Islam 101 at ISBCC: A Free Saturday Class on the Five Pillars, Open to All

Every Saturday afternoon this fall, a classroom off the prayer hall at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center fills with a mix of people you might not expect to find side by side. Some took their shahada last month. Some are Christian or Jewish neighbors who have lived near a mosque for years without stepping inside. Some are spouses, coworkers or college students who simply want to understand their friends better.

They are there for Islam 101: Building Faith Through the Five Pillars, a free class at the ISBCC in Roxbury that began on Saturday, October 3, 2026, and runs through November 7. There is still time to join.

What the class covers

According to the ISBCC's event listing on Prayers Connect, the series meets every Saturday from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. and explores "the core acts of worship shaping a Muslim's faith, offering practical guidance and foundational knowledge." The listing says it is "ideal for new Muslims, interfaith members, and anyone seeking to learn more about Islam."

The Five Pillars are the frame: the declaration of faith (shahada), the five daily prayers (salah), charity (zakat), fasting in Ramadan (sawm) and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj). For someone new, each one raises real questions. How do you learn the prayer when you don't yet know Arabic? How is zakat calculated? What does fasting look like for someone with a job, a family and a commute?

The ISBCC's own "For New Muslims" page describes Islam 101 as a series covering "the Articles of Faith, the Prophet's Life, the Acts of Worship, the Qur'an, and Islamic Ethics," and calls it "the recommended first step for non-Muslims seeking an introduction to Islam." That page lists Imam Ismail Fenni as the instructor and Classroom 108, to the right of the prayer hall, as the meeting room.

A door that opened in 1997

The class has deep roots. The ISBCC says its classes for neighbors curious about Islam were started by the Muslim American Society Boston Chapter in 1997 in Cambridge. They have since grown into several programs held at both the ISBCC in Roxbury and the Islamic Society of Boston's Cambridge mosque at 204 Prospect Street.

"All classes are free, and walk-ins are welcome!" the center's website says.

That welcome matters. Many converts in Massachusetts describe the first months after becoming Muslim as a lonely stretch. Family members may not understand. The prayer feels unfamiliar. A crowded Jummah can be overwhelming. A small weekly class, with the same faces each Saturday and an imam who can answer basic questions without judgment, is often where a newcomer first finds a community.

Beyond the first six weeks

Islam 101 is meant as a starting point. The ISBCC also runs a monthly New Muslim Faith Series, which its website describes as an ongoing discussion of the six articles of belief led by Imam Abdulqadir Farah, meeting on Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m. in the mezzanine floor classroom. Past sessions listed on the center's programs page have covered faith in Allah, the angels, the messengers and divine predestination.

The center also offers a downloadable New Muslim Guidebook with essential beliefs, prayer instruction and a guide to the mosque, and it can help people who need an official certificate of Islam, for example for travel to Mecca. Questions about classes, or about volunteering to support new Muslims, go to office@isbcc.org.

For born Muslims, there is a quiet lesson here too. Many of us learned the pillars as children and rarely revisit them. Sitting in on a class like this, or simply greeting the people coming out of it, is a small act of hospitality that the community depends on.

Planning to go

What: Islam 101: Building Faith Through the Five Pillars
When: Saturdays, 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., October 3 to November 7, 2026. Remaining sessions fall on October 17, October 24, October 31 and November 7.
Where: Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center, 100 Malcolm X Blvd., Roxbury, MA 02120. The ISBCC website lists Classroom 108, to the right of the prayer hall.
Cost: Free. The ISBCC says walk-ins are welcome.
Getting there: The center is across from the Roxbury Crossing stop on the Orange Line. Street parking can be tight, so give yourself a few extra minutes.
Contact: 617-858-6114 or office@isbcc.org.
Note: The Prayers Connect listing calls this a six-week class, while the ISBCC website describes Islam 101 as a five-week series. Call or email ahead to confirm the schedule, the room, and whether a session will be canceled on a given Saturday. Modest dress is appreciated inside the mosque, and women may want to bring a scarf for the prayer hall.

Also this month

Young people who are looking for community have another free option. The Islamic Council of New England and USCMO are hosting an all-day Youth Conference on Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, 808 Commonwealth Avenue. The listing describes talks, interactive activities and conversations about mental health, identity, belonging, confidence and leadership. It is listed at no cost, with registration through the event page.

Know a story from Muslim Massachusetts worth telling? Write to us at masshalaldirectory@gmail.com.

Sources: ISBCC event listing "Islam 101: Building Faith Through the Five Pillars," Prayers Connect (Oct. 3 to Nov. 7, 2026, accessed Oct. 13, 2026); ISBCC, "For New Muslims" and "Programs" pages, isbcc.org (accessed Oct. 13, 2026); Youth Conference listing, Islamic Council of New England and USCMO, HappeningNext (Oct. 24, 2026, accessed Oct. 13, 2026).