In September 1987, a group of five Latino Muslims decided to form a study group, with the purpose of learning about Islam in the Spanish or Spanish language and thus sharing the same culture and language. The meetings began informally in the cafeteria of the Islamic Center of Southern California. But very soon they realized that non-Muslim Latinos visited the Islamic Center out of curiosity and to obtain information about Islam in Spanish. These visits by non-Muslim Latinos occurred so frequently that it was decided to structure an Introduction to Islam program in Spanish.