April 22, 2001
Source: New York Daily News
On April 22, 2001, the New York Daily News reported that "the demand for schools that offer the state-approved curriculum with Islamic and Arabic classes has risen over the past decade along with the city's growing Muslim population. But the high cost of real estate, the relative newness of the Islamic community and a religious prohibition against charging or paying interest have kept the number of Islamic schools [in New York City] at a minimum."