~ Abid S.

“It has always been my intention to one day assist those who need it to fund their education in a halal manner so that the entire community, our Ummah, may benefit as a whole. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that ACC had already started such an endeavor. The impending interest/Riba accrual for my student loans has been causing me and my family significant mental and psychological turmoil. Despite my best efforts to allay their fears, I see how much of a negative impact it is having on my elderly parents, those who brought me up to always earn and consume halal. To receive this refinancing loan would change my life immediately. I would be able to focus on my training wholeheartedly and care for my family without the anguish of being shackled to the fiery chains of Riba. I would know with confidence that my dreams for the future, to benefit the cause of our Deen, and support those who need it through my profession, was not stained by being financed in a haram manner. More so, although it is my intention to support the ACC endeavor in every way financially and otherwise, regardless of the status of my loan, from a practical standpoint, I would be among those who are able repay the loans quicker, and God-willing, further support the cause with higher funding by virtue of an expected higher income in the future.I understand completely the importance of following through on contracts and the repayment of debt that our faith places upon us. For that reason, I have always done my utmost to never be indebted to anyone. I have maintained an excellent credit rating over the years by making sure every cent was paid off well ahead of the due date.”

~ Absa F.

“My mind paints an image of how those at ACC must be sifting through a multitude of applications, all of the other candidates "deserving" of a loan in their own way. Every day at the nonprofit I work at I ensure that our clients receive their meals or groceries. Such actions should fill me with pride, and yet those are not the thoughts that swirl in my mind after hours. Instead, I examine the moments in my day when I speak to prospective clients who don't qualify. The people who tell me "I haven't eaten in two days" or "please send me food." Don't they "deserve" food? There are so many people that are vulnerable. That becomes trapped in a cycle of poverty. Or riba. Who are paying back thousands of dollars in debt. What do they "deserve"? So although I cannot tell you why I am "deserving" of this loan, I can tell you my story. In the circumstance that I, InshAllah, do receive a loan from ACC, I will immediately feel the ease of having one less emotional weight on my shoulders. Words cannot begin to express how deeply I regret participating in riba and the way it is so normalized in this western society. Additionally, receipt of an educational loan would fast-track my timeline for paying off my student debts, as I won't have the burden of weekly interest-related increases. In terms of my long-term goals, upon my potential acceptance of a loan, I have thought about how I want to spend and invest in my future. Such as saving for grad school so that I may obtain the credentials to become an executive director at a nonprofit, my hopes to pay off my family's debts, or the possibility of removing other financial burdens in my way. Furthermore, I plan to spend more energy investing in my family back home so that they don't have to worry about where their next meal will come from. These dreams for myself and my family are incredibly daunting for me, but I know that with an investment from ACC, I would be at least one step closer to fulfillment. Ultimately, an ACC loan would drastically change my life and the way in which I think about money and my pursuit of it. I have been steadily working on shaking off the shackles of individualism to stop thinking of the money I have as something that I own, rather than something that I was entrusted with. A gift from Allah swt whose only purpose is for the betterment of myself and the community I live in, both secular and Islamic. So that I can become the change I wish to see.”

~ Sumiya I.

" This loan will remove the burden of riba off my shoulders and allow me to help future applicants of ACC. I also plan to become an advocate of this organization and would like to dedicate my time, energy, and finances to sponsor students like me. It is truly heartbreaking to take out riba loans just to obtain higher education while displeasing Allah swt. ACC is truly following its ideology by breaking the chains of Riba and I wish to do the same to please Allah (SWT). This will also bring more blessings in my rizq and in my life. The best part of me paying back to ACC is the fact that the money I pay back will go towards another Muslim student's graduate education. This will continue the chain of sadaqah jariyah. As Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, "When a human passes away, all his deeds come to an end except for three: a continuous charity, beneficial knowledge, and a righteous child who will pray for him."

~ Jibreel S.

"I feel uncomfortable saying I am "deserving," however, since returning from studying overseas, it has been a challenge getting settled. Consequently, I am in a negative financial situation. Debt is a disease, and I want to cure myself proactively. I want to be debt-free because I want to invest, not be in debt, hoping to have something for my family when I return to Allah.I do not want to be another example of a Black American not using his wealth wisely for the improvement of my family. I am sick of my debt and hope this organization will consider me a just cause."

~ Maheen A.

"With being children of immigrant parents, there comes many expectations and a lot of burden that fall upon our shoulders. I am a Pakistani-American Muslim woman and that title in itself has a lot of baggage aligned with it. I am expected by the older generation to take the very traditional route: education, marriage, homemaking, kids. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that route, a lot of women prefer it but it is frustrating as a brown woman that no matter what I accomplish in life academically and professionally, people will ask me the same, redundant questions, "when are you getting married again?" "why don't you just settle?". Along with that, they look at me with pity because I am a divorced, 30-year old living with her parents. I wish to change the narrative, take a non traditional route - a route that empowers me and at the same shines a light on my parents upbringing. My parents always supported me through my educational and professional journey and never pressured me into anything against my will. For that, I owe them the world. I have gained so much strength and resilience from my biggest role model, my mother, who always stood her ground throughout her own life. After my divorce, I vowed to focus on myself for the sake of my loved ones and for the sake of my future. I went back to school to pursue my dream of achieving my Masters degree - a dream that I let go during my marriage because I let go of myself completely. I was finally paving a path for myself where I felt fulfilled and the spark I saw in my parents eyes is truly what kept me going. Alhamdulillah, I was able to work full-time and go to school at the same time to obtain my degree. I am not going to sugarcoat it and say it was easy, because it was far from that, but it was all worth it. I felt motivated to keep going and growing. I am so grateful to have gone through school again, but it did come with a price - a high price. By receiving an interest-free loan, I will be able to release myself from the shambles of interest that is holding me back. Alhamdulillah, I have been able to get back on my feet after such a traumatic situation, but interest will always be something which causes me constant guilt. I want to keep building on myself, to become a better person, Muslim, daughter, and InshaAllah the best example for my children. I wish to excel in my career, support my parents and sister's dreams while I can and set a good example for other women. For that to happen, I need to find a route that pleases Allah (SWT) because that is where true success lies and that is where true peace starts. This is for women, for my parents, for my sister and for my present and future self."

~ Ayah B.

"Upon my graduation from dental school, I began an optional year of General Practice Residency and was married the same month I completed it. My then-husband was a resident physician in training. I moved away from my family and supported both of us for years. The promise was that once he was fully employed, he would take on financial responsibilities, and I could focus on paying off my debt. Unfortunately, when we divorced, the law of the land gave him rights over me and had me pay child support, regardless of the fact that he currently makes triple my salary. I live states away from family which makes it that much more difficult for support in that sense. I can't move closer because we have joint custody. I currently own a dental practice and work full time running the business and being the sole doctor treating patients. One might think that owning a clinic would mean great wealth, however growth is a slow process; especially as the COIVD-19 pandemic caused mandated closures of dental clinics. For these reasons, I have a weekend job where I take shifts working the weekends that I do not have my children. My life circumstances have me in debt 13 years out of dental school and while I am eternally grateful for the ability to work and the opportunities I have been given to make a living, removing my debt would drastically change my life. My goal is to get out of debt as quickly as possible so that I may be able to spend more time with my children, my aging parents, and spend (both money and time) in service of Allah. My parents immigrated to the United States from Palestine with next to nothing in search of the "American Dream." I make duaa that they are blessed in Dunya and Akhira for all of the sacrifices they made to raise their seven children according to Islam. They instilled a passion for education in all of us, but unfortunately did not have the means to support us beyond private Islamic elementary education. As an undergraduate student, I took advantage of every program and scholarship available to graduate debt-free. In order to pursue professional school, taking a student loan seemed like the only viable option. Alhamdulillah, even during COVID lockdowns when I had no source of income, I avoided any credit card or other form of debt. I have furnished my home and purchased a vehicle debt-free. I am intentional about my income and my spending. Once I am debt free, I can begin to shift focus to help my children pay for college, to help my brother pay off his college loan, and beyond. It would be a great honor for me to be a regular contributor to ACC to pay it forward and help other Muslims pursue their dreams and passions in a halal, non-constricting manner. "

~ Abdurrahman A.

"I believe that I am an ideal candidate for the ACC interest-free loan due to my academic achievements, commitment to my faith, and financial need. As a medical student, I worked hard to graduate in the top tier of my class and have been recognized by my state’s Medical Society and my own University for excellence. In addition to these academic pursuits, I have always prioritized service including humanitarian efforts through the framework of Islam. It is sometimes hard to believe that a little boy from a village in Bangladesh, through these efforts, is now set to start Otolaryngology residency at one of the premier hospitals in the country. Through your support, I am determined to provide a high level of care and continue my research, service work, and my support of the Muslim community. I truly believe an investment in me is an investment in not only my career, but also the people around me, my patients, and the broader Muslim community. Academically, I have been fortunate to receive around $115,000 in scholarships through medical school. I have been extremely conscious of loans and consulted my local scholars at various different Islamic centers before starting. I made a rule to only withdraw loans for tuition and have lived within my means and with my family for most of medical school. By the grace of Allah, I have also benefited from the COVID-19 Loan Payment Pause and 0% interest, and I am still hoping for further relief from the current Loan Forgiveness being discussed in the Supreme Court. I am always looking for ways to reduce my loan burden, and because of my academic performance, in addition to the above scholarships, I have also been selected to receive a $10,000 scholarship from my state’s Medical Society. As a result, I will have about $85,000 in loans left to pay off. While loan forgiveness is an option through public service forgiveness, this would require accrual of significant interest with no guarantees. This is something I am unwilling to accept. Because of this, I feel an immense pressure to pay off my student loans as fast as possible during residency. As someone who prioritizes Islam, I am determined to pay off my loans within 30 months or sooner and am currently tutoring to raise additional funds. My wife is also starting residency at the same hospital as I am and will be making the same salary as me ($61,659 before tax). We plan to live off one salary and use another salary for loan payments. We are willing to sacrifice to minimize the interest associated with my loans. Because of this defined timeline, my commitment, and secure income, I hope ACC will view my application as reasonable and realistic. This is a tremendous opportunity as it would allow me to budget the rest of my finances with my wife, completely avoid interest, and give us some ability to save money for our security fund, essential residency purchases, and moving costs".

~ Imane K.

"A vast majority of the people I've come to know who pursued medicine have maintained their medical  degrees through loans full of interest, as they state that it's the "easier" option. With these loans, they have been able to afford their education, food on their plates, apartment expenses, secure a good placement in their careers, and much more… So perhaps it is indeed the easier option, that is, when you only apply it to this world. However, in my opinion, this world even with its beauties and luxuries is only temporary in the end. The most beneficial aspect that comes from it perhaps is the good you may do for others or the help that you bring, but one should ask themself whether pleasing the creation by betraying the Creator is truly worth it. To me, it isn't. I understand that by applying for an interest-free loan I am throwing myself into an area of competition, obstacles, and hardship in order to secure the earnings Allah has made permissible to us. On top of that, my chances also become much slimmer. Still, I trust that Allah will not let those who strive to please Him down. I'm determined. And, I also believe that the afterlife is much more valuable and that earning a loan that I can pay back in the future, with no interest or catches tied, even with the complexities thrown into it, is much more worth the try. So, most significantly, aside from just positively impacting my educational experiences, my life, and my growth, I believe that this opportunity would allow me to build on my connection with Allah and strengthen it. It will give me more hope, and faith, and will place more blessings, success, and ease into my life in the years to come in this life and the next. In my perspective, it opens the doors to new beginnings and opportunities without the regrets of using unequal exchanges/borrowing. Along with this, securing a role where I can help others while also studying what I've admired for several years has always been a dream of mine. I am more than grateful for what Allah has already blessed me with, although, I do feel that the environment I've been raised in has been destructive in some aspects and made me prone to stress, which has impacted me emotionally and mentally. I feel that transferring to a different area and being able to afford PA school would change many things for me. I feel that I will be able to excel even more in my academics and in turn become a competent medical professional. I feel that I'd also grow healthier as a person. I would also be able to afford the materials I require, including my textbooks, medical uniform, and utensils. I will be able to serve those in my community and accomplish my goals of making healthcare universally accessible and insurance coverage more affordable."

~ Mishal K.

"During my undergraduate education I suffered with mental health issues from trauma of my father's deportation. Along with pursuing an education I was the caretaker of my older brother who was suffering from severe substance use issues due to his time in detention after my father's deportation. At a time, I was unable to receive state aid because I was not independent and was not emancipated from my father who I was dependent under when he lived in the United States. This led to me taking private student loans and receiving help from family friends who became cosigners. One of my cosigners is requesting for me to refinance my loans so he is able to buy a home and fund education for his own children who will be attending college. While persisting to pursue a higher education and further my passion to contribute to research among vulnerable populations I have also been finding it extremely difficult to eliminate private student loan debt. I have been paying toward my private student loans for years now but the balance remains the same because my payments are only going towards interest. The option to refinance my private student loan will give me the ability to make payments which will reduce the amount of the loan and provide me a lot more financial security for my future. I am not as concerned about my federal student loan debt because I plan to have a career in non-profit and government sectors which will help reduce federal student loan debt. For personal development it is important for me to continue into higher education to secure a job and continue seeking NIH and state funding to contribute to research."