Since 2002, the Islamic Information Center (IIC) has been making waves throughout the country. The center was founded to project a positive image of Islam on three main levels in order to change perceptions and build bridges. The first part of society that IIC wishes to work on is to establish interfaith connections with the local and national communities. Next, IIC would like to establish a positive and accurate image of Islam in the print, radio, television, and Internet news media. Finally, the IIC hopes to help portray an authentic representation of Islam to elected officials and government agencies.

IIC has accomplished a great deal by pursuing a campaign of presenting Islam to interfaith groups and organizations. More than a hundred churches, synagogues, and other places of worship have heard about, met with, or encountered IIC in one way or another, with promising results. Over time, the plan is to establish more and more networks between different religious organizations and begin working together to enact changes of mutual interest. Many religions pursue similar means to achieve those goals, and this is an area where IIC could work together with these other groups. The theory behind this long term goal is that all religions share a commonality of trying to improve life.

In today's media, there is a definite bias against Islam. Many news agencies either intentionally or unwittingly give out or misleading information about Islam in their newscasts.  In fact, in the last few years alone, top news agencies have started using nonsense jargon terms to help incite anti-Muslim sentiments. Most notably there has been the use of the phrase "Islamofacism". However, when one considers the fact that Islam is a way of life, including fasting, prayer, and charity, and fascism is a violent form of government, it is wholly incomprehensible that the phrase is continuously used. Accordingly IIC works with various news agencies to dispel such attitudes, while providing accurate information on related topics.  IIC works to correct the inaccuracies, counter prejudices and discrimination and provide information to curious parties.  The center hopes to become a primary source for Islamic knowledge and information.

Similarly, the Islamic Information Center would like to work with government agencies and elected officials. It is often the case that such groups are in need of Islamic information, so that they can effectively work to further diplomatic efforts. Unfortunately due to the prevalence of misinformation in the news media, officials do not always have the necessary and accurate information to properly carry out their work. At this point, the IIC steps in and hopes to provide something the media cannot: unbiased information and facts. Since IIC has access to renowned scholars of Islam, we are able to provide such information with authority. This in turn gives whoever we are working with a sense of assurance that they have accurate information.

Recently, IIC opened its first chapter in Los Angeles and plans to open several more chapters this year: Atlanta, Georgia; Boston, Massachusetts; and Miami, Florida. As IIC continues to grow, chapters are necessary to conduct our work on a national basis. The hope is that with offices around the country, IIC can have a much louder voice in our various spheres of influence. This in turn will help our organization expand into new frontiers, and really make a positive difference in this country.

Islamic Information Center was established by a group of concerned professionals from all walks of American life under the leadership of the eminent scholar Syed Rafiq Naqvi. The organization functions under the chairmanship of Imam Naqvi with four permanent Directors and seven elected Directors. President, Secretary and Accountant are elected from among the Directors. The IIC headquarters are located in the National Press Building in Washington, DC.

To date, the IIC has had a tremendous impact in each of these fields. With expanding interfaith networks, growing influence in the media, and access to the proper information, the IIC continues to increase its effectiveness. It is the belief of the IIC that Islam is a wonderful way of life, that Islamic culture is rich and educational, and that once the world is accurately informed about what this belief teaches, the fear and prejudice that pervade the world today will cease to exist.

The Islamic Information Center website can be visited at http://www.islamicinformationcenter.org