Three Years Later, the Questions Are Finally Being Aske

Assalamu Alaikum,

For more than three years, this petition has asked one simple question:

How did the American Islamic College lose one of the most valuable Muslim-owned properties in Chicago?

At the time, many told us to "move on."

Today, a new investigation by Chicago Muslims Today asks almost the same question:

"American Islamic College was the jewel of the Chicago Muslim community... Yet in 2023, the institution sold off its campus for a fraction of its worth. Why did this happen? How did Chicago's Muslims lose one of their greatest assets?"
We welcome that investigation.

The Muslim community deserves answers.

Since this petition began, much has changed.

The historic Irving Park campus was sold.
The only masjid on Chicago's lakefront was demolished.
AIC's leadership has changed, and Dr. James E. Jones now serves as Interim President.
Yet many of the questions raised in 2023 remain unanswered.
We hope any investigation tells the complete story.

During the sale process, our concerns were never limited to questions about the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) or international governance.

Our questions also focused on the decisions made by those entrusted with managing AIC in the United States.

Throughout 2023, we repeatedly asked about the roles of Dr. Timothy J. Gianotti, Randal Muhammad, and Ahmed El-Hattab in the sale process. We questioned the property's valuation, the transparency of the negotiations, whether alternative proposals were fully considered, and why the Muslim community was informed only after critical decisions had already been made. These questions were raised publicly, directly, and repeatedly throughout this campaign.
Those questions deserve answers today just as much as they did then.

This is not about revisiting old arguments.

It is about understanding how a historic Islamic institution reached this point, learning from the past, and ensuring future generations never witness the loss of another community institution in the same way.

We sincerely pray that Dr. James E. Jones and the new leadership succeed in rebuilding American Islamic College.

But rebuilding trust requires transparency.

If we are finally asking, "How did this happen?", then every part of that story should be examined fairly, objectively, and without omission.

The Muslim community deserves nothing less.