I.M.A.M.

What I.M.A.M. does

I.M.A.M. (Imam Mahdi Association of Marjaeya, Inc.) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit religious organization founded in 2002 and headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, with a secondary office in Fairfax, Virginia. It serves as the official liaison office in North America for the Supreme Religious Authority, Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani (the Marjaeya), operating under formal authorization letters (Wikala) that grant it authority to issue religious verdicts, collect and redistribute Khums (a 20% Islamic income tax), and conduct Islamic marriages and divorces on his behalf. The organization executes five core functions: Religious Services, Religious Education, Managing Charity & Dues, Hawzah (seminary) Liaison, and Community Cohesion.

The technology stack is a non-engineered, content-and-commerce website stack (WordPress/WooCommerce-style, based on the my-account, product-category, and donation-history URLs) hosted at imam-us.org, plus a separate ask.imam-us.org jurisprudence Q&A platform, a Google Calendar-based Hijri calendar service, a Find Nearby Shia Islamic Centers locator (covering 346 centers), and an in-development digital archive for the Sheikh al-Tusi Library's 10,000 volumes. Engagement spans five languages (Arabic, English, Persian, Urdu, Spanish) across phone (1-877-313-4626), WhatsApp, email, and a multilingual social media footprint.

The business model is donations- and dues-driven rather than commercial: I.M.A.M. collects Khums, Zakat, Sadaqah, Fidyah, Kaffarah, Nather, Zakat al-Fitrah, Rad al-Madhalim, and general donations, then redistributes approximately 50% of Khums back to partner Islamic centers and schools, with orphan humanitarian aid sent through partner institutions to six countries (Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India). All religious classes, books, and Q&A services are provided free of charge; the organization does not conduct fundraisers by policy. Customer segments are the geographically dispersed North American Shia Muslim community (primary), 346 affiliated Shia Islamic centers (secondary), and Hawzah seminary students and scholars (tertiary).

Name

I.M.A.M.

Legal name

Imam Mahdi Association of Marjaeya, Inc.

Website

https://imam-us.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

I.M.A.M. (Imam Mahdi Association of Marjaeya) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that serves as the official liaison office of Ayatullah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani in North America, providing Shia Muslim religious services, education, Khums collection, and humanitarian programs across 346 Islamic centers in the U.S. and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dearborn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations & Religious Dues (Khums): I.M.A.M. collects Khums (an Islamic income tax of 20% of yearly remaining income after legitimate expenses), as well as Sadaqah (charity), Fidyah (compensation for missed fasting), Kaffarah (penalties for broken oaths or fasting), Nather ( vows), Zakat (agricultural and livestock tax), Zakat al-Fitrah, Rad al-Madhalim (restitution for usurped property), and general donations. Donors receive official religious receipts satisfying Islamic criteria and absolving further religious responsibility. Approximately 50% of Khums funds are directed to Islamic centers and schools across the U.S.
2. Orphan and Humanitarian Aid Donations: Dedicated donations for orphan support both domestically (U.S.) and internationally (Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India). Khums-allocated orphan funds are sent through officially registered institutions. I.M.A.M. bears full cost and management of orphan funds. The My Orphans initiative is maintained entirely through volunteer efforts with 100% of donations going to orphans.
3. Religious Counseling and Services: Scholarly staff provide religious counseling services, marriage and family counseling, and formal Islamic marriage and divorce processing through a Divorce Committee. These services are facilitated by a team of knowledgeable scholars authorized to answer questions based on the rulings of the religious authority.
4. Book Sales and Distribution: I.M.A.M. publishes Islamic books in English and Spanish, including titles such as Islamic Laws, Islamic Laws of Food and Drink, Islamic Laws of the Will, Islamic Laws of Expiation, Youth Advice from Sistani, Fasting: A Haven from Hellfire, The Illuminating Lantern, Who is Hussain?, Shia Muslims: Our Identity, Our Vision, and the Way Forward, God's Emissaries: Adam to Jesus, and Tajwid: A Guide to Quranic Recitation. Books are distributed free of charge for dawah purposes to students, religious circles, and prisoners.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

I.M.A.M. serves as the official liaison office of the Supreme Religious Authority (Ayatullah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani) in North America, delivering authenticated religious services to Shia Muslims across the U.S. and Canada. Its core offering spans five functions: Religious Services (jurisprudence Q&A, counseling, Islamic marriage and divorce processing), Religious Education (classes, Murtada Academy, publications), Managing Charity & Dues (Khums, Zakat, Sadaqah, Fidyah, Kaffarah, humanitarian aid), Hawzah Liaison (connections to seminaries in Najaf and Qom), and Community Cohesion (interfaith and intra-faith unity programs).

Product overview

I.M.A.M. (Imam Mahdi Association of Marjaeya) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) religious organization serving as the liaison office of Supreme Religious Authority Ayatullah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani in North America. The organization operates five core functions: Religious Services (jurisprudence questions, counseling, marriage/divorce, religious letters), Religious Education (classes, Murtada Academy, R.I.S.E., book publishing), Managing Charity & Dues (Khums, donations, financial assistance), Hawzah Liaison (connecting with seminaries), and Community Cohesion (interfaith, unity initiatives). Digital tools include an online account portal, Hijri Calendar, and Shia Islamic Center directory. Humanitarian programs include My Orphans and PSYCHED4U mental health services. The organization publishes Islamic books and supports the Mufid Academic Seminary and Council of Shia Muslim Scholars.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Religious Services Provides jurisprudence questions and answers, religious counseling, marriage and family counseling, Islamic divorce processing, religious commemoration services, and official letters for religious practice to Shia Muslims in North America.
• Religious Education Offers Islamic education including public religious classes at various levels, seminary (Hawzah) private classes, Murtada Academy programs, the R.I.S.E. initiative, book publishing, and speaker request services for academic and interfaith programs.
• Managing Charity & Dues Handles religious financial obligations including Khums (20% Islamic income tax), Sadaqah, Zakat, Zakat al-Fitrah, Fidyah, Kaffarah, Nather, Rad al-Madhalim, and general donations. Provides financial assistance applications and Khums authorization for Islamic centers and schools.
• Hawzah Liaison Connects the North American Shia community with Islamic seminaries in Najaf, Iraq and Qom, Iran, facilitates scholar visits, and coordinates the East-West Bridge Project for interfaith dialogue and academic exchange among religious and intellectual scholars.
• Community Cohesion Promotes unity among Shia Muslims and across faiths through interfaith dialogue, the Shia-Sunni Alliance Forum (SSAF), the Washington Declaration, mediation services, National Open Mosque/Masjid Day, and support for the Council of Shia Muslim Scholars in North America.
• My Orphans Orphan support initiative that coordinates with organizations across the U.S. to raise awareness and provide tax-deductible donations to orphans domestically and internationally. All funds go directly to orphans with no administrative deductions.
• Murtada Academy Comprehensive Islamic educational initiative offering structured learning programs for students of all ages, including foundational Islamic education and advanced seminary preparation, drawing on the intellectual and spiritual heritage of the Muslim tradition.
• R.I.S.E. (Resilience, Identity, Support, and Empowerment) Resilience, Identity, Support, and Empowerment initiative dedicated to strengthening the spiritual and emotional well-being of community members through faith-based guidance. Represents the Shia Muslim tradition at international conferences.
• Find Nearby Shia Islamic Centers Location-based search tool allowing users to find 346 Shia Islamic centers across North America within specified mileage radii of 5, 10, 20, 50, or 100 miles.
• Islamic Publications and Books 22 published religious books and booklets in English and Spanish, including Islamic Laws, Islamic Laws of Food and Drink, Islamic Laws of the Will, Islamic Laws of Expiation, Youth Advice from Sistani, Fasting: A Haven from Hellfire, Who is Hussain?, Shia Muslims: Our Identity Our Vision, God's Emissaries: Adam to Jesus, and Tajwid guide. First audiobook version of 'Who is Hussain?' released. Books distributed free for dawah purposes.
• PSYCHED4U Mental health support initiative providing psychological guidance services for community members facing emotional challenges, staffed by qualified professionals who combine Islamic knowledge with mental health expertise.
• Mufid Academic Seminary Hawzah seminary program on the academic model offering bachelor's and master's level studies to prepare preachers who can serve communities in North America and internationally. Located at I.M.A.M.'s Fairfax, VA office.
• Online Account Management User account portal for online payment of religious dues (Khums, Zakat, Sadaqah, Fidyah, Kaffarah, etc.), viewing donation history, managing account details, editing billing address, and accessing religious Q&A services.
• Hijri Calendar Islamic Hijri calendar subscription service with crescent moon notifications and monthly calendar updates, available via Google Calendar integration ([email protected]).
• Council of Shia Muslim Scholars in North America Interconnected organization supported by I.M.A.M. representing Shia Muslim scholars across North America, hosting annual conferences and issuing religious guidance, with a Crescent Sighting Committee for moon sighting verification.

Quantifiable outcome

• 591,562 website visitors and 921,208 page views in the past year, up from 425,443 visitors the prior year
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Shia-Sunni Alliance Forum (SSAF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2020Born in February 2020 through collaboration between ADAMS and I.M.A.M., with participation from the most active Shia and Sunni scholars and Imams from different parts of the United States. SSAF focuses on Muslim unity, addressing misconceptions, and encouraging worship together irrespective of differences, under the motto 'One God, One Umma, and One Mission.'
• Washington DeclarationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2013Initiated by I.M.A.M. and signed on September 1, 2013, at the 13th Annual Conference of the Council of Shia Muslim Scholars. Scholars from different schools of Islamic thought came together to address sectarian violence, protect the sanctity and freedoms of mankind, and improve security and coexistence.
• Council of Shia Muslim Scholars in North AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerI.M.A.M. provides ongoing support, organization, and resources for the Council of Shia Muslim Scholars of North America, including its annual conference and the Crescent Sighting Committee. I.M.A.M.'s Chairman, Sayyid M.B. al-Kashmiri, toured cities and states to revitalize the Council's activity after its founding.
• I.M.A.M. | UN-NGO (imam.ngo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerI.M.A.M. holds institutional charitable membership with the United Nations. The organization is represented by capable individuals who participate in various seminars and meetings that benefit Islam and Muslims, contributing articles on topics including education, freedom, human rights, environment, and non-violence.
• PSYCHED4U (psyched4u.org)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerA mental health and spiritual support initiative for the Shia Muslim community. I.M.A.M. took on this project to provide faith-based psychological guidance through qualified professionals who combine Islamic knowledge with mental health expertise.
• Mufid Academic Seminary (mufidseminary.org)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn academic seminary program coordinated and facilitated by I.M.A.M. for intermediate and advanced-level students interested in Islamic studies. Located at I.M.A.M.'s Fairfax, VA office (4000 Legato Rd., Suite 1100). The seminary prepares junior clergy who can assist and serve the community.
• Murtada AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA comprehensive Islamic educational initiative supported by I.M.A.M., drawing on the Muslim tradition's intellectual and spiritual heritage. Offers structured learning programs for students of all ages, from foundational Islamic education to advanced seminary preparation and integration of sacred principles with modern disciplines.
• R.I.S.E. (Resilience, Identity, Support, and Empowerment)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn I.M.A.M. initiative dedicated to strengthening the spiritual and emotional well-being of the community. Focuses on resilience, identity, support, and empowerment to help individuals and families face life's challenges with faith and connection to the teachings of Ahl al-Bayt (p).
• Enlighten ToursminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA project supported by I.M.A.M. focused on spiritual and educational travel services.
• Azwaja (azwaja.org)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA project supported by I.M.A.M. focused on community and educational services.
• My Orphans InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA humanitarian initiative developed in response to the need for assistance in tending to orphans in the United States. Maintained entirely through volunteer efforts; 100% of all donations go to orphans with no deduction for operative costs (covered by I.M.A.M.'s operational expenses). For overseas orphan support, collaborates with other 501(c)(3) non-profits with better logistics on the ground.
• East-West Bridge ProjectsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn I.M.A.M. initiative providing cultural and scholarly grounds for discussion and exchange of ideas among religious and intellectual scholars from different religions, sects, and schools of thought. Goals include presenting Islam in its true form, establishing global academic pacts, and promoting a global culture of awareness and stability.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Zaytuna College: A North American Muslim liberal arts college offering accredited Islamic education programs. Comparable to I.M.A.M.'s Murtada Academy and Mufid Seminary in providing structured Islamic education in English, though operating as an accredited institution rather than a community program.
• Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research: A research and educational Islamic non-profit producing high-engagement digital content on Islamic theology, identity, and practice. Comparable to I.M.A.M. in the digital content and education space, though broader in theological scope.
• Ahlulbayt TV: A Shia-focused satellite and online media platform producing religious and cultural programming for a global Shia audience. Comparable to I.M.A.M. in serving as a digital content channel for English-speaking Shia Muslims, with overlapping audience but different format.
• Al-Mahdi Institute: A Shia seminary in the UK offering intensive Hawzah-style religious education comparable to I.M.A.M.'s Mufid Academic Seminary. Both focus on developing English-speaking Shia scholars for Western contexts.

Direct peers

• Karbalaa Foundation: A North American Shia non-profit providing humanitarian, educational, and religious services to the Shia community. Directly comparable in mission, donor base, and service mix — both operate Shia-focused charity, education, and community programs.
• Islamic Center of America: The largest Shia mosque in North America, located in Dearborn, MI — the same city as I.M.A.M.'s headquarters. Comparable as a Shia religious institution providing community services, religious education, and Khums-related activities, and is part of the 346-center ecosystem I.M.A.M. serves.
• All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS): Large North American Muslim non-profit that co-founded the Shia-Sunni Alliance Forum with I.M.A.M. Comparably sized multi-functional religious/community organization operating across religious services, education, charity, and interfaith engagement in the U.S.
• World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities: A global Shia Ithna-Asheri umbrella organization providing religious, educational, and social services to the worldwide Khoja Shia community. Directly comparable to I.M.A.M. in mission, structure, and service portfolio — both serve as central institutions channeling religious authority to diaspora Shia communities.

Broad incumbents

• Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA): A larger U.S. Muslim non-profit with nationwide programming in religious education, social services, and relief. Broader in scope (not Shia-specific) but operates a similar multi-functional religious non-profit model in North America.
• Islamic Society of North America (ISNA): The largest umbrella Muslim organization in North America, running conventions, educational programs, and community services. Operates at a much larger scale but follows a comparable non-profit religious services model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IMAMS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGqD5c8JqvHS0Bp2i69p6og/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/ImamMahdiAssociationofMarjaeya
• Instagraminstagram.com/imamonline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i.m.a.m.

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about I.M.A.M.