Muslim Journal

What Muslim Journal does

Muslim Journal is a privately-held community newspaper founded in 1975 and currently publishing its 49th volume from a Newark, NJ headquarters with a Chicago, IL circulation office. It serves the African American Muslim community with print and digital weekly editions covering business, culture, education, health, international, national, politics, religion, science, sports, technology, and veterans news. The publication has produced nearly 50 years of continuous editorial output and maintains deep institutional ties to Masjid Muhammad DC, Clara Muhammad Schools (Nashville, Milwaukee, Queens, Atlanta), W.D. Mohammed High School, and the annual A Time To Be Grateful (ATTBG) conference.

The core product is a weekly newspaper delivered through print mail subscriptions (6-month, 1-year, 2-year terms), digital online subscriptions (monthly, 6-month, 1-year, 2-year tiers priced from $15/mo to $200/2yr), a vendor network requiring minimum 5 papers per week, and community event sales. Supporting the journalism is a WordPress/Newspack-based publishing platform handling content, archives, and e-commerce. Adjacent revenue lines include advertising (full/half/quarter page and $25/week business card placements) and community fundraising, notably the Million Dollar Campaign targeting 2,000 recurring supporters.

The business model is a hybrid of subscription, advertising, distribution (vendor), and donation revenue, monetized through direct-to-consumer outreach supplemented by partnerships with mosques, schools, NNPA-affiliated Black press syndication, and community organizations. The organization employs 11-50 staff and operates without disclosed external institutional investment, relying on community funding, advertising, and subscription revenue.

Name

Muslim Journal

Legal name

Muslim Journal

Website

https://muslimjournal.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Muslim Journal is a privately-held weekly newspaper founded in 1975 serving the African American Muslim community with print and digital editions, monetized via subscriptions, advertising, vendor sales, and community donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Newspaper

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Religious Nonfiction & Theology Publishing (Apologetics, Doctrine, Ethics) (MPAJAHAG)

Keywords

• Community newspaper publishing
• African American Muslim news
• Print and digital subscriptions
• Community advertising
• Ethnic media publication

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Print and Digital Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from print and digital newspaper issues sold to individual subscribers. Subscription terms available in 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year durations.
2. Advertising: Revenue from full-page, half-page, quarter-page advertisements and business card ads placed by businesses and community organizations.
3. Vendor Sales: Wholesale newspaper sales through vendor network requiring minimum 5 papers per week.
4. Donations and Contributions: One-time contributions and monthly recurring support from community donors. Includes Million Dollar Campaign targeting 2,000 supporters at $1.50/day, $10/week, $45/month, or $500/year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Muslim Journal publishes a weekly community newspaper (print and digital) covering business, culture, education, health, international, national, politics, religion, science, sports, technology, and veterans news for the African American Muslim community. Founded in 1975 and currently in its 49th volume, it sells subscriptions, advertising placements, and operates community events such as the annual A Time To Be Grateful (ATTBG) conference.

Product overview

Muslim Journal is a weekly African American Muslim newspaper founded in 1975, currently in its 49th volume. The publication operates as a digital and print newspaper with multiple subscription tiers. Its product portfolio includes: (1) Digital Subscriptions offering online access to weekly issues in monthly, 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year terms ($15/month, $70/6 months, $135/year, $200/2 years); (2) Print Subscriptions providing physical newspaper delivery; (3) Advertising Services allowing businesses to place display ads and business cards; (4) a Vendor Program for newspaper distribution; and (5) ATTBG (A Time To Be Grateful) Special Events including the annual conference and souvenir journal. The publication also offers one-time contributions and monthly supporter programs for community funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Subscription Digital access to Muslim Journal's weekly newspaper issues, available in monthly ($15), 6-month ($70), 1-year ($135), and 2-year ($200) subscription terms. Provides online access to current and archived issues for individual readers.
• Print Subscription Physical newspaper delivery service providing printed copies of Muslim Journal's weekly issues via USPS mail, available in 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year subscription terms for individual subscribers.
• Advertising Services Display advertising options including full-page, half-page, quarter-page ads, and business card sized ads ($25/week or $100/month) for businesses and community organizations to reach Muslim Journal's readership.
• Vendor Program A distribution program allowing independent vendors to purchase and resell Muslim Journal newspapers in their communities, requiring a minimum of 5 papers per week.
• ATTBG Special Events A Time To Be Grateful annual conference and events program, including souvenir journals, fashion shows, and community gatherings for the African American Muslim community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Live-stream events reaching over 4,000 viewers

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Masjid Muhammad, DC (Nation's Mosque)coreOthersLong-standing partnership with Masjid Muhammad, DC. Youth Weekend School program featured in Muslim Journal. Imam Dr. Talib M. Shareef contributes articles on politics and democracy.
• Youth Weekend School of Masjid MuhammadcoreOthersMuslim Journal features Youth Weekend School programs and awarded Generation Next Award to students at the A Time to Be Grateful annual conference.
• Clara Muhammad Schools NetworkcoreOthersOngoing coverage of Clara Muhammad Schools including Nashville (50th anniversary), Milwaukee, Queens, and Atlanta locations. W.D. Mohammed High School featured extensively.
• Mohammed Schools of AtlantacoreOthersW.D. Mohammed High School graduation ceremonies covered in detail. Donation support through Supreme Foods Foundation.
• Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCAIR featured in coverage of community events and advocacy. Collaboration on voter registration and civic engagement initiatives.
• Muslim-American Veterans Association (MAVA)minorOthersCoverage of Muslim veterans issues. Imam Dr. Talib Shareef serves as Vice Commander/National Chaplain of MAVA.
• Muslim League of Voters of New Jersey (MLV-NJ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on voter registration drives and civic engagement initiatives with MLV-NJ.
• National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMuslim Journal is part of NNPA network, providing syndicated content and broader reach through Black press network.
• Supreme Foods WorldwideminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness coverage and advertising relationship with Supreme Foods Worldwide. Lawrence Shamsid-Deen honored at ATTBG awards.
• Masjid Al-Taqwa, ChicagominorOthersImam Dr. Mikal Ramadan served as Resident Imam. Community coverage from Chicago area.
• SUNY Downstate Health Sciences UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoverage of Dr. W. Marcus Lambert appointment and community health initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Atlanta Daily World: One of the oldest African American newspapers, NNPA-affiliated, serving the Atlanta/SE U.S. Black community. Comparable as a heritage Black press title with shared NNPA network effects and similar community-newspaper revenue mix.
• New York Amsterdam News: Long-running NNPA-affiliated Black newspaper serving the New York African American community. Comparable as a heritage Black press title within the NNPA syndication network, with similar print + digital subscription and advertising revenue model.
• The Call & Post: NNPA-affiliated African American newspaper with coverage across multiple U.S. markets. Comparable as a multi-city Black community newspaper operating print, digital, and advertising products in a similar niche-press model.
• The Skanner News: NNPA-affiliated African American community newspaper based in the Pacific Northwest. Comparable as a Black community newspaper within the NNPA network with print, digital, and advertising products targeting African American readers.
• Houston Defender: NNPA-affiliated African American newspaper serving Houston. Comparable as a community Black newspaper within the NNPA network, sharing syndication, advertising, and subscription dynamics with Muslim Journal.
• Los Angeles Sentinel: Historic NNPA-affiliated African American newspaper serving Los Angeles. Comparable as a Black community newspaper within the NNPA network offering print subscriptions, digital access, and display advertising.

Emerging players

• AboutIslam.net: Digital-first Muslim news and lifestyle publication covering international and community news. Comparable in faith-focused editorial mission and digital distribution, but with a broader geographic (mostly non-African American) audience and digital-first operating model.
• The Muslim Vibe: Digital Muslim lifestyle and news media targeting young Western Muslims. Comparable in faith-centered editorial content and digital-first distribution, with overlapping advertising and audience development dynamics for Muslim Americans.

Direct peers

• The Final Call: Nation of Islam's national newspaper serving the African American Muslim community with news, commentary, and community coverage. Closely comparable in target audience, faith-based editorial mission, print+digital distribution, and subscription/advertising model.

Others

• Islamic Relief USA: U.S. Muslim faith-based nonprofit organization. Comparable only in serving the U.S. Muslim community audience (overlap with Muslim Journal's reader base) and leveraging similar community partnerships, but not a media company.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/muslimjournal1
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBWz8RV5wvFdjQXJOpsVtww?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/MuslimJournalNews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/muslim-journal
• Instagraminstagram.com/muslimjournalnews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Muslim Journal