Belief, Gratitude, and Hope: A Mohammed School Alumni’s $2 Million Gift and Call to Action

Highlights of The Atlanta Masjid’s 65th Gala: 3,000 Believers Commit to $100 monthly Support

By Imam Plemon T. El-Amin
Imam Emeritus
The Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam

ATLANTA, Ga. – The recent celebration of the Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam’s 65th Anniversary on Nov. 11, 2023, marked a historic night. Ihsan Saleem, one of our Mohammed Schools of Atlanta alumni, unveiled an ambitious community vision:

“Constructing a new eco-friendly Masjid, state-of-the-art educational facilities, housing, retail, office and the establishment of a community endowment.”

The “65^th Anniversary Fundraiser” that followed, led by Omar Karim of the DMV, developer of The Clara, marked a significant moment. Ihsan kick-started the campaign by announcing a remarkable $2 million donation and, with energy high, an additional $3 million was raised, for a grand total of over $5 million during the evening.  

Today, as I reflect on Ihsan’s contribution, I see not just an individual success story, but a testament to the potential within our national community. Ihsan, now the head of a real estate investment firm, has dedicated his skills and resources to transforming distressed communities into havens of safety, affordability, and opportunity. 

His work as an investment banker on Wall Street, after graduating from Morehouse, and his lifelong commitment to entrepreneurship exemplify the heights our community members can reach when nurtured and supported.

As then Imam and now Imam emeritus of the Atlanta Masjid, I have witnessed Ihsan’s growth and journey firsthand. He is a young man who was cultivated by the community of Imam WD Mohammed, a student whom I’ve had the privilege to teach and help mentor, and now a visionary leader helping to shape and cultivate our collective future. 

His story is a living testament to the strength and potential of model Islamic community life that his historic gift of $2 million is intended to advance. 

In his opening remarks, Ihsan stated his generosity stems from three things: 1) a profound belief in the hereafter, 2) gratitude for our national community’s legacy, and 3) a hopeful vision for our collective future.

Belief: Our giving is an embodiment of belief — inspired by the hadith where Aisha gave away most of the meat for the sake of Allah, keeping only the Prophet’s favorite part. The Prophet’s response resonates: “We kept the part you gave and just lost the part you kept.” 

Ihsan believes that what we give is preserved eternally in the world beyond this one. It is an investment in the hereafter, a legacy that transcends our earthly existence.

Gratitude:  Ihsan stated that this gift is primarily a thank you to his mother, Dr. Daaiyah Saleem,”… and to all of our elders who’ve poured into us.”

He said, “Thank you for gifting us with this beautiful, balanced, affirming expression of Islam. Thank you for your courageous thinking, your spiritual seeking, and your willingness to transform your lives and be made anew. 

“Thank you for emphasizing entrepreneurship and do-for-self. Thank you for your commitment to service, social justice and moral excellence. This gift is a ‘thank you’ to all our elders and pioneers, for giving us such an incredible legacy.”

It is a Legacy that deserves preservation and advancement.

Hope:  Filled with Hope, Ihsan asked attendees to imagine a much more vibrant community on Fayetteville Road, with a newly built masjid at its heart, where the call to prayer unites neighbors for Fajr as if it were Jumuah. 

A world-class educational institution standing as a beacon, nurturing hearts and minds to lead and reshape the world. A beautiful campus built for us by us filled with our homes, our businesses and our organizations dedicated to serving humanity, especially the marginalized and oppressed.

As a new father, Ihsan stated that he considers advancing model Islamic community life, inspired by our people’s story, as the best possible inheritance for his daughter and every child. 

Call to Action:  In this expansive vision, a new independent non-profit entity, the Atlanta Masjid Community Foundation (AMCF), stands as our economic engine, offering a transparent and accountable model for giving. 

The AMCF, led by Ihsan and a dynamic board of Trustees, offers an opportunity to direct our passion for community life and desire to give into a well-run organization with effective governance, high accountability, transparency, clear leadership, and professionalism. 

So, dear Brothers and Sisters, our appeal to you is to join our “3,000 Believers” campaign by committing to $100 per month.  We seek your support, not just financially but as partners in a movement — 3,000 believers consistently giving, unlocking our community’s long-dormant fundraising power. 

This is an invitation to turn our national community’s dreams into a local reality, creating a model that we can eventually expand nationally! Our timeline is five years, and we invite you now to see what we can collectively accomplish by the 70^th anniversary of the Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam.   

ABOUT Ihsan Saleem: Saleem is a 2004 graduate of Atlanta’s WD Mohammed High School. He served as the Southeast Regional Coordinator for the National Young Adult Association and as a member of the Planning Committee for Community Life Forward. He also served as a member of the Majlis Ashura of the Atlanta Masjid. 

Professionally, Ihsan is an investor focused on both publicly traded and private real estate-related opportunities. He leads a vertically integrated real estate firm that directly acquires and redevelops apartment communities in Atlanta.  

Since 2011, he has sponsored more than $250 million of investments in working-class communities, transforming over 2,000 distressed units into clean, safe and affordable homes. 

Previously, Ihsan worked in New York as an investment banker at Deutsche Bank, where he focused on capital raising and M&A advisory for global homebuilders and building product suppliers. 

Prior to that, he was a partner in an Atlanta-based home-building business he co-founded with his siblings while in college. Ihsan also serves on boards and as an advisor to real estate, faith-based and educational organizations. 

He holds a B.A. in Accounting from Morehouse College. Ihsan performed Hajj in 2016 with Hajj Pros International. He and his wife, Fatyma, and their 3-year-old daughter Daaiyah, live in Brooklyn, N.Y.