What is American Democratic Islam?                                                             

American Democratic Islam (ADI) is a philanthropic organization that educates and financially supports American-born citizens interested in forming a grassroots, Qur’an study group centered in spirituality. Although ADI respects the Arab culture from which Islam originated, it divests itself socially, politically, culturally, and linguistically from its Arab roots.

What is ADI’s purpose?

American Democratic Islam’s purpose is threefold:

1. To teach students that the Qur’an is a spiritual text, and states that not all verses are to be understood in literal terms (3:7). Some are figurative, metaphysical, mystical, and some have multiple meanings. A serious student is well advised to take our 3-month course, “How to Interpret the Qur’an.”
2. To teach how to self-interpret the Qur’an for its spiritual meanings. No scholar or cleric is needed; the Qur’an is its own commentary.
   Like all great world religions, their holy texts require modern-day application through self-reasoning, self-investigation and self-discovery. That is a Qur’anic principle and responsibility (2:242). We teach you how to think for yourself instead of following pundits and mullahs with male biases. And, we welcome, train, and ordain women, as well as men, for the position of imam.
3. To teach Americans that terrorism is a politically motivated evil that has no basis in the life of the Prophet Muhammad, (peace be upon him).

What is the method to achieve its purpose?

American Democratic Islam has a three-fold business plan: