s protection of religious freedom and pluralism.
Mission Statement
ISB-DFW’s mission is to improve religious literacy and foster a better understanding of Muslims and Islam thereby building bridges among Americans of all faiths.
Statement of Need
Islamophobia has reached new heights in recent years with polls showing that Islam is the most unfavorably viewed religion despite the fact that most Americans do not know a Muslim. Islamophobia has been and continues to be used to gain votes, influence domestic and foreign policy, and inform and often enflame public discourse in a manner that often resembles previous periods of xenophobia in our country’s history.
Islamophobia has resulted in the bullying of Muslim students in schools, the harassment of Muslim women who wear a headscarf, vandalism and arson against Muslim houses of worship, and even the killing of a number of Muslim individuals and those assumed to be Muslims, such as Sikhs. At ISB-DFW we believe that the first step in countering Islamophobia is to challenge the false assumptions that lead to bias and bigotry through education and dialogue.
Guiding Principles
- We subscribe to the principles expressed in the religion clauses of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution; our services are therefore academic, informative, objective, and neutral. Our programs are not devotional in nature; we do not proselytize.
- To promote religious literacy, understanding and mutual respect through on-site presentations, cultural competency seminars and interfaith dialogues.
- To provide face-to-face interactions with Muslim speakers and educators, an approach that is most powerful in overcoming stereotypes and prejudices.
- To build bridges between Americans of all faiths through outreach and by establishing long-term relationships as an effective process for understanding Islam and Muslims.
- To promote religious pluralism and mutual respect by modeling civil dialogue between the diverse religious communities in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area
- To emphasize our shared values and practices, while helping us understand our differences.
- To work as an ethical and trusted source of information on Islam.
Management Team
ISB-DFW is currently managed by a board and a part time Admin Assistant. ISB relies on a dedicated base of core volunteers and speakers who help in carrying out the mission of ISB.