The Council of Islamic Organizations of Kentucky Inc. (CIOK) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2007 to provide a common platform for various Islamic / Muslim Organizations in Kentucky.

According to the recently published Pew Research Report, Muslims constitute a growing and increasingly important segment of American society. Muslim migrants came from all over the world and have very diversified background. Although this diversity could be viewed as a blessing, it poses its own challenges due to ethnic, racial, and geographic differences. The Muslim community has remained mostly fragmented due to these differences.

Although the mass migration of Muslims to America started during the later half of the twentieth century and were living a quiet and peaceful life, the events of 9/11 has brought them into focus beyond their wishes and imagination. Heinous acts of few, the extremist in this case, have come to define at least in the mass media, the peaceful silent majority. This cannot and should not be allowed.

A sizable Muslim population has made Kentucky their home and their population continues to grow. Beginning of this year a taskforce consisting of volunteers from Kentucky Muslim community began developing a framework to bring the community on a common platform to effectively represent them. As a result “The Council of Islamic Organization of Kentucky (CIOK), referred to as The Council” was born. This is modeled after a similar organization, the CIOGC, in Greater Chicago with necessary changes to meet the needs of Kentucky community. The immediate focus of the Council is educational with a broader objective of providing Islamic perspective on issues of importance to broader society in general.

The executive committee of the Council consists of the following: