American Muslim History threatened

Posted under american muslim, current events, history by rahma

Weather here has been pretty cruddy as of late.  I’ve lost count of the number of tornado sirens that have gone off in the last week.  But alhamdulilah, nothing major has happened up in our neck of the woods. 

The same cannot be said for many of our midwesterly neighbors to the south.  The flooding in Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois has been devestating.  It hits a wee bit close to home when the roads you’ve traveled dozens of times to both your grandmother’s and parents’ homes are impassible and that places you used to live are flooded.

Now word comes from CAIR-MN that one of the first mosques in America has been damaged:

Flood Damages Historic American Mosque, Destroys Documents
CAIR-MN urges American Muslims to assist flood victims of all faiths(ST. PAUL, MN, 6/16/08) – The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) today called on American Muslims to help repair damage to one of the first mosques in America caused by recent flooding in Iowa.The Mother Mosque of America in Cedar Rapids, completed in 1934, was one of the first permanent structures built specifically to serve as a mosque in the United States. The mosque had recently completed a renovation project.

Documents inside the mosque, including photographs of American Muslim immigrants from the early 1900s, were destroyed by the flood waters.

“The mosque has been visited by people from all over the country,” said Imam Taha Tawil, Director of the Mother Mosque of America. “It is part of the American Muslim identity.”

CAIR-MN is asking Muslims to donate to help restore the mosque and to assist flood victims of all faiths throughout the region.

SEE: Mother Mosque of America
mothermosque.org

The Mother Mosque is listed on both the Iowa State Historical Register and the National Register of Historic Places as an “essential piece of American religious history, which symbolizes tolerance and acceptance of Islam and Muslims in the United States.”

MAS Service Corps are consolidating muslim efforts in the area.

Some of the first mosques in the United States was built in the Midwest.  Many of them claim to be first, although there is evidence that some were built out on the east coast before them.  It seems to come down to semantics - those in the midwest (Ross, North Dakota and The Mother Mosque claim to be the first purpose build mosques.  Were the mosques on the east coast buildings converted into mosques?  Definately something to look into further.