By the grace of God, Ta'leef Collective has served thousands of people over the past decade and provided a safe haven for those seeking healing and spiritual growth during difficult periods of their lives; that has been our defining characteristic. As a faith-based community that aspires to embody the beauty of Islam and the lessons of our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, we place our trust in our spiritual teachers, and hold them in high regard. Undeniably, Ta'leef would not exist without its founder, Usama Canon, which makes this statement difficult to share.
For the past two years, Ta'leef Collective has been in transition under new leadership, following the news of Usama's ALS diagnosis in 2017. Last summer, Usama relinquished his position of leadership and authority and stepped out fully on sabbatical leave. We know that many people around the world have looked to Usama Canon for spiritual guidance as they navigate life's trials and tribulations, and many of us have benefited greatly from him. And we also know, as Muslims and human beings, that we must hold one another accountable, and no one of us is beyond reproach.
Earlier this year, allegations of professional misconduct (including verbal abuse and abuse of authority) by our founder were raised to Ta'leef's Board; as a result, an independent investigation was launched. The investigation, including people's testimonies and evidence, wrapped up in late summer and concluded that Usama Canon had exhibited conduct unbecoming of the values, ethics, and principles that we uphold as core to the mission and vision of Ta'leef. After much deliberation, the board decided his actions were grounds for termination, and in September 2019, began steps to formally sever all organizational ties with Usama Canon.
In early October, while the Ta'leef Board was working through a separation process, new allegations of previous misconduct over the years, of a more serious nature were raised. While no investigation has yet been launched by Ta'leef into the new alleged behaviors -- which Usama Canon has remorsefully admitted to -- we can emphatically say that he has deeply betrayed the sanctity of the position of spiritual teacher, and the trust of his own family, and that of the Ta'leef Board, staff, volunteers (past and present) and of the broader Ta'leef community. In late October 2019, Ta'leef Collective severed all professional and contractual relationships with its founder, Usama Canon.
For those who may be feeling impacted by this news, please know that you are not alone and there are resources available to you, including some we have compiled at
taleefcollective.org/wellness-resources. We also encourage and invite questions or concerns to our leadership team at
community-feedback@taleefcollective.org. We intend to host gatherings in both our Fremont and Chicago campuses as needed in the near future to facilitate healing and support for community members.
We would like to affirm that Ta'leef Collective does not tolerate misconduct of any kind by its leaders, teachers, staff, or volunteers. We seek to honor, respect, and welcome all who come through our doors, and with whom we interact. We are committed to learning from this experience and putting institutional safeguards in place to prevent misconduct and have been consulting with leaders in this line of work. As we progress through a reformation process, we will share updates with the community, taking counsel from human resource professionals, community leaders, teachers and advisors, and other faith communities grappling with these same challenges.
We ask for your prayers for total healing, complete well-being, and the everlasting mercy of God for everyone who may have been harmed or betrayed as a result of the aforementioned misconduct. And we ask for prayers for Ta'leef's past and present Board members, staff, and volunteers, and we ask for God's mercy for Usama Canon, his family, and the entire global Ta'leef community.
